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What Did You Use Your McGizmo For Today?

nbp

Flashaholic
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
10,970
Location
Wisconsin
A McGizmo flavored version of the popular "What Did You Use Your Flashlight For Today?" thread from ninemm.

Many of us EDC our McGizmos. Tell us what you used yours for today. It could be fun for us, and probably cool for Don to see his tools in real life action. Don, your comments, as always, are welcome-feel free to tell us what you did with YOUR McGizmos too. ;)

The only rule is that you must have USED it to post the story. You cannot post that you stared at it, admired it, polished it, photographed it, fondled it etc. It must have been used for a real illumination task. No shelf queens here. :nana:


I'll start:
Tonight I used my Mule XM-L to find some drums for laboratory equipment waste-stream in the warehouse at work after the warehouse people were gone and had shut off the lights. Who needs overhead lights anyways? The floody Mule was great for this close up work. Nice. :)

And GO!
 

Tim W

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 27, 2006
Messages
635
Location
Leelanau Co. Michigan
Too many things to mention!!

I help manage my parents campground and do everything from maintenance 8-9 months out of the year, to "security" at night during the summer.

I've worked on peoples trailers with it, used it to guide them to sites at night, checking for any unexpected activity in the storage area at night, etc.

It is a Ti-PD S that has been on my belt since I received it new in Sept. '08, and while I have others that I play with around the yard at night and occasionally carry I can't see anything replacing this as my EDC for a good long time.
 

bmcgators98

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Messages
203
Location
North Central Florida
My Haiku High CRI comes with me on nightly dog walks. I also used it this week while re-wiring a boat battery.
I also open letters and cut up apples with my custom tactical folder. I need to go do something interesting to write about. My life is pretty boring.

I like this thread, hope it keeps going. I would like to request that when possible pictures would be great. Love the pics! Like Don's Hawaii turtle pics! Again I am realizing how boring I am.
 

Obijuan Kenobe

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 19, 2010
Messages
1,059
Location
Pittsburgh, PA, USA, Earth
I use my XRU every day to position fluorescent tissue under my microscope as the room is blacked out. I use it to adjust, realign, and reset the laser control system as well.

There hasn't been a day in a long time that I haven't used it at work.

obi
 

Launch Mini

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 28, 2009
Messages
1,549
Location
Vancouver, BC
Just got my Sapphire yesterday. It was in the mail box all last week. So, my first impressions, with a fresh battery, in the daylight was. Ho hum.
Well, once it got dark, I was impressed.
Was bright enough to find the dog "presents" she left on her walk, and also a middle of the night run for me to hit the medicine cabinet to get some Cold Meds.
It is in my pocket today :)
 

McGizmo

Flashaholic
Joined
May 1, 2002
Messages
17,290
Location
Maui
OK,
I'll play too. :) (yesterday)

I used a SunDrop that I keep by the computer to see the flashcard slot when I processed some images. I used a sapphire that is always on me to illuminate where I was walking when I took the trash can down to the curb. I used a dedicated Mule out by my outdoor shower to illuminate my ugly mug when I shaved last night. I used my Haiku to check on a noise I heard in the bushes as well as see how many zebra doves were spending the night in a tree. (I use the spill portion on medium so as not to bother them).

On a related note, I have good friends (they are a "couple") who I gifted sapphires to last year. They are on the mainland at the moment and I got an e-mail from her the other day catching up and she mentioned that both she and John regretted not taking their flashlights with them as they have both noticed and commented that there have been many times they wished they had had them. Funny. You actually get in any habit of using a flashlight and then you realize that it is kind of useful! :ohgeez:
 

scout24

Flashaholic
Joined
Dec 23, 2008
Messages
8,869
Location
Penn's Woods
Used my 3s Sundrop-engined Aleph McClicky Mule to keep an eye on some in-the-dark barbecue a little bit ago. :) I use my Weber year-round, shoveling a path to it if necessary.
 

JWRitchie76

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 6, 2009
Messages
1,037
Location
Jo Daviess Co, IL
I got called out on a red signal last night at 2130. Worked until 0200 looking for a "needle in the haystack" shorting out a 3 mile block of railroad signals. I ended up finding a piece of steel on a insulated gauge plate shorting the track. It was about the size of a pin head. Burned through 1 RCR and 2 primaries trouble shooting.
 

nbp

Flashaholic
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
10,970
Location
Wisconsin
Welcome back Jason, haven't seen you in a bit. :)

Keep it coming guys, this is good stuff. Don, thank you for joining as well. :thumbsup:


Fyrstormer--- :ohgeez:

:nana:
 

fyrstormer

Banned
Joined
Jul 24, 2009
Messages
6,617
Location
Maryland, Near DC, USA
I got called out on a red signal last night at 2130. Worked until 0200 looking for a "needle in the haystack" shorting out a 3 mile block of railroad signals. I ended up finding a piece of steel on a insulated gauge plate shorting the track. It was about the size of a pin head. Burned through 1 RCR and 2 primaries trouble shooting.
Seems like it would be easier to run a self-powered car down the track first, with stiff brushes to scrub the rails clean, and then re-test before making people inspect the track visually for hours on end.

Cool story though. Definitely proves Gizmos can withstand continuous long-term use.

Fyrstormer--- :ohgeez:
I'm not kidding. I don't generally have any need to use mine for work or nighttime hobbies, so I pretty much just light things up as I pass them on the sidewalk on my evening walks. Saved me from stepping on more than one frog.
 
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JWRitchie76

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 6, 2009
Messages
1,037
Location
Jo Daviess Co, IL
Seems like it would be easier to run a self-powered car down the track first, with stiff brushes to scrub the rails clean, and then re-test before making people inspect the track visually for hours on end.

Cool story though. Definitely proves Gizmos can withstand continuous long-term use.

Well..... I really wish it were that easy sometimes. I mean I do have a hi-rail maintenance pickup truck. Unfortunately there are a million other variables involved with railroad signal operation and track structure that makes it a little more complex than that. :thumbsup:
 

fyrstormer

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Jul 24, 2009
Messages
6,617
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Maryland, Near DC, USA
Well..... I really wish it were that easy sometimes. I mean I do have a hi-rail maintenance pickup truck. Unfortunately there are a million other variables involved with railroad signal operation and track structure that makes it a little more complex than that. :thumbsup:
Well, that's what you get for being an expert -- you know all the reasons why the simple solutions won't work. I hope you've learned your lesson. ;)
 

nbp

Flashaholic
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
10,970
Location
Wisconsin
Used my Haiku to check the fluid level on the waste bottle coming off the HPLC in our lab. It's a hassle when I let it overflow.
 

nbp

Flashaholic
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
10,970
Location
Wisconsin
Used my Mule to poke around inside my PC case and check for loose wires. Nothing was loose, so I am thinking the "no boot device" messages mean my HD is dead. Not good. :sigh:
 

jumpstat

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
2,418
Location
Ampang, Malaysia
Earlier this morning, I used my Mule PD to light my face while trimming my goatee. I just didn't want to switch on the lights at the dressing table as my wife and 2 daughters looked soo peaceful sleeping. Since the Mule PD have very large beam pattern, I tailstand the light and had both my hands free for the works.
 

FrogmanM

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 10, 2007
Messages
1,300
Location
San Diego
My PD-S illuminated the chain wheel of my Electra last night. The chain on my Townie fell off while riding home on PCH. Later, I used a LS27 to walk the dogs around the neighborhood.

-Mayo
 

fyrstormer

Banned
Joined
Jul 24, 2009
Messages
6,617
Location
Maryland, Near DC, USA
If your Townie has an internal gear hub and therefore doesn't have an external derailleur, consider getting a Surly Singleator or a Shimano Alfine Chain Tensioner. They bolt to the rear derailleur mount, and they provide chain tension and alignment to keep the chain from jumping off the rear sprocket.
 

nbp

Flashaholic
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
10,970
Location
Wisconsin
Used my Mule to light up my buddy's basement via ceiling bounce as we got ready to watch a movie so he didn't trip over furniture. He was pretty happy, he narrowly avoided an incident with a vacuum cleaner, lol.
 
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