So...wow. I think I'm happy for now.

Nomad

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
327
Location
Can't get out of the desert! ARGH!
I know most of you guys have pretty impressive collections of lights. I've been on here for a year...year and a half and hadn't really gotten very far compared to some of you true flashaholics. I'm on a pretty limited budget but I've set my sights on certain goals. Also, I placed an ad on freecycle a few times asking for flashlights and flashlight parts, working or not, that was a REAL help! I got a couple of full sized mag lights that had corroded batteries inside and managed to clean them up! My first "improved" lights were mods. I purchased some of those great little potted SMJ LEDs... and made myself a buckalight! I actually really like it still and it still is one of my favorite lights. Then, I bought one of Auroralight's hotwire kits. Had to save up a bit, but I bought a pair of 14500 protected cells from AW (they work, and he rocks, customer service is AWESOME!) and a T-3 I don't remember where I got it. Had my first hotwire! A mini-mag TL-3! At the same time AW sold me a couple of 3AA series to 1D adapters. I put those, with some rechargeable AAs I got locally for free, in a 2D Mag plus a 5 cell krypton bulb. That was a BIG difference for that light.

I fiddled around a little since then. Did a couple of simple solitaire mods (I really like small lights for EDC). Got some Mag LED modules (sold a couple on here) for free (thanks again freecycle!) where the bodies were pretty much destroyed. Some people are just not careful with forklifts it looks like. :) I replaced the potted SMJ LED in my buckalight with a MAG LED 2 cell. Even better!

Well...now I got an unexpected check in the mail. I SHOULD have saved the money, but I cut out my lunch budget instead (check doesn't QUITE cover the parts), doctor says I need to drop weight anyways. But I finally can afford to do the ROP 2C mod! I ordered the final parts, along with the protected 2C cells today, I can hardly wait! I just hope I'm not expecting too much.

At any rate, I've done these mods:
Hotwire Mini-Mag 2AA 1499 (tl-3 bulb in tailcap) with the awesome Big Head Conversion.
Buckalight with 2 cell MAG LED
2 Mini maglites with SMJ LEDs
3 or 4 solitaires with LEDs
Mag 2D into Mag 6 cell, this will be getting ROP Low!
and I'm hoping to finish my Mag 2C ROP high and a Mag 3D converted to bi-pin slug with glass lens...however I still need to find room in my budget for a reflector for the Mag 3D, the reflector I was able to order is going in to my lovely purplish 2C!

I've really enjoyed this...I had to sell some of the lights I modded to some of the security guards at my part time job just so I can get more parts, so I don't actually have all those lights on hand any more (keeping my buckalight! I really like that cheap little thing!). But it's a fun ride and really enjoyable to me. Plus it's kinda fun to see someone dazzle themselves a little with a solitaire or mini-mag. I almost just gave up on the flashlights after my 5D mag, surefire from the '05 Christmas drawing, and a bunch of other stuff I had stashed in my car for work (all I had VISIBLE were some books dangit!) were stolen from my car. However a couple of CPFers were really cool and sent me replacements, one of the replacements vanished into the maw of the USPS, but the other was a nifty little Pelican M6 lithium that I really like even though the constant on doesn't work.

At any rate, besides a little grumbling on how I hate how stuff vanishes into the maw of the USPS (or gets broken, an energizer double barrel arrived broken, and I'd love to get it fixed but I don't know where to start), I'm going to cut off my rambling now. Thanks for the great board y'all!
 

Cydonia

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
958
Location
Vancouver BC
This is a good story. Freecycle sounds interesting. Just googled it... neat. Free corroded Maglites... good for parts, reflectors, etc., not bad! Tell us about how you got a couple of FREE MagLED modules too!

I recall seeing a collection of old Maglites stood up on end on the floor behind the counter of a run down busy pawn shop last year. They were of differing heights, looked old, at least 4 cell sizes and more. I wasn't interested at the time... and it's the kind of place you can haggle the prices down a little too. (For locals reading this it was at the "Super Pawn" on King George Hwy on the hill as you go down to the bridge.) Can't beat a $5 or FREE mag fixed up and modded!
 

Nomad

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
327
Location
Can't get out of the desert! ARGH!
I'm not sure how, but when I got those Mag LED modules they were in lights and the light bodies were REALLY trashed. Looked like a forklift accident at my guess, but I honestly have no idea.
 
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