# Milky L1 Information Thread



## milkyspit

*[size=+1]This is Part 1 of the Milky L1 Information Thread. Part 2 is over here[/size]*. :wave:




[size=+1]*Introduction*[/size]









MARNAV1 said:


> What's a Milky L1?


 
I've loved the old-style SureFire L1 for a long while now... love the overall design, the ergonomics, the compactness, the elegance of this package... not so crazy about the floodsy, not-so-bright purple-tinted beam though. 

Solution: the *Milky L1*! 

The Milky L1 started as my own attempt to improve on the original L1... then after literally YEARS of studying, and poking around, and tinkering... and tinkering... finally a few of the quirks to this platform started to sink into my overly dense cranium, and I started to get the hang of turning the little guy into IMHO a truly compelling light.

At first this was almost like a secret build I did... had only made a handful, and those went to various folks... Kevin at Battery Station... Steve at The Product Wizard... MSaxatilus... a few others (plus me of course)... in many ways this has long been my premier build in that there's a certain level of performance I've tried hard to maintain, to the extent that sometimes I wouldn't even build any because the emitters on hand weren't good enough! (All get hand-picked as outperformers in order to make it into an ML1.)

But what *IS *a Milky L1? Don't think I've ever actually posted on that! Oops. 

This thread will hopefully shed some light on what this mod is all about, along with some photos, beamshots, runtime charts, and commentary offered by others too numerous to mention... but thank you to everyone for the info! 

It's an upgraded (but brand new in box) old-style L1 with vastly improved performance... 


*[size=+2]Collected Milky L1 Info, With Updates (7/4/2007)[/size]*

In this post I gather some tidbits from previous posts and update them to correct mistakes, add missing emitter choices, etc. Thought it might help to have it all in one place.


[size=+1]*The Milky L1 Colorometer! (including Seoul and Cree) *[/size]

_(Italics mean I don't have that emitter on hand at the time of this writing... the info remains here for reference.)_

Cree P4-WH (warmest: beige-white) - roughly 84 lumens
LuxIII UWOJ ("French vanilla" white) - roughly 50-60 lumens
LuxIII TWOH - roughly 45-60 lumens
Lux1W SWOH (rich white, hotwire friendly) - roughly 50-60 lumens
Seoul P4-USVOI - roughly 91-100 lumens
Seoul P4-USWOH - roughly 91-100 lumens
LuxIII UXOJ - roughly 50-60 lumens
Cree P3-WC (close to the Lumileds XO tint) - roughly 77 lumens
LuxIII UWAJ (pure white) - roughly 50-60 lumens
_Seoul P4-U-6500K - roughly 91-100 lumens_
LuxIII UYOJ - roughly 50-60 lumens
LuxIII TYAH (coolest: frosty white) - roughly 45-60 lumens


*[size=+1]Milky L1 Selection Guide (second draft)[/size]*

I can customize an L1 to your needs in a number of ways, but it really boils down to this...

1. Want longest possible throw from the L1 platform? Start with the new-style L1 with an IMS20 smooth reflector and flat ultra-clear lens installed.

1a. Want long throw with a ram-of-light effect? Start with the new-style L1 with the TIR optic left in place.

2. Want good throw in a smaller, more elegant version of the L1? Start with the old-style L1.

3. Tell me what sort of beam would be most useful to you: (a) short range mostly flood beam; (b) well-balanced all-purpose beam, useful for both close-range and moderately long distance use; (c) all-purpose beam with a little more intensity in the hotspot for a little extra throw. If you chose 'a', you want the ML1 Floodmaster Edition, featuring heavy stipple reflector. If you chose 'b', you want the ML1 Standard. If you chose 'c', you want the ML1 Smoothie. These choices don't apply if you're keeping the new-style TIR optic.

4. Do you have need for an unusually dim low beam? (Astronomer, photo darkroom, unusually good night vision, covert operations, etc.) If so, please request the ultralow tailcap mod.

5. If we aimed for a pure white tint but missed, would you rather miss with a beam that's a little warm (creamy) or a little cool (frosty)?

6. Is getting your tint preference so important that you're willing to sacrifice 15% of your runtime to get what you want?

7. Is a pure white tint so important that you're willing to lose 35% of the light's brightness to achieve it?

8. Is having a beam free of even minor artifacts so important that you're willing to sacrifice 15% of the beam's range to achieve it?[/QUOTE]


*[size=+1]Keeping The New-Style TIR Optic[/size]*

Some people have asked about the difference between the L1/KL1 with TIR optic, stock vs. SEOULmated. Here's a quick drawing that shows both the difference and my lack of skills in the visual arts!







[size=+1]*Runtime Curve*[/size]

Should be about the same as this, just brighter...




[/QUOTE]


*[size=+2]Historical Info[/size]*

Here are some quotes I grabbed quickly from Knight Lights' *"Interested In Mods?"* thread...

In no particular order...



Knight Lights said:


> *Milky L1. *What the L1 should have been! A two stage L1 built with an improved emitter, a reflector, and higher output. High in the 60 lumen range.


 


Knight Lights said:


> *Milky L1 (a.k.a. ML1)*
> 
> _Front profile view._
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Tail profile view._
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Size comparison vs. some other SureFire LED lights. Milky L1 is on the left... the middle light is comparable in size to the current-generation stock L1... light on the right is the L2. Note how much smaller the ML1 is relative to the others... IMHO it's just right, a good fit for most hands while still being surprisingly light in weight and compact._
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Side view with the Milky L1 activated._
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Posterized beamshot to show uniformity of the beam, with no artifacts, donut holes, or dark spots. Color is uniform from hotspot to edge, too. Overall output slightly exceeds the current-gen stock L1, sidespill is far greater, and throw is darned close! Draws less current than current-gen stock L1, too.
> 
> 
> 
> _


 


Knight Lights said:


> Price List:
> Milky L1 Complete Light $175-Includes Surefire old style packaging, Surefire cell, paracord lanyard, and all the appropriate Surefire paperwork.
> 
> Milky L1, modify your light $85 (includes premium emitter, tint of your preference if available.)
> 
> The Milky L1 outperforms the stock New L1, Old style L1, and most other lights it's size in output at ~60 lumens (dependant on your selection of emitter, desired run time, etc.) You get a premium reflectored light, with a beautiful smooth beam. These have been a Milkyspit special, and everyone that has seen them, or used them, loves them. It is smaller than the New L1 but has more output and a much better beam pattern due to the reflector. So far as I am aware, no one that has one has ever sold theirs. Milkyspit hand selects these emitters, and only the best and brightest make the cut!
> 
> These are truly handbuilt, handpicked lights. (You can beat the Luxeon Lottery, if you use Milkyspit to do it!!)
> 
> This is one of Milkyspit's favorites and his trademark light!!


 
_(Actually, a couple people have sold theirs to raise funds, but nobody has yet returned one or sold because they were disappointed, as far as I am aware!)
_


jdriller said:


> Got the Milky L1 on Friday. Haven't put it down since. It really doesn't work as well as they say - in the noon sun  :lolsign:. This really is a keeper. I got the UWOJ version. It is a little on the brown side at the low level, as expected. But on high, this thing is nice and bright. Hard to believe there is only one cell in it.
> 
> Milky does nice work. No dust or smudges. Clean and spotless. This is what I expect, and this is what I got. I do not believe anyone would be upset with this light. Form and function are top notch, but it is a little pricey.
> 
> It is worth it. Nice job, Milky.





flashlight said:


> I got my modded Milky L1 head today & it's a scorcher! Works great both on the L1 as well as on my Maxlite on direct drive with a Li-On 14500 cell (it does get a bit hot as expected so I might get a McR18 later to drop in in place of the plastic IMS17 reflector).


 
_(The McR18 reflector is now standard.)_



slaps said:


> Received my first perfect light. My Milky L1. It is compact, bright, and has two perfectly chosen drive levels. Did I mention that its build quality is superb? This is truly the way SF should make the L1. If you have the money buy one now. It is worth every penny to a true flashaholic. Great workmanship, outstanding customer service, and fast shipping. Thank you Milky!!!


 
_(Aw shucks. [rosy red cheeks])_







NotRegulated said:


> In an unscientific evaluation this is what my eyes tell me...the ML1 on the highest level (with a Lux III UXOJ emitter) is brighter than my Amilite Neo, and brighter than my Fenix P1 which are both Lux III's as well. The ML1 is marginally brighter than the Surefire KL3 head and too close to call with the Surefire KL1 head.
> 
> In my first few hours of using the ML1, it appears more handy than my E2e and E2e with KL1, because it is the same size or slightly smaller with a low setting and the same level of brightness on high as he competition. My E2e with KL1 or L4 with the McE2s two-stage tailcap is considerably longer in length. The KL1 on the E1e with the McE2s is quite a bit smaller but not as easily activated. The McE2s on the E2e and E1e does allow the light to tail stand while the ML1 does not.
> The ML1 is like having a smaller E2e/KL1 in a smaller package with the addition of a low mode. Or it is like having a two-stage E2e if you ignore the incandescent vs LED benefit arguement, or a smaller A2. My initial thoughts are that the ML1 is more handy for day to day tasks than an E2e, of which I have had lots of experience with.
> I can't compare it to a recent production L1 but would love to see that comparison.


 


EuroBeetle said:


> Got my Milky L1 today and it IS what an L1 should have been!


 


cd-card-biz said:


> I did some visual, unscientific tests with my Milky ML1 tonight. Out of all my lights, the Milky ML1 (UX0J) is closest in brightness, beam and tint to my McLux Ti-PD (UX0J). I was amazed at how close they appear! While the Ti-PD is a slightly warmer tint the ML1 is a precise stark white. The beams on low and high are so close in brightness, I would be hard-pressed to find the difference. To my eyes, the ML1 has the same size hotspot, but with considerably more spill.
> 
> The Ti-PD is a little easier to operate one handed. To operate the ML1 one-handed, I have to point the head downward at my wrist. There may be a better way that I haven't found yet.
> 
> The ML1 is rugged to the max and fits my perception of a real work light. The ML1 is not inexpensive. However it is not expensive enough that I would go into clinical depression if it were lost or stolen - a point that keeps me from taking the Ti-PD in the field at all.
> 
> While there is no substitute for the ruggedness, beauty and engineering of the Ti-PD, the functionally the Milky enhanced ML1 is very, very close. As NotRegulated mentioned, my only regret is that I don't have a recent stock L1 to compare it to. For me the Milky ML1 is a total keeper which I would recommend to anyone.


 


cd-card-biz said:


> *Beamshot Comparison: McLux PD & Milky "ML1"*
> 
> I posted some time ago that to my eye, the Milky ML1 is a close comparison to my McLux PD. My purpose in doing so was not to say one is better than the other or come to any conclusion - to me, they both just look darn close!
> 
> I had a forum member ask about throw. So, I thought I would just try some beamshots and let the viewer decide. Obviously, the spill on the ML1 is much larger, but to me the hotspots and throw are very close. Anyway, I hope this is at least informational.
> 
> Bill
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Indoor (Below)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Outdoor (Below)


 


Lurveleven said:


> My Milky L1 SV1H arrived on Monday. I got the shipping notice Thursday 10 pm, light arrived Monday morning 11 am, that is fast international shipping!! And there were not many business days in there.
> 
> I haven't had the opportunity to properly test the light outside yet, but the impressions so far is that for indoor use it is much much nicer than the stock L1 since you do not need to use a diffuser on it and it has great spill. For indoor use I also prefer using it instead of my McLuxIII-PD, the switch is nicer to use and the beam profile from the McR18 is in IMO better for indoor use than the McR20 (but the McR16 is probably the best). When it comes to brightness, it looks equal in brightness to my PD with UX1K when doing a ceiling bounce test. The low mode is quite a bit lower than on the PD, so for reading it is better for night adapted eyes, but for other uses it may not be so useful. I doubt the low is useful for outdoor use, but I haven't tested that yet. I may make a mini review when I have had more time to test it.
> 
> So far the impression of it is very good and I like it a lot.
> 
> Sigbjoern


 


milkyspit said:


> Next... Leef kindly did some runtime testing with his Milky L1, and the results were, uh, pretty much what was expected. At least I know I haven't been guilty of false advertising!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you Leef!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Some general commentary... Leef's lightbox seems to measure roughly 10 of his "LBU" for 1 lumen. The TWOH is not the absolute brightest emitter that could be installed in a ML1, but still it's a good performer, actually topping-out at roughly 62 lumens and spending most of its runtime in the 55-57 lumen range. Runtime defined as the time to 50% initial brightness appears to be roughly 120 minutes, with the first 90 minutes or so in very flat regulation... this is actually a better curve than I would have expected, and seems to validate the platform. Also worth noting: once the light begins to dim, it does so GRADUALLY, so one has plenty of time to change the battery, get back to camp, find some shelter for the night, or whatever. Even after 3 full hours of continuous runtime, the Milky L1 is still generating something around 7 lumens... not bad at all! And all this from a single 123 cell.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Milky L1 LuxIII TWOH runtime, linear scale (what the meter sees)..._
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Milky L1 LuxIII TWOH runtime, log scale (closer to what the human eye sees)..._


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## milkyspit

*FYI: *There's a thread on old vs. new-style SureFire L1 *over here*... Flashdark has been providing some info on his own runtime tests, and his info will (I think!) include the Milky L1 as well in the near future.


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## milkyspit

*The ML1 Can Tailstand.*
(with a little help at least!)



milkyspit said:


> Some props for Jim at OregonShooter.com, who I believe may also be a CPF member (though I don't know his username!)... he's fashioned both delrin switch guards for tailstanding, and delrin grip rings for cigar hold, that would be great complements to the Milky L1. His website is over here.
> 
> Some photos found on his product pages...
> 
> _Closeup of the delrin switch guard_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Rear view of an A2 with delrin switch guard mounted_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Delrin grip ring on a couple lights_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Kudos Jim!


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## milkyspit

*Reserved for future info, beamshots, runtime results.
*


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## rdh226

Safe for use with RCR's 4.2V?

Available? Can you build me one with one of my UV0J emitters?

-RDH


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## milkyspit

rdh226 said:


> Safe for use with RCR's 4.2V?
> 
> Available? Can you build me one with one of my UV0J emitters?
> 
> -RDH



Available? Yes... PM me or email at milkyspit(at)gmail(dot)com with interest... if you email, please include your CPF username or my little pea-sized brain might not realize who you are! oo:

Build from a UV0J emitter? Yes... I can't guarantee the results, though, since I don't have the benefit of hand-picking from a batch of emitters, plus I have no experience with that specific tint in the ML1. It'll probably end up VERY warm in tint... if that's what you want, awesome! If not, I would humbly suggest either a LuxIII UWOJ or a LuxI SV1H.

...but can it be built? YES! 

Use with a 4.2V RCR123? Actually, yes, though this gets slightly interesting...

The L1 body is precision sized to a primary 123 cell, and for that reason most rechargeables won't fit. However, I've done some tests on the circuitry itself and the ML1 does seem capable of running a rechargeable, and does what it should, namely draw less current due to the presence of higher input voltage.

One solution would be to bore out the battery tube a bit, or even work on it with a Dremel... some gentle widening of the inside of the battery chamber should do the trick, less than a millimeter of material needs to be removed...

Or use a cell known to fit! At present I've heard reports of at least one brand of protected Li-ion cell fitting but this was hit-or-miss: two samples of the same brand where one fit but the other didn't. The MP brand unprotected cell (I think AW sells these) is also known to fit. Here's a few photos of the cell...
















While I haven't heard of any problems using one of these in the ML1, *please be careful! *These cells aren't toys, people... *TREAT THEM WITH CARE AND RESPECT! *I suspect SureFire may have sized the battery tube that way for a reason. (Not flashlight destruction, but rather user and property!)


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## Phaserburn

I'm the one that's been using the bare MP R123 cells, and have found out that some DLG protected cells fit; some don't. I've done a runtime test on the MPs, and got 60mins which took the battery from 4.09V down to 3.61V. The battery wasn't even as fully charged as it could be, and when done at 3.61, there was still a bit of useable charge left. I would expect that another 10 mins or so could be had from a single charge. I would definitely recommend using your R123 for an hour at a time before having to recharge. Of course, li-ions LIKE to be recharged frequently, so this should not be a problem either. My Milky L1 is just as bright on R123s as it is on primary 123s. The current draw difference is large; the R123 only draws 480ma, whereas a primary draws around 800ma.

Jeez, Milky, how come I don't ever get mentioned in these cool threads, eh? Ah, the inhumanities...

 :laughing: 

The Milky L1 is great. I was a skeptic, but am now fully converted. Best single cell light around, period. Get one! A minor caveat, or significant bonus, depending on your point of view: the low setting is now significantly brighter, around 35% of high, I'd say. Personally, I like that even better, as now low is useful for even more things. It's brighter because the extra voltage of the li-ion is punching more current through the resistor to the emitter.

:rock:


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## milkyspit

The trouble with Phaserburn is that he keeps telling me about new lights... he's my eyes and ears on all the latest stuff... and the darned guy keeps convincing me to BUY it! Every time he calls me seems like money ends up falling out of my wallet! (That's when there's money there in the first place!) 

Oh, oops... uh, back on topic: probably worth a mention that lately I've been building Milky L1's with hand-picked LuxIII UWAJ emitters, and so far the results have been FANTASTIC. Phaserburn can tell ya!


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## DUQ

That's some nice work Milky. Just a quick note that Dae sells those MP cells at ---> http://www.qualitychinagoods.com/mpreg-liion-camera-battery-cr123a-700mah-p-294.html


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## milkyspit

Thanks Duq! :thumbsup:


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## PJD

Phaserburn said:


> I'm the one that's been using the bare MP R123 cells, and have found out that some DLG protected cells fit; some don't. I've done a runtime test on the MPs, and got 60mins which took the battery from 4.09V down to 3.61V. The battery wasn't even as fully charged as it could be, and when done at 3.61, there was still quite a bit of useable charge left (safely being able to discharge down to 3V). I would expect that another 15+ mins or so could be had from a single charge. I would definitely recommend using your R123 for an hour at a time before having to recharge. Of course, li-ions LIKE to be recharged frequently, so this should not be a problem either. My Milky L1 is just as bright on R123s as it is on primary 123s. The current draw difference is large; the R123 only draws 480ma, whereas a primary draws around 800ma.
> 
> Jeez, Milky, how come I don't ever get mentioned in these cool threads, eh? Ah, the inhumanities...
> 
> :laughing:
> 
> The Milky L1 is great. I was a skeptic, but am now fully converted. Best single cell light around, period. Get one! A minor caveat, or significant bonus, depending on your point of view: the low setting is now significantly brighter, around 35% of high, I'd say. Personally, I like that even better, as now low is useful for even more things. It's brighter because the extra voltage of the li-ion is punching more current through the resistor to the emitter.
> 
> :rock:



PB...I agree with everything you said except "best single cell light around, period.". From a VERY biased point of view, I'd hafta say that the Milky "L2" is the best single cell light around...of which I happen to be the proud owner of :nana:! Of course, "best" is purely a matter of personal preference; Keep up the FANTASTIC work, Milky!

PJD


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## milkyspit

The Milky L1 doesn't always drive an emitter at exactly its specified current... sometimes underdrives by a lot, sometimes by a little, sometimes not! It's a fairly complex combination of factors that determines this. Toward that end, here are some emitters I've got on hand as examples of the likely tint *specifically in a Milky L1*, from warmest to coolest white...


*The Milky L1 Colorometer! *

LuxIII UWOJ (warmest: "French vanilla" white)
LuxIII TWOH
Lux1W SWOH (rich white, hotwire friendly)
LuxIII UXOJ
LuxIII UWAJ (pure white)
LuxIII UYOJ
LuxIII TYAH (coolest: frosty white)


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## Flashdark

Scott,

*I just posted a complete review of the Milkyspit ML-1 vs. the Surefire L-1 (old) & L-1 (new).* I posted over in the "Reviews" section so that I would not clutter up your thread here. I can duplicate here if you like, or you can cut and paste the parts that you think are appropriate, or you can just link to it (I don't know how to do that). 

In reference to your color chart above (which is great! information by the way), do you have an approximate power-output and runtime comparison also to go side-by-side with it??!! I'm thinking about a second ML-1, and I'm so happy with my current LuxIII/TYAH, I don't know if I would want to change to something else or not.

Hope this helps,
Flashdark sends.


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## milkyspit

*Here's a link* to Flashdark's review of the Milky L1 vs. SureFire L1 old and new generations.

Flashdark, as far as runtime and power output by bin, that's tough to pin down exactly because the Vf of the specific emitter will influence both. That's why I hand select the emitters for these builds! 

Very generally, the LuxIII T**H bins would be slightly lower output than the others, but still good performers... and they'd offer slightly longer runtime. The other bins should all be pretty similar to one another in terms of output and runtime.

For reference, my personal ML1 for quite some time had been a spectacularly outperforming LuxIII TYAH... but just recently I switched to a UWAJ by virtue of its pure white tint on both high and low beams. I can't honestly say the UWAJ is any brighter though, and in fact might be ever so slightly less bright, a tradeoff I'm happy to make given the near-perfect tint. This may be the purest white light I have. 

As for YOUR next ML1, if you like the frosty white, super cool tint, by all means go for another... if you could stand something with less blue in it, I would suggest you give the UWAJ a try.


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## Flashdark

*Scott,*

PM coming your way about *another* ML-1. 

Flashdark


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## KDOG3

Sorry if this question has been answered already. Is it possilbe to mod the L1 so the low stays the same but the high is such that it would still provide a solid hour or runtime...


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## milkyspit

KDOG3 said:


> Sorry if this question has been answered already. Is it possilbe to mod the L1 so the low stays the same but the high is such that it would still provide a solid hour or runtime...



*KDog, *short answer: *no. *Won't get into the long answer right now, but the condensed version is that what you're asking would be an extremely labor-intensive adjustment for EACH brightness level (gotta address both)... price would be IMHO crazy expensive... there are probably more economical platforms to use for giving you what you want at a more realistic price. Heck, it would probably even be cheaper to have an L1 body bored-out and install completely new guts from scratch.


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## milkyspit

Alantch posted some GREAT comparative beamshots over in *Flashdark's comparative review* of the L1 old and new vs. Milky L1... brought the photos over here in the interest of gathering such info in one place, thought it would make life easier for folks trying to learn about the Milky L1. My hat's off to you, Alan! :goodjob: And you, Flashdark, for what's obviously a very thoughtful, in-depth (not to mention time consuming) review! :goodjob: Folks, you owe it to yourselves to *read Flashdark's review*, which I will not copy here due to length. Now if ol' Flashie wants to post pieces over here of his own accord, that's another story... 



alantch said:


> I thought I'd contribute to this thread by way of some beam shots, so today, with some time to spare, I took the opportunity to take some low and high beam shots of the ML-1 and the L-1 (new). All are taken with the same exposure settings. It can be seen that the ML-1 blows away the L-1 (new) in terms of spill and total output in both low and high modes. ML-1 is with UX0J.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> L-1 (new) Low beam
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ML-1 Low beam. Same exposure to show difference in beam intensity. Considerably more spill then L-1 (new), but does not show here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> L-1 (new) High beam. Absence of spill - all throw. Squarish beam profile. Notice the faint outer ring.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ML-1 High beam. Nice!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Left L-1 (new); Right ML-1. Both on high beam


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## milkyspit

BTW, just for the heck of it, *I'd like to try a WEEK OF ML-1 BUILDS*. Price is $175 plus $5 shipping to USA, $10 shipping international. Insurance extra. Default emitter this week will be UWAJ, but other bins possible... see the color comparison listing a few posts above this one! PM me or email scott[at]release1{dot}com with interest, or just send over the appropriate Paypal... put your CPF username in the comments section, please!
Cash (Preferred): ppcash(AATT)QuarryRun(DDOOTT)com
Credit Card: ppcard(AATT)QuarryRun(DDOOTT)com
This is an experiment to see if batching up the builds will make things more time efficient. Now's the time!

Hmm... experiment... okay, what the heck! Free shipping to USA, $5 international.


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## milkyspit

Just a quick mention... I'm starting to prototype a high output AMBER version of the Milky L1.


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## flashlight

milkyspit said:


> BTW, just for the heck of it, *I'd like to try a WEEK OF ML-1 BUILDS*. Price is $175 plus $5 shipping to USA, $10 shipping international. Insurance extra. Default emitter this week will be UWAJ, but other bins possible... see the color comparison listing a few posts above this one! PM me or email scott[at]release1{dot}com with interest, or just send over the appropriate Paypal... put your CPF username in the comments section, please!
> Cash (Preferred): ppcash(AATT)QuarryRun(DDOOTT)com
> Credit Card: ppcard(AATT)QuarryRun(DDOOTT)com
> This is an experiment to see if batching up the builds will make things more time efficient. Now's the time!
> 
> Hmm... experiment... okay, what the heck! Free shipping to USA, $5 international.



If anyone wants an ML1, you can also see my thread here. It will come directly from milkyspit & I believe the above 'promo' shipping still applies but for a short time more only.


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## alantch

Here's another shot showing the size comparison between the ML-1 and the L-1 (new).






Closeup view of the business-end of the ML-1 and McR-18 reflector.


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## milkyspit

*Alantch, *those are GREAT photos... especially the closeup of the head! Man, you can even see the bond wires inside the LED dome. How the heck did you get such great shots?
:bow: :bow:


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## milkyspit

*Milky L1 Amber Prototyped, Now Available
*
On a hunch, I sourced some LuxIII high brightness amber LEDs the other day. Today they arrived and I went to work building the first-ever prototype Milky L1 Amber... the results were so good that the prototype became my personal light! 

Looks like this thing is pumping out at least 45 lumens and there's a good range between high and low beams. Current draw on a primary 123 cell would suggest the runtime will actually be LONGER than with the white ML1... estimated runtime for the ML1-Amber on high beam is *3 hours*!

There's one other interesting characteristic... with an RCR123 cell, current draw actually increases and output brightens, which suggests the RCR123 kicks the light into overdrive... high beam output in that scenario increases... my guess is 80-90 lumens when running in overdrive.

Beam is gorgeous save for a pinpoint mark in the very center of the hotspot (all colored Luxeons tend to show that sort of beam pattern)... a light diffusing film removes the pinmark without noticeably reducing overall output. Reflector is McR-18, and the beam with diffusing film is drop-dead gorgeous! 

Bottom line, the results were excellent! :naughty:


----------



## milkyspit

*One More Benefit to the L1 Amber Head...
*
On a whim I tried mounting the L1 amber head on an E1E body, running in direct drive off a single 123 primary cell. Turns out this works GREAT! A fresh cell delivered about 900mA to the emitter and output was superb! Of course, this combination falls a little short for extended use as the heatsinking is limited due to size of such a small light... plus you lose the benefits of the L1, including regulation, dual brightness, etc... it does look, though, like amber is the way to go if you want an emergency light capable of running, and running very well! on an alternative body if need be.


----------



## nuggett

Will a Cree work in this?


----------



## milkyspit

nuggett said:


> Will a Cree work in this?



*Nuggett, *yes, I'm condifent a Cree would work in this... the issue will be finding a really good reflector to fit inside the L1 old-style head. I'm working on it but haven't found anything up to the standards of the Milky L1 just yet... I get pretty particular about performance of this particular build...


----------



## nuggett

Thanks Scott
and BTW NJ huh? What exit? Formerly from Montclair myself.


----------



## milkyspit

nuggett said:


> Thanks Scott
> and BTW NJ huh? What exit? Formerly from Montclair myself.



*Nuggett, *other end of the state... NW rather than NE. Almost all the way to PA. BTW, I believe you made a deal with Flashlight on a Milky L1? It's on the way to you right now... went out in today's mail.


----------



## russtang

PM sent.


----------



## milkyspit

russtang said:


> PM sent.



Russ, did I reply already, or never get the PM? I went through about 100 PMs yesterday and through the wee hours of the morning... hope I didn't miss yours! If I did, please resend and accept my apologies on sheer carelessness.
:thinking:


----------



## js

milkyspit,

Damn you! I think I've got to have one of these now! Incredible! <muttering> must . . . resist . . . must not . . . spend . . . more money</muttering>

Awesome work. Insipiring!


----------



## Sable

Another testimonial! Hooray.

I've had my ML1 for about a week and a half now, and I have to say that already I almost wonder how I got along without it. For a little background: I'm a syasdmin/network engineer in my "real job," and a stage lighting tech as a hobby.

In the past several days, I've hauled this light to places that aren't any more exciting than a dust-filled computer desk - and the low mode is just perfect for seeing where all the cables go. I usually do that by touch, but in the cases where that's not all that easy, this light is great. But it's also gone to more exciting places, too.

As a part of my job, I routinely get flown to the Kensington gold mine, where my company has part of a long-range wireless network system and comm towers to service the mine. This is a cold, dirty, hostile kind of place for equipment. As would be expected, the light worked beautifully for poking around the myriad unlighted communications areas, as well as inspecting antenna mounts and connectors in the dark (which happens at around 4:30pm around now). High mode is great for anything you need more light for - the beam throws a goodly distance for looking into bushes or under things, is a dazzling bright white and has no artifacts.

As another part of that, the mountaintop comm towers and sheds (of course they don't have any lights...) are another perfect place to put the light to use. From checking serial numbers to rebuilding breaker boxes, the ML1 has served me well. It has also, I like to think, convinced a couple of bears that the tower wasn't a good place to find their last set of berries - flashed them from about 20 feet up, they grumbled, and wandered off. Of course, it might have been the shotgun, too. The Alaskan wilderness is fun! 

The light weighs almost nothing, or that's how it feels to me at least. It's clipped in my jeans pocket, and never gets in the way. This is also my first SureFire light, and I really like the two-stage tailcap mechanism - it's superbly easy to work with one hand, and has two modes of brightness instantly.

The low-mode is similarly excellent for stage work, where you need to see up on catwalks without ruining your low-light vision much. It lights up the whole walkway, both with the hotspot and beautiful corona. Simply amazing.

My previous light for all these tasks was the venerable (and, now I see, somewhat outclassed) incandescent Mag-AA. I still have some affection for this old workhorse, as its yellow, ringy beam has seen me through many a dark corridor - but I must say that the ML1 is superior in every way. I imagine the MagLED-AA is a much more fair comparison, but I'm putting this one out there anyway.

Just tonight, the ML1 came in handy for helping a friend of mine locate some lost keys in a parking lot. The beam's width from corona edge is both usefully large and usefully bright, meaning we could search a lot of the lot at a time. It took a while (because we started looking in the wrong spot), but it was the ML1's beam that glinted back off of a set of keys.

I've run this light for several hours since I got it, mixed with high and low modes and the light is still very much in regulation with the supplied SureFire 123 cell. I'm kind of wondering when the battery will die - but I have a pile of Energizer 123s ready to pop in.

Put simply, the ML1 is almost startlingly perfect for what I do in both "real life" and hobbies. I live in a dark place, so having a light is extremely handy, but the light has shown to be more than worth it in every way since. I am thrilled with my purchase - and might even grab a couple more of these just to stash around for power outages. Until someone comes out with a lithium primary D-cell, I think these little lights might just supplant my collection of Mags that currently roll, bounce, or sit around for my general lighitng purposes.

The light from the LuxIII is also just the right amount. A Cree XR-E would produce more light at the same drive level - but for what I've been using this light for, that would actually probably be _too much_. Now, I might buy a couple Cree lights for "Wow Factor," but I'm not sure as anything could convince me to leave this light behind, save my vision getting even worse than it already is.

I'm the kind of person that gladly pays for quality over anything else, and I feel my money was sublimely well-spent. I will be using this light until either I manage to break it (Stunningly unlikely, it's built like a tank) or it gets lost (similarly unlikely - I hope!).

For anyone looking for a nice, hand-sized every-day carry kind of light and had the cash to burn, I would point them at the ML1 in a heartbeat. This light ain't never going to be a shelf queen - and in a year or so, I'm sure the pictures of where it's been and what it's done will be entertaining. And after that, it'll still keep shinin' on.

Thanks so much to Scott for providing this product and service. I'm simply astounded - and deeply impressed.


----------



## milkyspit

*JS, *if you buy one you won't be tormented any more! 

*Sable, WOW! *


----------



## milkyspit

MSaxatilus just posted a thread with the usual great photos, reviewing THREE versions of the Milky L1: white; cyan; and amber! 

Thread is *over here*.

Some photos shown here for the impatient...


----------



## russtang

Pm's sent


----------



## milkyspit

russtang said:


> Pm's sent



Got 'em, Russ. Will reply sometime this afternoon. Thanks!


----------



## milkyspit

Got my first SureFire new-style L1 opened and installed a Cree emitter working with the TIROS optic. Here's a quick photo snapped while the light was open...


----------



## phypaa

Milky I am not sure if you are still making milky L1, if so how can I get one?

I have pm you before and waiting for your reply. Thx


----------



## milkyspit

phypaa said:


> Milky I am not sure if you are still making milky L1, if so how can I get one?
> 
> I have pm you before and waiting for your reply. Thx



*Phpaa, *thought I'd already replied... but maybe not? :thinking:

Anyway, PM incoming. Yes the ML1 is still in production. Thanks!


----------



## phypaa

Great! Waiting....


----------



## Blindasabat

milkyspit said:


> Got my first SureFire new-style L1 opened and installed a Cree emitter working with the TIROS optic. Here's a quick photo snapped while the light was open...


And?..... Results?...

Don't tease!


----------



## alantch

Good work on finally opening up the new-style L1 Scott. Would love to see some pics of it with the Cree emitter as well as some beamshots if possible.


----------



## russtang

I just received my Milky L1 today. I am very happy with it. Mine has a UWOJ that has a bright white beam.

The one thing I still can't get used to is the lite weight! I don't know why it seems to weigh so little to me. It may be that I have been carrying heavier lights I guess. Its definately lighter than the Ti PD.

Also, it fits my hand just right and is very easy to use.

Maybe my next one will have a cree or maybe a lux v.


----------



## MorpheusT1

Bump 



I know a certain McR20 will fit in that New style L1 


It will make a nice couple with the Cree.



Benny


----------



## Per Arne

Hi Scott,

Just to let you know that I received my modified SF L1/ML 1 yesterday with the Delrin switch guard, and it is just perfect!  This is now one of my EDC lights, it will replace my SF E1E-BK. 

The McClicky switch with 15ohms for my SF L4 works perfectly too on both low and high with the lithium batteries!  

The light was shipped from Norway 25 October and received 17 November and as shipping takes usually 6-7 days from Norway to USA (one way), this was a very quick and perfectly :goodjob: 

I just have a question; which emitter was used in my L1 (UWAJ?) and do you know approx. how much lumen it gives on low and high, runetime?

Thanks again Scott! :twothumbs 

Milky L1 :rock: 

PA


----------



## milkyspit

Per Arne said:


> Hi Scott,
> 
> Just to let you know that I received my modified SF L1/ML 1 yesterday with the Delrin switch guard, and it is just perfect!  This is now one of my EDC lights, it will replace my SF E1E-BK.
> 
> The McClicky switch with 15ohms for my SF L4 works perfectly too on both low and high with the lithium batteries!
> 
> The light was shipped from Norway 25 October and received 17 November and as shipping takes usually 6-7 days from Norway to USA (one way), this was a very quick and perfectly :goodjob:
> 
> I just have a question; which emitter was used in my L1 (UWAJ?) and do you know approx. how much lumen it gives on low and high, runetime?
> 
> Thanks again Scott! :twothumbs
> 
> Milky L1 :rock:
> 
> PA




*Per Arne, *I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't write down which emitter I used! But I'm fairly sure you have a LuxIII UWAJ in yours. Runtime should be typical for your light... here's the Milky L1 runtime chart Leef did some time back...







Glad you're happy with your light.


----------



## milkyspit

The growing Milky L1 family! 

Just finished the latest variant of the Milky L1, a Cree P4-WH in an old-style head with hand-cut McR19 reflector... and took the occasion to snap a photo of various ML1 family members and some close cousins...

_ML1 Family Portrait, Including Some Cousins!_





Left to right...

1. KL1 hybrid head (gen3 bottom, gen4 top) with Cree P3-WC emitter and McR17xr reflector, mounted on a Vital Gear FB1 clicky body

2. L1 new-style head with Cree P3-WC emitter and TIROS optic, running direct drive off 1x123 primary on E1E body

3. A19 head with Cree P3-WC emitter and customized McR19 reflector, Wiz2 500mA light engine, E1E body, McTC clicky tailcap

4. Milky L1 with LuxIII UWAJ emitter and McR18 reflector

5. Milky L1 with Cree P3-WC emitter and McR17xr reflector in new-style L1 body

6. Milky L1 with Cree P4-WH emitter and hand-cut McR19 reflector, mounted in old-style L1 body

7. A2 head with LuxIII UXOJ emitter and hand-cut McR27long reflector, Nexgen 750mA light engine, Aleph 1x123 body, McTC tail with dual stage twisty guts

8. PR-T head with LuxIII TVOJ emitter and ArcMania SuperConverter 600mA driver, mounted on Vital Gear FB1 clicky body

Needless to say, the Milky L1 is now available in original, cyan, Cree old-style, Cree new-style reflectored, Cree new-style TIROS optic, and many more! It's starting to feel like Baskin-Robbins around here! (Note to international readers: Baskin-Robbins is an ice cream chain here in the States that advertises the wide array of flavors they offer.) :naughty:


Thought it was a good time to update the _ML1 Colorometer_ with the new Cree emitters, too...

*The Milky L1 Colorometer! (including Cree) *

Cree P4-WH (warmest: beige-white)
LuxIII UWOJ ("French vanilla" white)
LuxIII TWOH
Lux1W SWOH (rich white, hotwire friendly)
LuxIII UXOJ
Cree P3-WC (close to the Lumileds XO tint)
LuxIII UWAJ (pure white)
LuxIII UYOJ
LuxIII TYAH (coolest: frosty white)


----------



## Sable

Well, I thought I'd chime in here again.

According to milky, I might be the first person to inflict some significant damage on an ML1. While working on a mountaintop communication tower in subzero weather, my ML1 fell off of said tower. It was around 35 feet or so to the ground.

The only damage is a tiny nick on the anodizing near the bezel crenelations, and I think I've cracked the edge of the (quite stout!) lens. The light still works perfectly, there's just a terrible grinding noise when I tighten the bezel ring.

Now, I suppose I should say that I subscribe to the "beat the everliving hell out of it" school of applied tool-use. In general, I don't baby the things that are in my toolbag or hang out in my pockets. I've broken half a dozen cheap pocket knives (If someone has a good suggestion for a large (~3.5-4" blade) folding knife with or without a clip, PM me!), a couple of Pelican cases and now, apparently a modded Surefire L1. It occurs to me that I might have a bit more of an exciting life than most sysadmins...

That being said, I'm still absolutely thrilled with the ML1, its light output, durability, and size. The light works excellently with my huge subzero mittens, and is easy to find even in deep snow. It even helped me find a ski pole, but that's a story for when I can remember it - that was one hell of a crash. Ow.


_Note: Scott isn't paying me to say all of this. I'm just really fond of this little light, and want to give other folks a "real world" look at how they perform in my somewhat unusual line of work. _


----------



## milkyspit

Ralls just posted over in the Knight Lights services thread about his long-term experiences with his ML1, thought it might be of some interest... no, I don't pay these folks... oo:



Ralls said:


> It's been a while since I posted on the forums, but I just wanted to give an update on my Milky L1 that I've had for a few months now. It is hands down the most fantastic light that I have ever owned. I've gotten a handful of compliments on it, the best one coming from a fellow flashaholic saying that out of all the lights that I had owned to date, the Milky L1 was far and away the best and that he was the most jealous of. He loved the beam pattern and especially the wide spill. I've used it a moderate amount in the few months that I've owned it and I've only gone through a few cells, so the battery life is indeed excellent. BTW, I was heavily considering the A2 Aviator, whom a friend owns, and I'm glad that I went with the ML1. Kudos to Milkyspit for making such an excellent light!


----------



## Alin10123

milkyspit said:


> The growing Milky L1 family!
> 
> Just finished the latest variant of the Milky L1, a Cree P4-WH in an old-style head with hand-cut McR19 reflector... and took the occasion to snap a photo of various ML1 family members and some close cousins...
> 
> _ML1 Family Portrait, Including Some Cousins!_
> 
> Left to right...
> 
> 1. KL1 hybrid head (gen3 bottom, gen4 top) with Cree P3-WC emitter and McR17xr reflector, mounted on a Vital Gear FB1 clicky body
> 
> 2. L1 new-style head with Cree P3-WC emitter and TIROS optic, running direct drive off 1x123 primary on E1E body
> 
> 3. A19 head with Cree P3-WC emitter and customized McR19 reflector, Wiz2 500mA light engine, E1E body, McTC clicky tailcap
> 
> 4. Milky L1 with LuxIII UWAJ emitter and McR18 reflector
> 
> 5. Milky L1 with Cree P3-WC emitter and McR17xr reflector in new-style L1 body
> 
> 6. Milky L1 with Cree P4-WH emitter and hand-cut McR19 reflector, mounted in old-style L1 body
> 
> 7. A2 head with LuxIII UXOJ emitter and hand-cut McR27long reflector, Nexgen 750mA light engine, Aleph 1x123 body, McTC tail with dual stage twisty guts
> 
> 8. PR-T head with LuxIII TVOJ emitter and ArcMania SuperConverter 600mA driver, mounted on Vital Gear FB1 clicky body
> 
> Needless to say, the Milky L1 is now available in original, cyan, Cree old-style, Cree new-style reflectored, Cree new-style TIROS optic, and many more! It's starting to feel like Baskin-Robbins around here! (Note to international readers: Baskin-Robbins is an ice cream chain here in the States that advertises the wide array of flavors they offer.) :naughty:
> 
> 
> Thought it was a good time to update the _ML1 Colorometer_ with the new Cree emitters, too...
> 
> *The Milky L1 Colorometer! (including Cree) *
> 
> Cree P4-WH (warmest: beige-white)
> LuxIII UWOJ ("French vanilla" white)
> LuxIII TWOH
> Lux1W SWOH (rich white, hotwire friendly)
> LuxIII UXOJ
> Cree P3-WC (close to the Lumileds XO tint)
> LuxIII UWAJ (pure white)
> LuxIII UYOJ
> LuxIII TYAH (coolest: frosty white)



Milky you're killing me here. I was gonna purchase an ML1 and i thought i almost had my mind made up. Then you had to go and make a bunch of different variations. LOL

Is there a difference between the old style reflectored and the new style reflectored? I know the old one is shorter, so if there's no benefit to the new one, why should i consider that one? 

I'm liking #6. Actually, stuck between 5 and 6. 

With regards to the P3 and P4 bins. I know the P3 that you have ends up being whiter, but the P4 ends up being brighter by about 7-10 lumens according to user newbie's finding. Is that difference noticeable to the naked eye? 

I'm asking because i'm kind of torn between the two of those bins as well as far as P3 and P4 are concerned. You mention XO and Warmest white as descriptions. Sorry for my inexperience, but i haven't had an XO bin before. So i've got no idea of the differences based on your description. Is there a benefit to the whitest light? Or a slight beige color? Which one do you recommend? 

Also, regarding the tailcap between #5 and 6. I see that the #5 looks like it will stand on it's cap. Will #6 do that? Or is that just a little removeable adapter on the end? If i buy an L1 will it come with that? 

Thanks


----------



## Chronos

Alin10123,

I just ordered a #6 myself! I'm finding that I prefer warmer tints. Reason? I use my lights primarily outdoors, and I like the color rendition of the warmer tints better. That is why I chose 6 over 5. It looks like 5 has one of OregonShooter's delrin tailcap rings on it- I'm tempted to buy one and try it out. I had an X0 or two before, and it is very white.

Good luck with the decision! I too found myself going back and forth between all the options. I'm just anxious for the little bugger to arrive.


----------



## Alin10123

Chronos said:


> Alin10123,
> 
> I just ordered a #6 myself! I'm finding that I prefer warmer tints. Reason? I use my lights primarily outdoors, and I like the color rendition of the warmer tints better. That is why I chose 6 over 5. It looks like 5 has one of OregonShooter's delrin tailcap rings on it- I'm tempted to buy one and try it out. I had an X0 or two before, and it is very white.
> 
> Good luck with the decision! I too found myself going back and forth between all the options. I'm just anxious for the little bugger to arrive.



So the tailcap ring basically doesn't extend the length of the light any right? Since if you consider the length of the switch as part of the length of the light, the #4 doesn't look any longer than #6. Did you get that ring on yours? I would think the ring would probably give the ability to tailstand and then reducew chances of accidental activation as well. 

I think i like #6 as well. 
So you're saying the warmest "biege" color will be what gives you the best color rendition? Well... in this case it might also be the brightest available bin so far. So i might go with #6 even though this light will be used both indoor and out because you need color rendition indoors too right? hehe

Just waiting for milkyspit to chime in and give his thoughts. He's probably busy though. 

Thanks for your thoughts as well chronos. 
Did you happen to look at the 27LT from mcgizmo? I'm gonna get one and let milkyspit mod it. 

By the way, the pictures are deceiving. They make the light look pretty big. I have an E2e and according to SF's website, the L1 isn't much longer than the E2e. Maybe just a hair longer. Is that correct? What about the diameter? Is it like the E2e or is it thicker? Comparing to the E2e would give me a good idea since i've got one.


----------



## Chronos

Oh have I looked and looked at the 27LT. I got to play with a PD for a week and fell in love, and I really do think a 27LT is in my future. When I do get one it is off to MilkyLabs for tweaking, to be sure!

I used to have a Milky ML-1 and miss it. It is small. It isn't as small as my E1L or A19 but as I remember it is shorter than an E2E. In my hands it fits about perfectly; the A19/E1L are both the same lenght and are a bit too small IMHO. The ML1/L1 is about the ideal length.

From what I can tell the delrin rings don't extend much beyond the tailcap button, so overall length isn't increased by more than a millimeter or so. I too will likely get one to help prevent accidentally turning the light on.

I used to take my L1 hiking- I'd clip it to the bill on a cap and use it as a headlight (taking off the rotating lanyard ring really helps here). A handy 2-stage headlight that was also a flashlight.  

My (former) KL5 was a warmer tint and I loved using it outdoors. To my eyes it just seemed easier on the eyes, and color rendition seemed better too. I know there are camps on CPF that will only buy X0 bins, others that only buy V1 bins (warmer). I'm finding that the "french vanilla" tints work better for me. 

I think my next big mod will be with an Osram LED. Milky, up to it?  Maybe in a first-gen KL3? Maybe a mod to the Chrononster... upgrade the WY0S to an Osram?


----------



## Ralls

milkyspit said:


> Ralls just posted over in the Knight Lights services thread about his long-term experiences with his ML1, thought it might be of some interest... no, I don't pay these folks... oo:


 
Thanks for quoting me. If I would've known about this thread, I would have posted it here. I like where you're going with the ML1 and it's many new variations. I think every true flashaholic should own one of your beautiful creations. Oh...and thanks to Surefire, as well, for providing a great platform for you to improve upon!


----------



## Blindasabat

Scott, I'm enjoying my UW0J ML1 a ton. Great light. But I'm considering jumping on the Cree train with an ML1 upgrade to my new stlye stock L1. But do you have any beamshots with the Cree XR-E in the optic versus reflector? Approximate output? Is low a lot brighter with the Cree? If so (I'm sure it is), then is there a way to bring it back down? (new resistor in the tailcap?) I'm sure lots of people would like to know to help make their decisions. I may just have to upgrade both my L1's now... <sigh> my poor wallet.


----------



## milkyspit

Alin10123 said:


> ...



*Is there a difference between the old style reflectored and the new style reflectored? I know the old one is shorter, so if there's no benefit to the new one, why should i consider that one?*

The reflector in the old-style is shortened to fit, whereas in the new-style there's enough room to fit a deeper reflector. In theory this will give the new-style a tighter beam with greater range, though in practice they're both good performers.

*With regards to the P3 and P4 bins. I know the P3 that you have ends up being whiter, but the P4 ends up being brighter by about 7-10 lumens according to user newbie's finding. Is that difference noticeable to the naked eye?*

Cree's datasheet says the P4 will on average be 7 lumens brighter than the P3. If I do A-B ceiling bounce tests with both emitters in otherwise identical lights and observe the results carefully, then yes, I can see the difference. But to the human eye it is slight. I'd say tint should be the determinant: if you can handle a warm white (some folks can't), by all means go for the P4, you'll be happy you did.  Otherwise go for the P3 and don't look back... I doubt you'll notice a loss in output, but you'll be diggin' the pure white tint. 

*I'm asking because i'm kind of torn between the two of those bins as well as far as P3 and P4 are concerned. You mention XO and Warmest white as descriptions. Sorry for my inexperience, but i haven't had an XO bin before. So i've got no idea of the differences based on your description. Is there a benefit to the whitest light? Or a slight beige color? Which one do you recommend?*

P3-WC is pretty much pure white... if anything, it's ever so slightly cool white. P4-WH is quite clearly a warm white. I don't see green in there, but rather beige in the white with a faint brown (not creamy) sense. On the Luxeon side of things, IMHO the XO tint is the purest, most neutral white available.

To put this in perspective, it's like when you go to the paint store and get a color swatch showing 20 shades of "white"... on the swatch they all look different, but when you really get down to it, I doubt folks will notice that you used antique white as opposed to egg shell white (or whatever)... the house will simply look white.

Counterpoint: flashlights especially in this price range and quality level become as much personal objects, like watches and pocket knives, as they are illumination tools... and as a personal object fine distinctions in tint may be meaningful to the owner even if they have less of a difference in real world performance. Bottom line... tint may be important to you... or not! You're the ultimate authority on that.

*Also, regarding the tailcap between #5 and 6. I see that the #5 looks like it will stand on it's cap. Will #6 do that? Or is that just a little removeable adapter on the end? If i buy an L1 will it come with that?*

No L1 comes with tailstand capability... for that I can highly recommend OregonShooter's Delrin tailguards. For the nominal fee he charges these can be great accessories! I've got 'em on my two personal Milky L1 lights (one LuxIII UWAJ with McR18 in old-style host, the other Cree P3-WC with McR17xr in new-style host). At this point, the lights would feel naked without them!


----------



## Alin10123

Hey Milkyspit!
Thanks for answering all my questions. I've made up my mind. I'll take one. 
I would like the old style body ML1 (since in the review i read that the newer one is slighty larger to hold and since it's shorter). I'll post the details in my paypal. i've got a couple of questions as well but they're simple. 

thanks!!
PAYPAL SENT!


----------



## milkyspit

Alin10123 said:


> Hey Milkyspit!
> Thanks for answering all my questions. I've made up my mind. I'll take one.
> I would like the old style body ML1 (since in the review i read that the newer one is slighty larger to hold and since it's shorter). I'll post the details in my paypal. i've got a couple of questions as well but they're simple.
> 
> thanks!!
> PAYPAL SENT!



Alin, just came in from the garage, where I cut down your McR19 reflector for *your* light! Got your Paypal and hoping to have your light on its way today or tomorrow.


----------



## Alin10123

milkyspit said:


> Alin, just came in from the garage, where I cut down your McR19 reflector for *your* light! Got your Paypal and hoping to have your light on its way today or tomorrow.



Sweet! Thanks!
Did you happen to get the stuff i put in the paypal notes? 
I didn't get a reply from the paypal notes so not sure if you got the questions. 

Thanks
Aaron


----------



## milkyspit

Alin10123 said:


> Sweet! Thanks!
> Did you happen to get the stuff i put in the paypal notes?
> I didn't get a reply from the paypal notes so not sure if you got the questions.
> 
> Thanks
> Aaron



Aaron, all is well and your light is in the mail on its way to you.

Oh, yes I got the notes.


----------



## milkyspit

*[size=+1]Making a Handcut McR19 Reflector[/size]*

Here are a few photos of the handcut McR19 reflector I modified for use with the Cree emitter in Alin10123's build earlier today... thought they might be interesting...

_Next To The Old-Style L1 Head_






_Closeup, Side View_





_Closeup, Frontal View_





BTW, *kudos* in order for my east coast buddy Luxlover, who shared with me the secret of using a girly manicure accessory to polish bare aluminum to a glossy sheen!  I'm not here to judge. oo:


----------



## milkyspit

Alin10123 said:


> ...



*So you're saying the warmest "biege" color will be what gives you the best color rendition? Well... in this case it might also be the brightest available bin so far. So i might go with #6 even though this light will be used both indoor and out because you need color rendition indoors too right? hehe*

FWIW, both P3-WC (which looks pure white) and P4-WH (which looks a warm, beige-white) seem to render colors well.

*Just waiting for milkyspit to chime in and give his thoughts. He's probably busy though.*

Busy yes, but catching up, and always welcoming new business! 

*Did you happen to look at the 27LT from mcgizmo? I'm gonna get one and let milkyspit mod it. *

Send it on over when ready.


----------



## milkyspit

Chronos said:


> Good luck with the decision! I too found myself going back and forth between all the options. I'm just anxious for the little bugger to arrive.



Chronos, how's that ML1 working out for you?


----------



## milkyspit

Chronos said:


> I think my next big mod will be with an Osram LED. Milky, up to it?  Maybe in a first-gen KL3? Maybe a mod to the Chrononster... upgrade the WY0S to an Osram?



Chronos, I'm up for the challenge. PM or give me a call whenever convenient. :thumbsup:


----------



## milkyspit

Blindasabat said:


> Scott, I'm enjoying my UW0J ML1 a ton. Great light. But I'm considering jumping on the Cree train with an ML1 upgrade to my new stlye stock L1. But do you have any beamshots with the Cree XR-E in the optic versus reflector? Approximate output? Is low a lot brighter with the Cree? If so (I'm sure it is), then is there a way to bring it back down? (new resistor in the tailcap?) I'm sure lots of people would like to know to help make their decisions. I may just have to upgrade both my L1's now... <sigh> my poor wallet.



No beamshot comparison just yet though I'll be posting an ML1 version comparison soon.

Approximate output with Cree P3-WC would be 77 lumens, with Cree P4-WH 84 lumens.

Low is about twice as bright as the Luxeon version, but IMHO still plenty low... and yes, I could swap out the tailcap resistor for a different value to make the low beam even lower if that were important to you.

Ready and willing to do those upgrades... send me PM when ready!


----------



## Nebula

Scott - PM inbound. Kirk


----------



## Blindasabat

Getting ~84 lumens is huge compared to the original 22(flashdark) or ~28(FLR) lumens in the new style L1! This thing should be a nice thrower while still having a big spot at distance (? up to 5000 cp @1m as opposed to the original ~1460!). Wow  Assuming the optics works the same.
If the low goes from 1-2 lum to only ~2-4 then that should still be nice and low.
I may wait untill I see beamshots though. Are you still using the stock optic or are there optic choices? I'm sure the beam profile is changed by the Cree, I'm just interested to see how.



milkyspit said:


> No beamshot comparison just yet though I'll be posting an ML1 version comparison soon.
> 
> Approximate output with Cree P3-WC would be 77 lumens, with Cree P4-WH 84 lumens.
> 
> Low is about twice as bright as the Luxeon version, but IMHO still plenty low... and yes, I could swap out the tailcap resistor for a different value to make the low beam even lower if that were important to you.
> 
> Ready and willing to do those upgrades... send me PM when ready!


----------



## Alin10123

Blindasabat said:


> Getting ~84 lumens is huge compared to the original 22(flashdark) or ~28(FLR) lumens in the new style L1! This thing should be a nice thrower while still having a big spot at distance (? up to 5000 cp @1m as opposed to the original ~1460!). Wow  Assuming the optics works the same.
> If the low goes from 1-2 lum to only ~2-4 then that should still be nice and low.
> I may wait untill I see beamshots though. Are you still using the stock optic or are there optic choices? I'm sure the beam profile is changed by the Cree, I'm just interested to see how.



No worries. I'll post beamshots when i get mine. It scheduled to arrive tomorrow.


----------



## milkyspit

Thanks Alin10123. :bow:


----------



## milkyspit

*[size=+1]My Pimped-Out ML1[/size]*


----------



## Alin10123

Dang... i'm getting REALLY anxious here. LOL
I can't wait. Really hope it gets here tomorrow.


----------



## luxlover

milkyspit said:


> BTW, *kudos* in order for my east coast buddy Luxlover, who shared with me the secret of using a girly manicure accessory to polish bare aluminum to a glossy sheen!  I'm not here to judge. oo:


The real *kudos* goes to my deceased mother, who left behind all kinds of fingernail files and buffers, the use of which I came to realize is very handy when smoothing out any surface, especially electric contacts.

This _four surfaces in one_ emery board based file can be found at the cosmetic section of any chain store or department store. I highly recommend using it for light filing and buffing!


----------



## Alin10123

Alin10123 said:


> No worries. I'll post beamshots when i get mine. It scheduled to arrive tomorrow.



Dang... it didn't get here today. So dissappointed. Saw a box in the mail today and thought it was it. Ended up being a Mclux PD fromt he passaround. I guess the good news is that i can do comparison shots between the PD and the ML1 cree. hehe

Can't wait till tomorrow. I was loosing sleep last night. Looks like i'll loose a few more winks tonight.


----------



## Chronos

milkyspit said:


> Chronos, how's that ML1 working out for you?



Sorry, I've been incredibly busy with work and school. Yeah, work 70+ hours a week building a new business practice plus take 20 credits this semester at school, plus... sorry for the venting!

The ML-1 Cree is wonderful. I'm having a hard time keeping it out of my kid's hands, even as I type this! 

I'll see if I have some free time this weekend- if I do, I'll try to take a few pics and beamshots. The output is great, far better than stock. I believe the 84 lumen number. I've had far larger LED lights that don't put out as much light, and very few with as nice a beam.

The beam is a nice smooth comination of a BRIGHT throw beam, a bright and large spill beam (far larger than the A91 Cree's spill, for example) and a dark corona. A couple of nights ago I did a quick comparo of the A19, the ML-1, the E1L, and the A2. I aimed them at a pond in the corner of my backyard, about 25-35' away. The ML-1 had by far the best overall coverage, as I was able to make out a lot of details in the large spill. The A19's output is far higher, but the beam is far narrower as well. The ML-1 is a warm tint (WH) which I prefer for outdoors work; the A19 looked silver/blue in comparison. The A2 had the third best beam pattern, more throw than spill, and the E1L is all throw with a tight little diamond beam pattern. If someone is looking for a tint similar to *X0*, this isn't it. However, if someone wants a great tint for outdoors, this is definitely it. A nice, warm vanilla tint.

Color rendition on the ML-1 was second to the incan A2. It was far better than the A19 or the E1L. 

Craftsmanship is great. There is a GITD ring behind the window, a nice touch. It looks like a stock L1 until it is fired up. Then look out!

I don't have a runtime as I've only used it on-and-off for about 30 minutes, and the kids have run it for about 30 more tonight playing "flashlight wars." 

Overall I am thrilled with this purchase. The runtime looks to be 3X that (at least) of the A19. The color rendition for outdoors use is the best I've seen in an LED. The beam pattern is a great combination for outdoors use, with that large and relatively bright spill. I prefer the size of the L1 as it fits in my big hands very well. I find the A19 and the E1L to almost be too small, in that my hand tends to cover part of the beam. I also love having two stages. The low is much lower than the high, low enough to use in the car at night, for example, to look at a receipt (my wife did this last night as I was driving) without blinding me, yet brighter than the stock low.

FWIW I do not have any horses in this race- that is, I don't own stock in Cree, I haven't even met Scott (yet), and I have paid for all of my lights and mods. Great work from a master. He's always done great work for me. This is what, at least my third light from you?  The ML-1 Cree is a definite keeper.

:goodjob:

Now, about the Kroma and SW02...


----------



## Alin10123

MS,
Just wanted to let you know that i've received the light. 
My camera was low on batteries, so i'll try to get some pics up tomorrow when it's charged. At any rate, i noticed a beam diffuser sticker at the head of the light. Or at least something that looks like that. Did surefire put that there? or did you put that there? I was just curious. Will the beam look "ringy" if i take that thing off? 

Thanks


----------



## milkyspit

Alin10123 said:


> MS,
> Just wanted to let you know that i've received the light.
> My camera was low on batteries, so i'll try to get some pics up tomorrow when it's charged. At any rate, i noticed a beam diffuser sticker at the head of the light. Or at least something that looks like that. Did surefire put that there? or did you put that there? I was just curious. Will the beam look "ringy" if i take that thing off?
> 
> Thanks



Alin, lately I've been adding the beam diffusing film to Milky L1 builds that use Cree emitters. The Cree inherently has a shadowy "raccoon eye" around the hotspot due to light blocked by the metal ring around the emitter's glass dome... the diffusing film reduces the effect to the point where it's almost unnoticeable, while not reducing overall output to any significant degree. I do a similar thing with LuxV builds to eliminate the donut hole from those beams. That said, you don't necessarily HAVE to use the film... try it without! If you remove the film gently, you should be able to reinstall it if you prefer the beam that way. There's no adhesive beyond the slight tackiness of the film itself, so no harm done to the ML1 lens.


----------



## don_69sbo

Scott- 

pm sent


----------



## Ralf

Hi Milky,

maybe its somewhere mentioned already in this thread,
did you exchange the L1 electronics as well? 

Cheers
Ralf


----------



## milkyspit

don_69sbo said:


> Scott-
> 
> pm sent




PM replied.


----------



## milkyspit

Ralf said:


> Hi Milky,
> 
> maybe its somewhere mentioned already in this thread,
> did you exchange the L1 electronics as well?
> 
> Cheers
> Ralf




Hi Ralf,

In general no, don't change the electronics. There have been one or two odd cases where they needed to be changed, mostly because the stock electronics weren't performing properly. I've also done a few resistor swaps in the tailcap to provide a super low beam for those who specifically wanted it... but that's generally not necessary, either.


----------



## Ralf

Thanks Milky,

I changed the emitter a long time ago as well and
thinking about give the new Seoul or some more
current a try ... 

Cheers
Ralf


----------



## litew8

Milky Sent a pm, to see what you can do to improve a new style L1. Al


----------



## milkyspit

litew8 said:


> Milky Sent a pm, to see what you can do to improve a new style L1. Al



PM replied... uh, quite some time ago. Just wanted to mention.


----------



## slaps

PM sent about getting my ML-1 Seouled...


----------



## milkyspit

slaps said:


> PM sent about getting my ML-1 Seouled...



PM replied.


----------



## benchmade_boy

so milky what is the runtime of a ML-1 with P4 Cree in it?


----------



## milkyspit

benchmade_boy said:


> so milky what is the runtime of a ML-1 with P4 Cree in it?



Should be about the same as this, just brighter...


----------



## milkyspit

Time to update this Colorometer again... 

*The Milky L1 Colorometer! (including Seoul and Cree) *

Cree P4-WH (warmest: beige-white)
LuxIII UWOJ ("French vanilla" white)
LuxIII TWOH
Lux1W SWOH (rich white, hotwire friendly)
Seoul P4-USVOI
LuxIII UXOJ
Cree P3-WC (close to the Lumileds XO tint)
LuxIII UWAJ (pure white)
Seoul P4-U-6500K
LuxIII UYOJ
LuxIII TYAH (coolest: frosty white)[/QUOTE]


----------



## Blindasabat

Thanks Scott, nice reference! I will have to try to fit more Cree P4 WH instead of SSC P4 in more lights when I upgrade to get the warmer tints. 
Does the bottom of the chart tend toward blue tint, colorless, or what other tints? Just curious, as I prefer the warm (yellowish, incan-like) end of the spectrum anyway. My UW0J ("French vanilla" white) ML1 still rocks my socks off. 
I was considering a Seoul P4 (USV0I) upgrade, but maybe The Cree is better for me. How does that Cree P4 WH fit in the old style L1 head and how does it work with the old style 20mm optic? The optics are what I am using in my ML1 now.


milkyspit said:


> Time to update this Colorometer again...
> 
> *The Milky L1 Colorometer! (including Seoul and Cree) *
> 
> Cree P4-WH (warmest: beige-white)
> LuxIII UWOJ ("French vanilla" white)
> LuxIII TWOH
> Lux1W SWOH (rich white, hotwire friendly)
> Seoul P4-USVOI
> LuxIII UXOJ
> ...
> LuxIII TYAH (coolest: frosty white)


----------



## Alin10123

milkyspit said:


> Time to update this Colorometer again...
> 
> *The Milky L1 Colorometer! (including Seoul and Cree) *
> 
> Cree P4-WH (warmest: beige-white)
> LuxIII UWOJ ("French vanilla" white)
> LuxIII TWOH
> Lux1W SWOH (rich white, hotwire friendly)
> Seoul P4-USVOI
> LuxIII UXOJ
> Cree P3-WC (close to the Lumileds XO tint)
> LuxIII UWAJ (pure white)
> Seoul P4-U-6500K
> LuxIII UYOJ
> LuxIII TYAH (coolest: frosty white)


[/QUOTE]

Dont forget to put the estimated lumen ratings too as you did before. That helps quite a bit as well.


----------



## milkyspit

YACU (Yet Another Colorometer Update), this time with lumen estimates.

*The Milky L1 Colorometer! (including Seoul and Cree) *

Cree P4-WH (warmest: beige-white) - roughly 84 lumens
LuxIII UWOJ ("French vanilla" white) - roughly 50-60 lumens
LuxIII TWOH - roughly 45-60 lumens
Lux1W SWOH (rich white, hotwire friendly) - roughly 50-60 lumens
Seoul P4-USVOI - roughly 91-100 lumens
LuxIII UXOJ - roughly 50-60 lumens
Cree P3-WC (close to the Lumileds XO tint) - roughly 77 lumens
LuxIII UWAJ (pure white) - roughly 50-60 lumens
Seoul P4-U-6500K - roughly 91-100 lumens
LuxIII UYOJ - roughly 50-60 lumens
LuxIII TYAH (coolest: frosty white) - roughly 45-60 lumens

*[size=+1]Additional Configurata (new word?)[/size]* 

*Most popular configurations...*

Old-style L1, McR18 reflector, Seoul or Luxeon emitter - most compact, lightest in weight... body has four flats... retains factory-grade waterproofness... old-style L1 hosts are presently EXTREMELY limited in availability!

New-style L1, TIR optic, Seoul emitter - rounded body, larger head... Seoul emitter transforms the beam from this optic into a much more reflector-like round beam with some sidespill, and maybe 80% reduction in artifacts vs. stock, while retaining the intensely bright hotspot (though now round in shape, not square)... keeping the TIR optic retains factory-grade waterproofness, whereas reflector installation may compromise some waterproofness

Others possible! 

*Runtime curve...*

All configurations should perform similar to this curve, though scaled to the appropriate output level as listed above...


----------



## LiteFan

Milky

Where in the color spectrum does the Seoul P4-USVOI fall? Could this led be done on the KL3? Could you post some beamshots of the ML1 new style reflectored vs TIR? My KL3 is slightly blue in beam color and while I like the throw I would like more sidespill (running on a leefbody 1x18650). I originally was going to send it to you for a blowtorch upgrade but now I am unsure what I want you to do with it. Any suggestions?

Thanks


----------



## milkyspit

LiteFan said:


> Milky
> 
> Where in the color spectrum does the Seoul P4-USVOI fall? Could this led be done on the KL3? Could you post some beamshots of the ML1 new style reflectored vs TIR? My KL3 is slightly blue in beam color and while I like the throw I would like more sidespill (running on a leefbody 1x18650). I originally was going to send it to you for a blowtorch upgrade but now I am unsure what I want you to do with it. Any suggestions?
> 
> Thanks




USVOI is spec'd as 5350K color temperature, and it falls directly on the black body radiator line so it looks very white given that CCT.

I don't know if the KL3 TIR optic will generate sidespill with a Seoul emitter like the KL1 TIR does, but there's a good possibility that it will. If you wish, we could start with just the Seoul emitter and see how things turn out, and if necessary I could add the reflector once we see the results. It's not a big deal to do it that way. PM me whenever you might want to move forward on that, I'm here when you're ready!


----------



## litew8

I'm not much for writting, but in this case i need to. Two days ago I recived my ML-1 with a Seoul P4-U-6500 emitter . The light is byond my expections, perfect low with a 16 omh resister, on high it really lights things up. Its got a nice big hot spot, and excellent spill, All in all i'm very happy . As soon as i can i'll be sending another light to Scott . Thanks again Scott


----------



## LiteFan

milkyspit said:


> USVOI is spec'd as 5350K color temperature, and it falls directly on the black body radiator line so it looks very white given that CCT.
> 
> I don't know if the KL3 TIR optic will generate sidespill with a Seoul emitter like the KL1 TIR does, but there's a good possibility that it will. If you wish, we could start with just the Seoul emitter and see how things turn out, and if necessary I could add the reflector once we see the results. It's not a big deal to do it that way. PM me whenever you might want to move forward on that, I'm here when you're ready!


 
PM will be soon...I will probably do better to explain what I want and let you craft it.


----------



## skalomax

Hey Milky!

Just got my ML1!
What can I say? Extremely Nice!
Thanks


----------



## Alin10123

skalomax said:


> Hey Milky!
> 
> Just got my ML1!
> What can I say? Extremely Nice!
> Thanks




Hmm... are my eyes deceiving me? or does yours look brighter than my cree?


----------



## milkyspit

Alin10123 said:


> Hmm... are my eyes deceiving me? or does yours look brighter than my cree?




It probably is brighter than your Cree... Skalo's ML1 is running with a SSCP4 USWOH emitter and ought to be somewhere in the 91-100 lumen ballpark. :naughty:

On a somewhat related note, I've always rated my Seoul-based builds toward the bottom of the luminous output range from the emitter datasheets. Why? Because I've never trusted those datasheets... or more specifically, I've had reason to believe the emitters coming from Seoul Semiconductor have been closer to the bottom of the range, and not spread evenly throughout it. By contrast, I've always rated my Luxeon and Cree-based builds using the AVERAGE luminous output specified in the datasheets.

Keeping the above in mind, here's what happened the other night. Finally got around to acquiring one of McGizmo's PD-S lights, and since several people have commented on the ML1 beam being very similar to that of the PD, I did a little comparison of my own. There was one surprising result... my personal ML1 (with Seoul emitter, bin code USVOI) was actually slightly brighter than the PD-S in terms of overall output as measured in repeated ceiling bounce tests. The PD-S drives its high beam around 520mA if memory serves (and no, this particular unit isn't a miser(sp.?) version)... whereas the ML1 ought to be pumping something in the 350-450mA vicinity through the emitter... so I was hoping to see how close the ML1 would come to the PD-S output, and NOT prepared to see the ML1 actually exceed it! Strange.

Anyway, my point isn't to trash the PD-S, it's a fine light and I have no intention of parting with mine... my point is closer to the exact opposite: given that the PD-S is a known entity, and generates quite a bit of overall output... at the very least, it ought to be generating easily in excess of 100 lumens on high beam... the big shocker was that I may have been underestimating the ML1! Wow, I have newfound respect for my own little build. oo:

On even more of a tangent, it was interesting to see what might be a bit of the builders' personal preferences reflected in both lights... the PD-S has some SERIOUSLY killer throw! Scorching bright hotspot with decent sidespill, just as I remember the optimal focus on the McR-series reflectors being with LuxIII builds. The ML1 was flat-out getting killed on throw... and yet, it has a decent hotspot... where it differs is that the hotspot fades far more gradually into the sidespill for a more even intensity dropoff... so the hotspot is less intense but more of the sidespill remains more intense, giving more of a peripheral vision feel. That makes sense I guess, in that I typically design for applications like walking down a path at night, where one would want enough light falling to either side to feel comfortable that they could see developing threats and such coming into the field of view. Which focal design is better? I don't know... probably both, or neither! It all depends on the user's preference, IMHO it's a personal issue. Thought it was neat to see the difference in design choice though... not sure I've ever had the privilege of that sort of thing presenting itself so clearly. A real learning experience!


----------



## skalomax

Some Beamshots

On Low






High


----------



## Nebula

Hey Skal - what's in the chair? You about to torture that poor plant? :laughing: 

BTW - Nice pics. 




skalomax said:


> Some Beamshots
> 
> On Low
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> High


----------



## CLHC

Now this build peaks my interest all the more. Any greenie LEDs that can be had?


----------



## Nebula

CHC - Yes, but you may be limited to LuxIIIs/Vs. Check Milky's "eye candy. . . " and the main L1 threads for photos of the L1 with a LuxV cyan emitter. I have one and it is one of my favorite lights. 



CHC said:


> Now this build peaks my interest all the more. Any greenie LEDs that can be had?


----------



## CLHC

Ahhh, them "eye candy. . . "—

That Cyan looks very appealing! :huh: Thanks for the heads up *Nebula*!


----------



## milkyspit

Is this a *Project-M * light, or a variant of the Milky L1?


----------



## Alin10123

milkyspit said:


> Is this a *Project-M * light, or a variant of the Milky L1?



That looks like 1 cr123 cell powering 3 seouls? whoa!!!


----------



## milkyspit

Well... the L1 tube has been bored-out so it now holds 2x123 or a single 17670 cell. Works with either configuration... and yes, it would even work on a single 123 primary, though the high beam probably wouldn't last for very long!

Some quick specs...

* High beam 375 lumens, roughly 1h runtime on 2x123 primaries
* Low beam 10-20 lumens? roughly 20h runtime on 2x123 primaries
* Dual stage tailswitch (of course)

Another view...






:naughty:


----------



## Alin10123

Dude! That's nuts!


----------



## 6010 nsk

Are the "new" L1 heads longer than the "old" style heads ?


----------



## milkyspit

6010 nsk said:


> Are the "new" L1 heads longer than the "old" style heads ?




Yes, the new-style heads are noticeably both longer and fatter than the old-style ones.


----------



## 6010 nsk

mmm ... bummer... Thank you


----------



## milkyspit

Some people have asked about the difference between the L1/KL1 with TIR optic, stock vs. SEOULmated. Here's a quick drawing that shows both the difference and my lack of skills in the visual arts!


----------



## vee

hi scott. email sent regarding your M375 ight!


----------



## Alin10123

milkyspit said:


> Well... the L1 tube has been bored-out so it now holds 2x123 or a single 17670 cell. Works with either configuration... and yes, it would even work on a single 123 primary, though the high beam probably wouldn't last for very long!
> 
> Some quick specs...
> 
> * High beam 375 lumens, roughly 1h runtime on 2x123 primaries
> * Low beam 10-20 lumens? roughly 20h runtime on 2x123 primaries
> * Dual stage tailswitch (of course)
> 
> Another view...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :naughty:



hmm, what about a 17670 cell? what's the approximate runtime on high?


----------



## milkyspit

Alin10123 said:


> hmm, what about a 17670 cell? what's the approximate runtime on high?



Runtime on high with a single 17670 cell would be roughly 1h2m.


----------



## Alin10123

milkyspit said:


> Runtime on high with a single 17670 cell would be roughly 1h2m.



wow, impressive. This will be a consideration after the couple of mods i'll probably have you do.


----------



## p73rs

Hi, Milkyspit. The Milky mods are very impressive.



I am relatively new here and learning a lot.




milkyspit said:


> New-style L1, TIR optic, Seoul emitter - rounded body, larger head... Seoul emitter transforms the beam from this optic into a much more reflector-like round beam with some sidespill, and maybe 80% reduction in artifacts vs. stock, while retaining the intensely bright hotspot (though now round in shape, not square)... keeping the TIR optic retains factory-grade waterproofness, whereas reflector installation may compromise some waterproofness


 

I have a new-style L1. I am interested in getting the modification above. How can I make an arragement for that? Also, what are the cost and the turn time?

Best regards.

HS


----------



## milkyspit

p73rs said:


> Hi, Milkyspit. The Milky mods are very impressive.
> 
> 
> 
> I am relatively new here and learning a lot.
> 
> I have a new-style L1. I am interested in getting the modification above. How can I make an arragement for that? Also, what are the cost and the turn time?
> 
> Best regards.
> 
> HS



Thanks HS. 

PM me to make mod arrangements and figure exact pricing... each build is tailored to that particular customer so the pricing will tend to vary based on the specific components used, extent of the work, special requests, etc.

Lately the turnaround time on the Milky L1 builds has been 1-2 weeks from the moment the light arrives here until it's on the way back. Sometimes I'm able to get it done quicker, depends on my build schedule at the time.

Would be happy to assist, just give me a shout!


----------



## p73rs

Thanks for the information. I will send you PM when I am ready. 

Now, I can't decide which one to get, Cree or Seuol. Also, there are many color temps, too. Seoul P4-USVOI sounds like having the good color retention. Definitely, I want to keep the TIR optic, though. Maybe, I am thinking too much. What are the differences (besides the output and the color temp) between Cree and Seuol on L1 Mod, like the beam pattern?

At the end, I have to decide what to do ultimately. But, what is your favorite combination of the emitter and its colors? I think I will go with Seoul P4-USVOI.

Best regards.

HS


----------



## milkyspit

p73rs said:


> Thanks for the information. I will send you PM when I am ready.
> 
> Now, I can't decide which one to get, Cree or Seuol. Also, there are many color temps, too. Seoul P4-USVOI sounds like having the good color retention. Definitely, I want to keep the TIR optic, though. Maybe, I am thinking too much. What are the differences (besides the output and the color temp) between Cree and Seuol on L1 Mod, like the beam pattern?
> 
> At the end, I have to decide what to do ultimately. But, what is your favorite combination of the emitter and its colors? I think I will go with Seoul P4-USVOI.
> 
> Best regards.
> 
> HS



HS, in the old-style heads there isn't enough depth IMHO to install the sort of deep-dish reflector a Cree would need for optimal performance, so I prefer the Seoul emitters in these heads. My personal ML1 is running bin USVOI at present, but I've done several USWOH builds and like the results with that, too. Both are near white and a little on the warm side, just a teensy bit... the USVOI is a little warmer though, so some may like it for outdoor use, where the warm tints seem to cut through the night a little better.

Buy 'em both? :shrug: 

*BTW, I just got perhaps a half-dozen L1 old-style hosts new in factory box, to be allocated first come first serve. If you've wanted a build in one of these, send me a PM.*


----------



## SCblur

Hey Scott,
My ML1 came in the mail yesterday, and WOOOOOWWWW!!!!. 

I don't say this lightly: This is so far, the most perfect light I have ever owned. I mirror your sentiments, in that this is the light I would not part with if I could only keep one. I was smiling ear to ear last night every time I used it, I wouldn't change a thing. Thanks so much. Let me know when you get the parts in for my SkalamanderII and I'll send you some more money!


----------



## skalomax

SCblur said:


> Hey Scott,
> you get the parts in for my SkalamanderII and I'll send you some more money!


 

:twothumbs:twothumbs:twothumbs


----------



## SCblur

skalomax said:


> :twothumbs:twothumbs:twothumbs


Wipe that smug grin off your face, this is all your fault!


----------



## skalomax

LOL, You'll love It.
I see you also got the ML1 W/SVO Tint. Very nice, Loved mine. My ML1 was SWO though.

Have fun with your new lights. I know I will, when I get my FLOODMONSTER







Seriously, Glad I can help


----------



## SCblur

Thanks, I look forward to hearing all about your new light when it arrives. Maybe you can convince me to part with even more money


----------



## p73rs

PM sent about the ML1 mod with Seoul P4-USVOI.


----------



## milkyspit

p73rs said:


> PM sent about the ML1 mod with Seoul P4-USVOI.



PM replied.

Incidentally, I'm about to take delivery on a fresh batch of USWOH emitters. In the past these have yielded good results in the Milky L1 builds... as always, I will be hand-binning them upon arrival, then pulling several candidates and directly assessing tint and performance to choose the single best emitter for each build.

At present there's been a bit of a run on the Milky L1, but as of this writing I still have a few old-style hosts on hand, first come, first served. Good 'til they're gone!


----------



## MarNav1

:laughing::naughty::laughing::naughty::laughing::twothumbs:laughing::naughty::laughing::naughty::laughing:Milky strikes again! :lolsign:


----------



## Cobra1027

pm sent...

I give in =\


----------



## milkyspit

Been experimenting with a new cosmetic detail, which makes its first appearance on Matt_USAF's light...


----------



## Chronos

milkyspit said:


> Been experimenting with a new cosmetic detail, which makes its first appearance on Matt_USAF's light...


About time Scott!  My "logo" on my Chrononster is starting to look a little tired...


----------



## ss2nv

Milky, I sent you a PM a week and a half ago discussing a possible x1000 KT4 head mod. Haven't heard anything back as of yet and just wanted to make sure that it didn't get lost in all of the multitudes of PM/emails you must receive from day to day. I don't mean to pester...but could you get back with me when you can spare some time? Thanks.
Seth


----------



## milkyspit

ss2nv said:


> Milky, I sent you a PM a week and a half ago discussing a possible x1000 KT4 head mod. Haven't heard anything back as of yet and just wanted to make sure that it didn't get lost in all of the multitudes of PM/emails you must receive from day to day. I don't mean to pester...but could you get back with me when you can spare some time? Thanks.
> Seth



Hey Seth, your PM wasn't lost in that it's sitting in front of me, smiling at me in my PM inbox, but so are about 96 other PMs! oo:

In your particular case I was out of some key parts for your build so it didn't seem to make much sense at the time to go too far down that road... just got most of the parts in this week, so now I'll be needing to get back to you.

BTW, not a big deal really, but the better thread for this post might have been the *Project-M Thread* or perhaps the *Milky Eye Candy Thread*. No biggie! Glad to hear from you, and thanks.

In ML1 matters...

*[size=+1]Old-Style Host Availability[/size]*

As of this writing, I've got 3-4 old-style hosts ready for Milky L1 builds, first come, first served.

Cobra1027, your light is built and on the way...


----------



## Groundhog66

milkyspit said:


> Been experimenting with a new cosmetic detail, which makes its first appearance on Matt_USAF's light...


 


I will be sending mine back for the upgrade, I feel cheated.....:mecry:


Tim


Thank looks SIC


----------



## ss2nv

milkyspit said:


> Hey Seth, your PM wasn't lost in that it's sitting in front of me, smiling at me in my PM inbox, but so are about 96 other PMs! oo:
> 
> In your particular case I was out of some key parts for your build so it didn't seem to make much sense at the time to go too far down that road... just got most of the parts in this week, so now I'll be needing to get back to you.
> 
> BTW, not a big deal really, but the better thread for this post might have been the *Project-M Thread* or perhaps the *Milky Eye Candy Thread*. No biggie! Glad to hear from you, and thanks.



Sounds good. Sorry bout that. *Trying* to patiently wait for a PM...:laughing:


----------



## Cobra1027

milkyspit said:


> *[SIZE=+1]Old-Style Host Availability[/SIZE]*
> 
> As of this writing, I've got 3-4 old-style hosts ready for Milky L1 builds, first come, first served.
> 
> Cobra1027, your light is built and on the way...




::giggles like little girl:: CANT WAIT!!! OOOO... 

humm.. might need to send it back in a few weeks though.. to get a new logo placed on it.. PM'ed you about that btw..

THANKS SCOTT!!!


----------



## KDOG3

What is that logo, a sticker?


----------



## MarNav1

I need that logo w a new host as well! Ha!


----------



## milkyspit

*[size=+1]A Heavy Flood Option for ML-1[/size]*

Skalomax recently ordered a Milky L1 in old-style host with more of a flood-weighted beam than the standard build. Accordingly, I shortened a suitable Khatod reflector and fit into the head... the results actually surprised me in that the desired flood-weighted beam worked as expected and yet there's still enough of a hotspot for medium-range illumination, too. The reflector also looks pretty nifty nestled into the head, thanks to the cool retroreflective coating. :naughty:

A couple quick photos of the ML-1 Floodmaster edition...


----------



## Groundhog66

Put me down for one, gotta be an "old" style body with the NEW GRAPHICS :twothumbs

Tim


----------



## skalomax

Wow, that looks just...Too cool!

Can't wait to get it tomorrow.

I'll write up a review too :green: (Try)

edit* Are you sure that reflector is made out of metal, Not Ice? 

Thanks Scott


----------



## Chronos

skalomax has seen the light! LOL :twothumbs:naughty: He now appreciates great flooders too. :nana:

Hmmmm- I may need to upgrade my Cree P3 ML1 Scott!


----------



## skalomax

Chronos said:


> skalomax has seen the light! LOL :twothumbs:naughty: He now appreciates great flooders too. :nana:
> 
> Hmmmm- I may need to upgrade my Cree P3 ML1 Scott!


 
LOL, sure do.

I'm starting to love nice Floody flashlights. I think they're more practical, also my lighting uses 98% of time are closer than 30ft. :twothumbs


----------



## senorcosas

Scott,

Please accept my order for a Milky L1 in old-style host with the Heavy Flood option. PM or email the total and your PP addy. Thanks!

Russell


----------



## milkyspit

senorcosas said:


> Scott,
> 
> Please accept my order for a Milky L1 in old-style host with the Heavy Flood option. PM or email the total and your PP addy. Thanks!
> 
> Russell



Russell, sent you PM and email replies. Thanks.

To all, depending on Russell's decision, there are either 1 or 2 old-style L1 hosts remaining for Milky L1 builds, first come, first served.


----------



## skalomax

*WOW!*

Scott, Just got the ML1 (Flood Edition). What a Kick A** small flood light.
Bright, beautiful warm tint and looks very appealing.

The beam pattern is very, very nice with tremendous bright spill and a cute little hotspot that's good for near-medium ranges.

Also, I like the new style Labeling. :twothumbs

Thanks Scott

Beamshots, pictures, and review to come!


Thanks


----------



## Groundhog66

skalomax said:


> *WOW!*
> 
> Scott, Just got the ML1 (Flood Edition). What a Kick A** small flood light.
> Bright, beautiful warm tint and looks very appealing.
> 
> The beam pattern is very, very nice with tremendous bright spill and a cute little hotspot that's good for near-medium ranges.
> 
> Also, I like the new style Labeling. :twothumbs
> 
> Thanks Scott
> 
> Beamshots, pictures, and review to come!
> 
> 
> Thanks


 

Can't wait to get mine. :twothumbs


----------



## senorcosas

:twothumbs

Thanks Scott!


----------



## skalomax

Can you say awesome?

Good Job Scott!












More shots to come.


----------



## milkyspit

Cool Skalo, glad you like it! 

To all, been thinking about the ML-1 selection process and put together the following guide... the idea being, for those wishing to order a Milky L1 but confused as to which version they might want, answers to the questions should help me steer you in the right direction. Anyway, that's the theory... since it's a first draft, I'm not sure it will even work! But thought it was worth trying. Here goes...

*[size=+1]Milky L1 Selection Guide (first draft)[/size]*

I can customize an L1 to your needs in a number of ways, but it really boils down to this...

1. Want longest possible throw from the L1 platform? Start with the new-style L1 with an IMS20 smooth reflector installed.

2. Want good throw in a smaller, more elegant version of the L1? Start with the old-style L1.

3. Tell me what sort of beam would be most useful to you: (a) short range mostly flood beam; (b) well-balanced all-purpose beam, useful for both close-range and moderately long distance use; (c) all-purpose beam with a little more intensity in the hotspot for a little extra throw.

4. Do you have need for an unusually dim low beam? (Astronomer, photo darkroom, unusually good night vision, covert operations, etc.)

5. If we aimed for a pure white tint but missed, would you rather miss with a beam that's a little warm (creamy) or a little cool (frosty)?

6. Is getting your tint preference so important that you're willing to sacrifice 15% of your runtime to get what you want?

7. Is a pure white tint so important that you're willing to lose 35% of the light's brightness to achieve it?

8. Is having a beam free of even minor artifacts so important that you're willing to sacrifice 15% of the beam's range to achieve it?


----------



## sacredsucculent

for ML-1 Floodmaster edition
:thanks:


----------



## Quickbeam

I just received my ML1 SSCP4 USWOH McR18j. Now THIS is what the L1 should have been all along! Very nicely done. Between the ML1, the Aviatrixed A2, the Microfire 10W HID, and the L0D-CE on my keychain, I don't think I'll need the service of any other lights for a long time.

Doug P.


----------



## Matt_USAF

Just got my ML-1 and WOW!!! I honestly think this is the best EDC out there! My wife is excited too! She thinks my days of flashlight hopping are over... if only she new!

It will go to good use here in Honduras!

Matt


----------



## p73rs

Hi, Scott. PM sent.

:thanks:


----------



## Alin10123

skalomax said:


> Can you say awesome?
> 
> Good Job Scott!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> More shots to come.



Wow! That's an amzing beamshot. Looks like one from a heavy stippled reflector. Am i correct? Hmm... it doesn't look like there will be a lot of throw from that beam though. But it does look it'd be a huge wall a light from a medium distance.


----------



## skalomax

Alin10123 said:


> Wow! That's an amzing beamshot. Looks like one from a heavy stippled reflector. Am i correct? Hmm... it doesn't look like there will be a lot of throw from that beam though. But it does look it'd be a huge wall a light from a medium distance.


 
Thanks 
and correct, It's a very heavy strippled reflector. The throw Is absent after 40-60ft.

I'm loving this more and more, Thinking It's putting out in excess of 100lm. :twothumbs


----------



## Groundhog66

skalomax said:


> Thanks
> and correct, It's a very heavy strippled reflector. The throw Is absent after 40-60ft.
> 
> I'm loving this more and more, Thinking It's putting out in excess of 100lm. :twothumbs


----------



## Cobra1027

i got my ML1 last week =].. i was actually going to wait for the new L1 to come out.. but i think i actually made a good choice soo good..

so i got the SSCP4 USWOH Mcl8j...which to means absolutly nothing but a freaking sweet light.. great throw.. perfect flood on high... and low is just great for normal use close range. YOU CAN NOT GO WRONG WITH ONE OF THESE!...

I am very likely to get a second one... the ML1 Floody hehe.. who wouldnt want that?


----------



## SCblur

Hey Cobra, 

I was following your L1 thread for a while, and I was looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the ML1. I definitely think you made the right choice, and I'm glad you like it. Like I said earlier, mine is my favorite light I've ever owned or used. Enjoy!


----------



## jaybiz32

Scott,
Just checking the status of my M6 and little red 1d Mag project?
Joe


----------



## Dinan

I just stumbled on this thread (pretty new to the boards) and I'm pretty amazed!! I just got my first "real" flashlight, Surefire L4. Then I see this! Runtime and brightness similar or exceeding my L4 with only 1 battery in a smaller package AND a low/high setting??

I was thinking about how nice it would've been if my L4 had two settings and was contemplating modding it but I also kind of wanted a tighter beam with some good spill as well.

Just a few things I'm curious about... how much of the original L1 body would be the same? Do you just change the reflector and the bulb and keep the original surefire head, body and switch? Also, what kind of rechargable batteries would work? Would it have to be 3 volts or can they take 3.7volt ones? (I'm pretty much a newbie to flashlights so I've been trying to study up as much as I can in the last day!)

Thanks!


----------



## SCblur

Dinan said:


> I just stumbled on this thread (pretty new to the boards) and I'm pretty amazed!! I just got my first "real" flashlight, Surefire L4. Then I see this! Runtime and brightness similar or exceeding my L4 with only 1 battery in a smaller package AND a low/high setting??
> 
> I was thinking about how nice it would've been if my L4 had two settings and was contemplating modding it but I also kind of wanted a tighter beam with some good spill as well.
> 
> Just a few things I'm curious about... how much of the original L1 body would be the same? Do you just change the reflector and the bulb and keep the original surefire head, body and switch? Also, what kind of rechargable batteries would work? Would it have to be 3 volts or can they take 3.7volt ones? (I'm pretty much a newbie to flashlights so I've been trying to study up as much as I can in the last day!)
> 
> Thanks!


Welcome Dinan,

I bought my first Milky ML-1 a few weeks ago, and it's the best light I've ever owned, and I own and love several surfires, and have owned many others at various points in time. 

As to your first question, the body looks completely stock, except for the reflector (the original ones have an optic) and the new LED. Your second question I'm not so sure about. I don't know if the setup can take the voltage of a rechargeable cell or not, but the limiting factor would probably be the size of the cell, since it would probably be too wide to fit into the battery tube.

One thing's for sure though, if it's possible, Milkyspit can do it. Just PM him with your needs, and he'll let you know what your options are.


----------



## milkyspit

Hi Dinan! :wave:

*I don't know if the setup can take the voltage of a rechargeable cell or not, but the limiting factor would probably be the size of the cell, since it would probably be too wide to fit into the battery tube.*

The ML1 can handle the voltage of a rechargeable just fine. Fellow CPFer Phaserburn and a number of other folks use them regularly in their lights. Scblur is right though, that not all rechargeable cells fit in the L1 battery tube. You could have a friendly neighborhood machinist bore out the tube just a bit (or I can do that as part of your build)... or just stick with brands of cell that fit. I know the MP brand of unprotected LiON cell as sold at Lighthound fits, and I've been told the green-jacketed RCR123 cells, also at Lighthound, fit, though I've never tried the green-jacketed cells myself.

*One thing's for sure though, if it's possible, Milkyspit can do it. Just PM him with your needs, and he'll let you know what your options are.*

SCBlur, thanks for the vote of confidence! :bow:


----------



## XFlash

Hi Scott,
Just checking to see if your received my PM for the M1 Mod?
Thanks
Tim


----------



## milkyspit

XFlash said:


> Hi Scott,
> Just checking to see if your received my PM for the M1 Mod?
> Thanks
> Tim




Got it, Tim, be in touch soon.


----------



## MarNav1

The green jacketed 17335 1000maH 3v Li-ions fit my L1's both old and new style just fine. Far as I can tell they are almost exactly the same size as a Surefire cell. I charge em in my regular Li-ion charger and they charge fine (not unattended). They seem to be pretty good cells. I'm gonna do a runtime test on em and see how they do.


----------



## GASIGnut

Milky,
PM sent regarding an L1 and M1.
Thanks


----------



## milkyspit

XFlash said:


> Hi Scott,
> Just checking to see if your received my PM for the M1 Mod?
> Thanks
> Tim



Tim, PM received, PM replied.

*[size=+1]To All[/size]*

This afternoon I will reportedly be taking delivery of 10x old-style L1 bodies. At this moment three have been spoken for, so *SEVEN* are up for grabs. *First come, first served, PM with interest.* Can mount smooth reflector, McR18j orange peel reflector, and retroreflective Floodmaster reflector in these per your preference, same price regardless. Here's a breakdown by reflector type...

*Smooth:* Most concentrated hotspot and therefore longest-throwing of the reflectors... the sidespill is of controlled-radius so it's still plenty bright, and sufficiently non-contrasty to allow for good vision even with the presence of the bright hotspot in the center.

*McR18j:* The classic all-purpose beam, this one offers enough throw for intermediate-distance use, while also offering a wide sidespill radius and gradual falloff from hotspot to sidespill for an excellent field of view edge-to-edge.

*Floodmaster:* Not pure flood but very close... has a very soft, delicate hotspot combined with unusually bright and even sidespill, for optimal indoor and close-range use. Range is perhaps 10-20 yards, which falls well short of the other reflector options though it's still useful for many purposes.


----------



## AyeMayanor

PM sent seeking your recommendation.


----------



## GregY

Next time you update the Milky Colormeter, could you add estimated outputs/runtimes on low? (Or has it gotten just too complicated to maintain because of the plethora of options?)


----------



## 021411

milkyspit said:


> Tim, PM received, PM replied.
> 
> *[SIZE=+1]To All[/SIZE]*
> 
> This afternoon I will reportedly be taking delivery of 10x old-style L1 bodies. At this moment three have been spoken for, so *SEVEN* are up for grabs. *First come, first served, PM with interest.* Can mount smooth reflector, McR18j orange peel reflector, and retroreflective Floodmaster reflector in these per your preference, same price regardless. Here's a breakdown by reflector type...
> 
> *Smooth:* Most concentrated hotspot and therefore longest-throwing of the reflectors... the sidespill is of controlled-radius so it's still plenty bright, and sufficiently non-contrasty to allow for good vision even with the presence of the bright hotspot in the center.
> 
> *McR18j:* The classic all-purpose beam, this one offers enough throw for intermediate-distance use, while also offering a wide sidespill radius and gradual falloff from hotspot to sidespill for an excellent field of view edge-to-edge.
> 
> *Floodmaster:* Not pure flood but very close... has a very soft, delicate hotspot combined with unusually bright and even sidespill, for optimal indoor and close-range use. Range is perhaps 10-20 yards, which falls well short of the other reflector options though it's still useful for many purposes.



Interested in one of the seven (or less) remaining. Pm sent..


----------



## milkyspit

GregY said:


> Next time you update the Milky Colormeter, could you add estimated outputs/runtimes on low? (Or has it gotten just too complicated to maintain because of the plethora of options?)



Greg, it's difficult to give an exact lumen output for low beam, though my guess would be around 3-5 lumens. Runtime is 150+ hours. A while back fellow CPFer Flashdark did an impressively thorough writeup of the Milky L1 as compared with the stock SureFire offerings, including several runtime tests in high beam, low beam, and mixed usage. You might want to lookup that thread... I think it's linked somewhere earlier in this thread if you prefer to locate a hyperlink directly to it.



021411 said:


> Interested in one of the seven (or less) remaining. Pm sent..



021411, PM replied. Is it fair to say there are now six left?


----------



## 021411

Sorry for playing PM-tag Scott.  Just got your message. Yes, it's safe to say there will be six left. :thumbsup: I'll gonna brainstorm right now on the setup I want. I'll get back with you in a few.. Have to do some searching on here. I don't know if I want the flood edition or something in between. Again, it has a possibility of being carried at work so I'm trying to figure out what I really want in a "work" light.


----------



## 021411

Nevermind.. See my post below. :twothumbs


----------



## 021411

Did some reading. Floodmaster it is. PM sent with some info. 

Edit.


----------



## GregY

milkyspit said:


> Greg, it's difficult to give an exact lumen output for low beam, though my guess would be around 3-5 lumens. Runtime is 150+ hours. A while back fellow CPFer Flashdark did an impressively thorough writeup of the Milky L1 as compared with the stock SureFire offerings, including several runtime tests in high beam, low beam, and mixed usage. You might want to lookup that thread... I think it's linked somewhere earlier in this thread if you prefer to locate a hyperlink directly to it.


 
Thanks, I had already read Flashdark's thread, though his ML1 isn't quite what I have in mind. 

PM sent.


----------



## AzGB

for ML1, Old style, SSCP4 USWOH, appropriate McR## reflector. Hope the combo is correct...


----------



## milkyspit

Milky L1 finished and ready to mail for...

021411
AzGB
Marnav1
Sacredsucculent

At time of this writing, *THREE* L1 old-style hosts are available for builds, first come, first served.


----------



## 021411

milkyspit said:


> Milky L1 finished and ready to mail for...
> 
> 021411
> AzGB
> Marnav1
> Sacredsucculent
> 
> At time of this writing, *THREE* L1 old-style hosts are available for builds, first come, first served.



 :rock: Thanks again Scott!!!!


----------



## AzGB

021411 said:


> :rock: Thanks again Scott!!!!


 
Yes, Yes, very excited... and thank you to everyone else discussing the ML1's enough for me to go from No idea what they are, to some idea, to utterly confused by the amount of options. This has been fun.


----------



## AyeMayanor

Is the SSCP4 USWOH and USVOI the same? I don't see the USWOH listed on the Colormeter.

Same? Warmer/Cooler?


----------



## milkyspit

AyeMayanor said:


> Is the SSCP4 USWOH and USVOI the same? I don't see the USWOH listed on the Colormeter.
> 
> Same? Warmer/Cooler?




Hmm... :thinking: you're right. I'll update that and some other info in the next post, in a couple minutes. Stay tuned...


----------



## milkyspit

*[size=+2]Collected Milky L1 Info, With Updates[/size]*

In this post I gather some tidbits from previous posts and update them to correct mistakes, add missing emitter choices, etc. Thought it might help to have it all in one place.


[size=+1]*The Milky L1 Colorometer! (including Seoul and Cree) *[/size]

_(Italics mean I don't have that emitter on hand at the time of this writing... the info remains here for reference.)_

Cree P4-WH (warmest: beige-white) - roughly 84 lumens
LuxIII UWOJ ("French vanilla" white) - roughly 50-60 lumens
LuxIII TWOH - roughly 45-60 lumens
Lux1W SWOH (rich white, hotwire friendly) - roughly 50-60 lumens
Seoul P4-USVOI - roughly 91-100 lumens
Seoul P4-USWOH - roughly 91-100 lumens
LuxIII UXOJ - roughly 50-60 lumens
Cree P3-WC (close to the Lumileds XO tint) - roughly 77 lumens
LuxIII UWAJ (pure white) - roughly 50-60 lumens
_Seoul P4-U-6500K - roughly 91-100 lumens_
LuxIII UYOJ - roughly 50-60 lumens
LuxIII TYAH (coolest: frosty white) - roughly 45-60 lumens


*[size=+1]Milky L1 Selection Guide (second draft)[/size]*

I can customize an L1 to your needs in a number of ways, but it really boils down to this...

1. Want longest possible throw from the L1 platform? Start with the new-style L1 with an IMS20 smooth reflector and flat ultra-clear lens installed.

1a. Want long throw with a ram-of-light effect? Start with the new-style L1 with the TIR optic left in place.

2. Want good throw in a smaller, more elegant version of the L1? Start with the old-style L1.

3. Tell me what sort of beam would be most useful to you: (a) short range mostly flood beam; (b) well-balanced all-purpose beam, useful for both close-range and moderately long distance use; (c) all-purpose beam with a little more intensity in the hotspot for a little extra throw. If you chose 'a', you want the ML1 Floodmaster Edition, featuring heavy stipple reflector. If you chose 'b', you want the ML1 Standard. If you chose 'c', you want the ML1 Smoothie. These choices don't apply if you're keeping the new-style TIR optic.

4. Do you have need for an unusually dim low beam? (Astronomer, photo darkroom, unusually good night vision, covert operations, etc.) If so, please request the ultralow tailcap mod.

5. If we aimed for a pure white tint but missed, would you rather miss with a beam that's a little warm (creamy) or a little cool (frosty)?

6. Is getting your tint preference so important that you're willing to sacrifice 15% of your runtime to get what you want?

7. Is a pure white tint so important that you're willing to lose 35% of the light's brightness to achieve it?

8. Is having a beam free of even minor artifacts so important that you're willing to sacrifice 15% of the beam's range to achieve it?[/QUOTE]


*[size=+1]Keeping The New-Style TIR Optic[/size]*

Some people have asked about the difference between the L1/KL1 with TIR optic, stock vs. SEOULmated. Here's a quick drawing that shows both the difference and my lack of skills in the visual arts!








*Runtime Curve*

Should be about the same as this, just brighter...


----------



## mgc

scott 
please email me at [email protected]. i am interested in ordering an L1 and lost your email. 
thanks
Mark


----------



## Groundhog66

WOW, those are absolutely awesome diagrams....I totally get it now....

On a serious note.........I have a Milky L1, as well as the "Floodmaster" model. There is NO WAY someone could not like these lights. I am just trying to come up with my next variation so I can add yet another to my collection. 

I want to thank you Scott for doing what you do, it is always a pleasure working with you.

:grouphug:

Tim


----------



## milkyspit

mgc said:


> scott
> please email me at [email protected]. i am interested in ordering an L1 and lost your email.
> thanks
> Mark



Mark, email sent.

For reference for all...






Groundhog, many thanks for the kind words!


----------



## GregY

Redundancy alert.

Just to be safe I sent email as well as my earlier PM. As a bonus, the email ought to make more sense than the PM. Maybe.


----------



## milkyspit

GregY said:


> Redundancy alert.
> 
> Just to be safe I sent email as well as my earlier PM. As a bonus, the email ought to make more sense than the PM. Maybe.




Greg, check for an email reply.


----------



## GregY

milkyspit said:


> Greg, check for an email reply.



You're quick. 

Your suggested build sounded good. You've got PP.


----------



## Blindasabat

Just got my latest Milky L1 :thumbsup:, an old style head with SSC USV0I, slightly de-focused McR18 (if I understood Scott correctly) with mild diffuser film for a wide spot, and it works great! The beam is just what I wanted, still has a bright spot with wide corona falling of gently into spill. I find this beam type so useful in many situations indoors and out. 

Good job Scott!


----------



## AzGB

I shouldn't have been so concerned about insuring my new ML1. It's down the street at the Post Office, and all I have to show for it is a little orange card that I have to sign to pick it up. I'm normally quite patient, but I'm going nuts that it's so close and far at the same time.

"Take a deep breath, you'll get it tomorrow."
"Yes, I know, but it'll be bright outside by then..."

Honestly, I feel like a 5 year old.


----------



## AzGB

Like most things in life... it's worth the wait. Very nice light Scott, you've definitely done this before.






AzGB said:


> I shouldn't have been so concerned about insuring my new ML1. It's down the street at the Post Office, and all I have to show for it is a little orange card that I have to sign to pick it up. I'm normally quite patient, but I'm going nuts that it's so close and far at the same time.
> 
> "Take a deep breath, you'll get it tomorrow."
> "Yes, I know, but it'll be bright outside by then..."
> 
> Honestly, I feel like a 5 year old.


----------



## GregY

I just found my ML1 waiting for me in my mailbox a few minutes ago. The waiting must have been getting to me, when I opened the package and got to the plastic clamshell I opened my knife and made a long cut down the side to get it open.... only to notice Scott had already made an identical cut down the *other* side to get the light out to mod it. Heh.

In case anyone is wondering, I have an SSCP4 USWOH with TIR optic. Milky's SSC/TIR beam diagram is pretty good. There are some artifacts, but I don't notice them with the light more than maybe 8" from a wall.

Now I need it to get dark. :twothumbs


----------



## milkyspit

Greg, AzGB, very happy you like your lights! 

*To All*, I've currently got a couple old-style (four flats) L1 hosts available for builds, AND scored TWO other hosts of a rare breed: newer-style L1 head with older-style four flats body. On the latter, SureFire shipped a small number of L1 in this hybrid style as they transitioned to the newer-style L1... my guess would be they had some of the older bodies to use up. These are excellent hosts for those who want more reach from the Milky L1 beam but still want to have the four flats body... the larger head can handle a full-sized 20mm smooth reflector with ultra-clear flat lens.

As always, first come, first served on either style mentioned above!


----------



## AyeMayanor

Count me in for one old style L1 Floodmaster. Emailing you now.

Email sent!

Paypal sent.


----------



## 021411

Scott, *IMPORTANT* PM sent..


----------



## milkyspit

021411, PM replied.

To all, since this is an info thread, thought I would share an oddity I've seen every once in a blue moon with the SureFire L1. Occasionally the light will appear not to work, but unscrewing the head ever so slightly... and by 'slightly' I mean often a fraction of a millimeter is all the twisting required, literally... the light will again work. Apparently overtightening the head can cause a loss of contact at the negative contact ring to the body tube. I'm not absolutely sure why, but one possibility might be slight bowing of the ring on the underside of the head, causing it to contact the hard anodize of the body rather than the bare metal it should be touching.

The fix is very simple. Actually, there are three different ways you can fix this issue if you ever encounter it...

Fix #1. Don't overtighten the head. Backoff that fraction of a millimeter and all will be fine.

Fix #2. Take a spring of thin-gauge steel about the same diameter as the L1 body tube, or just slightly larger... snip maybe 3/4 of a turn off the spring, and tuck it under the threads in the underside of the head, so the spring hugs the sidewalls down there... now when you screw the head onto the body there will be just enough extra height by virtue of the spring, that overtightening will no longer be possible. Note that choosing too thick a spring will prevent the o-ring from engaging, so as mentioned, stick with a relatively thin spring steel in terms of the wire gauge.

Fix #3. Get a stainless steel circlip designed for the same diameter as the threaded area at head end of the L1 body (3/4 inch?), drop the clip into place over the threads, then screw down the head. As above, this will eliminate the possibility of overtightening the head.

The vast majority of L1 hosts that I've seen don't need any of the above, and in fact don't show any problems... but if yours ever does, try the above, it's likely that's all you need!


----------



## 021411

Thanks Scott!


----------



## 021411

Can 3.7v 123's be used on the L1?


----------



## Mad1

I've some questions.

Are all the milky versions (a,b,c) the same price?
Is international shipping included in the price If you mod an old L1?
I'm interested in an ML-1 Smootie, what emitter would you use? (i'm not bothered about a pure white beam)
What would the high output be like in Lumens?
I would want 3 lumens in low mode is that possible?

Thanks. :lolsign:


----------



## milkyspit

021411 said:


> Can 3.7v 123's be used on the L1?



Electrically speaking, yes, the Milky L1 can use 3.7V cells. There have been some reports of the latest (Cree-based) SureFire stock L1 not handling these cells... no worries with the ML-1 though. 

Physically, not all RCR123 cells will fit into the battery chamber. One brand that does fit is MP, an unprotected cell sold at Lighthound. There are also some brands of protected cells that will fit, but at present I don't have a specific list. (Can anyone help with this part of the answer?)


----------



## milkyspit

Mad1 said:


> I've some questions.
> 
> Are all the milky versions (a,b,c) the same price?
> Is international shipping included in the price If you mod an old L1?
> I'm interested in an ML-1 Smootie, what emitter would you use? (i'm not bothered about a pure white beam)
> What would the high output be like in Lumens?
> I would want 3 lumens in low mode is that possible?
> 
> Thanks. :lolsign:



*Are all the milky versions (a,b,c) the same price?*

Yes, same price for all.

*Is international shipping included in the price If you mod an old L1?*

No, shipping is always calculated separately since there's such a wide variation in charges for various destinations. I've been shipping via Express Mail (EMS) lately for international, and price for that including $100 insurance tends to be about $25.

*I'm interested in an ML-1 Smootie, what emitter would you use? (i'm not bothered about a pure white beam)*

Most likely Seoul SSCP4 USWOH, hand-rebinned then hand-selected for best performance with the L1 circuitry.

*What would the high output be like in Lumens?*

Should be somewhere around 100 lumens.

*I would want 3 lumens in low mode is that possible?*

I would suggest you request the ultralow low beam to make sure it's not too bright for your needs. Will it be exactly 3 lumens? I'm not sure... but it sounds like this mod will meet your needs nicely. The ultralow low beam is a $10 option.


----------



## Mad1

Thanks for a very swift reply. 

On the low mode If I chose not to have the ultralow what kinda lumens would we be looking at? Naturally I dont want it to bright, but 10-12 lumens isnt too bad.

Can you give me 2 prices
x1 ML-1 inc shipping no ultralow mode
x1 ML-1 inc shipping with ultralow mode

Thanks putting up with my questions.


----------



## AyeMayanor

Got my Milky Floodmaster today! I'm waiting for the sun to go down so I can try it outside but it performs wonderfully inside. Thanks Scott, your build quality and customer service is #1. 

Thanks again for boring it out to fit protected cells. If I end up getting ones that are still too fat could I send it back to get more shaved off? 

PMing you for KL4 mod suggestions


----------



## 021411

Here's the best I could squeeze out of my old camera. My Milky L1 Floodmaster Edition!!


----------



## milkyspit

Mad1 said:


> Thanks for a very swift reply.
> 
> On the low mode If I chose not to have the ultralow what kinda lumens would we be looking at? Naturally I dont want it to bright, but 10-12 lumens isnt too bad.
> 
> Can you give me 2 prices
> x1 ML-1 inc shipping no ultralow mode
> x1 ML-1 inc shipping with ultralow mode
> 
> Thanks putting up with my questions.



Mad1, sending PM in a moment...



AyeMayanor said:


> Got my Milky Floodmaster today! I'm waiting for the sun to go down so I can try it outside but it performs wonderfully inside. Thanks Scott, your build quality and customer service is #1.
> 
> Thanks again for boring it out to fit protected cells. If I end up getting ones that are still too fat could I send it back to get more shaved off?
> 
> PMing you for KL4 mod suggestions



Aye, glad you like your new light.  Yes, you could send back your light to get more shaved off if you encounter cells too large to fit... I would ask you to send the too-large cell, too, so I can make sure we accommodate it... that said, you should find that most and perhaps all rechargeables will fit just fine in your light as it currently is.



021411 said:


> Here's the best I could squeeze out of my old camera. My Milky L1 Floodmaster Edition!!



No shame in those photos. They look great!


----------



## litew8

Scott, Im really amazed at what you did with the new style L-1, i can't tell it was opened. I really like the beam , nice spill, not to little, or to much, actually just what i was looking for.So u turned a really ugly square beam, into something i like as well as my 2 other ML-1's. Thanks, Al


----------



## XFlash

Can't wait for my Floodmaster L1,
And M1.
Great info.
Tim


----------



## Mad1

I am now a proud owner of a milkyspit ML-1 smoothie. :twothumbs:twothumbs:twothumbs

Thanks again Scott, it's awesome. I'll take some pictures later.


----------



## afraidofdark

Reading back through the heroic ML1 mythology, I was totally taken by the description of the ML1 Amber prototype, as well as Msaxatilus' review: More Milky Goodness: Milky L1 Amber/Milky Illuminator!!! 

Milky, can you build another ML1 with a Lux III F6F Amber? And do you have any of the old-style L1 hosts still available, the ones that you mention in post #*194*? :thanks:


----------



## milkyspit

afraidofdark said:


> Reading back through the heroic ML1 mythology, I was totally taken by the description of the ML1 Amber prototype, as well as Msaxatilus' review: More Milky Goodness: Milky L1 Amber/Milky Illuminator!!!
> 
> Milky, can you build another ML1 with a Lux III F6F Amber? And do you have any of the old-style L1 hosts still available, the ones that you mention in post #*194*? :thanks:



Dark, I can build something similar. The Lux3 Amber aren't always that easy to get a hold of... I'm out of the F6F bin but DO have a few D4F bin that have been performing nicely. As for the old-style L1 host, I'm out at present but should be receiving one in the next week or so... I also have a hybrid L1, one with the old-style body with four flat sides and the newer-style head that looks similar to a KL4 head. If any of the above works for you, send me PM and I'd be glad to build something to your specs.
:thumbsup:


----------



## afraidofdark

I appreciate the Amber information, PM sent!


----------



## litew8

Scott modified a new style L-1 for me, with reflector and lens. I really disliked the old optics , i couldn't be happier with the way it turned out. After getting it back a put the head on a old style body, [four square sides] and made it even better, fits perfectly in my hand. Thanks again Scott. Al


----------



## milkyspit

*[size=+1]Quick Question[/size]* :thinking:

Folks, quick question... I'm out of old-style L1 hosts at present but it looks like I can get another batch of 10 for more Milky L1 builds... trouble being, I would need to PREPAY for ALL the hosts... trying to figure out whether there's enough interest for me to take that plunge without taking a financial bath! My family depends on this income (from Milky L1 and all my other builds) so I need to be careful about this sort of decision.

Any thoughts? Anybody ready to step up to the plate with an order? If I get enough preorders, I'll go ahead and order the hosts. Lead time to receive them and turn 'em into ML1 would be perhaps two weeks from the time I would pay for them.

Need some help here, guys. Many thanks. :bow:


----------



## cue003

Milky, what can be done, if anything, to the new SF L1 Cree to improve upon it?

Curtis


----------



## cue003

Could a modded Milky L1 head (old-old style since the head seems smaller) work with the new L1-Cree Circuit. I figure with the shorter L1 modded milky style head and the new shorter L1-cree body that a winner maybe in the making.

As mentioned above, also curious what suggestion will be made for simply improving upon a L1-Cree setup.

Last question... Is the body section the same length for the old-old style L1 vs. the new Cree based L1 body?

Thanks


----------



## milkyspit

cue003 said:


> Could a modded Milky L1 head (old-old style since the head seems smaller) work with the new L1-Cree Circuit. I figure with the shorter L1 modded milky style head and the new shorter L1-cree body that a winner maybe in the making.
> 
> As mentioned above, also curious what suggestion will be made for simply improving upon a L1-Cree setup.
> 
> Last question... Is the body section the same length for the old-old style L1 vs. the new Cree based L1 body?
> 
> Thanks



*Could a modded Milky L1 head (old-old style since the head seems smaller) work with the new L1-Cree Circuit. I figure with the shorter L1 modded milky style head and the new shorter L1-cree body that a winner maybe in the making.*

Cue, yes, that could potentially work. The Cree typically needs a deep reflector and there's less height in the old-style head, so the beam would be more floody.

*As mentioned above, also curious what suggestion will be made for simply improving upon a L1-Cree setup.*

A couple things that come immediately to mind would be replacing the stock emitter with something higher flux... and possibly replacing the optic with a suitable reflector. The Cree L1 seems pretty decent but there does still seem room to make a good thing better.

It's worth noting that a typical Milky L1 in old-style (four flats) body will generate at least as much overall output as the latest Cree-based L1.

*Last question... Is the body section the same length for the old-old style L1 vs. the new Cree based L1 body?*

The body of the L1-Cree is the shortest of all generations of stock L1, but the original head is the shortest head... so overall, the original four-flats L1 and the L1-Cree are very close to one another in overall length.


----------



## jch79

milkyspit said:


> *[size=+1]Quick Question[/size]* :thinking:
> 
> Anybody ready to step up to the plate with an order? If I get enough preorders, I'll go ahead and order the hosts. Lead time to receive them and turn 'em into ML1 would be perhaps two weeks from the time I would pay for them.



I'm in for one, as you already know. 

john


----------



## milkyspit

jch79 said:


> I'm in for one, as you already know.
> 
> john




John, noted! 

BTW, you might want to check your mail on Monday or Tuesday...


----------



## XFlash

Milky do I need to check my mailbox soon?
Thanks for your time.
Tim


----------



## jch79

milkyspit said:


> John, noted!
> 
> BTW, you might want to check your mail on Monday or Tuesday...



 :shrug: :rock:


----------



## aggiegrads

Scott, I sent you a PM last Tuesday (31st) asking for a quote. Let me know if you did not get it and I will re-send. I'm sure you are swamped.


Thanks,
Steven


----------



## milkyspit

aggiegrads said:


> Scott, I sent you a PM last Tuesday (31st) asking for a quote. Let me know if you did not get it and I will re-send. I'm sure you are swamped.
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> Steven



Steven, swamped? A little, but working through it. I tend to prioritize builds over correspondence in hopes of getting folks' lights back to them sooner rather than later, though I'll never claim to be perfect even at that.

Found your PM, will get back to you shortly.


----------



## aggiegrads

milkyspit said:


> Steven, swamped? A little, but working through it. I tend to prioritize builds over correspondence in hopes of getting folks' lights back to them sooner rather than later, though I'll never claim to be perfect even at that.
> 
> Found your PM, will get back to you shortly.


Thanks, and I understand you choice of priorities. Look forward to seeing your work.

-Steven


----------



## Thujone

I sent a PM for a quote also, glad to hear you're busy. Its a sign you are doing something right!


----------



## milkyspit

Thujone said:


> Its a sign you are doing something right!




Thanks. I certainly hope so! :sweat:


----------



## milkyspit

Just updated post #1 with some of the more recent info along with the selection checklist... thought it might make this thread easier to work through for new folks.


----------



## aggiegrads

milkyspit said:


> Just updated post #1 with some of the more recent info along with the selection checklist... thought it might make this thread easier to work through for new folks.


Thanks for the update. Is the price for an ML1 the same for for only an emitter upgrade if keeping the TIR optic?


----------



## Mad1

Scott have you hidden another battery in my ML-1? Because i've used this light for a little over a month now and it's still on the same cell. With my old L1 i can remember it used 2 cells per month with the same usage. :laughing:

I feel the urge to buy a floodmaster comming on... must... resist... flat broke!!!


----------



## milkyspit

aggiegrads said:


> Thanks for the update. Is the price for an ML1 the same for for only an emitter upgrade if keeping the TIR optic?




It's about the same either way.


----------



## milkyspit

Mad1 said:


> Scott have you hidden another battery in my ML-1? Because i've used this light for a little over a month now and it's still on the same cell. With my old L1 i can remember it used 2 cells per month with the same usage. :laughing:
> 
> I feel the urge to buy a floodmaster comming on... must... resist... flat broke!!!




Thanks! 

That's one of the cool things about the ML1 builds... the cell does tend to last longer in real-world terms, and it's not uncommon to find that you've been using the same cell for a month or more. One friend has told me he used the same cell in his for six months, despite using the light a little just about every day!

Floodmaster? I'd like to order some more four-flats L1 hosts before they're completely Unobtanium (getting close to that already), so the more the merrier... give me a shout ASAP, I'd love to build you that.


----------



## bondr006

So let me make sure I am clear on this. I have an L1 CREE. From what I understand....it can have a better emitter put in it, and can have the optic replaced with a reflector. Does this improve the overall performance and put out a nicer brighter beam with more usable spill? If so, I would be interested. Scott, could you please pm me with the information and pricing to have this done? Thanks.

Regards,

Rob bond


----------



## Supernam

Got my Floodmaster today. AWESOME!!!

The beam is phenomenal! I highly worshiped my Novatac when I got it, but DAMN... This thing has a far more useful beam for MOST of my uses especially living in modern suburban (read: well lit) city. 

I'll follow up with a full review with pics soon.


----------



## milkyspit

bondr006 said:


> So let me make sure I am clear on this. I have an L1 CREE. From what I understand....it can have a better emitter put in it, and can have the optic replaced with a reflector. Does this improve the overall performance and put out a nicer brighter beam with more usable spill? If so, I would be interested. Scott, could you please pm me with the information and pricing to have this done? Thanks.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Rob bond



Rob, that sounds right. The better-binned emitter will improve performance, no doubt about that... the reflector will likely improve beam quality over stock, and most folks seem to prefer the beam from a reflector... the hotspot will likely get smaller but sidespill will get brighter, so the sidespill may become more useful to you, especially at close distances. Give me a holler if this sounds of interest, I'd be glad to help.




Supernam said:


> Got my Floodmaster today. AWESOME!!!
> 
> The beam is phenomenal! I highly worshiped my Novatac when I got it, but DAMN... This thing has a far more useful beam for MOST of my uses especially living in modern suburban (read: well lit) city.
> 
> I'll follow up with a full review with pics soon.



Nam, very glad you like it! Keep me posted on the review, I look forward to checking it out.


----------



## bondr006

Scott,

I am interested. Could you please PM or email ([email protected]) me with the pricing details? Depending on the price, your response will help me make a decision to do this, or to just buy another light I have my eye on. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks.

Regards,

Rob Bond



milkyspit said:


> Rob, that sounds right. The better-binned emitter will improve performance, no doubt about that... the reflector will likely improve beam quality over stock, and most folks seem to prefer the beam from a reflector... the hotspot will likely get smaller but sidespill will get brighter, so the sidespill may become more useful to you, especially at close distances. Give me a holler if this sounds of interest, I'd be glad to help.





bondr006 said:


> So let me make sure I am clear on this. I have an L1 CREE. From what I understand....it can have a better emitter put in it, and can have the optic replaced with a reflector. Does this improve the overall performance and put out a nicer brighter beam with more usable spill? If so, I would be interested. Scott, could you please pm me with the information and pricing to have this done? Thanks.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Rob bond


----------



## bondr006

Hi Scott,

I am still waiting to hear from you. I am interested in having you mod my L1 as per above post. Please PM or email ([email protected]) me with the pricing details. Thanks.

Or you can call me to discuss the details. I PM'd you my phone number.

Regards,

Rob Bond


----------



## bondr006

This PM sent...

Hi Scott,

Could you please respond to me. I have an L1 I would like modded, and money to spend on it.

I am just waiting to hear from you. I am interested in having you mod my L1 as I posted in your thread. Please PM or email ([email protected]) me with the pricing details. Thanks.

Or you can call me to discuss the details. 

I want either a Q5 or latest Rebel emitter, LOP reflector, and UCL AR lens. Does this sound feasable? Will it improve performance and output over the stock CREE? I am looking for a good bright hot spot with good throw, and good usable spill. Please contact me and let me know, along with the pricing details. Thanks.

Regards,

Rob Bond


----------



## bondr006

Is there a better way to contact Scott? I have been trying to get him to do business with me for a week now. Scott....Please contact me. I have PM'd you, and posted here several times. I'd really like to get my L1 worked on. Thanks.

Edit: I would also like my L2 modded with a better emitter. Please contact me about what we can do and pricing for both. Sorry to sound so anxious, but I want my lights modded by the best. Thanks.


----------



## Mad1

Give it some time Scott is in high demand and hes probably swamped with projects. 

Try emailing him too if you havnt already.


----------



## bondr006

If I had his email address, I would. I don't mean to be anxious, but I'm a Flashaholic you know :laughing:



Mad1 said:


> Give it some time Scott is in high demand and hes probably swamped with projects.
> 
> Try emailing him too if you havnt already.


----------



## Mad1

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/member.php?u=899

Contact info on the right.
Email:
Send a message via email to milkyspit


----------



## bondr006

Thanks. I am quite familiar with that process, and I tried the email link. This is what I got...

"Sorry! That user has specified that they do not wish to receive emails. If you still wish to send an email to this user, please contact the administrator and they may be able to help."



Mad1 said:


> http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/member.php?u=899
> 
> Contact info on the right.
> Email:
> Send a message via email to milkyspit


----------



## Mad1

Oh well you'll just have to wait and see I guess. Scott is a top guy to deal with when you can actually get hold of him. :nana: :thumbsup:


----------



## bondr006

That's why I am so anxious to get him to work on my L1. BTW....I see you have an ML-1




*I WANT ONE TOO!!!!

*I'm thinking I want the LuxV replaced on my L2 also. Either with a good SSC or Rebel.


Mad1 said:


> Oh well you'll just have to wait and see I guess. Scott is a top guy to deal with when you can actually get hold of him. :nana: :thumbsup:


----------



## Supernam

Review and Beamshots HERE.


----------



## Cnote

Supernam said:


> Review and Beamshots HERE.


 
Very Nice Lights!


----------



## bondr006

Just sent my L1 and L2 out to Scott today. I already miss my babies. Getting an ML-1 Smoothie, and an ML-2 Power Monster(About 200 lumens of Pure White Sweet Delight). I can't wait.....

*[SIZE=+1]Milky L1 gen3 Smoothie[/SIZE]*

Seoul SSCP4 USWOH emitter, hand-tested for optimal L1 compatibility
Smooth 20mm reflector
Ultra-clear flat lens (if needed)
Tailcap resistance recalibrated as appropriate

*[SIZE=+1]Milky L2[/SIZE]*

Seoul SSCP4 USWOH emitter, hand-tested for optimal L2 compatibility
Circuit capsule rebuilt using SOB1000 regulator
Tailcap resistance recalibrated for good high/low beam ratio


----------



## whippoorwill

bondr006 said:


> Just sent my L1 and L2 out to Scott today. I already miss my babies. Getting an ML-1 Smoothie, and an ML-2 Power Monster(About 200 lumens of Pure White Sweet Delight). I can't wait.....
> 
> *[SIZE=+1]Milky L1 gen3 Smoothie[/SIZE]*
> 
> Seoul SSCP4 USWOH emitter, hand-tested for optimal L1 compatibility
> Smooth 20mm reflector
> Ultra-clear flat lens (if needed)
> Tailcap resistance recalibrated as appropriate
> 
> *[SIZE=+1]Milky L2[/SIZE]*
> 
> Seoul SSCP4 USWOH emitter, hand-tested for optimal L2 compatibility
> Circuit capsule rebuilt using SOB1000 regulator
> Tailcap resistance recalibrated for good high/low beam ratio


 
I'm glad you got up with Scott! Did you get my PM's. Talk to me about the L2 mod!


----------



## bondr006

Sent you PM.


----------



## Mad1

Indeed, glad to hear you got it sorted. 

I love my ML-1 Smoothie it's the best light i've got.


----------



## milkyspit

bondr006 said:


> Just sent my L1 and L2 out to Scott today. I already miss my babies. Getting an ML-1 Smoothie, and an ML-2 Power Monster(About 200 lumens of Pure White Sweet Delight). I can't wait.....
> 
> *[SIZE=+1]Milky L1 gen3 Smoothie[/SIZE]*
> 
> Seoul SSCP4 USWOH emitter, hand-tested for optimal L1 compatibility
> Smooth 20mm reflector
> Ultra-clear flat lens (if needed)
> Tailcap resistance recalibrated as appropriate
> 
> *[SIZE=+1]Milky L2[/SIZE]*
> 
> Seoul SSCP4 USWOH emitter, hand-tested for optimal L2 compatibility
> Circuit capsule rebuilt using SOB1000 regulator
> Tailcap resistance recalibrated for good high/low beam ratio




Uh... that POWER MONSTER mention is NOT an officially sanctioned Milky name! oo: :shakehead 

Seriously, was a pleasure speaking with Bondr006 at length this morning... great guy... and I'm looking forward to working on his lights.

Whippoorwill, there's a thread posted by Skalomax a while back where he describes a very similar light I'd built for him... then in true Skalomax fashion, he proceeds to sell it! (For the unaware: Skalo has a bit of a reputation for working his way through large quantities of lights, er, very rapidly.) 

Skalo's thread is *over here*.


----------



## bondr006

Thanks Scott. It was certainly a pleasure to talk to you also. I am looking forward to using the work you are going to do on my lights...





BTW....I think Power Monster is a good name...



200 lumens from an L2



:duck: Does it get any better than that???


----------



## aggiegrads

Scott, I would love to send you money too! Just tell me where to send my light! I sent you a PM July 31st (followed up 8/15) and a follow up e-mail 9/4. If you're not taking new customers, just tell me and I'll find something else to drool over.


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## milkyspit

aggiegrads said:


> Scott, I would love to send you money too! Just tell me where to send my light! I sent you a PM July 31st (followed up 8/15) and a follow up e-mail 9/4. If you're not taking new customers, just tell me and I'll find something else to drool over.




Aggiegrads, yes, I certainly am accepting new customers! You've waited far too long for a reply from me, and I'd like to publicly apologize for that. PM sent a few moments ago, PM or call me, whichever is easier. Thanks for hanging in there... wow! :bow:


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## aggiegrads

milkyspit said:


> Aggiegrads, yes, I certainly am accepting new customers! You've waited far too long for a reply from me, and I'd like to publicly apologize for that. PM sent a few moments ago, PM or call me, whichever is easier. Thanks for hanging in there... wow! :bow:


No worries.  My light is on the way. I can't wait! :rock:


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## claren

Hiya Milky.

Confused about something; Floodmaster possible with New, short version of L1??


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## scottaw

Hey Milky, are there any more old style L1's around? Im considering a whole light, but i have a stock old L1 here i could have you mod too, but it's kinda beat up and i'd like something prettier.


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## milkyspit

scottaw said:


> Hey Milky, are there any more old style L1's around? Im considering a whole light, but i have a stock old L1 here i could have you mod too, but it's kinda beat up and i'd like something prettier.



Scottaw, *YES!* Just last night I confirmed a nifty little coup, got *10x L1 old-style (four-flats)* hosts on their way to me... should arrive sometime next week. As usual, first come, first served! Your timing is great, and yes, I definitely have an L1 host we can use for your build, assuming you place your order sometime in the near future. :thumbsup:



claren said:


> Hiya Milky.
> 
> Confused about something; Floodmaster possible with New, short version of L1??



Claren, yes, the Floodmaster should be possible with the new, short version of L1, though probably not with the stock emitter... one way to handle would be to replace the emitter and optic with a Seoul SSCP4 emitter plus Floodmaster reflector... the full-sized 20mm reflector ought to fit in that head... the other way might be to replace the head entirely with a Floodmaster head built from an L1gen2 host, that would allow you to keep the stock head to swap back and forth as you wish. Pricing would depend on how many pieces I might need to find to get your mod done, let me know if you have interest in this and we can take things from there.


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## SCblur

Scott, how much of a lumen upgrade do you think is possible by simply replacing the emitter in the new short L1 with an SSC P4. Would a P4 work with that optic, or would you recommend a reflector?

Thanks,
Josh


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## Groundhog66

SCblur said:


> Scott, how much of a lumen upgrade do you think is possible by simply replacing the emitter in the new short L1 with an SSC P4. Would a P4 work with that optic, or would you recommend a reflector?
> 
> Thanks,
> Josh




Reflector will give you a smoother beam I think


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## milkyspit

SCblur said:


> Scott, how much of a lumen upgrade do you think is possible by simply replacing the emitter in the new short L1 with an SSC P4. Would a P4 work with that optic, or would you recommend a reflector?
> 
> Thanks,
> Josh



Josh, a reflector would most definitely offer a smoother beam, plus allow for some other options in terms of the actual beam geometry... one example might be an intense hotspot combined with medium-radius but very intense, even sidespill... another might be a very soft hotspot coupled with super smooth area flood.

As far as brightness, right now the Seoul SSCP4 parts won't be all that much brighter... they'll probably be a little brighter though. When Seoul releases the successor to the SSCP4, which I've heard might happen anytime toward the end of this year, or perhaps January or February of next year, we'll be in a great position to deliver the above advantages of a reflectored light AND bump up the brightness quite a bit more, too. :naughty:

Hope this helps.


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## SCblur

Thanks Scott, for the reply. I think I'll buy a new L1 and wait for the new offerings from Seol. A question for you in the meantime: I have a original bodied ML1 with a P4, and the ML1X I bought from Skalomax on its way to me now. Can I safely swap the heads back and forth between the lights?

Thanks,
Josh


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## elt1

Hi Scott,
If you still have any ML1s not spoken for I'd be thrilled to pay you for one.
Let me know!
PM sent
Cheers
Eugene


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## skalomax

SCblur said:


> Thanks Scott, for the reply. I think I'll buy a new L1 and wait for the new offerings from Seol. A question for you in the meantime: I have a original bodied ML1 with a P4, and the ML1X I bought from Skalomax on its way to me now. Can I safely swap the heads back and forth between the lights?
> 
> Thanks,
> Josh


 
Still haven't received It??

I sent that out Wednesday Via Priority.

Sorry, damn USPS


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## SCblur

Nope, haven't seen it yet. It will probaly show up today, I'll keep you posted. 
USPS: Our fine government-run monopoly at its finest!


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## MarNav1

I vote the ML1 as Light of the Decade!


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## lightsandknives

Scott:

Any word on mine? Did you find the money order?

thanks
Jerry


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## DDS

Scott: PM sent to place order for a Floodmaster.
Thanks, Dave


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## milkyspit

*[size=+1]L1 (with some friends) Lineup[/size]*

Thought this photo might be of some interest in understanding the relative size of various L1 variants and some close cousins...


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## russtang

milkyspit said:


> *[SIZE=+1]L1 (with some friends) Lineup[/SIZE]*
> 
> Thought this photo might be of some interest in understanding the relative size of various L1 variants and some close cousins...


 
Scott, could you give the details on the "Headless L1"


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## milkyspit

russtang said:


> Scott, could you give the details on the "Headless L1"




Russ, the 'Headless L1' is a one-of-a-kind prototype for which I'd come up with the concept quite some time ago, and Chop had machined the prototype delrin bezel. The light drives a Cree XRE-Q4WC hard using a MM+ driver for high beam output around 165-185 lumens, with runtime in high beam of about an hour, and low beam runtime of dozens of hours (haven't really been patient enough to do a full low beam runtime test). Reflector is a shortened McR17xr, and lens is mineral glass. The light remains fully o-ring sealed for weatherproofness, and still provides the usual dual brightness capabilities, plus it still runs on a single 123 cell... both primary and rechargeable are fine.

As for saleability... I haven't ever posted that one for sale, but suppose it's eventually going to be sold, so if you're got a burning need send PM. When it's gone, it's gone! First come, first served.

If it happens to be a popular concept, I suppose we could always get a small batch of custom parts assembled for a run. Hmm... :thinking:


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## Groundhog66

Pencil me in for #1


:wave:


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## AzGB

Yea, I'm shocked. :kiss:



Groundhog66 said:


> Pencil me in for #1
> 
> 
> :wave:


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## milkyspit

Continued in part 2... link above, as well as in the first post of this thread.

Moderators, please close this thread.


Link corrected


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