# Match's Mods: The 4M - worlds brightest mini-mag (for now)



## Match (Dec 12, 2012)

Gentlemen,
 A quick introduction: I'm Match, which is a nickname I've had for years...(my real name is Tim). Somehow I got into modding lights a few years ago, and haven't stopped since. Although I don't post here often, I thought I'd share the latest build. The following mod is the result of hours of work, and minutes of forethought... Mini-Maglites, after 28 years (first introduced in 1984), they're still all the rage as the foundation of modding. There's a decent reason for this too...and that's mainly nostalgia, for there are much better options currently available. No modern light however is as recognizable as the good 'ol 2xAA mini-mag...






What we have here is a stock(ish) 2xAA led mini-maglite that has been modified with a Cree MT-G2 running @ 3amps(emitter) off of two IMR 14500's. Let's get into the build:
We start off with by turning a brass base for the pill. Due to the driver being double sided and this mag mod needed to contact the negative on the base, I had to make the pill base cover the bottom chips. Since it is exactly like the one I made recently for the triple nichia MM, along with the same buck driver, I'm going to use that photo:










Where this pill differs from the previous one is in the top copper heatsink base. Due to the amount of impending heat from the emitter, I elected to make it another 3mm thicker for a total of 6mm (3mm of it is recessed inside the brass pill). It is also flared out at the top, so the copper contacts the head of the mag exactly like the brass base. It took a bit of lapping to ensure it all fit properly, but the results were worth it. Here is the fully assembled pill (pre-lapped):






I really wanted to use a regular mini-mag host to avoid unnecessary length (more on that later), but there was no way I could bore the head to fit the pill/reflector and still have any threads left for operation. Lucky for me I had an old first gen led MM laying around unloved. The led heads are much longer, and allow for more room inside once bored. Speaking of which, here's a shot of the milled head with the pill installed:






At first I though about making this light a straight mule (i.e. no reflector), but then realized I would have enough room in the led head for a cut down stock incan relfector. It took quite a bit of cutting, drilling, sanding to get the hole wide enough, but ended up working out quite well. Please note, despite having a reflector the light is still very floody. There are a few very small artifacts in the beam only notiable on a white wall. Despite this, I may go back and stipple the reflector (haven't decided yet). Here's the head completed with reflector and a 20mm AR coated glass lens:






Check out that well centered led, LOL!!! Notice the 4 small lines coming out from the center of the emitter in the photo above in the shape of a cross or X....these are actually on the emitter dome as delivered, and I assume it's part of Cree's molding process.
Due to the excess length left over in the body after removing the stock led pill, I elected to cut down the body. This not only saves me quite a bit of length, but also allows for one of those fitted brass tailcaps that I love so well (which will be getting a clip). Here's the milled tailcap, along with the spring ready to be installed:






Normally led MM's are a bit longer than their incan contemporaries... However, after the tailcap mod things have changed as seen below against a stock incan MM:






And of course some glamour shots of the completed light itself:










Notice the small gap in the above pic between the bezel and the head. This is due to the glass AR lens being much thicker than the plastic stock one. The only thing that gap is hurting is my sense of taste and design, so I'll have to go back and remedy it.
Now for some beamshots. The only light I have charged and ready to go that will even come close to this is my Mechanical. I also threw the two eagletacs in for good measure just to give an idea on the light output.
Here are the contenders:










The shots are taken in my usual spot in my back yard. The distance to the tree house is 36m and the trees beyond are 40m. Again, this light is a flooder, and only able to throw that far due to sheer horsepower. Since I can't post mouseover shots here, I'll just list them:


























The final numbers for this lights OTF output come out to:
High- 1820L
Med -492L
Low -71.1L
*About this mod's name: Silly, I know, but I figured this build was unique enough to warrant it. The 4M stands for the *M*other of all *M*ini-*M*ag *M*ods. For now, this is the brightest mini mag in the world. If there's one out there currently brighter, I'll happily change the name of this light to "Match's Sloppy Seconds". I also considered the "WTF MM mod"....wtf obviously standing for:
-Wow, That's Fantastic or...
-Why's That on Fire? or...
- What's this For?!? or...
you get the idea.
*Final thoughts:*
- The driver is the same KD 3mode buck driver that I've used in previous mods, and handles the 6v emitter easily. In fact, I noticed the driver didn't get as warm as when driving a single xml or triple xpg's. The mode memory works perfectly.
- Despite Cree listing this emitter as a Cool White (5000k), it is one of the most pleasant NW's I've seen.
- Yes, the head gets pretty darn hot on high, but low and medium are quite useful.
- The beam is wide enough to allow for perfect peripheral vision withough having to move the light around much.
- Tailcap current is ~ 2.6amps, so I'd consider this an IMR 14500 proposition only.
- The output of this light and my Mechanical are very similar (~60L delta), but a noticeable beam pattern difference. The quad xpg2 with carclo optics definately throw a bit farther.
- There will have to be a drastic increase in led efficiency/output before any substantial output gains can be had in this form factor. The gauntlet has been thrown down...come and unseat the champ (pretentious as hell, I know, but I'd really like to see someone make a brighter mini-mag). Without the reflector and in pure mule form, it would be ~2,100L - but mules are meh... 
- This mod has been brought to you by _Grey Goose_ and the letter "eleventeen"
As always, thanks for reading
-Match


----------



## Gunner12 (Dec 12, 2012)

Really nice mod Match! Makes me wish for a lathe or some hind of machining equipment.

The XM-L2s are out, it'll be really cool to see one of those at ~5A in a Minimag .


----------



## Thr3Evo (Dec 12, 2012)

Once again, great work. :thumbup: You and those minis were ment to be. 
And thanks once again for posting and sharing.


----------



## Thr3Evo (Dec 12, 2012)

Gunner12 said:


> The XM-L2s are out, it'll be really cool to see one of those at ~5A in a Minimag .



To double as hand warmers in the winter... Haha, okay ill take one tho


----------



## Match (Dec 12, 2012)

Thanks for the nice comments, guys...

XML2's...yes, as soon as they're released I'm going to order a few and run them through my emitter test. Honestly though, the lumen increase may only be modest, but I'm hoping the lux will increase like the xpg2's and xpe2's did. Other than that, the xml2 won't be unseating the MT-G2 in sheer lumens.


----------



## Kestrel (Dec 12, 2012)

Very nice. 1800+ lumens from a MiniMag, I'm thinking that is a CPF record? :huh:

BTW, from what I hear, we can't expect the XM-L2 lux to increase as substantially as the XP-G2's did - apparently the viewing angle did not change for this emitter revision.
Cree XM-L2 Finally announced


----------



## tobrien (Dec 12, 2012)

that is awesome work bud!


----------



## Mattaus (Dec 12, 2012)

Man...when I saw you got hold of an MTG2 I would NEVER have guessed you were going to put it in a mini-mag. That's nuts...I love it!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Anion (Dec 12, 2012)

Holly C*** that's BRIGHT. I have a mini mag with 3 led's but this is crazy bright. great work! btw do you sell these?


----------



## Bullzeyebill (Dec 12, 2012)

Anion said:


> Holly C*** that's BRIGHT. I have a mini mag with 3 led's but this is crazy bright. great work! btw do you sell these?



It would be good if you sold your 2AA mini-mag mod. Post in CMF BST in this forum if you do. :thumbsup:

Bill


----------



## Match (Dec 13, 2012)

Thanks for the nice compliments, folks.

Bullzeyebill,

I don't know, this is kind of a niche light... I wouldn't think there'd be much interest other than a "mines brighter than yours" kind of deal. Having said that, I've been carrying it the last day turning it on any chance I get and giggling like a just-been-kissed schoolgirl due to the disturbing amount of light :laughing: . If I did decide to sell, it would be a small run of lights or possibly just this one due to being rather tedious to make... 

-Match


----------



## Match (Dec 13, 2012)

Btw, here's a few more beamshots. I took these using the timer on the DSLR so I could walk a few feet in front for the pic. Despite turning the exposure down for some odd reason ( I'm not a camera guy), these shots really show off the entire beam profile a bit better. Same lights as above in the same order of appearance:






















Thanks for reading,
-Match


----------



## tam17 (Dec 13, 2012)

Great mod. A true "sleeper" flashlight (in the most positive sense of the word).

I salute you, Sir!

Cheers


----------



## CarpentryHero (Jan 31, 2013)

Holy cow, awesome work Match


----------



## jason 77 (Apr 26, 2013)

Hey Match, I tried searching your other posts but couldn't find one listing which driver from KD you used? could you please list what sku# it is?


----------



## staffyman (Apr 27, 2013)

I absolutetly love this!

Far beyond my skills though.

Once I've taught myself to solder though, who knows?


----------



## hatedsoul (Jul 23, 2013)

Bump.

I love this mod. I recently modded my own minimag (using Match's 15min instructions) for a p60 and worked out well considering how ugly the the craftsmanship was. Now that I've seen this I want that MT-G2 in mine. Who sells them?

Kyle


----------



## jason 77 (Jul 24, 2013)

I got mine from cutter.com.au they have them mounted on 20mm stars...


----------



## hatedsoul (Jul 24, 2013)

I'm still pretty new at modding. Considering the hack job I did to my minimag, I think I'm better off buying a drop in from someone, instead of doing it myself.


----------



## ThirstyTurtle (Mar 7, 2014)

hatedsoul said:


> Bump.
> 
> I love this mod. I recently modded my own minimag (using Match's 15min instructions) for a p60 and worked out well considering how ugly the the craftsmanship was. Now that I've seen this I want that MT-G2 in mine. Who sells them?
> 
> Kyle



Vinhnguyen54 sells a MT-G2 P60:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...rightest-Regulated-M2500-P60-LED-(Beam-Shots)

It's $100 and you could take the reflector off and put it in your modded mini-mag I think.


----------



## medic265 (Mar 9, 2014)

That's an awesome little light!!! Mini-mags are my favorite!!


----------

