[brad72]

Triple XML Build

Feeling a little left out with all the new builds I had a spare 30 minutes so fired up the lathe and starting making a triple XML housing to suit the Cutter MR11 XRE triple optic. The body is all but finished but i still have to make the heat sinking rear cap for the hipflex. Problem is I'm not sure if I like the design, she's a bit boring. Maybe making it black will improve the look.

As the driver is the hipflex anything up to 2800mA is possible although like Troutie has said 3 XML's at full tilt is silly bright. With any luck I can get the thermal design sorted to allow full power in a Queensland summer, for those fast downhill runs. Will just need a higher amperage pack to extend the run times.

I also have a double and single XML on the drawing board. Just got to think of a housing design to handle the heat at full power.

 

[troutie-mtb]

Ha ha. spare 30minutes Git takes me all day plus some to get to that stage.

you say boring. but not too much you can do with round and minimal

looks ace to me :thumbsup:

 

[brad72]

Thanks mate. Kind of felt bad since I was supposed to be working but light projects are just too much fun.

My speed only comes from having a big lathe with a 2 axis DRO. This means I can take big cuts (up to 10mm at a time) fast and accurately. In saying that mistakes can happen just as fast

 

[Goldigger]

Thanks mate. Kind of felt bad since I was supposed to be working but light projects are just too much fun.

My speed only comes from having a big lathe with a 2 axis DRO. This means I can take big cuts (up to 10mm at a time) fast and accurately. In saying that mistakes can happen just as fast

No one like a show off
10mm at a time...let me translate that to my time..1mm at a time

Looks good to me:thumbsup:

 

[JezV]

Ha ha. spare 30minutes Git takes me all day plus some to get to that stage.

you say boring. but not too much you can do with round and minimal

looks ace to me :thumbsup:

I'm with Troutie on this one. Looks great to me. Wish I had some machinery and the skill to use it to produce things like that

 

[yetibetty]

Brad I have made similar housings, for my qaud XR-E's and they take me well over a day but then again you could put my whole lathe in your chuck and give it a spin.

Looks good.

 

[emu26]

....and compared to the drill press crowd? stop complaining you two

Looks good Brad. did you get the email from Cutters yesterday about the special on the triple boards?

 

[brad72]

....and compared to the drill press crowd? stop complaining you two

Looks good Brad. did you get the email from Cutters yesterday about the special on the triple boards?

I did get the email. Certainly is tempting because they do give a pretty good beam and have some good optics to choose from, and the price is right.

In the mean time what I i am going to do is mill 3 x 14mm diameter by 0.5mm deep recesses in the housing to hold the led dies. The dies will be held down with some 2.5mm cap screws and I'll drill 3 holes in the housing to enable the posts of the optic to be secured. This way I can experiment with the optic at different heights away from the led since it was designed for an XRE led who's dome height is 1.4mm greater that the XML.

As for the lathe, much as I'd love to share the her around at over 4 tonnes it's not easy to move.

 

[mattthemuppet]

....and compared to the drill press crowd? stop complaining you two

and what about the dremel and file crowd? (cue the "tear aluminium with teeth and use stubble to finish" crowd getting all unctious)

looks very tidy though. Is it from solid bar or hollow stock? I wondering how much depth you have to play with on the fins..

 

[brad72]

and what about the dremel and file crowd? (cue the "tear aluminium with teeth and use stubble to finish" crowd getting all unctious)

looks very tidy though. Is it from solid bar or hollow stock? I wondering how much depth you have to play with on the fins..

Solid 6061 bar, about 40mm diameter with fins 1.5mm wide, 4mm air gap and stepped fin depths of 20mm dia, 18mm dia, and the last 4 at 16mm diameter. This gives a good mix of strength and efficiency. If i were to use a front bezel secured with cap screws a 45mm diameter housing would be needed. The hole through the center is 6mm, big enough for power wires to the leds

Thats why it' so fast to machine. Turn down the bar to the desired diameter, drill the 6mm hole through the center, bore out the front where the optics fit, use the 4mm parting blade to cut the fins, part off the light, spin it round and bore out the rear housing then put the light in the mill to drill the fine holes securing the leds. .

Picture of a similar housing in the lathe chuck (65mm bar stock for that light)

 

[brad72]

I was able to finish the body this afternoon and get the holes drilled for the leds and optic. I Tig welded an alloy block to the housing base and tapped it with an M5 thread to take the handlebar mount.

Weight wise I'm pretty happy so now just to start assembling and give her a test run. I still need to make the rear cap that will also be the heat-sink for the maxflex but I really want to see how much heat it generates at 2800mA as this will govern it's size.

Here's a couple more pics.

 

[mattthemuppet]

wow, that really is beautiful. I'm ashamed to say it though, but I hope that cable gland doesn't spoil the look. I get their functionality (I'm using one for my next build) but they look damn ugly IMO.

 

[Vancbiker]

The LED end of your light is a fine example of a well thought out and neatly executed design.

It looks like you used an end mill to create the bores for the LEDs to sit in. The ones I have are not flat on the bottom by a degree or so and would not create a flat surface when plunged in to the work. Are yours the same or are they flat?

 

[P220C]

Sharp looking package.

I too, don't particularly care for the glands. Will a glued-in stain relief grommet work?

That switch looks nice. Do you happen to know the model number/part number.

Great work.

 

[brad72]

Thanks for the comments guys. Your all correct about cable glands, they either look good or completely crap. I also have some 4 pin right angle plugs and sockets that I can use so i'll see as the build progresses

Vancbiker, i use end mills to achieve a flat bottom hole and slot drills for cutting grooves. I would say you have slot drills which is why your holes are not flat.

P220C this is the switch I am using http://au.mouser.com/ProductDetail/ALPS/SKQEADA010/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsgGjVA3toVBAxdagMoIXN62EfekDved/E%3d I just wrap the hole unit in some heat shrink and mount to the handlebar between my grip and brake mount with some velcro straps

 

[brad72]

Well the triple XML is nearly finished. I spun up a handle bar mount yesterday that is a clamp type, tightened with two M4 cap screws. I prefer this style as once it is tightened to the bar, there is no chance it can slip when the trail gets rough.

To add some bling I used some glow in the dark paint inside the barrel where the optic sits as you can see in the image below. I still need to make the lens retainer which is why you can see a bit of wire holding the optic in at present.

Next for some beamshots. Given the lack of trails open at the moment I used the paddock behind my house. The Horses in the shot are about 40 meters away with the houses in the distance about 110 meters away. The camera has made the beams a little brighter that they appeared to my eye but you get the idea. The 7up was still the brightest but the triple XML was not far behind. Check out the beam shots below.

The 1st shot is a triple series wired XML with a cutter MR11 narrow optic for the XRE, driven at 2800mA

This is the 7up series wired 4xXPG/3xXPE mixed board with a Kathod narrow optic driven at 1300mA

This is a triple XPE series wired with narrow optic driven at 750mA. Woke the poor horse up in this shot

This a daytime shot for some perspective. I realize now I need to find a paddock without tall clumps of weeds as they create too many shadows.

 

[odtexas]

The XML makes a good bar light with all that flood.:thumbsup:
Good job on the Tig welding. People talk about lathes and mills. I want a Tig.:madman:
Did you ano that light or use gunkote on it? It looks really good.

 

[brad72]

The XML makes a good bar light with all that flood.:thumbsup:
Good job on the Tig welding. People talk about lathes and mills. I want a Tig.:madman:
Did you ano that light or use gunkote on it? It looks really good.

Thanks OD. An AC/DC tig welder is a very handy tool to have in the shed. There are some very cheap quality units around these days as well.

I ended up putting emissivity aside and painted it with a light coat of etch primer followed by light coat of satin black enamel. I'll strip the paint when I end up anodizing the other housings but I really wanted to see what she looked like black (no patience).

As for beam shape she would make an excellent bar light but have 2 ot them with one of the helmet it will be that bright the floodiness wouldn't make any difference. For 3 leds it is ridiculously bright, although it will chew through the battery @ 2800mA

 

[brad72]

The LED end of your light is a fine example of a well thought out and neatly executed design.

It looks like you used an end mill to create the bores for the LEDs to sit in. The ones I have are not flat on the bottom by a degree or so and would not create a flat surface when plunged in to the work. Are yours the same or are they flat?

Mate, my apologies, i just had a look at my end mills in the tool box and they all have a slight relief (2-5º) which will leave a dish shape and some are perfectly flat. Without the relief the end mill will do funny things when cutting.

I have had my 14mm end mills for some time now as I don't use them often and I do remember grinding end mills many moons ago to get a perfectly flat base, this must be one or them. Alternatively you could use a counterbore like these ones http://www.harveytool.com/products/product_detail.php?product_id=23300 and save the hand grinding that will either work or not. Only other option and the cheapest is to grind a 14mm drill completely flat, bore the hole 1st with the end mill, then follow with the drill to flatten out the dish.

sorry for the confusion.

 

[Vancbiker]

Mate, my apologies, i just had a look at my end mills in the tool box and they all have a slight relief (2-5º) which will leave a dish shape and some are perfectly flat. Without the relief the end mill will do funny things when cutting.

I have had my 14mm end mills for some time now as I don't use them often and I do remember grinding end mills many moons ago to get a perfectly flat base, this must be one or them. Alternatively you could use a counterbore like these ones http://www.harveytool.com/products/product_detail.php?product_id=23300 and save the hand grinding that will either work or not. Only other option and the cheapest is to grind a 14mm drill completely flat, bore the hole 1st with the end mill, then follow with the drill to flatten out the dish.

sorry for the confusion.

No problem. I know that flat bottom end mills are available, just not nearly as common as relieved end style. All the ones I have are re-sharpened "discards" due to being too small for the production shop to use. Beggars can't be choosers in this case. Anyway this info may be helpful to others that do milling as something to watch for.