Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - Union lights... Goodbye dynamo hello LEDs

So I wanted to have the old look for my one cruisers lighting. I had old union lights and didn't want to deal with the dynamo so I decided to take a trip to the dollar tree and look for cheap options to make them led powered. I found a 3 LED FLASHLIGHT & a 1 LED Book light as potential easy options for my lights. ( bought two of each just in case I missed them up. $4.28 seemed reasonable.)

I took my goodies home and started plotting the easiest way to make them work. I figured the best way to do the headlight was to use the full flashlight but was having trouble figuring out how make a power switch work without having wires coming off it or a big ugly switch sticking out the side. It hit me why not grind the back tip off the case till the back of the flashlight could be screwed threw and into the body of the flashlight so the flashlights switch was useable. Then I opened the reflector cone till the tip of the flashlight slid through.

Well this is what I came out with for the headlight.
http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff427/whitefiretiger87/Op%20cruiser/IMG_20111024_040300.jpg
http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff427/whitefiretiger87/Op%20cruiser/IMG_20111024_040311.jpg
http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff427/whitefiretiger87/Op%20cruiser/IMG_20111024_040315.jpg
http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff427/whitefiretiger87/Op%20cruiser/IMAG0104.jpg

Since this I replaced the $1 3 led flashlight with a 9 led flashlight I got in a two pack from harbor fraught tools for $3.

For my tail light ( smaller union headlight I mounted to the rear fender) I used the led book light because the flashlight was too small.
First thing I did was replace the white led for a red one I salvaged from a keychain I bought from the dollar tree a month prior that the keyring broke off of (it was the perfect candidate for a led because it ran the same voltage as the book light.)
I then opened the reflector from the union light so the part of the book light that holds the led screwed threw reflector and screwed the cap back on the led housing.
Ran into the power switch problem again. Then I got a great idea... Cut the back end off the extra flashlight I bought and set it up the same as the headlight and retire the book light to the flashlight switch. This worked great.

http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff427/whitefiretiger87/Op%20cruiser/IMAG0095.jpg
http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff427/whitefiretiger87/Op%20cruiser/IMAG0101.jpg

I'm happy with the results. I got the old lights with no dynamo.

Let me know what you all think.

Oh here's the bike.
http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff427/whitefiretiger87/Op%20cruiser/OP.jpg

Very stylish! :)

Very stylish! :)

Thank you I thought it was better than the old dynamo and the dynamo didn't work very well with the Bontrager Hank tires.

Oh here's the book light I used for the tail light. And just remembered I had to remove the clip and I revived some extra plastic from the base (battery area) to make sure I had enough room in the housing.

http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff427/whitefiretiger87/Op%20cruiser/booklight.jpg

Let me know what you all think.

Oh here's the bike.
http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff427/whitefiretiger87/Op%20cruiser/OP.jpg

dude....interesting background...is that your living room you just shared with the world???

Interesting - I guess there is a theme here somewhere. You don't see many "5speed" cruisers these days.

dude....interesting background...is that your living room you just shared with the world???

Ok took a new pic to ease peoples nerves.


Interesting - I guess there is a theme here somewhere. You don't see many "5speed" cruisers these days.

Just building it how I like it. It's a 6 speed btw (the ss coaster break hub exploded so I figured I'd make it more practical). I can't wait till spring so I can paint it lime green and black.

Ok took a new pic to ease peoples nerves.





no nerves man...just pure amazement that you posted that...obviously you were embarrassed or you would not have changed it so quickly - I shared it before you changed it though, so all good.

no nerves man...just pure amazement that you posted that...obviously you were embarrassed or you would not have changed it so quickly - I shared it before you changed it though, so all good.

I wasn't too worried most everything was covered by the blanket and not embarrassed just still annoyed because lack of space (had to move from a 2bedroom + garage to a small studio. I've got 3 bikes and a moped in there.) but I decided to ride a little this morning before work so I snapped a new pic.

Found a new issue when riding tho. The front fender wants to move to the side when I use the break and rub on the new tire so I'll have to work on that later.