Tools for maintaining your lights.

kalel332

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Mar 9, 2011
Messages
151
I use to have a really thin needle nose pliers I bought at Sears which I used to disassembled my lights for cleaning. I usually use it take apart the tail switches. I loaned it to a friend, never to see it again. I was just wondering what tools do you guys use to maintain your lights
 

archimedes

Flashaholic
Joined
Nov 12, 2010
Messages
15,780
Location
CONUS, top left
I use to have a really thin needle nose pliers ....

Like these ? ...

ThWHokv.jpg

[emoji106]
 

badtziscool

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Messages
1,722
Snap ring pliers are good for taking/twisting out retaining rings, pills, and switches in various flashlights. For me, I typically have a dental pick to help me take off orings, and an old toothbrush to clean out the threads. I also use Dawn dish washing soap to clean the grime on the body and old lube on the threads. Works really well. I also have a tube of Nyogel to lube up the threads and orings when I reassemble the lights. That's about all I use for flashlight maintenance.
 

Tachead

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 3, 2015
Messages
3,872
Location
Northwestern Ontario, Canada
These...
wkQr5P8.jpg

I have some fine needle nose pliers as well that aren't in the pic.

This is never a bad kit to have for maintaining your flashlights either...
Lm63SL6.jpg
 
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troutpool

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 22, 2010
Messages
1,328
Location
Arizona
I use tweezers, too, in a variety of sizes, some with sharp points. I use an old bodkin instead of a dental pick. Alcohol for routine cleaning of contacts and threads.
 

Fireclaw18

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 16, 2011
Messages
2,408
I have a set of cheap snap ring pliers with replaceable tips. But my needle-nosed pliers work better most of the time for removing retaining rings.

Other tools I've found invaluable for flashlight maintenance and modding:
- A good soldering iron. I use a hot air reflow station that includes a 60w soldering iron and a heat gun with digital controls. Works great.
- a pick. I have a small hooked pick, similar to a dental pick. It's great for reaching under stars or driver wires to lever them up.
- tweezers. Invaluable for picking up stars, reflowing LEDs, etc.
- long-nosed pliers. Sometimes helpful for when the needle nosed don't provide enough grip.
- 3M indoor stairway grip tape. Very grippy thick rubber tape that can be removed without damage. Useful for providing extra grip to help unscrew bezels or other parts while protecting the light from damage.
- 22 gauge silicone wire. I use this for driver wire.
- 20 gauge silicone wire. I use this for e-switches.
- solder paste. Good for reflowing LEDs or really anywhere solder is needed. Easier to use than traditional wire solder.
- toothpicks. I use this to apply solder paste or thermal adhesive. Sometimes I use an exacto knife to sharpen the toothpick.
- q-tips. For cleaning off old thermal grease under stars.
- Thermal grease. I use arctic silver 5. For placing under stars.
- a small vise that sits on a table. Used for holding lights in place while I work on them. Mine is an old with steel vise. To protect my project I applied 3m indoor stairway grip tape in the jaws. I also taped on some pieces of popsicle sticks with gaffers tape. Unlike the grip tape, the popscile sticks won't melt if I stick something hot inside.
- reading glasses. Unfortunately, my close up vision isn't as good as it used to be.
- small scissors. I use the scissors on a victorinox mini to strip and cut wires. I don't have an actual wire stripping tool.
- Nyogel. used for lubricating o-rings.
- Deoxit Gold. Used for maintaining metal on metal connections.
 

Tachead

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 3, 2015
Messages
3,872
Location
Northwestern Ontario, Canada
Lol, gotta love Friday it's a classic.

One of the benefits of my years as a professional mechanic was all the quality tools I accumulated. Luckily they work just fine on flashlights too lol.

After reading Fireclaw's above post I guess there is a bunch of other stuff I use too but, it is scattered around my house and garage so I won't bother with pics. Not to mention Fireclaw covered it well👍.
 
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