[FJoel]

This is for SoloSK71, who approached me with the idea. This is my 3rd complete design with the same idea in mind. First was a 3pc handle, with a 1.5" diameter round stock centerpiece. Looked goofy in the FJ.

2nd was basically a 1.5" bar that was bent into the handle shape, but of course you can't bend 1.5" billet aluminum round stock so I was actually attempting to mill this shape from the same stock the other handles are made from. This provides workholding troubles, is hard to blend both ops, and still looked goofy.

3rd: Well, here you are.

I didn't bother to model the bolt holes and counterbores. They will look very similar to my current handles.

You can see from the bottom view, the .75" rads are off the same center, and complete a 1.5" diameter. When you clamp accessories on this handle you will see little gaps where the flats are milled but I think the added good looks of the handle cancel this out.

I could have gone any diameter but (here is where you are supposed to get excited...) had to choose 1.5" to accomodate both of these:

You could mount stuff like this and more!

Modular Camcorder Mount Kit
Modular Camera Mount Kit

Fourtreks knows their stuff and I'm not about to start selling these products that they make for obvious reasons (one being they do a good job!), but if you have a design for something you need mounted on a split ring I can help with that too. I think SoloSK71 had other things in his brainstorm like phones, radios, and MP3 players...

No drilling. Attachments would be removeable. I like it atleast!

I have to make sure Fourtreks split rings will clear the inside of the handle and the A-pillar, but what do you guys think?

By the way, I am happy to anodize your Fourtreks products with your handle(s) should you decide you would like this setup. Anodizing is fairly cheap, and when done in the same batch color match is near perfect between parts. We'd have to do this on an individual basis when we get there. Here is one set I anodized for a customer already:

You have to disassemble and remove any steel or non-aluminum parts (which I can do and don't mind as long as you haven't LOCKTITED them), as the only metals allowed in an anodize tank are aluminum, lead, and titanium which is inert to the operation. (Just as an interesting sidethought, titanium is the only other metal that can be anodized but the process and acids are different).

________________________________________________________________

New topic: another useable handle idea! Well not as a handle but I find I never use this one anyway.

I'm no photographer, but hopefully you get the idea. The plate shown further down is not yet anodized and has some dimples in it. I used a scrap handle cover plate to make this proto. I may be able to clean up the design a little as well. More thoughts on this later... before that, meet my mini mags.

First one is an older Maglight that has served me well. The light from it has gotten yellower and dimmer over the years so... TerraLUX MiniStar2 1 Watt Luxeon AA Mini Mag Conversion Kit

Best $12 I ever spent. Also comes in RED, GREEN, and UV for you CSI types! :lol:

The second one is the actual LED mini Maglite (ie. not retrofitted). It is a little longer...

Third is a cheap flashlight I got for $5 or less at a discount store. It has 5 superbright LED's. It kinda sucks compared to my Maglite's but if my girlfriend drops this one down an outhouse hole, I won't cry. :rofl: Though I'd probably pretend it was expensive just to be a jerk. :wave:

Older Mini Mag. Bottom actually flushes up with the lower clip. Maglite is centered on the plate (and bolt holes) within about 0.2mm. I'm crazy like that.

Newer LED Mini Mag. Looks a little more even, but it is still centered about the plate and holes within 0.2mm. Yeah I played with the clip positions and measured my flashlights with a mic. Get over it!

This one kinda sucks in more ways than one, but it WORKS. It is about 1mm from hitting the dash when you push it down to the head resting on the upper clip. If I wanted to run this one I'd make a collar or use an elastic or something.

By the way the clips can be had fairly cheap from the LED upgrade website above as well. Maglites are very affordable, reliable lights, for those unfamiliar. (I know they can be blown away by other flashlights, I have some better ones as well, but for everyday use and camping etc, Mags rock!)

The lights can pop in and out (the clips are a high quality plastic that will take this for years), or can slide in and out the top if you are a little more elegant. You really won't be able to use this as a handle anymore, but I never did. It is also up to you to decide whether you think this is going to affect your safety or not.


I can report that the flashlights have not moved in months while wheeling etc (yes I sat on this one for months). I also find it to be very convenient just about anywhere (camping, undertruck inspections, girlfriend drops her lip balm, yada yada yada) and when I get into the seedy parts of Surrey, the light hides nicely in the over steering glove box.

Okay my fingers are sore from typing. Please post some questions and feeback!

:rocker:

Cheers,

Joel

 

[FJDave]

I like the light mount Joel. But I also think that if a light is mounted there, a positive locking device needs to be incorporated for added driver safety. I'd hate for one of the clips to get a little bent and have the light do a forehead check on a nice incline.

 

[FJoel]

I like the light mount Joel. But I also think that if a light is mounted there, a positive locking device needs to be incorporated for added driver safety. I'd hate for one of the clips to get a little bent and have the light do a forehead check on a nice incline.

Good point Dave. I thought about that too, but after wheeling with it and not seeing it move at all, I didn't think it needed it. It really takes a bit of force to pull it out, so I usually will slide the lights out the top. Between gravity and the strength of the clips I never saw the light budge upwards on any rough stuff either.

If one clip was to be damaged, they are really inexpensive to replace. Less than $5 per pair at Fry's. They are bolted to the plate with 2 SHCS each.

I originally tried to machine the whole mount, but it then became a pain to get the light out when I needed it.

Do you have any ideas of how to simply incorporate some sort of lock?

 

[FJDave]

I would go so far as to use a lock that just closes the top of one of the clips....kind of like a fuel can strap latch, or guitar case latch....if you can picture what I'm saying.

Maybe even just a rubber strap that latches onto the clip ir from the left side of the light to the right side (machine in some tabs on the sides for the "rubber band" to hold on to). Something inexpensive and easy to replace (like the clips).

 

[FJoel]

I would go so far as to use a lock that just closes the top of one of the clips....kind of like a fuel can strap latch, or guitar case latch....if you can picture what I'm saying.

Maybe even just a rubber strap that latches onto the clip ir from the left side of the light to the right side (machine in some tabs on the sides for the "rubber band" to hold on to). Something inexpensive and easy to replace (like the clips).

So... I'm thinking you would prefer the small quickfists for this application?

I have some of those. I'll try 'em out! Maybe offer just the plates and let people go quickfist or flashlight clips at their discretion.

Thanks Dave! You've got some good feedback/ideas. :clap:

Any other thoughts? Anyone?

 

[thugasaur]

i like the light mount

 

[FJDave]

I love..........................lamp. I love lamp. :lol:

Yeah, the little quick fists! And it looks like it'll be less expensive to manufacture....give people a base to work off of, and let them finish/customize it. Yer welcome, Joel!

 

[blackseabk]

Good point Dave. I thought about that too, but after wheeling with it and not seeing it move at all, I didn't think it needed it. It really takes a bit of force to pull it out, so I usually will slide the lights out the top. Between gravity and the strength of the clips I never saw the light budge upwards on any rough stuff either.

If one clip was to be damaged, they are really inexpensive to replace. Less than $5 per pair at Fry's. They are bolted to the plate with 2 SHCS each.

I originally tried to machine the whole mount, but it then became a pain to get the light out when I needed it.

Do you have any ideas of how to simply incorporate some sort of lock?

I think Quick Fist makes clamps that size, that will be solid.

 

[FJoel]

I think Quick Fist makes clamps that size, that will be solid.

You are right!

It is quite solid. The only problem is the Quickfist mounts overhang the plate by about 1mm on either side. I guess I make these plates a little wider...

The Quickfist locations above are not final. I'll "math map" them out later...

I don't know if you can tell from the photos above, but the A-pillar is formed with some flat plateau's for the handle that was there. This leaves a little gap between those points where the A-pillar is radiused. By making this wider for the Quickfists that might make the little gap more pronounced...? If you were to buy this would you hate that or could you live with it? I was thinking of relieving the plate back to the flashlight clips to fix this but couldn't do that with quickfists...

Keep the feedback coming please! :rocker:

 

[blackseabk]

How hard would it be to shave some of that rubber, you could include that on your instruction and leave it up to the buyer if they want to do it or not. That way you are all ready to go. I am anal on a lot of things but that looks awesome just the way it is.

 

[sephcm]

Good point Dave. I thought about that too, but after wheeling with it and not seeing it move at all, I didn't think it needed it. It really takes a bit of force to pull it out, so I usually will slide the lights out the top. Between gravity and the strength of the clips I never saw the light budge upwards on any rough stuff either.

If one clip was to be damaged, they are really inexpensive to replace. Less than $5 per pair at Fry's. They are bolted to the plate with 2 SHCS each.

I originally tried to machine the whole mount, but it then became a pain to get the light out when I needed it.

Do you have any ideas of how to simply incorporate some sort of lock?

How about using the mag lite and incorporating it AS the actual grab handle?

 

[FJDave]

I think that by using the quickfists, you CAN use the light as a grab handle....as ling as you have skinny fingers to fit around the light.

 

[FJoel]

I think that by using the quickfists, you CAN use the light as a grab handle....as ling as you have skinny fingers to fit around the light.

Yeah it wouldn't quite work as a handle... so you'd have to see if you can live without one.

With the steering wheel being there, I NEVER use that handle. It does get use on the other side and I use the upper one to access the roof.

I think I'll try to offer two versions then. I was looking at the one I have in the FJ and wondered if two (or one even) black hairband type elastics could be put around the flared part of the flashlight mounts to secure the flashlight.

I honestly prefer the flashlight clips just for my ease of use... but the quickfists are solid!

 

[FJoel]

So no Youtuber's or photographers like the new handle design...?

 

[mattmainster]

So no Youtuber's or photographers like the new handle design...?

I'm actually VERY interested in this as a video camera mount!
Wouldn't mind being a guinea pig for it, either

 

[FJoel]

I'm actually VERY interested in this as a video camera mount!
Wouldn't mind being a guinea pig for it, either

That might work! I hope to run some very soon and I'll contact you when they are ready. You'll have to get the vid cam part from fourtreks though...

 

[FJoel]

:bump:

 

[Sliver]

I like the Maglt cips the best. But it would be nice if there was a device, like an oversized wide gem clip, just the "U" part, that could slide over and clasp both sides of a mag lite clip....if the clips had just a little play in them, and the oversized gem clip was the right size, one could slightly squeeze in the sides of the Mag lite clip, then slide the gem clip over it, just under where the top of the mag lite clips flare...then release and wa la.....a very simple but effective, self holding / locking device.
To improve on that idea, just add something that holds the open ends of the gem clip together.

Thoughts?

 

[SoloSK71]

It took me a while to get this, as I am in the middle of a two month tour of the Americas in my FJ and didn't really get back far enough south for internet until today. I like the idea quite a bit and in fact have even thought of a couple ways to make this more useful (for myself if no others )

Yeah, phones, iPods, sat radios, GPS, all sorts of things could be safely mounted. Just wait until you have your Sirius, GPS and Camera all come loose in a steep, rough downhill run and bounce all over the front seats. By the time you get to the bottom, you are almost literally tied into the seat and have to ask one of the other drivers to come help you out ... embarrasing ...

- Solo

 

[SoloSK71]

So ... any further progress? I have all sorts of things I want to try this with ...

- Solo