Sold/Expired New Modder, New Mods, good pic's

New Modder, New Mods, good pic\'s

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif I'm a newbie but I've been lurking in the shadows for a while now. And with all these darn lights you know that's a pretty hard thing to do!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif
Most have been going small, smaller, smallest. I wanted to do something mainstream. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dedhorse.gif I made these mainly because I wanted to see if I could and also because the ones I saw here were way too cool!!
(pictures are in a post below, I had problems posting initially))

RUN TIMES AND TEMPS

I have not done these tests officially, but I have done quick and simple checks. Since these are all direct drive, they can be estimated from experience. If there is enough interest, I will send them out along with a killer 6V lantern, not pictured here, for review and testing.

Also, I am rated a newbie, but like most I've been a lurker for quite some time. The confidence I have to introduce these to the revered CPF crowd is from real world use and a few sales. Some farmers in South Dakota love the flexibility of the 3aaY. A few bus inspectors and LEOs here in Houston love the beam and battery life of the 3aaB. Some fellow hunters and fishermen here in Texas don't venture out at night without either the 3C M*g or 3DB. And the 6V killer lantern is just for anyone who wants a wicked beam with ludicrous runtimes. As stated before, all of these are direct drive and the Lantern has either a 1W HD LS w/resistor or 3W HD Emitter wired straight.

With quality comes PRICE !
The underlying, unsaid theme here is I'm an obsessive compulsive (not clinical though), anal retentive, detail oriented, DIY'r, TIGHTWAD !!! Therefore, I don't make enough to cover my time and barely enough to cover my costs. (Hmmm, maybe I'm doing this wrong. Suggestions? Anyone? Bueler....Bueler !?!?) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif That being said, these are all in the low $30's range except the M*g which simply costs more to buy initially.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.
[email protected]

Here's the album address http://www.tjtech.org/gallery/zapper Thanks in advance for your time and info! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif

Re: New Modder, New Mods

Any place to post pictures?

Re: New Modder, New Mods

Welcome zapper! I don't know what the issue is on the images but you need to host them on your web site and then use their URL to link to them here. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

Re: New Modder, New Mods

zapper- see here or here for free photo hosting. Oh, and welcome to the CPF!

Re: New Modder, New Mods

Thanks McGizmo and Fitz. I'll try again and see what happens. Crying baby and 12 year old want some attention, go figure!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rant.gif

Re: New Modder, New Mods

Zapper, your hosted pics are ok. Just needed to fix the address a bit.

Add "cpf" in front of "gallery" and ".jpg" to the end of the address and bam.....










Nice mods by the way and welcome. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif

Re: New Modder, New Mods

You're the MAN darkzero! And a big "THANK YOU". The 3aaB is a close replica of the Famous and greatly reveered LGI by the highly talented Mr. Bulk (tm) and you can see how much brighter and tighter the beam is on the other lights. Calibrated 20' ceiling test.



Can't wait to send them off for measured testing. The 3DB is actually lighter than the 3C M*g !!

Re: New Modder, New Mods

i would love to see the 6v lantern!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/clap.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif

Re: New Modder, New Mods

zapper,

Will you be selling these mods eventually?

Re: New Modder, New Mods

did you get the 3aaB ar harbor Freight? It look sjsut like the flashlight they sell there?

Re: New Modder, New Mods

It is really nice when a lurker enters the light and joins us.

Re: New Modder, New Mods

Nightguy, yes, yes I am. I started probably as most others just to see if I could, then I liked it a little too much so now I have a bunch and yes they are for sale. Pretty cheap too IMHO. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif Depending on how many want one they're all in the low $30's. Just enough to cover the actual costs really. The more requests, the lower the price. The only exception is the 3C M*g because it has a 30mm lens and just cost more to buy. It could just as easily be a 3D M*g. Plus, BIG PLUS, they have Q BIN stars, so they are pretty good! Justintoxicated; YUP, poor brave little 4 led donated itself to advance and satisfy our photonic needs. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mecry.gif
JonsidneyB; Thanks for the welcome and it looks like I might be around for a while. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif
So, all of these and as many of these as you wish are for sale and almost readily available. I'll take a stab at requests as well so if you have one it never hurts to ask. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/whoopin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif
ONE BIG THING /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif I try to keep things as simple as possible so the costs stay low and the usefulness stays high. Who needs a flashlight that is too expensive to use or afraid to break or lose ?! I am a tightwad !! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

Re: New Modder, New Mods

I have a few of each of these left so I'm just going to offer them up at cost plus S&H for anyone else that is interested. Thanks for your attention and support folks!

Re: New Modder, New Mods

What was involved in modding the Energizer swivel light to take a LED? I have one of those and would love to put in a 3W or maybe just buy one of yours... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

Re: New Modder, New Mods

• The battery tray has to be modified by cutting the ground strip and a wire soddered to the terminal to make it work on 3 batteries instead of four.
• Also the terminals have to be modified on one side so the single battery on that side can be inserted upsidedown.
• Next you have to remove the lens/reflector (all one piece), remove the retaining pins and spin the head to get the correct polarity.
• Next, use a dremmel with a router attachment to cut down the inside ring till you get a solid circle. You have to go slow and do it a few times so as not to cut too much off. After each trim, shine it on a wall at least 10 feet away otherwise you may cut too much off and get a black hole in the center.
• I drill a little hole right next to the LED leads where where it is soldered to the tab and solder the connection wires. Then I use the original retaining ring to hold the star in place. If you drill the holes right, the wires come out just inside the lip of the retaining ring.
• This is where it gets home brewed. For lack of inovation I use a nut and bolt to make up the space required for the positive post. I use the nut as the base with the bolt head as the contact pedestal and use thermal epoxy to make it stick to the back of the star.
• I simply solder the ground wire to the retaining ring for the negative contact.
• The positive contact I use regular epoxy in the bolt groove and lay the positive wire in it. After it hardens I bare the insulation and tin the exposed wire. Always making sure it never touches the bolt head incase it is making contact with the negative contact.

I'll post some pictures shortly. The first one or two may take a while but now I've got it down to about an hour 15. At less than $5 over parts cost plus their S&H it barely covers my gatorade! I wouldn't try it with a LS III though as the only heatsinking is the star and the retaining ring but that's up to you!!
Everyone that has one, and that's getting to be about 20 now, says it runs about 6 to 7 hours without noticeably diminishing brightness. After that when it does start to head south it's a long long road till it gives up the ghost. (read days!) They are suprised when they turn it off and the next day they go to use it again and it runs almost like new again for about two more hours!
Like I said, I'll try to post a picture of the guts real soon. If you decide you would rather buy one though I've got it down to $25 (with a P BIN) plus a buck or two for S&H.
When it's done right, the ball of light it shoots out is very impressive regardless of 1 Watt OR 3 Watt IMHO. The reflector it has just rocks and I would say it as good or even better than a M*g reflector!!

Re: New Modder, New Mods

bump it up