# Nitecore D5 - Piston Drive CR2/14250



## ma_sha1 (Mar 19, 2010)

Piston drive used to be exotic & so was CR2/14250 lights,not anymore. 
However, I've never seen a light that combined the two together. So I figure it'll be cool to make a mini PD ?

Here is the starting material: A brand new Nitecore D10 R2/HA III Gray. 






I first filed away the HAII coating at the tail, it's easier to do it with the whole light. Then, I cut the tail section off. It'll be re-jointed with the top half of the body later on. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish it up this weekend, but for now, I only had time to give it enough damage to send it on to the road of no return:





to be continued...


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## foxtrot824 (Mar 19, 2010)

*Re: Piston Drive CR2/14250*

I can't wait to see a final product!


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 20, 2010)

*Re: Piston Drive CR2/14250*

Some more progress this morning:

I tape up a Jigsaw to "constant on" & use it to cut just out side the pre-marked line: 





Grind it up with a mini grinder to where the line is:





Next, I used a Knife Sharpening stone to smooth up the surface under running water:





Then, open the end up with Step drill bit:






Test to make sure the Piston still fits, this is the half way product:
The "Belly Dancer" :devil:





The "belly dancer" is still a "turn on", thanks to the PD mechanism that doesn't need the flashlight body to complete the circuit.






I haven't cut the piston yet, just a sneak preview of what the size of the Mini PD would be. Also need to clean up the cut end a bit more, as I made it 1-2mm longer so I'll have room to clean up the _"Cesarean_ section" wounds. 






Stay tuned...


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## MWClint (Mar 20, 2010)

*Re: Piston Drive CR2/14250*

ma_sha1, your stubby mods are great and this is the best one yet!


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 20, 2010)

*Re: Piston Drive CR2/14250*

Thanks, MWClint, very kind of you.

Now, the piston has been cut: Look how tiny the piston is, so cute 





Finally, a bit flashlight "niptuck" & then applied JBweld & clamp them together. 
Now comes to the worst part, I must wait 6-12 hours 






. . . ... :tired: ...:hairpull: ... ...:buddies:...
.
.


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## MarNav1 (Mar 20, 2010)

*Re: Piston Drive CR2/14250*

The waiting is the worst part..............When will these be availible for the rest of us??????


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 20, 2010)

*Re: Piston Drive CR2/14250*

Sorry, won't be from me, may be Nitcore could release one at some point?
I don't do custom mod service, only for fun


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## Zeruel (Mar 20, 2010)

*Re: Piston Drive CR2/14250*

  

I had the misconception this thread is going to ask for available CR2 PD lights in the market. Boy, was I wrong.


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 20, 2010)

*Re: Piston Drive CR2/14250*

I saw your "Tribute to Nitecore D10", that was excellent thread!

Imagine if they release a line of "Nitecore D5" in all the various anodizing color finishes?
.
.


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## JWRitchie76 (Mar 20, 2010)

Dude I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news but I think you've voided your warranty!  Seriously though. Very nice work there. :thumbsup:


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 20, 2010)

signalprick said:


> Dude I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news but I think you've voided your warranty!



Really? :mecry::mecry::mecry::mecry::mecry:


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## carrot (Mar 20, 2010)

Nice work!


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 20, 2010)

Thanks!


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 20, 2010)

Finally, the 6 hr wait is over. The finished product is only about 3mm(About 1/8 of an inch) taller the Mini Ti, 
but so much more advanced than a twisty. Also, to the right, compares to the the full size camo D10. 





Beam shot with 14250 on High:


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## F250XLT (Mar 20, 2010)

Interesting project, very nicely done.


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## TIP AND RING (Mar 20, 2010)

*Re: Piston Drive CR2/14250*



ma_sha1 said:


> I saw your "Tribute to Nitecore D10", that was excellent thread!
> 
> Imagine if they release a line of "Nitecore D5" in all the various anodizing color finishes?
> .
> .


 
Ma_Sha1 

The original spirit of CPF lives on with you..... and you used JBWeld too!! 

Ya rule!!! :twothumbs

Thanks for the post, hopefully Nitecore will follow thru with your extensive field research and R&D prototype.


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 21, 2010)

You are too too kind, my friend. Thanks!


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## olrac (Mar 22, 2010)

This is the coolest mod I have seen in a very long time, well done :thumbsup:


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## Chauncey Gardner (Mar 22, 2010)

Very slick mod. I thought Nitecore was introducing this from the title.

Looking at your finished product it looks like they did.

Nice job.


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## rayman (Mar 22, 2010)

That's a really cool mod :thumbsup:. Looks great.

rayman


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 22, 2010)

Thanks, guys.

I am not quite done yet, I don't want to do key chain carry & scratch up the one & only Nite D5 Prototype:laughing:. 
So I decided to install a Deep Pocket Carry Clip & EDC it that way. Who would want a PD without a clip, right?

But the D10 Clip is way too long, almost the length of the whole light, So I decided to transplant the 
Vital Gear FB2 Clip from my E2DL lego, it looked too tiny on the E2DL anyways. 

I think it fits much better on the D5:
Due to the split-mount design, I was able to bend it to fit the spacing & curve of this light without problems.






I made sure it's not touching, so no scratches unscrewing the head on & off.
It's pretty stiff, so it holds on my pocket edge pretty secure. 





The tiny black screws & brass nuts came out of a used notebook docking station. 
I had to grind down both the screw & the nuts to make it fit in the limited space. 
The custom brass nuts doesn't look to bad, does it? 






*I'd like to complete this project with a trit on the piston. *

I am looking for a Stock D10 piston, so I can swap out the trit piston from other D10 & cut it down.
It has to be the style with o-ring at the neck. I think there's at least 2 styles of D10 piston,
I am looking for the style below: 

Update: Piston Found!


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## collector (Mar 22, 2010)

nice !


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## Dioni (Mar 23, 2010)

Why NC didnt do it before? 

Nice work!


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## Dioni (Mar 23, 2010)

Equally very nice original name for this beauty!


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## DaFABRICATA (Mar 23, 2010)

I keep coming back to this thread..:twothumbs

Very nice mod!!:thumbsup:

Looks great!!:naughty:


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 23, 2010)

Thanks, I keep coming back here to look at it too


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## ejot (Mar 23, 2010)

Very creative and well-executed. :goodjob: Thanks for sharing.


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 24, 2010)

Finally, I cut down another piston with green trit. Now with trit piton installed:


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## Dioni (Mar 25, 2010)

Beautiful finishing touch for this beauty! :thumbsup:


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 25, 2010)

Thanks!

I end up taking the trit piston from the Camo D10,
so now I have a Camo D10 missing a "kidney" .

I am now obligated to chop the Camo D10 down to a second D5


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## Dioni (Mar 25, 2010)

ma_sha1 said:


> I am now obligated to chop the Camo D10 down to a second D5


 
:laughing: will be nice to see a D5 camo!


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## Darell (Mar 25, 2010)

Great thread! Thanks for reminding me what CPF is truly all about.


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 25, 2010)

Thanks!

The Camo D5 has been cut & JBweld applied, again comes to the worst part, I must wait 6-12 hours again 






. . . ... :tired: ...:hairpull: ... ...:buddies:...
.
.


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## Blindasabat (Mar 25, 2010)

Excellent! I love that JB weld works because the body is not the current path.


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 26, 2010)

Thanks.

Finally, the wait is over! Here is the finished Camo D5:
This is my new EDC, goes on my belt loop. 




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.


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 26, 2010)

Some new Group Photos:

**Ti Mini 123 ** Peak Brass Cr2 ** Camo D5-Trit ** HA III D5-Clip**














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## Dioni (Mar 27, 2010)

F***!

Simply beautiful!!!


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 27, 2010)

Thanks!


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## olrac (Mar 28, 2010)

Your projects just keep getting better and better!:thumbsup:


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 28, 2010)

Thanks!

Just turned 1 year on CPF, certainly had my share of the learning curve.


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## stinky (Mar 28, 2010)

you do some fantastic work. great mod!


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## greenLED (Mar 28, 2010)

ma_sha1 - :twothumbs:


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 29, 2010)

Thanks guys!


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## fyrstormer (Mar 29, 2010)

*Re: Piston Drive CR2/14250*



Zeruel said:


> I had the misconception this thread is going to ask for available CR2 PD lights in the market. Boy, was I wrong.


It's a great proof of concept though. With all the CR2 lights hitting the market, Nitecore would be foolish not to jump on this idea, post-haste.


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 30, 2010)

Maybe they'll even send me a free one?


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## sonicj (Apr 3, 2010)

thats awesome! 


for the less patient:







gotta work quickly! only difference is tensile strength (3,960 psi. vs 2,424 psi) and heat resistance (500° vs 300°). 
-sj


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## hyperloop (Apr 6, 2010)

man! that is some great work! any pictures to compare it with a stock EX10?


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## ma_sha1 (Apr 6, 2010)

Thanks!

I would but I no longer have an EX10. The D5 measures at 20mm x 64mm, perhaps that gives you an idea of the relative size vs. Ex10?


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## hyperloop (Apr 7, 2010)

thanks! and the EX10 is about 75mm in length, so your mod is appreciably smaller, must be really handy and yet with great UI. the only smaller light that i have would be my Raw NS at 46.5mm (approx)


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## ma_sha1 (Apr 8, 2010)

hyperloop said:


> thanks! and the EX10 is about 75mm in length, so your mod is appreciably smaller, must be really handy and yet with great UI. the only smaller light that i have would be my Raw NS at 46.5mm (approx)




The EX10 is also "fatter", as a result, some prefer the slimmer D10. 
So the D5 has the advantage of both being slim & short. 

The Raw is much smaller, but it's a twisty. 
For push button switch, the piston drive makes the D5 as shots as it gets, as short as the tiny 4Seven Mini 123 Twisty.

I have no doubt if Nitecore do end up introducing a D5 CR2 PD, it'll sell like hot cakes. Much hotter than the 4Seven's Mini CR2 Ti, assuming no "battery for life" program :nana:


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## ma_sha1 (Apr 22, 2010)

I put the HAIII one up FS on B/S/T:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/3360336#post3360336


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## nuphoria (Jul 14, 2010)

I'm stupidly impressed with this mod! 

It's perfect :twothumbs


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## ma_sha1 (Jul 14, 2010)

Thanks!


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## Letomax (Oct 18, 2010)

Where do you buy the 14250 cells?



ma_sha1 said:


> Thanks!
> 
> I end up taking the trit piston from the Camo D10,
> so now I have a Camo D10 missing a "kidney" .
> ...


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## jamie.91 (Feb 8, 2012)

these are so cool, now a d11 is needed lol :nana:


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