I've got a 4.25" round sealed bulb, the housing is sweet and want to use it. I can't find a 4.25" housing to hold a bulb though... I want to change it over to LED so it last a long time and has some brightness to it. I called the local glass Co and got told the glass was to thick and it was curved so they couldn't do it. Anyone know where I can find just a glass lens for it, or how to get into this thing without shattering it.
Drilling a sealed bulb
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If I'm reading you right, you want to drill a hole (or two) in the back of the sealed bulb? If you had a diamond core drill it would be a piece of cake. I have two diamond core drills I bought from Harbor Freight for pretty cheap. I think one is 1/2" and one is 1" in dia. You could also use a Dremel and buy a pack of diamond Dremel tools from Harbor Freight. I've even seen the diamond bits for Dremels at Lowes. They come 10 different shaped bits in a pack for around $10. Slow speed and a little water dripping on it to keep the diamonds cool and you'll cut right through glass. Gary
I did this on the Auction Rat headlight. On the back of the bulb where the filaments go through, there was a 'raised' glob of clear resin sealer. I used the small saw blade on my Leatherman and cut through it, leaving two nice little holes that I pushed the LEDs through, a little clear silicone to keep them in place and voila!
Here's the onlt pic i could find.
One question, why are you converting it? I know it's a 12V, but you could always wire it to a couple of 6V batteries (taped in series to give you 12V) mounted in your tank. Just a thought.....
Good luck!
Cheers,
Dr. T
Here's the onlt pic i could find.
One question, why are you converting it? I know it's a 12V, but you could always wire it to a couple of 6V batteries (taped in series to give you 12V) mounted in your tank. Just a thought.....
Good luck!
Cheers,
Dr. T
I bought a large motorcycle type headlight from a seller here on RatRodBikes. It was a chromed steel teardrop housing with a sealed beam headlight fastened inside. I figured I could cut away the back of the sealed beam headlight and insert an LED flashlight head.
When I tried to cut away a quarter-sized hole in the back of mine using a Dremel cutting disk I experienced a MAJOR fail and busted the sealed beam headlight (and had to trash it). I tried many ideas to salvage the situation including cutting a new lens from the bottom of an acrylic popcorn bowl. I scoured the internet and ebay for the proper sized "non-sealed" typle headlight but couldn't find any for a decent price. I also looked at every single lantern or flashlight I could find but nothing really fit. I even fitted one of those stick up closet lights that you press the lens to make it go off and on. It fit and it worked fine as a decoration, but I missed the deep silvery gleam of the original sealed headlight.
Finally I found a Cushman scooter headlight lens the proper size. I tried in vain to find a parabolic reflector for inside the housing and settled for cutting down a stainless dog bowl. At the moment, the whole thing is in its re-assembled/rebuilt state---waiting for me to install the LED flashlight head and guts. I want to preserve the multifunction aspect of the flashlight body/controller (it does several different intensities and a flashing mode) so what I may end up doing is mounting only the flashlight head inside the vintage motorcycle light and mounting the control unit inside the tank of my 50's tank bike. I'll have to make a quarter-sized hole on the metal tank but I think I can put it near the bottom where it will do the least aesthetic damage.
Anyhow, just to let you know, if you accidentally bust the headlight, it's not the end of the world.
Cheers,
Tim
When I tried to cut away a quarter-sized hole in the back of mine using a Dremel cutting disk I experienced a MAJOR fail and busted the sealed beam headlight (and had to trash it). I tried many ideas to salvage the situation including cutting a new lens from the bottom of an acrylic popcorn bowl. I scoured the internet and ebay for the proper sized "non-sealed" typle headlight but couldn't find any for a decent price. I also looked at every single lantern or flashlight I could find but nothing really fit. I even fitted one of those stick up closet lights that you press the lens to make it go off and on. It fit and it worked fine as a decoration, but I missed the deep silvery gleam of the original sealed headlight.
Finally I found a Cushman scooter headlight lens the proper size. I tried in vain to find a parabolic reflector for inside the housing and settled for cutting down a stainless dog bowl. At the moment, the whole thing is in its re-assembled/rebuilt state---waiting for me to install the LED flashlight head and guts. I want to preserve the multifunction aspect of the flashlight body/controller (it does several different intensities and a flashing mode) so what I may end up doing is mounting only the flashlight head inside the vintage motorcycle light and mounting the control unit inside the tank of my 50's tank bike. I'll have to make a quarter-sized hole on the metal tank but I think I can put it near the bottom where it will do the least aesthetic damage.
Anyhow, just to let you know, if you accidentally bust the headlight, it's not the end of the world.
Cheers,
Tim
I did manage to get 3 holes in the back, first I've been told that sealed beams have a vacuum inside of them. So there was a little nipple in the middle of the electrodes. I broke that first then got my needle nose pliers and grabbed the dark grey base of the electrode that was sticking up. Twisted it back and forth and it broke at the bottom didn't shatter no sharp ends, but it came right out on both sides. So I've got 3 holes in it just not sure if that going to be enough light from 3 LEDS. Going to see if I can make the holes bigger, I can get alot of these bulbs that are blown for free (I work at a forlift dealer)
looks awsome!YOUBUGME2 said:
