The perfect McGizmo?

[Hodsta]

The first time I saw a cool flashlight, it was one of those brick shaped blue and white Ever Ready flashlights, found in my dads glove box when I was about 5 years old.

The second cool torch was a tin plate 3D jobby I bought on scout camp when I was 11. The next was a Surefire 6P about 8 years ago, this really made an impression, boy was it bright and it handled great.

The next one to make any real impression was the TiPD-S. I ramble.

Between the 1st and the 2nd flashlights I probably purchased an interim number of 0 (zero) flashlights, between the 2nd and the 4th, a conservative estimate of 40, the TiPD-S takes the crown as my all time favourate light. Further I ramble!

What I'm trying to say is that I think I've found a very very rare flashlight that suits so many of MY needs.........:bow: to Don.


But it ain't perfect, and for $500 I demand perfection:nana:!



What would you choose to make your McG perfect? For me and my uses it would be.............


1) 3 more trits round the smooth part of the body such that you could see it if it was placed or fell in a position other than with its *** in the air.
2) A premium threaded version that made one handed operation a doddle (I know this would be expensive!). +1
3) A momentary clickie (ala C Pak) but shrouded in Ti with H3, as oposed to rubber - am not an engineer but am so sure some limitations exist preventing this. +1
4) A screw in screw out board so that upgrades can be done by monkeys like me. +1

I'd also like a flood/spot in one torch and will probably get a LunaSol if I'm awake at that time, but I like a small headed torch so can live without the flood, if I know I'm gonna need it I will just carry a Mule aswell.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5) KISS 3 Stage PD - Goatee
6) More Al colour options - Jumpstat +2
7) 3 Trit in the Ti Bezel, Clipless, all holes barred - Arewethereyetdad
8) The world on a plate - Chronos (Ti 27 LT-S with multiple head options)
9) 99% CPF Discount - Greenstuffs

What you think? Hey huh! What would you change

Don, may see this as valuable market research (only 4 steps to nirvana) or useless tosh. Either way does no harm to ask?

Hodsta

 

[TxTroubleMaker]

I don't think that you can have one perfect light that does everything. I think that Don makes some lights that come very close but see that's the beauty of his lights. They overlap each other so that you can have two or three lights that will basically do everthing that you need.

For utility, the PD-S probably has the best overall beam. Medium throw with just the right amount of spill. If you need throw, the 27L headed lights or an HD45 will handle most tasks that you'll ever throw at them. I love the flood of the Mule, but as Bernie pointed out, in light polluted areas the beam is not very useful.

With regards to wanting more trit, that's an easy fix, for the most part Don leaves just enough meat on the lights that you can have them milled to house the appropriate sized H3 vial. As a matter of fact I just finnished installing some H3 vials into my 27LT-S.

A clickie style piston would be cool as would an interchangeable Aleph style LE, but for the most part, I'm very happy with what Don has produced so far. Just my $0.02...

 

[Hodsta]

I don't think that you can have one perfect light that does everything. I think that Don makes some lights that come very close but see that's the beauty of his lights. They overlap each other so that you can have two or three lights that will basically do everthing that you need.

For utility, the PD-S probably has the best overall beam. Medium throw with just the right amount of spill. If you need throw, the 27L headed lights or an HD45 will handle most tasks that you'll ever throw at them. I love the flood of the Mule, but as Bernie pointed out, in light polluted areas the beam is not very useful.

With regards to wanting more trit, that's an easy fix, for the most part Don leaves just enough meat on the lights that you can have them milled to house the appropriate sized H3 vial. As a matter of fact I just finnished installing some H3 vials into my 27LT-S.

A clickie style piston would be cool as would an interchangeable Aleph style LE, but for the most part, I'm very happy with what Don has produced so far. Just my $0.02...

Tx - totally agree - there is no light for all uses, but there maybe a perfect compromise for some and that is what I was after, small improvements to my (near)perfect compromise. I love my SF M6 but most of the times I've really needed it its comfy at home on a shelf.
I love my AlTiN S27 but similarly it isn't with me everyday - but I could make do with the TiPD-S, but all the better if it had only 1 of my 4 wishes. 4 out of 4, well wallet is open (and empty) but I'd shell out for that:twothumbs.

I'd love to see some pictures of your 27LT-S with H3 if you'd be happy to post? Sadly I don'y have the skills or contacts to perform this.

 

[:)>]

I believe that there is a concept that would be pretty much close to perfect for me. If you are arsing my opinion.

I believe that the PD is pretty close to perfect but would be one step closer to the ideal if Don could stop playing around with his surf board and camera and stuff and figure out a way to deliver a 3-level PD:kiss::nana:.

For the 3rd level, the light would run "wide open", or at least at a level close to "wide open" but only when the piston was pressed to activate the high level. This would allow momentary activation for spotting when the highest level of light would be appropriate. Of course, I want my cake and I want to eat it too so I would want to have access to momentary low level activation by way of the piston.

For the primary and the low levels, the light would still activate them by way of twisting the head.

I would want the switching to still be mechanical as opposed to whatever other kind of switching there is.

With this type of set up, the levels could be:

1. 20 ma like it currently is
2. 300 ma like the Mizer is set at for super runtime
3. 750 ma or 1000 ma for momentary high

Now for my disclaimer: I don't know how to do this or have any useful input other than telling you what I think and prefer... so my post is worthless and not worthy of criticism either

 

[Hodsta]

Goatee,

I agree on all points but one............

Your post IS worthy of critism:laughing:.

I'd love a 3 stage but 3 stages with such short travel - that sounds like some fancy pants fenix like electronics.

ok.......

5) KISS interface with 3 stages of discrete travel, 3lm, 60lm, 50000lm, oh my oh my so tired of waiting.

 

[jumpstat]

I do not have all the models offered by McGizmo, so can't really compare which is better etc. However the PD-S and Mule that I have are my lights of choice and I am more prone to the PD-S simply because its easy to use, convienient 2 stage, ample output, very secure clip design and physical size.

I would like to see more Aluminium PD-S being offered in many colours.....

 

[arewethereyetdad]

I'd like to see a Ti PD without clip holes and a Ti bezel ring with three trits on it.

 

[Chronos]

I'd like to see a 27LT-S in Ti (other than a proto or two, Troy ) with the ability to swap between heads, say a mule on a 1x123 rechargeable (17670). In this manner I'd have a massively overbuilt light for hiking/climbing/sea kayaking that would run either a wonderful throw/spill combo head (the McR27) or the floody Mule head, and/or the upcoming Lunasol head. Then I'd be in Heaven!:candle:

 

[arewethereyetdad]

I'd like to see a 27LT-S in Ti (other than a proto or two, Troy )

:shakehead :laughing:

 

[Hodsta]

I'd like to see a 27LT-S in Ti (other than a proto or two, Troy ) with the ability to swap between heads, say a mule on a 1x123 rechargeable (17670). In this manner I'd have a massively overbuilt light for hiking/climbing/sea kayaking that would run either a wonderful throw/spill combo head (the McR27) or the floody Mule head, and/or the upcoming Lunasol head. Then I'd be in Heaven!:candle:

Bugger - where's Keissling? How would you summarise that in a one line request? :shrug:

 

[arewethereyetdad]

What's this Al PD stuff? Just "bezel ring with three trits." Oh, and yep, clipless, all holes barred.

 

[Hodsta]

Sorry - read Ti Bezel so assumed it was for an Al as Ti's already have, well, Ti. Now clear 3 trits in the bezel (Al or Ti :nana

 

[greenstuffs]

Perfect McGizmo would be a PD that can be found in any shelf at walmart for $5 heheh :nana:

 

[mossyoak]

only thing i can think that would make a McG any better than what i got is smoother threads on my TiPD-S. other than that i love the size and the head is perfect.

 

[Roccomo]

I would like to see more Aluminium PD-S being offered in many colours.....

+1 For this. :devil::thumbsup:

 

[AndyTiedye]

+1 For this. :devil::thumbsup:

++ for colors!

That blue anodize that blew through here a while back was really pretty.

— and that also goes for the light coming out the front as well as the body.

I'm lighting a :candle: for the Lunasol. I really want to catch that wave!

I'd also like to see something like Lunasol-meets-Kroma.

 

[yaesumofo]

For my edc the pd is pretty close to perfect. I am not a big believer in tritium markers. They are very delicate no matter how they are mounted. I consider the PD to be a very heavy duty flash light. If I had a bunch of tritium markers all over it, it would loose that heavy duty factor.
What I have done is attach an external tritium marker on a light if I am going out if town. I don't know why I do that just force of habit, I guess.

The idea of a pd with no clip and no holes tapped for the clip is OK by me. The other option I wouldn't mind is a hard attachment point instead of a clip, somebody was selling such a thing for the HDS lights I would buy one of those for all of my PD because when working I prefer lanyard carry around my neck for easy access.

A point I am attempting to make is that while the PD is 90% of a perfect light there is no way for Don to make a 100% perfect light which is perfect for everybody. What is great is the fact that we have a platform which supports modifications and the like so we can make it individually perfect for our needs. My edc is an aluminum PD which Don modified to a PD-smizer. I was the first person to own a -smizer as the beta tester. It is still always at the ready. I carry it in a concealco leather holster (best in the business at a great price). It has never let me down.
Have fun making your PD unique.
Yaesumofo

 

[LED Zeppelin]

I'm holding out for a Lunasol with a C pack, which metal doesn't matter, but I can't do without the bezel-down clip. Nothing beats a McGizmo clip for my useage.

 

[Hodsta]

Yaesumofo,

Point taken. I'm currently holding 2 SS Bezels with trit holes, waiting on 6 trits from Gregw and some epoxy from the craft store. This. however, will be really stretching the limit of my modding skills.

Apart from the 3 stage switch (Goatee), the 99% discount (greenstuffs) and screw/in screw out LE (me) I guess all the other recommendations are within the ability and control of the general CPF collective to sort out between themselves.

It's a real testament to the flashlights Don puts out there that there has been such limited and non material recommendations. I would however love to hear his feedback on greenstuffs's valid request.

Hodsta

 

[jch79]

...there is no way for Don to make a 100% perfect light which is perfect for everybody.

WHAT?!? :shakehead Don - you've failed us all. :nana: :duck: :wave:

I agree with James - IMHO, Don't created a light in the PD platform that can please and fulfill a good portion of people's EDC needs.. or at least mine! :shrug:

john

And where the heck has McBK been lately? Saving people's lives is no excuse for turning your back on us!