inspired to mod by McGizmo & many others

I was just reading Raggie's thread and McGizmo said too many CPF'rs are focused on the dollar rather than on the creating and ground breaking ideas. So I looked back at some posts and realized that there are a few mods that I would like to see come to fruition. I'm putting the ideas here in hopes to generate even more ideas and inspiring the many creative minds on CPF to get the mod juice flowing. What would you like to see in a light? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The holy grail at this time (to me anyway) is a 2-stage clicky Aleph tailcap of equal caliber.

I'm nut's about tiny 3watt LED's and would love to see a LiON light in the next size below CR2. something close to N-cell size.

I'd like to see Mag bodies turned into tubes that screw into each other to quick change for different battery configurations.

How about a McLux flat smooth type flood that throws a smooth even wall of 500+ LUX. Currently the 1w McLux TK and the BlackBird have about 60 LUX of flood.

What about an unobtrusive flashlight ring that you wear. Or modding a watch into a working watch/light. Dimable incan? Outrageous runtime?

ModaMag and I have a pretty kewl mod in the works that we hope to bring out this summer. More kewl than useful but fun all the same

I wouldn't be surprised if all of these were already explored and achieved but there may be more good idea's around the corner. Necessity is the mother of invention.

I'll step down now

I think Fivemega has the mag extension business down pretty well.

As far as the smaller than CR2 light, as far as cell technology right now you're looking at some seriously pathetic runtime. I mean less than 10 minutes probably with any reasonably bright output. Of course you could dim it down and get some runtime out of it. We just need the battery technology to catch up.

Jonathan (Modamag) is definately an awesome person to brainstorm with. In the short time he's been on CPF he's brought to the table many mods and what's more he usually makes examples of his stuff available to the less creatively adept of us by means of doing production runs of his inventions /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Or just some of the basic in-demand fare like cut-down Mags and Minimags (of which i personally have a few)

Don is ALWAYS working on something new so i wouldnt be suprised if the 2-stage clickie hasn't crossed his mind somewhere along the way. Im interested to hear what he has to say about that idea.

As far as a ring/light,, i want to think i remember 4sevens or somebody making one. and it looked real neat /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Shane

I have been amazed at some of the talent we have among our members here and even more amazed at the kindness of most of the higher level modders. I began my modding after a member who I never met (Sunspot) met with me one day and gave me a few 5 mm LEDs. After that I was hooked and must say it was very classy of SunSpot to offer his time and LEDs to me.
After that I moved up to Luxeons and fellow member Chop provided some old scrap Luxeons for me. I was amazed at how such a legend in my mind could be so very willing to share his wisdom,and supplies,with me. I am never going to be any competition to guys like Chop however it was just real classy of him to offer his time to a 'grunt" like myself.

After playing around with a few mods I decided to have one of my prized ARC-LS lights modded. It was LitFuse who brought me into the real world of mods and man what an incredible guy to deal with. Not only did he do an ideal job but he also helped me to learn how to mod my other LS ARCs myself. Once again a fellow modder helped me out and I learned much from his experience. I feel that a LitFuse modded ARC with a little extra current and reflector are perfect. This light was amazing before the mod but now it is the way it should have been from the maker. Of course this is due mostly to better parts now available but it was the creativity and work of our modders who brought all of the improved versions to the people.

You also have McGizmo...man what can you say about this guy. His stuff is incredible and he is in a class all by himself. I have often thought of trying some of his stuff for myself but can not even get close.

Then you have the lathe gods like TVODRD who can make some incredible lights from scratch. It is amazing what a person can do with a simple aluminum rod and some skill. We are all lucky to have the experience of these guys and I am sure the best is yet to come.

I have always been impressed with the members who can work magic with a lathe however I also admire the people who are creative and often work with nothing more than hand tools and imagination. I am limited to simply salvaging spare parts and creating mods from other donor lights. I have seen many here who often improve on an existing product and I like to think I have made a few lights that I feel are better than they were from the maker. There is just something I can not explain about creating something that works and you can show all your friends what a cool thing you have made. Of course these friends have to be fellow flashaholics or else they all laugh and say you are a dork..haha

Regardless I can sit for hours and study the creations of others and I like the style of this post. It makes people think and when that happens around here we all often benefit from some excellent lights. I simply like to "piddle" with modding however some day hope to purchase a lathe and maybe my own imagination will run wild then....I can see it now "The New Robo-Light" coming to you from the modder and lathe-monkey Robocop. It will have the output of a Thor spotlight in the size of an ARC-AAA and runtime will be 48 hours from a half dead AAA alkaline cell. It will also run for 12 hours from lemon peel shavings or even 6 hours on common fruit juice. And it will all be hand made from a modder inspired by others here..do not laugh as it may just happen some day... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Cromagnet,

When I first joined CPF, things were a lot simpler and the mods were mods that most folks could do with handtools and some creative juice. There was one Luxeon light selling when available and usually as a second because the owner of the company set standards that his production capabilities couldn't meet on any regular basis and of course the Luxeons made today's yield seem error or lottery free, by comparison. Oh yeah, the guy was Peter Gransee and the company Arc.

I recall taking a perfectly good, outrageously expensive E1 and chucking it in my lathe to convert it into a host for an Arc LS head. Modification of a light with a lathe was a step in raising the bar a bit. Aside from having fun with the lights themselves back then, I think the most rewarding thing was seeing some guys decide to get their hands on some tools and make and create! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif None of us had vested interests and there was no reason not to share and work together and push the collective!

There was a problem though. Someone would make something cool and there would be a few people who wanted one! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif In time it became apparent that some limited production runs would be the solution. Covering costs, justifying expenses and time spent inevitibly turned some of these efforts into small business ventures. Risk, gain and shudder, IP, became part of the landscape or at least considerations for some of us who found we had vested interests. The community has grown and to a certain extent supports its own chamber of commerce now. CPF has become a market and we have had dealers join in for mutual benefit; at least by design and intent. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Some members have seen a shot at letting their interests and financial livelihood merge in small business activities based for the most part on CPF. I know one such person real well! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Some members will take it upon themselves to attempt a mod or build beyond their current comfort levels or abilities and to me, that is the best damn part of CPF! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif A willing to try or can do attitude is not encouraged enough these days and I know so many friends here on CPF who have tools and abilities today that they didn't have a year ago! That is way cool and Cheers to this community for allowing and encouraging the growths of all of us who have taken steps into unknown territories and grown as a result! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Some members take a cursory glance at CPF and see successes at small and manageable levels and they figure that with a few hours in CAD design and with a few questions answered, they are well on their way to bringing the latest and greatest flashlight to the world! Maybe. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif It may well be possible to create at the keyboard but if you don't get to melt solder and cut chips, you are really missing out on something pretty darn cool!

I can vaguely recall Roth showing up on CPF full of youthfull energy and something about nearly cutting off his thumb with a power tool or something. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Well he got the mod bug and became interested in machining parts and that is just great, IMHO! I got to meet this nice young man at SHOT show and it was such a pleasure to talk to a sharp, focused individual who shared in some common interests with this old fart! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I can't believe I'm an old fart but by my own standards, I am! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif Hell If I or any of the others can inspire any of you to mod or create then this forum has more value than I have been crediting it with as of late!

I've been inspired too, by countless people on CPF - too many to name.

The OA4D Cookbook was my second mod after learning how to use a soldering iron. It worked surprisingly well apart from weight and heft. Then I wrote the guide in the hopes that someone would use it and grow from it. For those just getting started - try it, it's one of the simpler mods. If you want even simpler there's b2eze's drop-in sink, you can order the parts instead of the TK system, all you need to do is drive three screws, solder one line (resistor if 4D), and you're good to go.

Once you start there's no stopping. I'm rebuilding a spotlight with 100W bipin bulbs.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Because there ain't no such thing as too many lumens!

don, i'm honored /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
at the risk of sounding mushy, i must say that you were my main inspiration. i've always looked up to the mods you built, the way you handled yourself, and the way you do things, and said "that guy does things like i do things". while i still can't compare with you on quality, genious, or generousity, i fancy you as a man after my own heart, or visa versa.

unfortunatly i'm afraid i've lost most of my youthful energy, and feel like an old man more often than not, and haven't had the time to do any mods in the last many months, but i would like to think that at one point someone was inspired by some of the ideas or mods that i've shared in my time here.

cpf is a lot different now than when i got here, and it is indeed more commercialized. i remember a day when i could go into the homemade and modified forum and spend an hour reading about everyones new mods and congratulating them and offering praise, but now it seems that if someone posts a mod, it's rarely given a second glance if it's not for sale /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

for me, cpf is and always was about the free trade of ideas and information. i really need to get some time and energy together to be a part of that again. i really enjoy modding, but the real fun was always making the post and letting everyone else know how to do it themselves.