# NOW COMPLETED! - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark + Remora / 7 x XPG (with beamshots!)



## TallNHairyDave (Mar 17, 2010)

I'm currently building a 4D Mag in a black 4D host with a DIY custom heatsink, running 4 x 18650 cells through a Blueshark w. Remora to drive a 7 x Cree XPG board with khatod optics. 

First task was to mod the switch assembly so it would work with flat top 18650s as I'm going to use AW's excellent 2600mah protected cells in here. (Ignore the bits of flash still attached in this pic from where I cut down the bottom of the switch on the lathe, I've since trimmed them off cleanly.)







(ooops. I got the Mrs to take the pics and she put the negative contact/grub screw back in the wrong way round before she took the photo and didn't notice! :laughing: It doesn't stick out like that in reality!)

And also chop off the pillar that would hold the original bulb, and drill a hole to be able to wire up the -VE contact.






The heatsink is in progress on my small hobbyist lathe at the moment - just roughing out the interior "cup" to house the LED board and optics (which is why the finish isn't perfect - it's deliberately undersize at the moment so I can make tiny finishing cuts to get it to the final size once it's "almost there").






Turned down from a 50mm diameter aluminium bar and it's a single piece construction with a fairly long tail to extend into the mag body for good heatsinking. This will leave just enough room for the BlueShark/Remora board on it's heatsink. For reference, I've bored out 8.1mm so far; just waiting for the LED and optics to arrive so I can measure the height and confirm how deep I need to go (I think it's 13.9mm but want to make sure first!)

The heatsink will extend both into the body between the head and the top of the switch, and fill the head of the mag. Should make for some decent heatsinking, and initial tests by just putting it in the torch without any thermal grease and then heating it up with a butane "blue flame" lighter show that it transfers heat to the body and head of the torch nicely.

Bought one of allburger's 18650 spacer + tailcap mod kits to mount the cells and handle the tailcap connection. He's made me a custom version of his kit which is normally to fit 2 x 18650s in a 2D. Just waiting for it to arrive.

And finally, HUGE cheers to TX101 for all his advise on the build so far with which electronics bits would be best to drive the 7 x Cree XPGs and how best to put together a balance charger for the 4 x 18650 cells that'll drive it.

More pics and write up as I progress. 

Dave


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## sprinkle (Mar 18, 2010)

*Re: Build log - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark w. Remora / 7 x Cree XPG*

Good luck with your build! I am in the process of making basically the same thing but for a Mag C. I will post pics and a write up once I am done.


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## csa (Mar 18, 2010)

*Re: Build log - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark w. Remora / 7 x Cree XPG*

Good luck with this. Looks like it'll be a fun build when it's all done.


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## TallNHairyDave (Mar 18, 2010)

*Re: Build log - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark w. Remora / 7 x Cree XPG*

Thanks guys! Just found out the LEDS and optics have arrived with TX101 and he's going to post them on to me so I can make the heatsink the right size and drill through the holes for the wires to the board.

Just waiting on the following items:
BlueShark w. Remora - shipped yesterday
Allburger's 18650 mod kit for mags - Shipped 
BlueShark heatsink - shipped

Can't wait


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## TallNHairyDave (Mar 23, 2010)

*Re: Build log - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark w. Remora / 7 x Cree XPG*

Quick update:

Allburger's 18650 kit arrived today, and it's great. Had to make the stack that fits in the tailcap shorter by removing one of the foam disks to allow for the extra height of protected cells, but once I did that, fits perfectly and works like a dream. Nice work Allburger!

Photo of the tailcap mod installed - note teh spring sitting lower inside the tailcap than the standard height with Allburger's kit in order to accommodate teh taller protected 18650 cells.





The LED board and optics arrived today as well, so I can now take measurements and finish the heatsink.

The BlueShark w. Remora arrived yesterday.

Just my shiny Talon bezel and matching tailcap to come!


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## TallNHairyDave (Mar 24, 2010)

*Re: Build log - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark w. Remora / 7 x Cree XPG*

I still cannot believe that something this small






will push out over 2000 lumens when driven at 1amp.

Yes, that's MY 7 x XPG board with optic 

(coin is a UK 2 penny piece, seeing as I live in the UK!)


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## greenLED (Mar 28, 2010)

*Re: Build log - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark w. Remora / 7 x Cree XPG*

Yup, amazing. What are the dimensions of the multi-XP-G board you are using, and the optic? diameter, height?

:thanks:


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## TallNHairyDave (Mar 31, 2010)

*Re: Build log - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark w. Remora / 7 x Cree XPG*

If I recall correctly the board is approximately 39mm in diameter, and from base of the board to the top of the optics is just under 13mm...

Apologies for not keeping the thread up to date folks. Much progress has been made, and the torch and all parts has gone off to TX101 for final assembly as I looked at the ultra precise soldering I'd need to do and I chickened out!

Anyways, to bring things up to date....

*26 March:*
Bezel and tailcap have arrived. Unfortunately the tailcap cannot in any way work with the 18650 cells as is. 

So next job on the list is cutting up the 2d mag body and it's tailcap to make an extension piece that the pointy tailcap can screw onto which then gives the length needed. 

Also I noticed that Fivemega is doing a run of finned & fluted maglite heads so I'm going to order one Update: Ordered :naughty:

Have made a short extension tube for the body out of part of the 2D body and the 2D tailcap. 

Just need to bond them together (fingers crossed I don't manage to bork the electrical conductivity doing so by getting epoxy in the wrong place - ditto fscking up the threads).

Here's a photo of the maglite with the extension piece, pointy tailcap and toothy bezel fitted. (Extension piece is just a press fit together at the moment, not yet glued)






And here's a (slightly off centre) front on view showing a test fit of the LED board, Optics and heatsink inside the head of the torch. (This is with the standard Maglite plastic lens fitted).






Pics of the parts that make the extension piece/pointy tailcap still to come.

NB: Heatsink is not yet completely finished. Still to come - where you can currently see the bare aluminium ring around the optics, will instead be a flat GITD surface when the torch is complete. Just need to make a mould to pour GITD epoxy into first.

*27 March:
*Remembered that my Dremel "Workstation Stand" also makes the dremel into a small drill press. 

Had to hollow out the back of the heatsink a bit using the lathe because drill bits weren't long enough to go the whole way through the heatsink; and had to drill the holes at 2mm instead of 1.5mm because the BlueShark power cables were too tight a fit otherwise. They now fit perfectly and go through the holes in the LED power board as if they had been picked for it 

That's another job done. 

Next job on the heatsink is to mirror polish the base of the heatsink for best thermal coupling to the base of the LED board.

Then I need to work out the best way to make the GITD epoxy ring to fit the top of the heatsink.

The 2 parts that go together to make the tailcap extension along with the pointy tailcap.







And here's it assembled (press fit for now)






The 2D tailcap became the ring with the original screw thread. That fits into the cut off section of the tail of the 2D (again retaining the standard thread), and the pointy tailcap then screws into the end - giving a custom longer tailcap to accommodate the 18650 cells. It retains the original mag O-ring so should still be waterproof too 

This isn't needed with the standard Mag tailcap as it's deep enough. The problem was caused by the solid tailcap which is not hollow so didn't leave enough room for the batteries (as they extend very slightly out the back of the maglite body).

*28 March*

The Heatsink has had 2mm cut off the top of the cup. Then it's been put inside a cup made from delrin, and the inner hole filled with a delrin post...

Then GITD Epoxy has been mixed and poured to fill the void between the two delrin parts.





This will give me a GITD ring bonded to the top of the heatsink

*29 March*

And here we go...

One heatsink with it's bonded GITD ring






The GITD ring cracked getting the whole thing out of the delrin mould, but superglue fixed that.

Heatsink with GITD ring, LED board and Optics installed in the head of the torch as a final test fit






Most of the marks on the surface of the GITD ring are just dirt and washed off OK. There are however one or two small inclusions in the epoxy (blast!) but I'll live with them.


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## Greg G (Mar 31, 2010)

*Re: Build log - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark w. Remora / 7 x Cree XPG*

Wow, that's a cool build! I like it. :thumbsup:


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## greenLED (Mar 31, 2010)

*Re: Build log - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark w. Remora / 7 x Cree XPG*

Nice touch with the GID, Harry!
(and thanks for the diameter of the board)


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## SmurfTacular (Mar 31, 2010)

*Re: Build log - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark w. Remora / 7 x Cree XPG*

That's incredible, what is the lumen to watt ratio?


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## TallNHairyDave (Apr 1, 2010)

*Re: Build log - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark w. Remora / 7 x Cree XPG*



Greg G said:


> Wow, that's a cool build! I like it. :thumbsup:



Thanks mate! And it's all modular so it can go from looking like a stock 4D (until you look in the front) to a pointy tailed, toothy headed, finned head monster :laughing:



greenLED said:


> Nice touch with the GID, Harry!
> (and thanks for the diameter of the board)



It's Dave not Harry. I'm Tall 'n' Hairy though hence my nickname here 

Thanks for the nice comment about the GID.  I really wasn't sure it was going to work at all!



SmurfTacular said:


> That's incredible, what is the lumen to watt ratio?



I have no idea! All I know is that when the BlueShark with Remora board is running on "High" this should chuck out 2000+ lumens at the emitter as each emitter will be being fed 1 amp. 

At least that's what TX101 told me. :laughing: I just bought all the bits and did all the mechanical stuff - he advised me on the electronics side of it and is doing the final soldering & assembly for me. (For which he gets a massive CHEER! Thanks mate!)


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## ^Gurthang (Apr 1, 2010)

*Re: Build log - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark w. Remora / 7 x Cree XPG*

Dave,

Very nice work. If you were out in the country I'd suggest you call it "Bog Blaster" but in your case perhaps "Baker St. Sweeper" would be more appropriate. Hope you have some beamshots soon.


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## TallNHairyDave (Apr 1, 2010)

*Re: Build log - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark w. Remora / 7 x Cree XPG*



^Gurthang said:


> Dave,
> 
> Very nice work. If you were out in the country I'd suggest you call it "Bog Blaster" but in your case perhaps "Baker St. Sweeper" would be more appropriate. Hope you have some beamshots soon.



Thanks mate!

"The Baker St. Sweeper". :twothumbs I like that A LOT.

Mind if I use that as the official name for the project?

Unfortunately TX101 missed the post this morning, and it's the easter holiday weekend this weekend, so no post tomorrow or Monday. Which is a shame as he's not going to get a chance to finish the build for me this weekend as he was hoping.

I'll post beamshots as soon as I have it back with me from final assembly.


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## tx101 (Apr 11, 2010)

*Re: Build log - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark w. Remora / 7 x Cree XPG*

Managed to complete Dave's Mag last night
Woww .... in terms of sheer output, it makes my
eyes water just thinking about it 

Here is an animated GIF with beamshots comparing the 
Dave's 7-up which uses a 20 degree optic
a Led Zep MZXR-7 (4xreflectors + 3xaspherics) and a Malkoff M30







Bright isnt it :thumbsup:


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## TallNHairyDave (Apr 11, 2010)

*Re: Build log - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark w. Remora / 7 x Cree XPG*

TX101 finished assembly and testing early this morning, and did a post over on the other forum where I started doing the build log first (before thinking that it would also be of interest over here and starting this thread.)

I've reproduced his posts from there below to save him the hassle of reposting here. (Hah, he beat me to it with the animated gif!)

Anyway, over to TX101's posts...

*-- First post by TX101 -------------------------------*

All the components have been sitting around for a couple of days
so now I have found the time to complete the project.

Anyway, a couple of pictures to start us off

My work area






First step, test the driver and epoxy it to the heatsink






HeeeWahhh .... it works
In actual fact I used my own "test bed", a string of 3 Cree R2s from an old Mag build and a KD D size rechargeable li-ion

I have just stuck the driver board to the heatsink and waiting for it to cure

More to come later 

*-- Second post by TX101 -------------------------------*

Here we have the driver wired up and thermal epoxied to the Mag






Head installed with the LED board ready to be connected to the driver






The GITD ring






*-- Third post by TX101 -------------------------------*

Now for the money shots ...... all I can say is that its f##king bright






Compare that with a Malkoff M30






Here is an animated GIF of Daves 7up XPG, my M6 7 x R2, and the Malkoff M30






Its nearly 4am, I'm knackered ..... talk again tomorrow 

EDIT ..... The Led Zep MZXR-7 is running 4 x 19mm reflectors and 3 x aspheric lens so it will throw further than the 7-up, but in terms of sheer output, the 7-up wins hands down


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## TallNHairyDave (Apr 11, 2010)

*Re: Build log - Mag 4D / 4 x 18650 / Blue Shark w. Remora / 7 x Cree XPG*

Massive Cheers to TX101 for doing the electronics side of the build for me and all his advice on which board to get to drive the LEDS & how best to power it. 

Without his help, this project would not have been able to be completed. At least not as smoothly!

And WOW. What a wall-of-light! 

Dave


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## J3004 (Apr 12, 2010)

very nice :thumbsup:


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## wildstar87 (Apr 13, 2010)

Yeah I made one of these recently too, with 12AA instead of 18650s. I have another build with a Triple MC-E running a 3A, and with a ceiling bounce test off a light meter, they measure out almost identically.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/267446


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## TallNHairyDave (May 2, 2010)

A quick update on this one, the torch is running really well, with a good runtime on the cells. I've just received the 6 degree optics from Cutter for it, so I'll get some new beamshots soon - with that optic it's much more of a classic torch beam (it has a hotspot instead of being just pure flood).


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