# New innards in vintage lights



## BC0311 (Oct 6, 2003)

I've become enamored with the vintage flashlights and spotlights I've encountered for modest prices online. I have three enroute to me. I'm also in the process of purchasing three of the large camping type spotlights, two use 6 volt batteries and one uses 4xD cells.

The first three are an old brass Eveready, a brass Winchester, and a Daylo Eveready with the convex fisheye lens. Only one is assured of working. The bodies and lenses all appear sound and only one has a little minor corrosion.

Since this is the "Collecting" forum, I may be bringing up a taboo. Knife collectors generally don't want to clean up and polish and use collectible knives. I don't mean to offend anyone and if this needs to be moved to the Modification forum please do.

But, I'd like to get all of these lights in serviceable condition and that may require new lamps, sockets, assemblies, wiring, switch refurbishing, etc.

All three of these lights are 2xD cell. I won't know anything about the lamps until I have them here in another week.

I've never modified a flashlight but I do have a modest knowledge of electrical things, some experience with soldering and a paperback book on wiring a home for telephones. So, I guess I have just enough knowledge and ability to be dangerous. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif (Now, where is my copy of Ohm's Law?)

Do any of you fellahs refurnish your vintage lights with modern innards?

BC


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## Roy (Oct 6, 2003)

If your aim is to RESTORE them to working condition, then I would think that you're ok here. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


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## snakebite (Oct 6, 2003)

i will rebase bulbs use everled ect but no way will i modify a nearly 100 year old light.thats as silly as slopping poly on an antique radio cabinet.
clean them up and keep as original as you can.


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## BC0311 (Oct 6, 2003)

Well... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif I don't think I can RESTORE these lights since I would need to put all original parts in them. 

I wasn't considering converting them to LED or anything silly, just getting them serviceable and enjoying them. 

But, thanks anyway.

BC


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## Jeritall (Oct 7, 2003)

If I had a very old or very rare flashlight I would probably just clean it. I like my flashlights to look as good today as they did when they first used. Minor dents, scratches, oxidation just add character. Some collectors hesitate restoring a light for fear of reducing the value for a later sale. If this is for your own pleasure and you are using low value (but interesting)lights have at it. At the moment I'm trying to do something "silly" to a nice vintage "L" shaped Boy Scout flashlight,like converting it to a 5 watt luxeon.When I'm done it won't be worth any less to me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif


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## BC0311 (Oct 7, 2003)

Hello Jeritall, that sounds like an interesting project. I don't know enough about heat management to try something that ambitious, yet. Good luck with it.

There was no competition for these lights I purchased for $2.99 to 9.99 on Ebay. I don't think the collecting world would miss them if I did something radical with any of them. But, I'm not inclined to. 

Some will probably work just fine with batteries and maybe a new lamp. But there are 2 that I might try to put modern guts in. One of them is a Hong Kong made spotlight that has a huge compartment for 4 D cells. Probably made in the late 50s or early 60s, it has that retro/industrial look I really like. 

BC


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## BC0311 (Oct 15, 2003)

Well, the first was easy enough. All I did was clean it and replace the GE PR-2 with a new Maglite Xenon version and a pair of alkaline D cells.

It's a Sear's labeled, Homart 2D, chrome plated brass bodied, magnet flashlight. I still don't have a photo hosting service or I'd put up a photo. 

Tiny little brightspot, about 6" diameter at 8 feet with very modest spill.

I cleaned 50 years of crud off with some 91% alcohol and it shined up beautifully. It looks boss stuck to the side of the fridge.

Next is an old brass bodied Eveready that didn't light up with a new bulb and batteries. Will take a closer look at the inside this weekend.

A Hong Kong made 4xD cell spotlight/emergency flasher lantern should arrive today or tomorrow. The maker wasn't identified other than that it was made in "The British Crown Colony of Hong Kong". It still has the instructions tag hanging from the handle and it looks in almost new condition. The interior doesn't look as though it has ever had batteries in it. It is a beautiful camping/emergency type lantern with bright red painted metal battery box and the red flasher arm that swivels upright.

I have Eveready Krypton and Maglite Xenon 4xD PR3 lamps to compare in it. 

BC


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## EMPOWERTORCH (Oct 17, 2003)

It's rather like other vintage equipment, for example 405 line TV's that won't work on the modern transmissions.
You can get some very retro looking torches that are in fact brand new from Chinese torch makers. Some of these factories bought the old tooling and the rights to make traditional torch designs.
I have one marketted by Battrex (catalogue no 52779) which is due to be Luxeoned sooner or later! It is a 3D model of the Soa Ring Brand, based on a 1950's classic design with adjustable focus, slider on-off and push-button flasher (the button that gave rise to the American word "flashlight"!)
MES round bulbs are the standard fitment in this type of torch, the bulb mounted on a mica wafer on the front of the battery tube. With the torch's metallic construction I should think that it wouldn't be too hard to convrt it to 1W Luxeon or at least a group of Hi-Bri 5mm cyans! The torch cost me the princely sum of a quid so no harm done!

I certainly would be reluctant to mod a genuine 1950's torch other than to change a dead bulb and replace potentially damaging old batteries. I still continue to use my 1950's lantern though, its compact enough to fit into a bike bag for camping and also makes a great outage light!


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## Chris M. (Oct 17, 2003)

<font color="800080">_the button that gave rise to the American word "flashlight"!_</font>

Actually the term Flashlight comes from the limitations of the early batteries and bulbs. The first zinc "dry-cells" were very expensive and had a very low capacity, and the early carbon filament bulbs drew so much power, that the first battery powered torches could not sustain long periods of continuous light. To ensure those pricey batteries lasted as long as possible, users would just flash the lights on and off for quite brief periods to see enough to get by, and this is where the name _Flash_light actually originates.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


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