Ty_Bower
Flashlight Enthusiast
I did a search and didn't see any matches. I'm surprised no one has stumbled on this idea before.
I was wandering around my dark basement looking for something. I had my relatively new Surefire KX2 to light the way. Don't ask why I didn't just turn on the lights. My name is Ty Bower, and I'm a flashaholic, OK?
I'm currently in a love/hate relationship with my KX2. I love the long runtime. I hate the less than perfect beam. It's got rings and splotches, and the tint isn't that great either. Yes, I hunt lots of white walls. The first step is admitting I have a problem.
Tonight I found another reason to hate my KX2. The tight beam from the optic is nearly useless for searching for something in the basement. It's too bright for close range use, but too narrow for sweeping an area at mid range. I can point it at the ceiling and use it like a candle, but the ceiling isn't particularly reflective and the KX2 isn't bright enough to really light up the place in candle mode.
The bottom line is that it really needs a diffuser to be a useful light (in some situations). As I was searching and cursing, I happened across one of the blank CDs you get at the end of a spindle of blank CDRs. You know, the really blank one that doesn't even have the aluminum layer on it.
More out of boredom than anything else, I held it up over the end of the KX2. Well, I'll be darned if it didn't make the most beautiful, perfect beam I've seen in a long time. Even the color improved. There was still a fairly defined spot, but everything got softer and 100% of the nasties were completely gone. I'm going to try to figure out how to cut a perfect circle of the proper diameter, and then I might wedge it in the front of the bezel. Or maybe I'll crack the head open and try to put it underneath the Pyrex for protection.
Yes, I should have an F04 beamshaper, but I don't. Maybe the flashlight elves will bring me one for my next birthday. Until then, I'm going to go play with the blank CD.
I was wandering around my dark basement looking for something. I had my relatively new Surefire KX2 to light the way. Don't ask why I didn't just turn on the lights. My name is Ty Bower, and I'm a flashaholic, OK?
I'm currently in a love/hate relationship with my KX2. I love the long runtime. I hate the less than perfect beam. It's got rings and splotches, and the tint isn't that great either. Yes, I hunt lots of white walls. The first step is admitting I have a problem.
Tonight I found another reason to hate my KX2. The tight beam from the optic is nearly useless for searching for something in the basement. It's too bright for close range use, but too narrow for sweeping an area at mid range. I can point it at the ceiling and use it like a candle, but the ceiling isn't particularly reflective and the KX2 isn't bright enough to really light up the place in candle mode.
The bottom line is that it really needs a diffuser to be a useful light (in some situations). As I was searching and cursing, I happened across one of the blank CDs you get at the end of a spindle of blank CDRs. You know, the really blank one that doesn't even have the aluminum layer on it.
More out of boredom than anything else, I held it up over the end of the KX2. Well, I'll be darned if it didn't make the most beautiful, perfect beam I've seen in a long time. Even the color improved. There was still a fairly defined spot, but everything got softer and 100% of the nasties were completely gone. I'm going to try to figure out how to cut a perfect circle of the proper diameter, and then I might wedge it in the front of the bezel. Or maybe I'll crack the head open and try to put it underneath the Pyrex for protection.
Yes, I should have an F04 beamshaper, but I don't. Maybe the flashlight elves will bring me one for my next birthday. Until then, I'm going to go play with the blank CD.
