What's a Good "Starting Point" Mod for a Beginner?

[Chroma]

Wanted to mod a flashlight. What's the best starting point for a beginner like me with "very little" soldering experience or electronics experience as well.

I was thinking of a Maglite Solitaire conversion. I do have some Solarforce L2's that I wouldn't mind tinkering with. Any recommendations for how to beef one of those up?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Linger]

$20 dollar limit
Solitaire is hard b/c of size. the L2 is do-able mod, usually means assembling reflector + pill + emitter unit, this was my first (I fried a driver).

Nice option is to reci parts for all of it, usually with salvaged computer heatsinks or copper plumbing end caps. A lot harder to put together a functional model BUT you're not doing a 'build by numbers' thing as the floor is totally open.
This also lets you understand what the essential parts to a light are, and what is just elaborate design.

$20, no more. Bonus points if you can dis-assemble key parts to use in your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th builds.

Head over to cycling subforum, lots of first builds / home builds, and a lot of these outperform $300 store bought options.

 

[old4570]

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=242361

I did have a DIY on doing a SSC P7 P60 drop in but the pictures are gone ..
This one still has the pictures up .

Easy , cheap , DIY mod to a Mini Mag AA .

 

[Lumencraft (Matt)]

Hi Chroma,

Always glad to see someone else getting into modding. Personally I would have to say the "easiest" lights to mod are maglites. But if you are wanting to do a smaller light the L2 is about one of the simplest mods I can think of.

If you are wanting to go super big on the output, I recommend getting an MCE on a 15mm star like the one from Shiningbeam. It will fit perfectly in the P60 module without any filing. I also recommend the 3 mode driver from there.

I will gladly go into more detail as to how I put this together if you decide you want to do this mod. IMO its a fairly simple mod that requires few tools. I think you will be very happy with the results.