# DIY how to make PVC battery tubes with a lathe ...



## wquiles (Dec 16, 2006)

I bought some FiveMega PVC tubes some time back, but when I needed more and he did not longer had them for sale I decided to try making my own. Credit goes to FM for his initial design/idea of using an o-ring to keep the tube in place and to make fitting between different M*g C bodies easier :rock: 

And by the way, if FM has them for sale, they are MUCH, MUCH cheaper to buy the completed unit from him. I do mine by hand and it is somewhat time consuming!

What follows is how I make custom PVC tubes for my custom M*g 2C lights. Please feel free to recommend improvements, suggestions, etc..

The finished 2C tubes I do are 3.9" long. First cut the raw 3/4" PVC somewhat longer so that you can put this on your lathe - about 5.2 to 5.3 inches long. Here I used 3/4" sch 80 grey PVC:

















Center in your chuck as best as possible, which is hard since PVC is not straight nor very uniform:











If I am using 18650 protected cells, I first bore the inside a little. Two light passes of 0.0075" (0.01" to 0.015" total - just enough to fit the protected cell snugly). If you are using only CR123 cells, you don't need this step as they fit fine "as is":































I then face off the tube:






and then take about 0.015" off on the OD:











of course to get that close to the chuck I use a stop!!!:






I then put my groove/parting tool (0.08" wide) on the tool holder:






and proceed to cut a groove for the o-ring, 3.4" inches from the end of the tube, about 0.06" deep:
















I then finish the lathe operations by cutting to length (3.9"):
















I then use a sharp knife to bevel the inside and outside edges:






and (finally!) put the appropriate o-ring (7/8" OD x 3/4" ID x 1/16") in the groove:






Then all you need to do is test fit it in your 2C M*g. I like putting the o-ring towards the tailcap so that I have the least resistance to getting the tube in/out. If you tilt the light down and the battery tube stays in place, you did good!:











and of course, it is good if you do more than one so that you can get into a "groove" and to them all the same 






You can use 3/4" sch 40 PVC grey or plain "white PVC" as shown in these 3 1xC battery tubes, but I liked using 3/4" sch 80 since it is ticker and stiffer which makes it easier on the lathe:






Again, thanks much to FM for coming out with the ideas, and "please", try to buy these tubes from him. For the $5 or so bucks that he charged for these, it is truly a bargain !!!

Will


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## cmacclel (Dec 16, 2006)

Nice will 


I have the same boring bar (Hate it) and the same Mini Grooving system 


Mac


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## modamag (Dec 16, 2006)

nice job will. Great idea about using the retaining oring.


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## wquiles (Dec 16, 2006)

cmacclel said:


> Nice will
> I have the same boring bar (Hate it) and the same Mini Grooving system


Yep, same here. Don't like much the boring bar, but like the Mini Grooving system 





modamag said:


> nice job will. Great idea about using the retaining oring.


Thanks  . Credit for the 0-ring idea goes to FiveMega :rock: 


Will


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## Ledean (Dec 16, 2006)

Nicely written . That was a load of great pictures.
The pvc tube melts if machines at high speed.
Thanks.
Ledean


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## modamag (Dec 17, 2006)

What's high speed? Our little lathe can only like 2K RPM ... or was it 1.5K :thinking:


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## Ledean (Dec 17, 2006)

It started melting where the boring bar touched the PVC around 2000 rpm. I was tryin to see how much heat it can take . Don't think we need to go that high when cutting PVC.  





modamag said:


> What's high speed? Our little lathe can only like 2K RPM ... or was it 1.5K :thinking:


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## Mirage_Man (Dec 17, 2006)

Very cool! What size pipe did you start out with? You state it's sch80 but not what size.



> Please feel free to recommend improvements, suggestions, etc..



I would suggest using a live center of some sort in the end when you're turning the outside. That plastic has gotta flex like there's no tomorrow.

MM


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## wquiles (Dec 17, 2006)

3/4" OD

I tried the live end route once, but it is not centered with the chuck, so it cuts at an angle  . For these short tubes, the single end chuck worked best. I have to work/improve this alignment one of these days 

Will


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## IsaacHayes (Dec 17, 2006)

Cool stuff. What size pipe is that?


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## Pokerstud (Dec 17, 2006)

Will, great "how to" DIY.

I just received 6 of these 2C tubes from Will, and let me tell you they are a grade A, professional look and fit. They are extremely well made. Thanks again Will. :thumbsup:


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## Sawtooth (Dec 17, 2006)

wquiles said:


> 3/4" OD
> 
> I tried the live end route once, but it is not centered with the chuck, so it cuts at an angle  . For these short tubes, the single end chuck worked best. I have to work/improve this alignment one of these days
> 
> Will



You can also get shed. 80 PVC nipples of various lengths. Maybe those are straighter to start with(?).


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## bombelman (Dec 17, 2006)

Soon you'll be ready to be making PVC-lights


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## wquiles (Dec 31, 2006)

IsaacHayes said:


> Cool stuff. What size pipe is that?


3/4" ID from Lowes 





Pokerstud said:


> Will, great "how to" DIY.
> 
> I just received 6 of these 2C tubes from Will, and let me tell you they are a grade A, professional look and fit. They are extremely well made. Thanks again Will. :thumbsup:


You are most welcomed 




FYI, I just finished 4 more for another forum member:






Will


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## Mirage_Man (Dec 31, 2006)

wquiles said:


> 3/4" OD from Lowes




I think you mean ID Will. 

BTW both my Lowes and HD don't carry the grey 3/4" Sch80 pipe. In fact I spent about an hour calling around town and no one here locally carries it. I can get white but not grey.

But I did however score a few pieces from Ace Hardware that worked. They were threaded on both ends but perfect for the job.

I followed your example except I did not need to bore the inside ID and I put a little bevel on the ends of the ID and OD. I think it really cleans up the look.

Here's one I made for my 1x18650...














MM


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## wquiles (Dec 31, 2006)

Yep, my bad - I meant 3/4 ID  

Nice job on your "shortie" tube :goodjob: 

Will


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## Nebula (Dec 31, 2006)

MM - Trips to Home Depot and Lowes have become a weekend ritual for me. I will check for the sch80 pipe. I will post if I find it. Then if you - or anyone else for that matter - wants some let me know and I will ship it out to you. Kirk


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## Nebula (Dec 31, 2006)

damn server!


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## Ctechlite (Feb 20, 2007)

Nebula said:


> MM - Trips to Home Depot and Lowes have become a weekend ritual for me. I will check for the sch80 pipe. I will post if I find it. Then if you - or anyone else for that matter - wants some let me know and I will ship it out to you. Kirk




Check the electrical supply departments for the grey sch80 tubing. It's for conduit to protect your household wiring.

That's there I found it at Lowe's anyway....


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## Ctechlite (Feb 20, 2007)

Sorry, meant to quote MM...


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## Hallis (Feb 20, 2007)

Awesome work Will. You have all that stuff in your garage? lol I'll have to come over and play one of these days.


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