Flashlight Work Stand

This is a tilting stand for holding a flashlight when a third hand is needed.

Materials

1. Automotive exhaust pipe
2. 1/2 inch conduit (electrical metallic tubing or EMT)
3. 3/4 inch plywood
4. 1/4 inch threaded rod, hex nut and wing nut
5. 18 gauge steel
6. Wood or sheet metal screws

Tools

1. Metal cutting bandsaw
2. Slide rule or calculator
3. Measuring rule
4. Hammer
5. Vise
6. Grinder (and cutting wheel)
7. File
8. MIG welder
9. Clamps
10. Drill and bit
11. 1/4 x 20 tap

I have some leftover automotive exhaust pipe from another project. I want to make a collar that is a little larger in diameter than the Maglite for two D cells that I plan to use. That should allow a large enough diameter to use another flashlight we have, too. The slide rule in the photo is a K & E Business slide rule with folded C and D scales (CF and DF). That means they are offset by the amount of pi. I can locate the diameter I want on the C or D scale, position the hairline over that number, and read directly the circumference of the collar on the CF or DF scales. I decided on a diameter of 2 inches. The two marker lines show how much to remove for a final circumference of 6.3 inches, or about 6 5/16 inches. (Sometimes a slide rule is faster than a calculator.)

Place the piece of exhaust pipe into a vise and gently begin to squeeze it to close the opening. Do this in steps and try to preserve the roundness of the piece without it becoming an oval. Lightly grind away as much of the coating on the metal at the seam as possible and weld the seam. Grind the welded seam smooth. Squeeze the welded collar in the vise to remove any signs of an oval as much as possible.

Drill a hole for a 1/4 x 20 rod to pass. Clamp a nut over the hole and weld the nut to the collar.

This project requires a steel tube with an internal diameter of 1/4 inch. I did not have anything suitable, so I used a flat piece of steel about 18 or 20 gauge and rolled it around a 1/4 inch rod using a hammer and a vise. It is not a perfect process, but I did get a tube I can use.

I decided to use 1/2 inch EMT for the vertical support. I coped one end with a rat tail file and welded the tube from the last step across the coped end. I began by tack welding at the bottom of the custom tube, used a hammer to close air gaps for good weld fit up, and welded. Again, grinding or filing coatings away as much as possible before welding results in better welds.

I had an odd triangular scrap of 14 gauge steel I decided to use to mount the upright tube to the plywood base. I welded around the tube as best I could while holding the upright tube perpendicular to the triangular piece. I drilled mounting holes for #8 sheet metal screws from the reverse side. I positioned the upright tube assembly so the center of the plywood disc would be under the center of the flashlight as much as possible. (The plywood disc is leftover from making a cornhole board our grandchildren enjoy. The disc was made with a router on a trammel point guide.)

I welded an end onto a piece of 1/4 x 20 threaded rod to form a "T" handle. I turned a 1/4 x 20 wing nut onto the threaded rod. I had already ground the far end of the threaded rod to a smooth dome shape. Slide the threaded rod through the tube 1/4 inch in diameter and thread the end of the rod into the 1/4 x 20 nut.

To make the flashlight's position more firm in the collar I wrapped two loops of cloth electrical tape around the collar where the body of the flashlight contacts the collar.

Slide the flashlight into the collar and position it so the flashlight balances at the axis that is the threaded rod. Gently turn the "T" handle until the flashlight is held firmly, but gently. Tilt to the desired angle and tighten the wing nut.