quark mini AA & CR123 users thread

[JeffN]

You might want to edit your post so Beamhead doesn't take any heat for words I posted. :oops:

 

[windstrings]

Well, I couldn't resist the beauty of the Fenix PD 10 ti.... when I arrives Ill do a mini review "no pun intended" of it verses the Mini 123.

 

[Purpleorchid]

I got my MiNi 123 yesterday and I love it! It's more powerful than any of my other 9 flashlights! Cheers to 4Sevens and CPF for introducing me to this awesome mini pocket rocket!

 

[NutSAK]

As for complaints of sloppy threads causing mode skipping, go out to your garage and grab a nut and bolt, I know you all have some, observe that even on fine threaded pairs until the nut turns tight against something there is play, that is the nature of machined threads.

There should be tolerance differences between well machined products and cheap nuts and bolts. I have owned MANY lights from one particular american flashlight company and none of them have ever had slop in the threads, so you can't tell me that it's just the nature of threads. Nuts and bolts are designed to be tightened down and left alone, so the product doesn't require tight tolerances, it just has to meet torque specs. To function properly, a twisty flashlight switch requires tighter tolerances and, from my experience, that can be accomplished.

 

[Beamhead]

There should be tolerance differences between well machined products and cheap nuts and bolts. I have owned MANY lights from one particular american flashlight company and none of them have ever had slop in the threads, so you can't tell me that it's just the nature of threads. Nuts and bolts are designed to be tightened down and left alone, so the product doesn't require tight tolerances, just torque specs. A twisty flashlight switch requires tighter tolerances and, from my experience, that can be accomplished.

Agreed but please give examples of lights with tight threads. :popcorn:

 

[NutSAK]

Agreed but please give examples of lights with tight threads. :popcorn:

Peak McKinley, Peak Pacific, Peak First Responder, Peak Carribean, etc. I think you see the pattern here...

You can turn the heads of all of these flashlights out about 1/8 of a turn, and they will never come on due to side or frontal force on the head.

 

[Beamhead]

Are they tight without the o ring installed? Do they use foam rings? No play at all?

 

[NutSAK]

Are they tight without the o ring installed? Do they use foam rings? No play at all?

I didn't say the threads were "tight". On the contrary, they are smooth, but have much tighter tolerances than any Quark I've handled. There is much less "slop" in the threads of the Peak when no orings are installed. A spring or foam ring will make no difference in these tolerances. For instance, the Q123 I have on my person today requires more than 1/4 turn out to ensure the head doesn't contact the body with force and change modes.

Do I think the tolerance of my Q123 is bad? No. But, many of the people here are complaining that the MiNi 123 head has to be twisted out quite far to ensure that the switch doesn't engage when force is applied to the head. That is a tolerance issue that can be remedied with proper machining.

 

[Beamhead]

I didn't say the threads were "tight". On the contrary, they are smooth, but have much tighter tolerances than any Quark I've handled. There is much less "slop" in the threads of the Peak when no orings are installed. A spring or foam ring will make no difference in these tolerances. For instance, the Q123 I have on my person today requires more than 1/4 turn out to ensure the head doesn't contact the body with force and change modes.

Do I think the tolerance of my Q123 is bad? No. But, many of the people here are complaining that the MiNi 123 head has to be twisted out quite far to ensure that the switch doesn't engage when force is applied to the head. That is a tolerance issue that can be remedied with proper machining.

I have many US made even custom lights with loose threads.
I disagree that foam rings don't help, they provide the needed back pressure to make some twisty lights ride the inner edge of the threads, like the Fenix p1, and NC EZ series.

The mini's suffer because of no foam ring and a weak spring, which is why I posted 2 things that would help.
Could they be machined better, sure but at what cost and what true help with a weak spring.
Do you have a mini? Those who find their mini to be too loose can get an rma, I was just pointing out some remedies.

 

[NutSAK]

I disagree that foam rings don't help, they provide the needed back pressure to make some twisty lights ride the inner edge of the threads, like the Fenix p1, and NC EZ series.

So, a stiffer spring or foam ring in a twisty light gives enough back pressure against the head, so that if I pushed down on the head towards the body, it would prevent the light from coming on? Yes, we certainly disagree on that point. Will it increase the force required? Yes, slightly, but not to a degree that it would ensure the light didn't come on in a pocket while you're sitting down, for example. Not to mention a negative effect of a stiff spring, which is to increase the effort required to rotate the head.

No, I don't have a MiNi. I was just commenting about your comparison of flashlight threads to nuts and bolts. I also have other American and custom-made lights with loose thread tolerances, but I don't think loose tolerances are something that you just expect from all machined threads.

 

[Beamhead]

So, a stiffer spring or foam ring in a twisty light gives enough back pressure against the head, so that if I pushed down on the head towards the body, it would prevent the light from coming on? Yes, we certainly disagree on that point. Will it increase the force required? Yes, slightly, but not to a degree that it would ensure the light didn't come on in a pocket while you're sitting down, for example.

No, I don't have a MiNi. I was just commenting about your comparison of flashlight threads to nuts and bolts.

Well it has, in my experience it works. :shrug:
And on most lights regardless of where they are manufactured my comparison still stands.

 

[parnass]

:welcome: Welcome to CPF, Purpleorchid.

 

[windstrings]

I got my MiNi 123 yesterday and I love it! It's more powerful than any of my other 9 flashlights! Cheers to 4Sevens and CPF for introducing me to this awesome mini pocket rocket!

Yes, welcome to cpf!.....

I hope you saved some money for your after Christmas appetite!

As awesome as the Mini 123 is for a very tiny pocket rocket, there are lots of lights that are of equal quality but much bigger and more powerful...
We don't want to even talk about the HID world!

boy do I feel sorry for you!... I'm glad I'm not your accountant!... :laughing:

You see my signature... I just keep upgrading and upgrading and giving away or selling my refuse!.... LOL!.... its a sick maddening disease... Help! :sick2:

 

[Dude Dudeson]

Finally just ordered mine, can't wait!

Unfortunately it'll probably show up while I'm out of town for Christmas - assuming they're actually in stock as of now that is.

 

[PoliceScannerMan]

I just got my 123 yesterday, I am guessing from the second batch.

There are no smudges on the window, the threads arent sloppy at all, they wiggle a lil bit, but no more than any other light. :)

The tint on mine doesnt seem green to me, it is quite nice. :cool:

I love this light, for the price, it cannot be beat. :naughty:

 

[Purpleorchid]

Thanks for the welcome. My 9 flashlights are a wide range:
D Maglite for bedroom
C Maglite for car
AA Maglite w/ LED upgrade for glovebox
Emergency crank flashlight
Another smaller emergency crank
Inova X01
Petzl Tikka XP headlamp
Solar powered flashlight
A hand crank pig flashlight
A FisherPrice monkey flashlight I got as a gift (it's fun, you squeeze it's tail, the mouth opens to reveal the light while it makes monkey sounds)
A couple Photon-Xs
AAA Maglite which I gave to my mom so I wouldn't feel as guilty buying...
Quark MiNi 123!

So far, the most expensive light I own is the Quark and the Petzl headlamp, but if there's a Quark MiNi Titanium made, that would be the most expensive light!

I saw a post on how to upgrade the Petzl...too bad I don't have a soldering gun. :)

Off to play with the MiNi!


I guess that's more than 9...oops.

 

[kaichu dento]

Agreed but please give examples of lights with tight threads. :popcorn:

Just grabbing a couple lights in front of me, my Arc-P, Quark RGB and especially my SS Maratac!

There should be tolerance differences between well machined products and cheap nuts and bolts.

There are huge differences indeed!

I have many US made even custom lights with loose threads.

Me too; my titanium LF2XT has the loosest threads of any of the lights within reach at the moment, but it doesn't matter since it's not a twisty.

I think you guys both made some good points here and am really hoping that my MiNi AAw's are tight like prom night! :huh:

 

[strinq]

:welcome: Purpleorchid!

Glad u like the mini.
I'm still waiting for stable finances before i nab one. :D

 

[windstrings]

Glad u like the mini.
I'm still waiting for stable finances before i nab one. :D

Sounds like your newly married! :crackup:

 

[T-3]

JUST ordered two of the 123 MiNi's!!! Will ship out at lunchtime today... can't wait! Got them with the Li-Ion RCR123 kits. Just needed something to carry around on my two keychains!!! lovecpf