SITH 52 build

By beginning of this year I was so lucky to catch an offer about an MS-SSW host. I desperately wanted a 465nm build so I use that host for it.

However, parallel to that I decided to have a greenie as well, later on. So I started the search for a suitable host.
My requirements were:
- robustness
- efficient heat transfer for long duty cycles
- maintanability (easy teardown and build)
- design (out of the ordinary solutions)
- power throughput (10A switch), low resistance
- 2x 18650 battery support

Most important of these were the heat transfer, power throughput and 18650 battery support.

After searching through the whole forum and requesting offers from valuable members I turned to something new.

A relatively new member named Trinh started to build interesting hosts so I asked him to make me a 2x 18650 brass host.
He agreed so I sent him some money so he could start the manufacturing.

I was not in a hurry because I was accumulating more money for the project. Still, 3 months later there was no sign of my host being made so I started negotiating with him about the deal.

I assume he was having some funding problems because he offered me a redesigned host, different from that one I ordered 3 months before.
Most possibly it was created for somebody else but I liked the new design so I agreed on the new deal.

The host arrived yesterday and now it is time to tell ya my impressions about it.

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The host is heavy, very heavy and it feels like a club in my hand.
I am quite sure I can easily kill a person with it in a CQB situation :-)
That is why I named it as SITH.
* Slam in the head *

Basic data:

Length: 242mm
Total weight: 388g
Heatsink weight: 233g
Tailcap switch power support: 10A (at least I hope so, time will tell)
Side switch support: momentary / on-off
Tailcap switch resistance: 0.13ohm
Battery tube resistance: 0.08ohm
Battery support: 2x 18650

Now the good (pros):

- 2 different contact boards with springs
- 2 different side switches (momentary + on/off)
- design
- craftmanship (except the protrusion)

And the bad (cons):

- no o-rings at any thread
- tailcap threads protrude through it (manual lathe, no CNC)
- materials not polished
- no copper insert for 12mm module (just brass)
- brass head instead of aluminium (still OK for my build)

Further observations:

The craftmanship is surprisingly good for a manual lathe, except that one fault with the threads protruding the tailcap. That makes the tailcap a bit ugly when watching closely.

Trinh also provided an aluminium half-valve for heatsinking the driver but I am quite unsure where it can be fixed inside the host ??

Overall, I am satisfied until now. The price of 150USD (including shipping) is reasonable for this product, but still the host could be perfect by just a little more QC (that protrusion, yeah...) and a little polishing.
From a guy who started manufacturing nice hosts just a while ago, I think is acceptable.

Regarding the switches, time will tell how good they are, but in any case, it is not a big deal to exchange any switch in a modular host like this one.

I guess this host will serve me well as a laser handheld and if not still I can use it as an expensive and very dangerous weapon, a nice looking club :-)

The build will continue soon, I am ordering the 520nm diode and driver from DTR.
The Sanwu 3xBE for the project successfully arrived this week (THX Podo)

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