Sturluson
Enlightened
Never thought I would have a chance at one of these great lights because I joined CPF too late...
Please put me on the "extra lights" list!
Please put me on the "extra lights" list!
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Frenchyled
Flashaholic*
Any good news ? REally hard waiting time 
Hope all things goes well, because no Paypal demands from now
Hope all things goes well, because no Paypal demands from now 
I have all the bodies back from the anodizer now. They came out good, just like the test pieces. I am going to put the battery caps in to the anodizer next. There is no rush on this because it is not the anodizer that is holding me up right now, it is the polishing.
Polishing takes lots of time. I am polishing the knobs now and am only 1/3 the way through them. The heads are being polished by my partner and should be done soon. After that they can go into the platers.
The first test pieces that I got back from the platers were OK (everybody at the Shot Show saw the perfect ones) but I need them all perfect. The plater told me that if I polish the copper plating before they put on the nickle and chrome I will be able to get the finish I am looking for. We also learned how best to adjust the plating thickness of the coper and nickle after seeing the first batch.
The other work I have to do is substantial but it will get done before the plater is finished with the chrome, that is the hold up. When it comes down to it I do not want to rush the polishing. The chrome head and knob are part of what defines the SPY and I will not be done till it is right.
Cheers
Dave
Polishing takes lots of time. I am polishing the knobs now and am only 1/3 the way through them. The heads are being polished by my partner and should be done soon. After that they can go into the platers.
The first test pieces that I got back from the platers were OK (everybody at the Shot Show saw the perfect ones) but I need them all perfect. The plater told me that if I polish the copper plating before they put on the nickle and chrome I will be able to get the finish I am looking for. We also learned how best to adjust the plating thickness of the coper and nickle after seeing the first batch.
The other work I have to do is substantial but it will get done before the plater is finished with the chrome, that is the hold up. When it comes down to it I do not want to rush the polishing. The chrome head and knob are part of what defines the SPY and I will not be done till it is right.
Cheers
Dave
brightnorm
Flashaholic
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2001
- Messages
- 7,160
The price of this jewel is starting to seem relatively modest.
Brightnorm
Brightnorm
Christoph
Flashlight Enthusiast
eagerly waiting.
greenLED
Flashaholic
I got to play with a couple of these at SHOT, and they are NICE!! For some reason I expected them to be larger, but they fit nicely in the hand, the switch is really easy to use (and mastering the "lighter" technique - to get it on at full in one go - takes about 1 second to master). Oh, yeah, and it's BRIGHT!
Frenchyled
Flashaholic*
Thank you for the reply and these informations, it's really a jeweler work :twothumbs
I think this light will be awesome because of the long time you passed on them :rock:
And you want it so perfect, waoww
I think this light will be awesome because of the long time you passed on them :rock:
And you want it so perfect, waoww
Monolith
They are doing only one coper layer that I know of. What does the soft copper layer provide and what is soft copper?
My plating shop does offer the polishing service but there are complications. I designed a special plating mask that is made of a silicon plug with a brass and aluminum insert. It keeps the inside of the knob (the bearing surface) from getting plated. It must be assembled properly and would have to be removed for the copper polishing. I think it will more likely come out correctly if I do the copper polishing. When you have the time invested in such a complicated part as the knob you do not dare leave it up to somebody else.
Cheers
Dave
They are doing only one coper layer that I know of. What does the soft copper layer provide and what is soft copper?
My plating shop does offer the polishing service but there are complications. I designed a special plating mask that is made of a silicon plug with a brass and aluminum insert. It keeps the inside of the knob (the bearing surface) from getting plated. It must be assembled properly and would have to be removed for the copper polishing. I think it will more likely come out correctly if I do the copper polishing. When you have the time invested in such a complicated part as the knob you do not dare leave it up to somebody else.
Cheers
Dave
The soft copper layer is generally utilized as a filler layer (thicker copper layer) to help fill in any imperfections in the surface left after the hard copper layer. With such small parts, most shops probably would not give them enough attention to get your desired level of detail even if they were buffing between layers.Data said:
kukula
Enlightened
I have followed this light since its inception, and was one of the earliest who placed on order. I am happy to see Data's attention to detail. This will make an already great light...perfect :rock: Take your time Data. I wouldnt mind the wait, especially with such a work of art
greenLED said:
What a great time the Shot Show was. It was great meeting you green.
I remember you got the instant-on flick down faster than most anybody else I have seen do it.
Cheers
Dave
The polished and chromed knobs require many steps to get to the finished part. For those who are interested in such mundane details, this is the process and a video of one of the polishing steps. CAUTION, this video is rated R for the for the violence that may erupt if one actually watches the entire polishing process. Keep in mind, you can never get that 10 minutes of your life back.
1) on a CNC lathe, machine the inside of the knob and cut the outside to a cylinder.
2) in special vice jaws on a CNC mill, machine the blade and the cam slot in the inside of the knob.
3) on a specially designed expanding collet back on the CNC lathe, cut the outside of the knob sans flutes. Because coolant is everywhere you can not polish at this time.
4) back on a manual lathe, polish the knob with the following process.
- use a steel hand tool to smooth the front center concave section
- 3M down the part to take out tool marks
- 600-800 grit sand paper
- dremel #1 with cloth wheel and red rouge polish outside of knob
- dremel #2 with pointy felt bob polish front center concave section.
5) in special vice jaws back on a CNC mill, cut the ten flutes on the outside of the polished knob.
6) hand polish the flutes with three different dremels. See video for details.
- dremel #1 with wheel and black rouge cut down edges
- dremel #2 with thin wheel and brown gouge take tool marks out of bottom of flutes
- dremel #3 polish 0-ring surface.
7) prepare plating mask assembly.
- core silicon stopper on a specially designed vice jaw.
- cut brass tubing and aluminum cathode to length.
8) clean and assemble the bare knob and the mask assembly that keeps the inside bearing surface from being plated.
9) plating shop puts down a layer of copper.
10) disassemble knob and mask and polish copper and reassemble mask.
11) plating shop puts down nickle and chrome
12) disassemble mask clean parts, lube bearing and install on body with specially designed press.
adada adada adada thats all folks :buddies:
1) on a CNC lathe, machine the inside of the knob and cut the outside to a cylinder.
2) in special vice jaws on a CNC mill, machine the blade and the cam slot in the inside of the knob.
3) on a specially designed expanding collet back on the CNC lathe, cut the outside of the knob sans flutes. Because coolant is everywhere you can not polish at this time.
4) back on a manual lathe, polish the knob with the following process.
- use a steel hand tool to smooth the front center concave section
- 3M down the part to take out tool marks
- 600-800 grit sand paper
- dremel #1 with cloth wheel and red rouge polish outside of knob
- dremel #2 with pointy felt bob polish front center concave section.
5) in special vice jaws back on a CNC mill, cut the ten flutes on the outside of the polished knob.
6) hand polish the flutes with three different dremels. See video for details.
- dremel #1 with wheel and black rouge cut down edges
- dremel #2 with thin wheel and brown gouge take tool marks out of bottom of flutes
- dremel #3 polish 0-ring surface.
7) prepare plating mask assembly.
- core silicon stopper on a specially designed vice jaw.
- cut brass tubing and aluminum cathode to length.
8) clean and assemble the bare knob and the mask assembly that keeps the inside bearing surface from being plated.
9) plating shop puts down a layer of copper.
10) disassemble knob and mask and polish copper and reassemble mask.
11) plating shop puts down nickle and chrome
12) disassemble mask clean parts, lube bearing and install on body with specially designed press.
adada adada adada thats all folks :buddies:
andrewwynn
Flashlight Enthusiast
that post reminds me of my recent how to make a nano post.. boy do i know the feeling! :-D
GREAT stuff though.. beautiful!
=-awr
GREAT stuff though.. beautiful!
=-awr
Cones
Enlightened
Ooh. Shiny.
Looking great!
Love the videos.
Thanks
Mark
Looking great!
Love the videos.
Thanks
Mark
Darell
Flashaholic
I'm enjoying the sound track, certainly.
Man. I'm gonna feel TERRIBLE the first time I drop that switch onto concrete! :sweat:
Man. I'm gonna feel TERRIBLE the first time I drop that switch onto concrete! :sweat:
andrewwynn
Flashlight Enthusiast
awesome.. i just checked out the video.. sped-read it.. i bet Data wishes he could also use the fast-forward button.. i laughed with the word 'ouch' with the painful last words on the video.. 'ready to move onto the NEXT one'.. great stuff.. now i'm even more glad to be on the list, good to see i'm not the only one going through these kinds of efforts to make a killer light! I love it already.. I got to play with a spy 005 test unit but had to send it back so i'm suffering withdrawl.
-awr
-awr
brightnorm
Flashaholic
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2001
- Messages
- 7,160
Where is the link for this new video? i've seen the previously posted ones but I can't find this one.
Brightnorm
Brightnorm
andrewwynn
Flashlight Enthusiast
the link is in Data's post.. look for the word 'video' it's a hyperlink.
-awr
-awr
Dave,
You and Larry have much in common! :nana:
That video reminds me of the supper dupper best in the galaxy light that I was working on and going to make millions on cause I am so dang cool but then the bad air awoke me and I realized it was a burrito and nothing more.
You and Larry have much in common! :nana:
That video reminds me of the supper dupper best in the galaxy light that I was working on and going to make millions on cause I am so dang cool but then the bad air awoke me and I realized it was a burrito and nothing more.
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