# 1960's tiny lantern type light - ideas for a project.



## koti (Oct 28, 2014)

I want to mod this small lantern type light for my my brother's father in law.
It was used with a light bulb which screws in the head, hasn't been working in years just hanging down from his wall. No switching mechanism present, just simple unscrewing of the head provided on/off action. I have no idea what type of battery it was used with but I presume that it had to be some kind of 1.5v battery and bulb as there wasn't much available at that time here.
I'm thinking a 26650 would fit nicely and an XML2 on noctigon driven by a standard 2.8 amp with a 3 mode L/M/H Nanjng 105c driver (I want long runtime in this light)
The light is thick, solid stainless steel weighing almost 300 grams. The head alone is 93 grams. Heat will definitely not be an issue.
I have no idea how to solder a spring at the bottom of that solid stainless steel tube and how to resolve switching modes. Any suggestions anyone?


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## CMAG (Oct 28, 2014)

Looks like brass, , no spring needed in bottom looks like a small tit in bottom of tube should make good ground.
one of these may work well http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...T-SingLED-modules-for-Surefire-incan-E-series
I would keep it simple and stick with twisty UI, could be done without modding lamp so it could go back to ican


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## koti (Oct 28, 2014)

CMAG said:


> Looks like brass, , no spring needed in bottom looks like a small tit in bottom of tube should make good ground.
> one of these may work well http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...T-SingLED-modules-for-Surefire-incan-E-series
> I would keep it simple and stick with twisty UI, could be done without modding lamp so it could go back to ican



That pill looks like something that I exactly need. I'm not going to spend $82 plus shipping to europe for that pill though, I think rather put it together myself somehow. I need to get him a decent 26650 and charger too.
The flashlight body is magnetic, the wrong iphone 5 white balance in the photos might have put you off that its brass. Here a DSLR photo with proper white balance:


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## koti (Oct 28, 2014)

Any other ideas where I could get a cheaper pill with an XML and a 2.8a driver for that light ?
I can't exactly get my caliper in there but the bulb opening is roughly 8mm in diameter and 7mm in height.
I guess I will also need to glue on a tiny diffuser of some sort in there. I was thinking about cutting the tip of a standard flashlight diffuser and glueing it in there, what do you think ?


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## CMAG (Oct 28, 2014)

Stainless should not be magnetic, new pictures looking like nickle plated (not that it matters unless your trying to solder) ? Anyway looks like a cool little lamp.
Some P60 drop in's have removable reflectors (threaded) if you could enlarge the hole and tap threads or glue it in place.


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## koti (Oct 28, 2014)

CMAG said:


> Stainless should not be magnetic, new pictures looking like nickle plated (not that it matters unless your trying to solder) ? Anyway looks like a cool little lamp.
> Some P60 drop in's have removable reflectors (threaded) if you could enlarge the hole and tap threads or glue it in place.



I'm not sure what You mean but I want to keep this light as a "lantern" as it is right now. I was thinking of fitting it with a LED with a tiny plastic diffuser that would fit in between those 3 support columns in the head. Heres a photo of the head with a P60 pill for size comparison...theres no way I'm gonna bore through that 7mm of solid steel to enlarge it to the P60 pill threads.


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## CMAG (Oct 28, 2014)

Just a thought not enough meat there. try the pill inside the top maybe you get enough light thru the hole
or fabricate a tower pill maybe some brass rod
or split that pill glue led star outside and driver inside
there are also led bulbs for ican torches no threads or 3amps but could ream hole to fit


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## koti (Nov 4, 2014)

I just finished the light. It was very "lazy" project as I didn't realy do anything fancy but hey...it looks nice and works perfectly 

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First I grinded off the excess metal from the head...at this point I thought I will mount the PCB with the LED on top of the head where I grinded it:
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*Finished grinding (my dremel shows some serious wear) :

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*Then I thought that maybe that old P60 pill from a solarforce will fit inside the head and will give suficient amount of light :

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*Apparently it did. I desoldered the spring from the pill and decided to glue it inside the head with thermal glue. Forgot to take a pic of the LED inside the head and its too late for that which will show in later photos 

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*Then I cut off the tip of an old diffuser I found...I was using it for my Jetbeam RRT-01. I sanded off and grinded the diffuser tip to exactly match the space in the head:

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*I then glued the new diffuser onto the head with thermal glue (I hope it stayes on, otherwise I will use epoxy later as I ran out of it)

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*Oh look, what have we here...the leftover from the diffuser, it worked perfectly as a 26650 to 18650 sleeve which I didn't have (I dont have any 26650's either which would fit perfectly in that light) Just some tape for a perfect fit inside the body...

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...and Voila !

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Heres the finished light...nothing much but I'm proud of it 

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## koti (Nov 4, 2014)

Oh...its a ~300 lumen R2 with 5 modes which all work perfectly by untightening and tightening the head


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## nbp (Nov 24, 2014)

Pretty cool little mod.  A sleeper for sure! Thanks for sharing. :thumbsup:


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