PurpleHeart and Black Palm 18650 kicked

[alekos557]

18650 or 18500 w/Kick PurpleHeart and BlackPalm
The Purple started coming out pretty well during the Buffing.
The BlackPalm is a nice contrast to the Purpleheart
It will gain a much more even color as time goes on.
Sealed the Grain with CA prior to final sanding.

 

[Scottinboca]

Wow, great work! You are a truly skilled craftsman!

 

[alekos557]

Nah, just a hobby. But thank you.

 

[alekos557]

 

[asdaq]

Great work as usual alek, it is almost purple enough to be considered girlie. The black palm gets it back nicely though.

Outta curiosity, what is your personal lower limit for wall thickness on a mod not a pen?

 

[alekos557]

I normally have around 10- 14mm in the corners for strength. In the narrow areas I can get it down to 7mm or so.
Any narrower and the dovetail for the door loses strength.
Back and door can be 5mm or so.

 

[asdaq]

Ahh cool. With just a shell, no mechanical woodworking, I've had good luck with 3mm and even 2mm walls with some thinner spots. It's been awhile but a Dugout has quite thin walls and a dovetail door. Especially if you use CA to finish you could go thinner as it strengthens too.

 

[alekos557]

I will have to try one with something "strong" like Cocobolo or Burmese Rosewood.
Might be able to come close to those numbers.
Haven't been making many box mods in a little while, just playing with pens and pipes.

 

[asdaq]

Mine aren't so much boxes as they are tube replacements, but I am quite surprised at how the thin to strong ratio is.

 

[alekos557]

Oh sorry, on a ego type battery cover,(like in the pic), probably 1 1/2 to 2mm minimum.
These aren't glued on though. When the battery won't take a charge anymore. Just put in the new battery.
The one on the left in photo is on a Passthru batt.
I have to use a shaft turned on the lathe to support the body because you have to pre-drill the 15mm hole.
I need to pick up some different type ego batts for measurements and testing.

 

[asdaq]

Yes, I pre-drill a solid block and then use a belt sander and add grooves by hand and further sand by hand.