off the shelf parted incan E

chillinn

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The responses to one of my first posts here concerning a small, decent incan were unanimous: E1E Executive Elite. Get it or suck. I have been experiencing the suck.

They don't make those anymore. I have been looking, found half a dozen... don't like the condition of the used units, don't like the price, and the surefire lamps, though high quality, are expensive and getting rare.

But Tad Customs has inspired me to seek to build my own.

I would attempt do build by myself, but I've never held an E series, never looked inside, have an idea that its a simple thing, but having not seen it first hand, without endless capital (far from it), I would not attempt to collect compatible parts to build an E compatible light.

You incan owners know stuff. Please share. Can I do this? Who sells E compatible bodies? (16340/17670/18350/18650/14500) Reflectors? Switches? Bezels? Lenses? With a lamp, is that all I need? And springs and o-rings? If someday I can aqcuire a McGizmo Haiku... how tough would it be to temporarily make it incan on a whim, and switch it back later?

I spend a lot of time on google images looking. Images of tear downs of lights are rare for some reason. I invite E series incan owners to pull apart their lights and post images of the puzzle pieces. TIA
 
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m4a1usr

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I'll second the Vital Gear bodies. CPF member LightKnot (sp?) sells them, might not be in stock right now but if you contact him he can tell you when a new batch arrives. As for the bezel/head keep an eye out in the WTS section. The incan heads pop up quite often and one was just sold in the last week or so.
 

archimedes

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If you aren't concerned with how it will look, the SF incandescent E-series bezel assembly (with lens / reflector / etc) is actually the only stock part you "need" for a functional version of this flashlight.

There are readily available aftermarket alternatives for the rest, from lamps, to battery tubes, to switches, etc, etc ....
 
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Repsol600rr

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If you are looking for bulbs then lumens factory is where I've been getting mine. I have the HO e1a in my e1e currently. They also make a 3.7 volt bulb you can run on 16340s which I have done in the past.
 

chillinn

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This is all good news. I'll search for the suggested bodies and watch for E heads in WTS. Are there not any custom E heads that are available or popular? Everyone uses the stock Surefire head/reflector?

If you aren't concerned with how it will look, the SF incandescent E-series bezel assembly (with lens / reflector / etc) is actually the only stock part you "need" for a functional version of this flashlight.

I know its a short list, but I haven't seen so I don't know what all exactly is in the E head... lamp, reflector, i could guess, but what else... o-ring... spring... second spring... I have no idea.

I am excited that its very possible to do this. I'll keep seeking the parts. Any who find this, please keep suggestions coming, and feel free to show off what you got. Thanks.
 

ampdude

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I would go with the E2e over the E1e for incan uses any day of the week. As far as the bi-pin custom stuff, it's neat, but for serious use the potted factory lamps are the only way to go.

Vital Gear makes a very nice aftermarket product! We have a member that sells batches of them from time to time.

It's too bad Surefire never made an E3e, I really would have liked to have seen that lamp assembly in production!
 

recDNA

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I find the e1e is plenty bright in pitch darkness even with stock lamp. With any ambient light at all e2e is much better.
 

ampdude

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I agree, but the E2e is also bright enough to be used as a tactical light. All these years since my first and I still carry the dang things or lego versions of them. :)
 

chillinn

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I see there has been a shelf queen E2E in like new condition in WTS for a few days. The bezel I'd like is non-crenellated, and this preference has prevented me at the last second from jumping on a number of lights here and on the Bay. In all these lights and the non-crenellated Surefires, it appears that this ring can be separated, and maybe replaced. I don't care about collectability so much, just want a smooth bezel. Do those bezel rings, which appear to hold the lens in place, come off? Are they replaceable, and is there a replacement?

Seems to me, just in my humble estimation, that there are many others that prefer a non-crenellated head. I don't know machining... but if those rings are removable and replaceable. wouldn't it be more or less academic for a luthier of moderate skill to make a non-crenellated replacement bezel ring for any number of Surefires? Perhaps such work would not be as satisfying as creating an entire host, but if there is an obvious economic opportunity... I'd pay $30 for a custom ring, just to be rid of those things... seems odd no machinist thought to do this to make a quick buck.

Again, idk if those things come off, if their glued or screwed... let me know, and I'll start PMing some custom makers with inquiries.Thanks.
 

AndyF

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Here is a photo of the bezel open. The reflector is not removable. ImageUploadedByCandlepowerforums1470414374.424877.jpg
 

m4a1usr

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The bezel ring does come off the E2e series and the one you are referring to in your comments can be removed to be take down them further by MIK but the problem is most of the incan E2e's are HA NAT and that only allows you two options. Leave it bare aluminum after being cut down or paint it with considerable effort to match the exact color. I have done it with testors enamel mixing OD with green and black but its a PIA getting it right and because its enamel pocket use will certainly cause substantial wear and the bare Alum will eventually reappear.

Tana makes a stainless or Titanium bezel ring for the incan head but has never offered (AFAIA) these up for sale separately. 6 or 7 years ago you could find the cheap Chi E series copies and since they were exact copies you could lego some of the head parts like the bezel and if you do search on CPF I'm sure you can find a few modders who did offer bezels as an upgrade, but your again a few years too late.
 

AndyF

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You may be interested in the UBH body from Spark illuminations.

It is a kit comprising of a cell tube that accepts E heads and various cell adapters to allow the use of 1,2 or 3 cr123 and 1 or 2 AA's.

You will need to source a tail cap.
 

chillinn

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You may be interested in the UBH body from Spark illuminations.

It is a kit comprising of a cell tube that accepts E heads and various cell adapters to allow the use of 1,2 or 3 cr123 and 1 or 2 AA's.

You will need to source a tail cap.

Thanks, found a Spark Illuminations UBH link.

I was hoping the body was in threaded modular pieces, but its as you describe, uses cell adapters in a long tube. Still this is very clever and attractive. Thanks.
 

labrat

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The responses to one of my first posts here concerning a small, decent incan were unanimous: E1E Executive Elite. Get it or suck. I have been experiencing the suck.

They don't make those anymore. I have been looking, found half a dozen... don't like the condition of the used units, don't like the price, and the surefire lamps, though high quality, are expensive and getting rare.

But Tad Customs has inspired me to seek to build my own.

I would attempt do build by myself, but I've never held an E series, never looked inside, have an idea that its a simple thing, but having not seen it first hand, without endless capital (far from it), I would not attempt to collect compatible parts to build an E compatible light.

You incan owners know stuff. Please share. Can I do this? Who sells E compatible bodies? (16340/17670/18350/18650/14500) Reflectors? Switches? Bezels? Lenses? With a lamp, is that all I need? And springs and o-rings? If someday I can aqcuire a McGizmo Haiku... how tough would it be to temporarily make it incan on a whim, and switch it back later?

I spend a lot of time on google images looking. Images of tear downs of lights are rare for some reason. I invite E series incan owners to pull apart their lights and post images of the puzzle pieces. TIA


You have already found Tad Customs, so order a set of the Bi-Pin adapter and some bulbs from him.
I just ordered this now.
Find a Surefire E1 head, you might have to pay some for that!
And a Vital Gear single or double cell body, and you are off.
Nicest little light to hide in your pocket!
There are lots of photos of the various versions of these here in CandlePowerForums.
 

chillinn

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Well, I nearly have my hands on my first E; one came up I wanted, and I jumped on an E1e-BK. There's a small hickup, but the seller is patient and kind :)

And I had it in my memory, from this thread I think, that someone had a service to replace the glued Al bezel with a stainless steel bezel. At least, I think I have seen pics of such handsome customized E's. I see above the link to MIK, but looks like he just offers to grind down the crenellations.

Who makes the SS custom bezel replacement for E's? If you have it, link would be nice also. Thanks!
 
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