How not to modify your Mag tailcap

EDIT: Perhaps this belongs better in a different section... Moderations: feel extra free to move this thread to anywhere you see fit.

I was working one late night this weekend with my new 4D and tried to fit a custom modamag 20 AA -> 4.5 D adapter and I needed two more millimeters to make it fit. What do to, what to do?
Well, I should make use of our lathe at least once, I thought and fixated the tailcap in the chuck and started working. I should mention that the lathe I used is probably 40 years old and the ride could not be called smooth.

Anyway, here is what the result looked like (my apologies for the picture quality and the strange smile on my face, I always get that then I'm working on my less sane mods):



Punch line: MEASURE FIRST - THEN ACT

Is that a situation where you're boring the tailcap and it suffers from a sudden disconnect??

That's the beauty of Maglites... they're cheap, easy to buy and easy to machine! They're begging for you to make mistakes on them!

scott.cr said:

they're cheap

Click to expand...

Not where he comes from

scott.cr,

If you by sudden disconnect mean that the threads suddenly disappear because they cannot take the torque any more then yes.
Cheap? Well, I do have more tailcaps laying around but a 4D costs about $55-$60 here. I wouldn't have done it if it had been an M6, I can tell you that!


Spacemarine,

Damn you are fast today! Or my internet connection is slow, can't remember which.
Have you eaten speed-soup today?

I've done the exact same thing - except I was trying to get 4 x 1/2D cells into a 2D Mag.

I kept taking layer after layer of material away....I knew I was getting close, but in the end the tailcap became paper thin by the recess where the 'O' ring sits.....The threaded portion just dropped off when I went for another pass.

Replacement tailcaps are available if you scour the net....No need to buy a complete Mag.
You might struggle to find somewhere that does them outside the US though..
Good luck.


Tim.

Black are available for $6 here:
http://www.flashlightking.com/cgi-b...ct=REPLACEMENT_PARTS_C_or_D&keywords=&next=20

Cheap? Well, I do have more tailcaps laying around but a 4D costs bout $55-$60 here.

Click to expand...

*GAG* Dang dude, Sweden is just begging for some enterprising individual to start his or her own Swedish domestic utility flashlight. Hmmm, where do you think you could find someone like that?? ;-)

$60 is about what a Surefire 6P costs around here. Dang.

Well, the thought of "winny's light shop" where others any my own creations will be sold together with professional light equipment has stoke me but high taxes will probably make them stay at just thoughts and ideas. The VAT is 25% here and if you want to hire someone for let's say $2000 a month, you will have to pay about $2000 in just taxes for that, except the salary itself. But sure, if my customers doesn't require a receipt then sure, it can be done.
Admins: Relax! It's a joke! I'm not planing to do something illegal.

Not sure if flashlightking ships internationally. But someone on here probably has a spare tailcap, or could order from flashlight king and forward it to ya.

Now you know you have to make something cool out of the busted tail cap right? Better start thinking! :wave:

I know for a fact that flashlightking.com ships int, as I've asked them.
IIRC the price for shipping a 2D light was approx $13, so I guess a new tailcap will be less than that

Oh, long delay... I can't keep up with all my threads anymore.

Anyhow, the tailcap itself is not a problem. I'll just use electric tape instead and there is always eBay if I want to get another MagLite.
The tape solution might not be the best looking, buy hey, none of my mods look nice but they blind you enough so you can't tell the difference because of the big black spot in the middle of your view that seems to follow you a while afterwards.