Your Best Homemade Accessories and MacGyver-Like Flashlight Applications

[spunwasi]

Sweet. I'm curious why you numbered them sequentially though? Wouldn't it make sense to number them by set? or to number a package grouping by reading?

Not homemade, but the case for the Seidio extended battery I just bought for my Evo cell phone is a perfect fit for 5 AA Eneloops.

[Cataract]

Sweet. I'm curious why you numbered them sequentially though? Wouldn't it make sense to number them by set? or to number a package grouping by reading?

I don't know if you realize you're replying to a post that was made last November, so the poster might not be subscribed to the thread anymore, but here's my explanation since I number sequentially too:
Not everyone has a hobby charger, so sequential numbering is the only way to track a single weak or defective battery if you can't read each battery's capacity.

[FRITZHID]

For those with Emergency Lights in storage, and know the disappointment of Vampiric Batt Drain due to Drivers, switches, ect... theres an easy solution! i have a toddler and MANY of his electronic toys come with small slips of plastic to keep the batts from being drained in store or stock shelves. i save these lil plastic strips and when setting up my E-Lights (with lithiums ofcorse!) i place one of these little strips in between the Batt and the endcap, OR in my 6AAA packs, just in between a batt contact and the batt. knowing that these are there, its not hard to remember to open, pull tab, re assemble and use! with 11yr shelf life and drain prevention (thats re-usable AND/OR disposable) i feel comfort in knowing i'll have light when needed, without the worry of alkaline death or keeping batts separate from the light (which often leads to finding my expensive lith-batts in Gameboys, mp3 players, and Wiimotes)

[reppans]

Diffuser, Lantern, 90-Degree Reflector

Great bump... My contribution - more HERE

[reppans]

Another good idea stolen from a Quark Mini AA thread....

If you ever need to use a AAA in AA light, just fold and roll a couple dollar bills around the AAA as spacers. If the tail spring does not have enough length to accommodate the shorter cell, just ball-up a little aluminum foil at the negative end for a spacer.

[ZMZ67]

Not really homemade or anything but putting those $15 Nite-Izes in EVERYTHING. The output isnt anything earth shattering, but the runtime is insane. Old beat up workhorse 2D M@gs, US military angle heads, Old Craftsman and Rayovac 2AA and 4AA toolbox lights...you name it. My next idea is to put one in one of those camping lanterns that take 6V lantern batteries. It would run for days.

Dorcy offers a 10MM LED drop-in for 3-4 cell lights(there is also a 2 cell version)that will work in + or - polarity lights.SEARS offers the same drop-in I believe under the crafstman name and Dorcy has a direct site if you are unable to find thier products at B&M stores.

[krevo]

4. Some flashlights (e.g. Fenix LD10) have clips that can be turned 180 degrees. You can do so and then clip them to your hat to create a makeshift headlamp.

Surefire E1E has this type of clip. I hate it when I want to clip it to my pocket, but it's great for clipping to my hat.

[lightknot]

GREAT IDEA!

I cut old CD cases to make home-made diffusers and color filters (the choice in color is not very good, though). With a pair of cutters, the plastic always breaks towards the inside of the cutters. I then use a sanding sponge to make them round. 400 grit paper makes a nice diffusion pattern and I can choose to have less or more diffusion. These fit very well in the fenix diffuser adaptors. I also have a few colored diffuser lenses.

I also dim some lights temporarily by making a transparent lens with the same method. Then I put a piece of electric tape with a small round hole in the middle (centering is key here) I put these in Fenix diffusers as well and I can dim my LD20 to about 0.2 lumens and keep the beam pattern intact. These can also be combined with my diffuser or colored lenses.

I also install the Fenix belt clip (yea, Fenix again)on my backpack shoulder straps to light up the ground and be less noticeable or invasive (need to walk a path behind some houses when I go test my lights and take beam shots)

You may want to try a Lee Filter swatch book for your color filters. They are quite inexpensive, and have around a hundred different colors and diffusion films. They are theatre lighting gels. If you really want to go Mc Gyver and know someone who works on a stage, you might scrounge some stage lighting gel scraps to for tint experimentation.

[Cataract]

You may want to try a Lee Filter swatch book for your color filters. [...]

Already did I've used them to change the tint on my favorite lights, but the next step will be to integrate with a filter adaptor. I will still need to make a transparent lens out of a CD case for support, though.

[AZPops]

... and a large o-ring to fill the void of the Grommet. Used on a HDS Rotary;

[tam17]

Thin rubber bands help get more grip on small 1xAAA twisty flashlights, and make one-hand operation easier. I make mine out of bicycle inner tube.

Cheers,

Tam

[AZPops]

This has to be the most difficult I‘ve done to date!





I Gorilla Glued the snap so it wouldn't unsnap!

[eh4]

The primo accessory for a utilitarian light is to wrap some duct tape around the butt of the battery tube.
Now you've got some duct tape, and you won't break your teeth biting the end either.

[abdmj4]

Hello Im new hear this is my first post love the site and I love home made mods. We'll see if this thread gets revived. I don't know if this will work yet as I do not yet have a flash light ( however I am anticipating getting a a Fenix PD32 UE when the budget allows. BTW if anyone has suggestions on any other light that is similar I am open.) Anyways I wanted it to be able to tail stand and that light can't and think this will work. Take a SureFire filter and knock out the colored filter part. insert 1 or more 1 inch O-rings into the side of the filter that goes on the flashlight and put that on the tail of the flashlight.
I am hoping the o-rings will act as spacers making the clicky button submerged enough to tail stand and hopefully still have enough room to allow the filter to stay attached to the back of the light. mean while since the filter part is knocked out you can click on the light. If anyone tries this let me know if it works. Otherwise I will let you know when ever I get around to trying it. If it does work it should work with other lights that have a 1 inch diameter tail.

[Slazmo]

I find that the Nintendo DS, DSI, DSI XL clear cases make excellent lenses as they are made from polycarbonate and are generally quiet scratch resistant and quiet a few can be made from either the top half or the bottom. Some sand paper onto that lense makes a good diffuser lense as others have suggested.

Ball bearing swivels make excellent additions to lanyards allowing pure unadulterated movement and never any bind between the torch and the lanyard regardless how its attached.

http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag61/Andrew_Slazmo/InovaX1EDC-20130531_zps8a24b890.jpg

Please resize and repost. - Thanks Norm[/COLOR]

Your images are oversize, when you post an image please remember Rule #3

Rule #3 If you post an image in your post, please downsize the image to no larger than 800 x 800 pixels.

Please resize and repost. - Thanks Norm

[parnass]

Hello Im new hear this is my first post love the site and I love home made mods.

Welcome aboard, abdmj4.

[abdmj4]

Thank you.

[Skitzo]

Homemade diffuser for Jetbeam PA40 (and any other flashlight with this type of recessed lens): Rim of a Coke Zero bottle cap fits snugly into PA40's bezel. Cut off the rim with an utility knife, even it out with 600 grit sandpaper, and now you have a nice black o-ring. Put a circular patch of self-adhesive translucent film (d-c-fix or similar, glued back to back) over the lens, fit the o-ring and hit the switch

wow nice find!

[tobrien]

real awesome ideas here