TEC Accessories Glow Fob - Ti or Alum? - VOTE!

The biggest problem with that is that you're going to be making it a lot easier for the tritium to get broke . The TEC design is a lot more open compared to some glow fob designs. One errant key will shatter it for sure. You probably want the extra layer of protection.

A GITD pellet is basically just a form of resin - so very shock resistant and has some flex and give to it. Should something sharp pierce it you will have a chunk missing, but the rest will be fine. It is also a fairly cheap substance to make, so filling something the size of a glowfob is practical and cost effective, and gives a better glow the more surface area there is to absorb light.

A tritium vial on the other hand is a very small glass vial containing tritium gas, so instantly is a lot more delicate than a resin, being a relatively fragile material in a pretty small form factor (so certainly not enough thickness to treat and build up strength like car windscreens). The second problem is that once it breaks, it is gone completely - the gas leaks out and you are left with nothing more than a broken vial (unlike a block of still glowing resin with a chunk missing). Those two together mean that while you may source a larger vial to fill the fob, it is going to be very easy to break through either shock or getting poked by something (say a key when your keychain gets stuck in your pocket...). So as an alternative the kit uses smaller (and still weak) vials, but protects them from shock and impact to give them a much better chance at survival in the real world.

It may be possible to source a tritium vial in a larger size (I have never bothered checking), but unless your glowfob is going to be kept pretty safe and babied, it is probably a much better idea sticking to the less pretty but more practical smaller vials (or leaving in the GITD resin).

Well, I certainly wish your project the best of luck, but I don't think it's going to look as different as you think it will; it'll still have a fairly obvious clear plastic shell around it, and .5 mm thick epoxy or soft silicon probably isn't going to provide that great of protection. Not that the plastic tube in the accessories kit is better, i just also wouldn't be that surprised if the tritium vial gets broken quicker than it would have otherwise.

As for your question, I'm not sure what you're asking for. The guy on CPF just sells the tritium. You have to mount it in the mounting kit yourself, which from what I understand is just sliding tritium into the clear tube, sealing it with Nordstrom, then locking it into the fob using O-rings. AFAIK he doesn't have a mounting service.

If I have it correctly, Merkova (sp?) over at CPF just sells the tritium vials, so you get them as a small glass vial - aimed initially at installing in various torches as a permanent way of finding them, so they come in the original form factor to do with as you please. To mount one in a glow fob you will typically also need a small kit with the tube and o rings to fit it.

The bolded part is hysterical!

Merkava does sell the TEC fobs with tritium already installed. I don't know how he does it so email him directly for info.

You do not need and I highly recommend against sealing a trit with Norland in the tube. Just put a dab of clear silicone on the top and bottom and be done with it. This way, you can swap trit vials if you choose. The chances of you getting the Norland to set air-bubble-free too too risky. Add the cost and hassle of Norland and it's not a great idea.

I've dropped my keys several times with no issues with trits. As long as you keep it away from SAK you should be safe. That guy can break anything!

Autocowreck.