First off, a couple of thoughts. This winter I've kept myself from going bonkers with cabin fever by efforts with a 1939 Elgin build (Rustoration buildoff) and with "research and development", otherwise known as tinkering with gas tanks and now lights. Since most of mybikes are step through models I've needed to refine Rockenstein's behind the seat Apple juice gas tank with ones for my builds, done a little differently to match my particular skills and tastes. Having done many years worth of leather work in native crafts, I tend to see things that way. We come to this forum with our own experience. I don't weld, but I know how to run harness needles... You may be like that, too. It is what makes our builds our own, what we bring to the table, or in this case, workshop.
This thread is about an inexpensive headlight made from a tin can, first thought of again by Rockenstein who saw in the lowly tin can possibilities for other things. Thinking outside the box is much of what makes this forum so much fun. I love seeing what others have come up with. Rock's headlight required soldering, which thanks to the gas tanks I'm now pretty good at. But I wanted to make one with no soldering involved. This thread will have a number of photos, not that it is complicated, but I want to be thorough and am thinking of those without great tools or experience in fabricating things. Anybody can do this light.
You need some kind of punch. I use a leather punch since I do leather work and have a couple. An ice pick would work as well or if you want to make one grind a nail down. I don't know, look around and use what you've got. Cans are my trusty and tasty little mandarin oranges can and a can of corn. Use the punch to make holes in the end, a small hammer and knife to "connect the dots" to remove the section of lid. The corn can has a kind of inward flare at the bottom which you want in order to have the recess fit inside the top of the mandarin can. More to come...
This thread is about an inexpensive headlight made from a tin can, first thought of again by Rockenstein who saw in the lowly tin can possibilities for other things. Thinking outside the box is much of what makes this forum so much fun. I love seeing what others have come up with. Rock's headlight required soldering, which thanks to the gas tanks I'm now pretty good at. But I wanted to make one with no soldering involved. This thread will have a number of photos, not that it is complicated, but I want to be thorough and am thinking of those without great tools or experience in fabricating things. Anybody can do this light.
You need some kind of punch. I use a leather punch since I do leather work and have a couple. An ice pick would work as well or if you want to make one grind a nail down. I don't know, look around and use what you've got. Cans are my trusty and tasty little mandarin oranges can and a can of corn. Use the punch to make holes in the end, a small hammer and knife to "connect the dots" to remove the section of lid. The corn can has a kind of inward flare at the bottom which you want in order to have the recess fit inside the top of the mandarin can. More to come...
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