Maglite 12-D Cell

[user1016]

Hi guys,

Just curious here. Despite the fact it'd be horribly impractical, if I hypothetically took two Maglite 6D cells and managed to weld them together to make an unofficial "12d" Maglite, would it work? I guess the first problem would be that the bulb would need to be one that could take the right voltage (since I'd only be doubling the voltage right? Not the capacity, so I could just get a bulb of 12*1.5v = 18v no worries right?)

http://img2.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hugemaglite.png

I'm not very experienced at building flashlights, I really want to do this just for a bit of an oddity piece for fun, not for practical use. Is such a thing possible?

 

[vrocco]

Unless you have a thing for massive lights, it's just not a practical build. The thing is, with Li-Ion Batteries running at 3.7v, you can get that kind of voltage in a much smaller package. Even if you didn't use Li-ion batteries, you could use 12 AA in a 4D M@g with a Fivemega adapter.

 

[user1016]

Sure thing, although yeah, as I stated, it wouldn't need to be practical. I'd keep it around more as a comical item than a real practical torch (I have two maglites for that).

So is such a thing possible though? I know it'd be horribly impractical, but I'm willing to make a bit of an effort to produce this comical item, just for a bit of fun to show off to friends since it's such a stupid design.

For practical use I have a Maglite 4D Cell and a 6D cell. As for the 4D was thinking of making it nice and bright (bought a night-ize LED replacement for my torch) and it honestly doesn't do very well against the incadescent (very weak on flood, not too bad on focus but it just doesn't seem to offer the crispness, more of a lambertian-distributed light). Any recommendations as to a good bright light that does well on both focus and flood for a Maglite 4D? (Sorry if this is a little offtopic).

 

[The Dane]

In order to TIG weld alu You need to remove the Anodizing. Proper welding means that the burn is 100% trough the material thus mashining the inside is a must. Then when it looks like a million You have to have it anodized again.

If You on the other hand buddied up with a mechanist then "just" cut the second light for the proper length and thread it to fit instead of the endcap on the first light.

Then the "madness" is reversible :naughty:

 

[Russel]

...I know it'd be horribly impractical, but I'm willing to make a bit of an effort to produce this comical item, just for a bit of fun to show off to friends since it's such a stupid design...

I could just imagine a row of these on the ski rack of a car. Talk about close encounters of the 3rd kind!
:thumbsup:

 

[Tekno_Cowboy]

In order to TIG weld alu You need to remove the Anodizing. Proper welding means that the burn is 100% trough the material thus mashining the inside is a must. Then when it looks like a million You have to have it anodized again.

If You on the other hand buddied up with a mechanist then "just" cut the second light for the proper length and thread it to fit instead of the endcap on the first light.

Then the "madness" is reversible :naughty:

Darn beat me to it.

Try shooting wquiles a PM :thumbsup:
I'd offer to do it myself, but my lathe just isn't big enough :sigh:

 

[Russel]

I think you will need one of the 24 inch reflectors for this project. You can't just use the stock head!

 

[Gunner12]

You can do it, and then also put 12 NiMh D cells into it and make the output match the size of the light. There are also 1D extensions for sale, or you can get a 6D body, and see if there is enough space after the hole to rethread the body to screw into where the talicap goes.

As for the "smaller" Maglite 4D and 6D, check this thread for drop-ins and mods.

As you know after coming here, there are smaller and brighter lights that can match or beat the Maglites in performance. For example, the Dereelight DBS has more output and at least the same throw as the 6D while being smaller then a 2C maglite.

:welcome:

 

[user1016]

You can do it, and then also put 12 NiMh D cells into it and make the output match the size of the light. There are also 1D extensions for sale, or you can get a 6D body, and see if there is enough space after the hole to rethread the body to screw into where the talicap goes.

As for the "smaller" Maglite 4D and 6D, check this thread for drop-ins and mods.

As you know after coming here, there are smaller and brighter lights that can match or beat the Maglites in performance. For example, the Dereelight DBS has more output and at least the same throw as the 6D while being smaller then a 2C maglite.

:welcome:

Oh absolutely, and I can't wait to get some good advice regarding making my own little modded 2C maglite that outdoes my 6D by default.

This 6D is more of a comical project, an idea that I'll be the first to claim (I mean, who has a 12D Maglite?) It'll be absolutely ridiculous, and probably sit in my room. People are going to go "What the bloody hell? That torch is just stupidly large", and impractical.

Someone up above mentioned something about mounting it, and to be honest, that's not a half-bad idea. Strapping it to the top of the 4wd above the drivers window so I can reach out and put the "spotlight" on anytime for a bit of extra illumination =) I think that's not a bad use for it at all (or putting it on my boat, since it doesn't quite have a light).

Reloading batteries into the torch would be an interesting task, would take more time than it would to re-load one of those black powder muzzleloaders.

Thanks for the idea to pm wquiles. I'll certainly give it a try. Anyone who wants to make some money doing it, I'm happy to provide both the maglites and the rest I guess is up to you since I'm not experienced with metalwork or knowledge of what to do.

I just think this maglite would be the most bizzare maglite (and hey, might go on the Guiness book of records for biggest torch =D )

 

[Seiko]

If nothing else it could be a 10lb walking stick

 

[user1016]

If nothing else it could be a 10lb walking stick

Hehe absolutely.

It'd be an interesting self-defense tool, would take a mighty swing to get some momentum going but whatever it comes into contact with would get a mighty wallop (still, it'd be illegal down here since I'm in Australia and self-defense is illegal and all).

 

[lctorana]

Or you could bore out the fat end of a baseball bat and install batteries, bulb and reflector...

 

[MWClint]

6D would never fit on a hobby lathe..but threading an adapter would be
a simple job from a spare peice of mag tube.

 

[user1016]

Another interesting idea popped into my head.

A Maglite 1D, an interesting novelty maglite.

Obviously, the better solution would be a Mini Maglite, but I like the idea of a stubby D-cell maglite, and I wonder how well it'd hold up against a 2AA Mini Maglite in terms of lumens and battery life.

 

[spencer]

There are plenty of 1D LED mods. Most of them use the SSC P7 LED and they have 700+ lumen output.

 

[user1016]

Ah right, I just googled it to check them out. Very interesting, I half expected someone has done this before (Although I doubt anyone has done the 12D maglite before hehe).

 

[Tekno_Cowboy]

I recall another thread about a 12D that didn't go anywhere, and a thread about a 9D that went on for a while.

A slightly larger lathe should be able to handle a 6D. I believe that Will's PM 12x36 lathe should have no troubles with a 6D :thumbsup:

 

[Seiko]

Just for giggles I went and did a quick measure on my 6D mag. A 12D would end up right around 34inches...... LOL

 

[user1016]

I recall another thread about a 12D that didn't go anywhere, and a thread about a 9D that went on for a while.

A slightly larger lathe should be able to handle a 6D. I believe that Will's PM 12x36 lathe should have no troubles with a 6D :thumbsup:

Ah thanks.

Yep, got in contact with Will to see what he could do.

 

[monkeyboy]

Fivemega makes screw-on m@g D extenders here. You can add as many as you want to accommodate any number of D cells.