forstersun
Newly Enlightened
I haven't post this on CPF yet. It's been done for about 6 months, but was too busy thoes days. Today I suddenly remembered this thing and post to share it.
In the surefire fan group in China, we talked about to copy Titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) version E1e for ourselfs for years and it was about two year since I decided to make them. Although the whole process is tortuous, it is good to be diluted by time...
The dovetail groove of E-series clip was not easy to machine on titanium alloy, and the requirement for cutting tools were higher. The quantity number was just reach the minimum three digits, so the factory was not willing to do it, but consider of the relationship, people were not just refuse it immediately. This is just a part-time hobby of mine, so it was also difficult to do real-time follow-up. Resulting in things had been in very slow progress. Two factories had been replaced, three patches samples had been produced and several processes had been adjusted, which cames the final result. Difficult? Depends on how to define, as a hobby, it's quite difficult, but in another way, if someone have lots of money and just throw them into this, in fact, it's not difficult at all, and the progress must be way more faster.
Six different kinds of bodies were made, with slight stone wash and no stone wash, two kinds of finish. The six bodies were:
1, Tri-flat E1e body
2, Round E2 style body
3, Round E-AA style body (AA battery length, use 14500, 17500, aa, etc.)
4, Round E1 style body, without clip
5, Round E2 style body with two sections of knurling, without clip
6, Round E-AA style body without clip
1,2,3 had clip grooves, 4,5,6 didn't have clip grooves. The head is flat front E1e style, and the tail is long Z52 style.
In China, there seemed to be a lot of surefire fans who love tri-flat E1e so the No. 1 version is the main one. Other styles were only a few, especially those without clips, only made like 3, or 5, it was just for self-entertainment.
Satisfied workmanship is worth waiting for. Although it really cost a lot of money (excluding the investment of time, indirect spending and even plating).
This is the original two-way clip, matched color, but personally I think it looks not as good as the one-way clip.
This was the unplated reflector.
Dovetail groove is very beautiful. For this slot, two batches of cutters were made. The first batch was ordered from a research institutes but were not good enough. The second batch was ordered from a Germany cutter factory, it was good but after this project, 8 out of 10 cutters were broken.
Wtih one-way clip, although the color didn't match. The clips were made of 60MN steel by one of my friends long ago so I did't need to make them this time, saved money on moulds.
From left to right, the glance of differences between body No. 1, 4, 2, 5, 3 and 6.
Parts inside the tailcap, screw was made of stainless steel, I just bought them, the rest were all machined this time, spring and limit piece was made of stainless steel and nylon, all the conductive components and nuts, were made of titanium alloy.
Stone wash was very slight.
Personally I like this body the most. Only made 5, I only got one for myself...I love the real squeezed knurling more than the cut one.
I didn't put any Surefire mark on it, this was not made by Surefire. Instead, I lasered my own logo in an inconspicuous place. You can see it in the picture, in the clip slot... When the clip is installed, the mark will be covered by it.
At first, I bought all kinds of common rubber caps on the market and tried to see the matching degree, 13.6*6.3, 12.5*6.5, 14*8, etc. But later, another friend made a batch of caps perfectly matched and problem solved.
Four O-rings, were all made of fluororubber. The piece above the lens should be made of PET or PC but I just conldn't find someone willing to make them for me, so I decided use only one thicker O-ring under the lens.
Plated reflector, very beautiful.
Lenses were made of sapphire glass, 22.4*2.8mm.
Machine finish(without stone washed).
Stone washed finsih.
With LED drop-in or bulb drop-in.
E1e is a product of 2002 and has a history of 16 years. This project is the love from a group of enthusiasts. All those were not sold publicly and over 90% of them were pre-ordered.
During the project, I gained happiness and joy and that's the most valuable. What else can I ask for as a hobby?
In the surefire fan group in China, we talked about to copy Titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) version E1e for ourselfs for years and it was about two year since I decided to make them. Although the whole process is tortuous, it is good to be diluted by time...
The dovetail groove of E-series clip was not easy to machine on titanium alloy, and the requirement for cutting tools were higher. The quantity number was just reach the minimum three digits, so the factory was not willing to do it, but consider of the relationship, people were not just refuse it immediately. This is just a part-time hobby of mine, so it was also difficult to do real-time follow-up. Resulting in things had been in very slow progress. Two factories had been replaced, three patches samples had been produced and several processes had been adjusted, which cames the final result. Difficult? Depends on how to define, as a hobby, it's quite difficult, but in another way, if someone have lots of money and just throw them into this, in fact, it's not difficult at all, and the progress must be way more faster.
Six different kinds of bodies were made, with slight stone wash and no stone wash, two kinds of finish. The six bodies were:
1, Tri-flat E1e body
2, Round E2 style body
3, Round E-AA style body (AA battery length, use 14500, 17500, aa, etc.)
4, Round E1 style body, without clip
5, Round E2 style body with two sections of knurling, without clip
6, Round E-AA style body without clip
1,2,3 had clip grooves, 4,5,6 didn't have clip grooves. The head is flat front E1e style, and the tail is long Z52 style.
In China, there seemed to be a lot of surefire fans who love tri-flat E1e so the No. 1 version is the main one. Other styles were only a few, especially those without clips, only made like 3, or 5, it was just for self-entertainment.
Satisfied workmanship is worth waiting for. Although it really cost a lot of money (excluding the investment of time, indirect spending and even plating).
This is the original two-way clip, matched color, but personally I think it looks not as good as the one-way clip.
This was the unplated reflector.
Dovetail groove is very beautiful. For this slot, two batches of cutters were made. The first batch was ordered from a research institutes but were not good enough. The second batch was ordered from a Germany cutter factory, it was good but after this project, 8 out of 10 cutters were broken.
Wtih one-way clip, although the color didn't match. The clips were made of 60MN steel by one of my friends long ago so I did't need to make them this time, saved money on moulds.
From left to right, the glance of differences between body No. 1, 4, 2, 5, 3 and 6.
Parts inside the tailcap, screw was made of stainless steel, I just bought them, the rest were all machined this time, spring and limit piece was made of stainless steel and nylon, all the conductive components and nuts, were made of titanium alloy.
Stone wash was very slight.
Personally I like this body the most. Only made 5, I only got one for myself...I love the real squeezed knurling more than the cut one.
I didn't put any Surefire mark on it, this was not made by Surefire. Instead, I lasered my own logo in an inconspicuous place. You can see it in the picture, in the clip slot... When the clip is installed, the mark will be covered by it.
At first, I bought all kinds of common rubber caps on the market and tried to see the matching degree, 13.6*6.3, 12.5*6.5, 14*8, etc. But later, another friend made a batch of caps perfectly matched and problem solved.
Four O-rings, were all made of fluororubber. The piece above the lens should be made of PET or PC but I just conldn't find someone willing to make them for me, so I decided use only one thicker O-ring under the lens.
Plated reflector, very beautiful.
Lenses were made of sapphire glass, 22.4*2.8mm.
Machine finish(without stone washed).
Stone washed finsih.
With LED drop-in or bulb drop-in.
E1e is a product of 2002 and has a history of 16 years. This project is the love from a group of enthusiasts. All those were not sold publicly and over 90% of them were pre-ordered.
During the project, I gained happiness and joy and that's the most valuable. What else can I ask for as a hobby?
................i need to go lie down for a bit
