I modded a Mini-Mag (no pics yet)

So i was playing with this pewter Mini-mag with a BB400/Q2 and fresh alkalines.

The optic was a NX-01, and i also tried it with a McFlood. It was nice.

Then i got the idea - why not try to mod the stock reflector to fit?

So i looked at both reflectors and noted the McFlood's hole diameter with my highly accurate optical equipment (my eyes).

Then i proceeded to go to work on the blue plastic with my girlfriend's smallest kitchen knife (eXacto? pfft!)

After much whittling and blowing of shavings i had come up with something that just about worked. I tried it, then realised the flanges were interfering. After a few minutes of playing around with the light, i realised i should file the flanges down.

I of course didn't have a file, so i cut them off with the same knife, flush with the reflector body.

Now its working, but it doesn't look too good. The LED isn't properly centered (the whole reflector doesn't look yellow when you look at it dead-on) but i think i can make it work.

Its the brightest at turn-on point - when the head is turned just enough to turn it on. The light is flood-ish, and of course has some artifacts from the smooth reflector. If you turn it further, a hole appears in the center - while not as dark as the hole in the stock light, it is nonetheless there.

Any tips? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Pics will come tomorrow or the day after, when i have access to a digital camera.

I figure the simplest way to enlarge that hole is with the reamer of a swiss army knife. Or else just drill it. Rather than a BB400, I think I want to try a cheapo 3mm white led, direct drive on a pair of L91 lithiums. Should give CMG Infinity-like output for hundreds of hours.

I have a MagAA BB500/Q3J that I've been using with the stock AA reflector for quite some time now. I never tried it with a low dome but with a high dome it does give you some good throw and I'd recommend it. I'm also using one in a Mclux 1x123 also.

This may help, as well as the dimensions after it's cut down that I posted here , third paragraph down. But these dimensions apply to high domes only. When centered, I get no artifacts at all and no rings either. Just a hotspot and sidespill that looks similar to a PR beam minus the O/P diffusion.

Wish I had a camera so I could post/show you some pics and beamshots.

Thanks for the link darkzero. What you describe is exactly what i was planning to do when i'm near my sandpaper - i'm going to flatten the reflector so that the emitter protrudes further into the reflector cavity. If i do it right i may even get it close to the focal plane!

I haven't bored it out enough to clear the black plastic around the emitter yet. I don't think boring it out further is going to do anything good - i need to sand it down first so the plastic is thinner at the base and allows the emitter to protrude further.

I don't think I bored mine at all if I remember correctly. Cutting the reflector down enough to get within the focal plane for a high dome will already leave you a hole that is just a bit larger than the black plastic of the emmitter. IMO I believe to the point where I've been cutting mine give the brightest, longest, and cleanest beam.

Like I said I never tried the AA reflector with a LD. Sandpaper should work ok but might take a while depending on the grit your using. But it's probably the best way, little at a time. Can always take off but can't put back. Good luck & please let us know how it turns out. I'm curious as well.

txs

I was boring it out a little more to see if i could get it to fit better, but then i realized that i had omitted the crucial step - i hadn't turned down the lip on the reflector! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif

I tried cutting it with the aforementioned knife, but no go. I'll go to my place tomorrow and do it there and probably post pictures then.