Beam smoothing for Ministar2 maglite?

I like everything about my maglite with a ministar in it except for its crap blotchy beam. Is there some kind of diffuser lens or even better an optic of some kind that I can add to smooth out the multitude of imperfections? I don't really care if the throw is affected.

Doesn't Ministar come with a modded reflector specified for it's own use?(not sure whether the dimension is the same as high dome Lux) I guess one quick solution is to put scrotch tape over the lens/glasses, and that should smooth out the beam considerably. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

no kidding the drop in is a adequite module, but the way it works with the reflector is ALMOST as messy as the mag was to begin with.
(i love them stupid plastic optics for nice blends of light)
at least it does have a spot wide adjustement still, but the hot spots and dark spots or rings, are not the best way to light something.
Maintain the adjustment capacity of it, and the beam tightness, and improve the smoothness without diffusing it into oblivion.

i totally agree that the smallest ammount of difussion, like transparency tape, blends out any light very fast, but it also reduces the beam of it.

they have "dimpled" reflectors for other lights (slight same problems as difusion), but the BEST would be what they use for the halogens , a "laser" tuned reflector, a anti disco ball
in the halogen reflector bulbs the faucets are clean sharp highly reflective, and dont loose much light, while sending the small filiment light into a smoother spot or wide.

who is going to sell us leetle tiny glass precision lazer alighed reflectors for the 2$ you can buy them for in a halogen reflector?
after all 28$ for the drop in, 2$ for a primadonna reflector would be just right.

i wonder IF, diffusing the bulb a bit would effect the heat removal from it , or if decapitating the top pyramid of it (like sombody did here) would send more of the light fwd, as opposed to hitting the trashy reflectors.

i really think i would have rather had a non-side shooter, or locked luxeon optics, as opposed to a incasesent looking beam pattern

I put the smoothing lens from the Opalec Newbeam module in with my Terralux and it looks really nice. I'd think you could get an LDF lens from one of our supporting stores. .

I've got one of those terrible lux things. I HATED the beam it made. I swapped out the side emitter for a lux 3 Hi dome. Now it makes a great hotspot with lots of spill for closeup work. Also the focus works really well.

Hi, Unclefester.

If you don't mind telling, how does the Lux III work with the TerraLux board? What bin did you use? I am also kinda curious how much current does the board put forth. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I too have a Terralux on hand, which I love to mod it to something else. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I took the cheapskates option and cut a small piece of plastic from a semi-transparent supermarket bag, and placed it between the refelector and the lens. Voila! Instant smooth flood, crap throw and no artifacts. Transforms the light into a very nice reading light!

Since I've got other lights with the throw (read: micra) this setup suits me just fine.

Someone should really get on Terralux's case about putting hi dome luxes in their modules, they would really sell like hotcakes I reckon.

Thanks for the replies!

What happened to the terralux hi dome version i saw on here?
No sign of it on the TL website.

I know reflector's are more popular here but is there a optic that would fit, or could be cutdown to fit? VDG

the optic fits the container, but with the side shooter the optic i tried doesnt go over it all the way, nor does it look to good :-(
also (adding to the pain) with an optic on the ones that are already facing foreward, the light doesnt shoot out the side of the optic so much.
so an optic with a lambertarian would be great, cept the focus wide spot thing would not exist.
but i will take that over this.

i swapped the side emitter for a lambertian
i also ground down the base of the reflector a bit more, and even ground down the actual socket of the led some tenths of a mm, making the hotspot significantly tighter

but the main improvement was the lambertian, try it

[ QUOTE ]
PANZERWOLF said:
i swapped the side emitter for a lambertian

but the main improvement was the lambertian, try it

[/ QUOTE ]

Panzer...help..?? A lambertian from Terralux? A Minisar
lambertian or a mod? I'm confused, bucause I've the the
Ministar2 and it's a side emitter.

Thanks

MB

no lambertian from terralux (yet), i just changed the luxeon on the circuit

[ QUOTE ]
PANZERWOLF said:
no lambertian from terralux (yet), i just changed the luxeon on the circuit

[/ QUOTE ]

I figured. I have been looking for that thread with the picture, im sure it was posted on CPF, so sooner or later it will get on the market.

Nothing fancy, just a high dome on the same chip.I wish they would make a 1 or 3 watt for AAA mag's with a solitaire and regular AAA mag! I would love the solitaire with that setup! I laso think it would sell real well. VDG