Pea soup headlight

Rockenstein · #1 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 01:07 PM

In another thread I posted a pic of the bullet type headlight that's slated to go on my Riff Raff bike...but...I was looking at it, and some other lights I have, last night thinking it just isn't doing it for me. That's not to mention that just about every custom bike I've seen lately uses one too.

So..

I have this NIB 5" round 6 volt sealed beam headlight assembly kicking around my shop and it looks the part but it is a little bit too large looking on the OD in comparison to the bike it's going on and too it sucks up 18 watts of power which of course presents some other problems that I care not to deal with. Now I was quickly looking over a 6v flashlight at a dollar store the other day, more out of interest in the bulb than anything, and then this morning I got looking at a pea soup can that was sitting on the counter waiting to get tossed in the recycle bin when the idea of mating the pea soup can with the dollar store flashlight came to mind. I went out to the dollar store this morning and bought the 6 volt flashlight

The lens on the flashlight is 4" and with the yellow plastic shroud it's about 4 1/4" OD in total which is about right in terms of light size matching bike size. The lens assembly fits inside the soup can just about perfect too...so...in the spirit of the apple juice can gas tank we might as well have a pea soup can headlight

Will post pics of how it all comes together...

silverbear · #2 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 01:18 PM

I'm sure you 'can' do it. This is recycling at it's best. Do you picture painting the can or shining it up and shooting it with clear coat? Leather to match the tank? I think it's a great idea! You da can man!
SB

**BarelyAWake** · #3 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 01:37 PM

Rockenstein! I seen yer house bfore! I know where you live!!!

house made of cans

Seriously man - you do great things, loved the apple juice tank and I'm lookin' forward to this 'un without a doubt

**2door** · #4 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 01:52 PM

Rock,
I'm going to look through my recycling bin and see if there's anything in there you could use. I've got an idea for a name if you want to change from Riff Raff...How about, Vege-a-matic? Great work, as always. Keep those ideas coming.
Tom

Rockenstein · #5 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 02:25 PM

I'm really digging the house of cans and was just thinking about how the north side of my shack is in need of some siding repair...hmmm...the thoughts in my head

I'll keep you all posted, not exactly sure how it's all going to go together or how it will be finished. Going to take an hour or so this afternoon and get the vented cap for the tank finished off before I get too sidetracked by the headlight.

bairdco · #6 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 04:28 PM

i found some lawn furniture for you...

also, check out this site: 2007 Beer

scabz24 · #7 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 08:48 PM

Cool idea you should wrap your entire bike with sheets from cans and it would become "THE CANMUTER"

Tim_B_172 · #8 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 07:20 PM

I ran a headlight made from one of those 6V flashlight for a while, It worked pretty well. I made rear part or the headlight out of fiberglass though, a can just wouldn't look right on my bike.

Rockenstein · #9 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 08:00 PM

Well I had to add a can of sliced mushrooms to my headlight recipe in order to get the flavor tuned into my tastes

I have the part cut off the flashlight that I can epoxy to the OD of the large can so as to screw the yellow shroud down and hold the lens in...BUT...I don't particularly like the look of the thing with the big ugly shroud attached and I don't think changing it's color would change my mind. It just looks out of place on the bike. So I think I'll work out a way to secure the lens in the can(s) bare, make my own trim ring and visor plus maybe even a 1/4" mesh grill from 3/32 music wire.

Mocked up on the bike the shroud-less setup pictured looks pretty slick IMO and with a coat of black paint, the visor etc it should blend in nicely...

.

silverbear · #10 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 08:09 PM

Nice. I look forward to seeing how you attach it and with a final paint job. I wonder if there is some sort of chrome ring you could use to hold in the lens. That's a nice, clean cut on the can. How did you co that, with a cutoff wheel on the Dremel?
SB