New owner of a Mag85

I am awed, to say the least.

This Mag puts out more light than my overhead room light - 3 x 40W incandescents. Color temp looks so much better. I've actually switched to flourescent lighting, but put it this way, the 3x40W AC-powered incan is the ONLY thing I could find to compare to the awesome power of the Mag85.

Look not upon Mags as lesser lights, but as lights waiting to realize their TRUE destiny.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Knowing that this kind of light can never be all it can be indoors, I took it outside. Since I used a medium orange peel reflector, it's not exactly a throw light, but beam quality is awesome. It has the light saber feel, you can see the beam shining up all the way into the sky. It literally turns night into day at short range. IMHO I think it's more of a flood, but a truly awesome flood at that. It may have something to do with my lack of bulb shims. Hmm.. will wait till those get here. It's great as it is but more of a flood now. I can still tighten up the focus a bit.

Not only that, color temp is noticeably better than any other incan I own, only the Surefires come close, but I'd still say, it's whiter than my P91. WA sure knows how to build a lamp and 9 Sanyo AA NiMH really know how to drive it.

I'd like to thank the folks who have worked to bring this to us.... This is just one unbelievable light. Incans own. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

Welcome aboard, brother. You've seen the light and it's 1,200 bulb-lumens of fun. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I guess you'll have to change your signature line now /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Wilkey

PS. Yep, properly focused, it throws a mean, fat beam that you can almost feel the weight of as you wield it to clobber objects at a distance. The fun is just beginning I think. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

You are waiting on shims? From Carley? If so, drop me a line, I can hook you up with stock I have on hand.

Wilkey

Hehe, will you be wondering why people spent all those time putting Luxeons into D size M@gs when these really should be hosting incandescents. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Till you use it with a 3inch FM head... The light saber is so intense that the beam itself blocked the target I was aiming at.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I also am a new owner of a mag85 (mc85 actually).
It puts out an amazing amount of light, awesome indeed /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I was a bit disapointed with throw though, I really like awesome throw /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thank you Wilkey, Greg, Varooj, and all others for giving us the Mag85.

Ginseng, thanks /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Finally I have seen it in person, what all the fuss is about. Don't worry about the shims, they are already in transit from litho123. I simulated them by unscrewing the Mag head a little, it seems that yes, I can tighten up the focus. I'm glad I made it at last, it's come a long way ever since I tried to cross an Osram Silverstar (and later Decostar51) with a Mag. The DS51 turned out horrible, on 9 cells it is so dim that a P90 will eat it for breakfast.

I still love the U2, and LEDs are practical for small lights (<100 output lumens), but there is no way they can approach the big guns for those days when you absolutely, positively NEED all the output you can get.

SJACKAL, I was one of the sickos who did the Luxeon, see the OA4D Cookbook for details. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif The irony is that I am now looking at that exact same light as featured in the Cookbook, and wondering if it is suitable for a conversion BACK to incan! I have a plan, I just need to see if my reflectors are suitable. Pelican Big D bulb, and a stack of 6 Sub-C super-high-current NiMHs. HEH HEH.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif maybe I'll sell the TW0L.

Hm, in a few days I will have my potted 85s. I have the MOP, and 3xAA-D v2s. Oh, I don't have the lens, so I will try it lens free, 100.0% transmission glass. What are the shims for?

Oh, and thanks Wilkey and everyone else that did the research on this. I can't wait to finally see the Mag85, as best I had before was the Mag GH24.

Get Flashlightlens.com to rush them to you. I was lucky; both the Mag85 package AND the Borofloats showed up in the same delivery. What more could I ask for..

To read about the Mag85 is one thing. To conceptually understand "800 lumens out the front" is one thing. To be able to fetch a drink from the kitchen at night with "800 lumens out the front" is mind blowing.

It reminds me of another time, I was doing just that with my U2 on level 6. I shined the U2 up at the ceiling, and it so happened a lizard got the full dose of 100+ lumens, giving it such a fright it fell off the ceiling - ONTO ME. The power of light, huh... well, I didn't see the lizard around today, but if it does show up, it would probably think the sun has come down from the sky... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif what they said was true though, the 1185 really is a little piece of the sun encapsulated in glass and brought down to earth!

I so love big bright! This is my ideal for a relatively easy and relatively inexpensive "supermod for the masses." I know I'll **** off a bunch of folks again but when it comes to bang-for-the-buck bright, nothing SF offers comes close. Just think, no need to cringe when the guy next to you pulls out his SF M6. Just whip out your Mag85 and smile /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Oh, and you really need to try and fool someone into thinking this is a stock Mag 3D. Can you keep from snickering as you say "I dunno why it's so bright. I got mine from Walmart too. Maybe yours is broken?" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Wilkey

Oh, and our gratitude has to go to Wayne at Elektrolumens for making the 3-D V2 available. Without his support, this mod would still be sort of exclusive. Now if we can only whip the potted bulb issue. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Ginseng said:
I so love big bright!

Now if we can only whip the potted bulb issue. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

You said it. I have a WTB in BST for a 1185. My Big Bright is all set with MOP, UCL, 3toDs, NiMHs... but no bulb!! Anyone know of an extra somewhere? I'm running a WA 1318 which is bright, but not up to 1185 standards from what I have read.

I'm ready to try a mag85.

So lets see if I can get the suppliers and parts inline.

3D M@G
MOP
EL 3x 3AA-D
WA1185
Lens

Now did I read that there is a kit from flashlightlens.com?

-Craig

Can you run a KPR118 with 8xAA's or 9xAA's?

It seems that the Mag85 has a common effect on us all. I get a stupid grin on my face whenever I light it up. I can even use it to warm up my wife's feet from across the room! Long live hotwires! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Luna,

I don't think FLL sells a kit. Though the parts are pretty readily available, it's still a "roll your own" type of thing. Welcome to CPF and hot wire modding.

Wilkey

Kevin,

Welcome to the club. I started out collecting custom LED lights, but once I discovered hotwire modding, the fun level went up exponentially. All that raw power is really addicting.

My first M*g85 is powered by 3 Pilas and has a FM 3V head. Second M*g85 also powered by 3 Pilas, but has a js ring potted 1185 with a CL1940 reflector. Next M*g85 will be powered by 3 Pilas in a FM fat D body with M*g head & LOP reflector - that is, if fivemega will get his butt in gear and finish the 3 to fat D adapter for Pila 168A's.

Boy this hot wire stuff is fun /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif. I won't do a mod any more if I can't turn off a street light with it. I'm currently working on a home made light made from a small pinapple juice can - we have an ongoing contest at our local get togethers for home made lights with total cost under $10. I already tested the battery (4 AA alkalines) and bulb setup, and, yes, it will turn off a street light.

Jim,

That sounds totally cool. Aside from my love of bright lights, I also love ultra ghetto lights. I once made one out of a paper towel roll and a yogurt bottle. Total cost: $0. Total fun value: at least $27.53 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Wilkey

$0.00 - I find that hard to belive. What makes the light - gotta include the cost of the bulb /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/poke2.gif. Of course it could be a zero cost light if you set it on fire and the flame produces the light. The quintessential disposable flashlight. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Ginseng said:
I so love big bright! This is my ideal for a relatively easy and relatively inexpensive "supermod for the masses." I know I'll **** off a bunch of folks again but when it comes to bang-for-the-buck bright, nothing SF offers comes close. Just think, no need to cringe when the guy next to you pulls out his SF M6. Just whip out your Mag85 and smile /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Even WITHOUT counting $$, nothing Surefire incandescent is that bright. Only the Beast is a contender, and while I would love to own a Beast, the price tag is just scary. When I was firing up the Mag85 for the first time I was thinking "finally I have my M6-equivalent for <$100, and it's rechargeable" - sorry, just can't afford to feed Beasts or M6 the cells they need to keep 'em happy. Here I just pop the 3 holders onto the Maha C777Plus2 and make it do what it does.

It isn't built like the M6, or as small as the M6, or as 'tactical' as the M6, but then again, 750 lumens is blinding whichever muzzle it comes from /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif (this is the one light I'm NOT trying on myself!)

[ QUOTE ]

Oh, and you really need to try and fool someone into thinking this is a stock Mag 3D. Can you keep from snickering as you say "I dunno why it's so bright. I got mine from Walmart too. Maybe yours is broken?" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Wilkey

Oh, and our gratitude has to go to Wayne at Elektrolumens for making the 3-D V2 available. Without his support, this mod would still be sort of exclusive. Now if we can only whip the potted bulb issue. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

That quote of yours keeps coming to mind, because this REALLY looks like a normal Mag and normal bulb to an untrained observer, except they might notice the reflector seems a bit 'messed up' (used to shiny reflectors). Glance too quickly at the business end and they might miss it, because all the essentials are there - bulb, lens, reflector.

Cheers to Wayne as well. I'm one of the not-so-many with a pack-capable charger but the V2 3toDs make things so easy - fill it up and go. I qualified for special offer shipping during a promotion too.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thanks.gif

What is this Mag85 you speak of?