# anyone that can thread



## bl4kkat (Feb 10, 2007)

is there anyone out there that can tap some tripod threads in the bottom of the FeniX P1D? or is this even possible?

i might get this lite but would love it more if it had a tripod mount

thanx in advance!


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## 65535 (Feb 10, 2007)

tapping a hole is really easy you can pick up a drill bit and tap for around $15 plus a tap holder for another $15 and tap as many wholes as you want, if you don't have a drill you may just have to have someone else do it, it's really easy though, just get a 1/4 20 NC tap and the apropraite drill which I believe is a 22 but don't quote me on that, Irwin sells both the drills and taps and are made for eachother.


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## carbine15 (Feb 10, 2007)

how easy would it be to cut down and thread a 2Cmag to 1x18650 or 1xC size?


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## 65535 (Feb 10, 2007)

that would be substantially harder since you need a lathe to produce those threads, and the O-Ring flat.


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## DonShock (Feb 10, 2007)

carbine15 said:


> how easy would it be to cut down and thread a 2Cmag to 1x18650 or 1xC size?


I cut one down to 18650 length without the need for rethreading. I just took a chunk out of the middle of the body and glued it back together. Since you need to use a spacer around the thinner cell anyway, it serves as a great splice when joining the two halves back together. That one turned out pretty good, so I decided to make another one that was even shorter by using a tailcap switch.
First try: 

 Second try: 


All I did was put the barrel in a miter box and used a hacksaw to cut out a length from the body. Then I used JB Weld to glue the halves back together and to the PVC spacer in the middle. The end result is very strong and watertight. On the first one, the cut is in the middle of the knurled area. Since there was not stock switch on the second one, the cut was done just below the barrel o-ring and is now hidden under the head.


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## scott.cr (Feb 10, 2007)

Whoa, that's the most unusual way to shorten a Maglite I've seen. Looks strange but I won't argue with the results.

Back to the task at hand, threading the P1D, first of all you have to know what size your tripod threads are (there are two main sizes in use). I've always preferred to do my drilling and tapping on a tool to make sure the holes are straight. When you drill by hand you can run the bit in crooked, and then you run the risk of tapping in another crooked direction.

If you have access to a drill press I'd suggest you do it that way. Clamp the work piece, drill the hole, replace the drill bit with a center punch and then use the center punch to hold the tail end of your thread tap while you screw it in...


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## gadget_lover (Feb 10, 2007)

Ok Don, you get the award for most creative mag hack of the year. I'm really impressed. What did you do to ensure electrical conductivity across the splice?

Changing gears.....
Scott's technique works real well to ensure the threads are 100% straight. For many uses you can get away with doing it by hand even if the threads are a little crooked. It depsnds on how deep the hole is and how precise the threads have to be.


Daniel


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## DonShock (Feb 10, 2007)

gadget_lover said:


> Ok Don, you get the award for most creative mag hack of the year. I'm really impressed. What did you do to ensure electrical conductivity across the splice?.....


What can I say, if you don't have a lathe you sometimes need to get creative. The only thing extra thing done was to use a nail to create a series of dimples on each cut. I figured the raised metal around the dimple would ensure metal to metal contact when I clamped it back together. It worked great, neither one has any continuity problems through the body and I've been using the first one for a couple months now. I just did the second one this week. On the first one, I applied the JB weld to the plastic spacer and it squeezed into the cut gap during assembly which is why it's fairly visible. On the second try, I put the epoxy inside the body so the excess was pushed away from the cut joint and I got a closer fit (see picture below). It was a little more difficult to clean up the excess from the interior, but not too bad. I also made sure to keep the two parts clamped together as tight as possible until the epoxy set fully.


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## TranquillityBase (Feb 10, 2007)

bl4kkat said:


> is there anyone out there that can tap some tripod threads in the bottom of the FeniX P1D? or is this even possible?
> 
> i might get this lite but would love it more if it had a tripod mount
> 
> thanx in advance!


 There isn't sufficient thickness in the P1D body, for a 1/4" 20 tpi hole...You could however add a clip to the body, with the tapped hole...Or possibily epoxy a SS nut directly to the end of the body. 

I had a P1D for a couple weeks, and I really thought it was a nice light...I was my friend LarryK's light.

TB


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## PEU (Feb 10, 2007)

I added a neodymium magnet at the bottom of a P1, so I guess if you enlarge the hole a bit more you could epoxy a 1/4-20 nut there 






(Black is 3 layers of shrink tube for mouth holding)


Pablo


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## TranquillityBase (Feb 10, 2007)

Cool mod Pablo...

How did you make the pocket for the magnet?

TB


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## PEU (Feb 10, 2007)

I used a 10mm end mill and used the mini-lathe 


Pablo


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## KC2IXE (Feb 10, 2007)

Biggest problem with a tripod thread is... Getting the tap! It's NOT 1/4-20 UNC believe it or not, although a male 1/4-20 UNC will fit into them - they are 1/4 Withworth


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## PEU (Feb 10, 2007)

they are not? :thinking: 
well as you said they will fit, so a common 1/4-20 will do if needed, I used many times 1/4 nuts and bolts for tripod or camera adapters 

In this case I think just a nut attached to the bottom will do the trick.


Pablo


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## 65535 (Feb 10, 2007)

Replace the screw witha 1/4 20 bolt...


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## carbine15 (Feb 10, 2007)

someone should do a feeler for cutting down mag bodies. I bet you could make $15 or so on each body cut down and re-threaded. You could even attach bodies together to make 7,8,or 9 cell mags in C and D sizes. All you need is a hacksaw and a lathe.


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## bl4kkat (Feb 10, 2007)

carbine15 said:


> someone should do a feeler for cutting down mag bodies. You could even attach bodies together to make 7,8,or 9 cell mags in C and D sizes. All you need is a hacksaw and a lathe.



wow what would the run time be for a ROP 9C cell be


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## 65535 (Feb 10, 2007)

ROP 200 cell D size...


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## Mirage_Man (Feb 10, 2007)

carbine15 said:


> someone should do a feeler for cutting down mag bodies. I bet you could make $15 or so on each body cut down and re-threaded. You could even attach bodies together to make 7,8,or 9 cell mags in C and D sizes. All you need is a hacksaw and a lathe.



Actually all you need is a lathe. 

There are several of us that can and do, do cut-downs and re-threads.


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## KC2IXE (Feb 10, 2007)

PEU said:


> they are not? :thinking:
> well as you said they will fit, so a common 1/4-20 will do if needed,...snip...



Nope, they aren't

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw_thread

The thing is 1/4-20 UNC and 1/4 BSW are darned close, and if you have a slightly sloppy 1/4-20 UNC part, they will fit, but they are NOT correct

BSW has rounded thread crest and roots, and a 55 deg pressure angle - UNC threads have a 60 deg pressure angle, and, believe it or not, flats at the top/bottom of the thread (they are NOT V points)

I would NOT doubt that most gear made today is actually 1/4-20 UNC


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## highorder (Feb 10, 2007)

KC2IXE said:


> Biggest problem with a tripod thread is... Getting the tap! It's NOT 1/4-20 UNC believe it or not, although a male 1/4-20 UNC will fit into them - they are 1/4 Withworth



maybe on a British Tripod, but mine is a true 1/4-20 UNC-2A, purchased here in the USA. (mic'd and measured by me, with an optical comparator)

BTW, the standard tap drill for a 1/4-20 is a #7 (.201) this will produce standard 75% thread engagement. for sake of ease, I like the idea of epoxying a nut on the bottom.


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## wquiles (Feb 10, 2007)

scott.cr said:


> Whoa, that's the most unusual way to shorten a Maglite I've seen. Looks strange but I won't argue with the results.



and 



gadget_lover said:


> Ok Don, you get the award for most creative mag hack of the year. I'm really impressed.



+1 to what they said - I have a lathe and do these cut/re-threads the "normal" way, but my hat tips down for you - very cleaver and ingenious :rock: 

Will


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## KC2IXE (Feb 11, 2007)

highorder said:


> maybe on a British Tripod, but mine is a true 1/4-20 UNC-2A, purchased here in the USA. (mic'd and measured by me, with an optical comparator)
> 
> BTW, the standard tap drill for a 1/4-20 is a #7 (.201) this will produce standard 75% thread engagement. for sake of ease, I like the idea of epoxying a nut on the bottom.



I don't doubt it - but the spec was originally 1/4 BSW


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## Bruceter (Feb 11, 2007)

65535 said:


> tapping a hole is really easy you can pick up a drill bit and tap for around $15 plus a tap holder for another $15 and tap as many wholes as you want, if you don't have a drill you may just have to have someone else do it, it's really easy though, just get a 1/4 20 NC tap and the apropraite drill which I believe is a 22 but don't quote me on that, Irwin sells both the drills and taps and are made for eachother.



The correct tap drill for a 1/4-20 tap is a #7 (.201") drill, A #22 is about .050" to small.

All the tripods that I have seen have been 1/4-20 UNC. Never run accross one that had Witworth threads on it. ( I worked part time in a camera shop for a while )

Bruceter


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## bl4kkat (Feb 12, 2007)

PEU said:


> they are not? :thinking:
> well as you said they will fit, so a common 1/4-20 will do if needed, I used many times 1/4 nuts and bolts for tripod or camera adapters
> 
> In this case I think just a nut attached to the bottom will do the trick.
> ...



well since my only option is to put a nut on the bottom of the P1D are there any poeple out there that can make a P1D body w/ a little room on the bottom for tripod mounts? 

cause i see alot of threads on making different tube sizes for the fenix and other lights as well, so i dont see difference with making a slightly modified body for the P1D. 

while we're on the topic, it'd be nice if we can add some tritrium slots too hehe


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