# What happened to all the Maglite modders?



## kcdunn1 (Mar 13, 2012)

I havent been on this site in several years, since i did my ROP mod, but i seem to remember alot more Maglite modders than i am seeing now. If Maglites have been put on the back burner, what took its place and why?


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## Ctechlite (Mar 13, 2012)

Surefire C series lamp assembly led dropins, aka p60 dropins IMO is what has replaced the mag mods you are talking about. 

They seem to be much easier and less expensive.


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## kcdunn1 (Mar 14, 2012)

oh ok. i guess i will have to look into it. i have several surefire flashlights and i love them, but ill always have a soft spot for maglites.


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## chewy78 (Mar 15, 2012)

those surefires and their p60 compatible clones are sure fun to modify , cheap and easy.


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## missionaryman (Mar 19, 2012)

Those and the plethora of LED drop in choices for Maglites, a few years ago if you wanted more than about 200 lumens you went for an Incan and the easiest and cheapest host was the Maglite. 
I do miss the early days of paper burning, reflector melting, battery destroying Incan hotwires that you needed an oven mitt to hold on to them with. Now it's all just too easy and no one rally has to push the limits any more.


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## T45 (Mar 19, 2012)

Is is true that Gene Malkoff used to offer tri and quad emitter modifications for maglites? I would like to see some of those if anyone still has pictures.


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## sadtimes (Mar 23, 2012)

I still mod the mags... The SST 90 is a great one!


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## ma_sha1 (Mar 23, 2012)

P60 is too small to have any real throw, I love mag Mods, 
I've done many mag mod that pushed limits, here is a list of my Franken mag series, theses are a bit crazy, I believe I hold the CPF Throw record on Mag mods.

However, there are more normal mag mods in my signature

#1: *Franken MagDEFT* SST-50 *>115,000 Lux @ 1 Meter* 
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=268894
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=273289

#2: *Enter the Franken MagDragon* SST-50, *~125,000 [email protected] 1 meter*
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=280670 

#3: *Franken Mag Shorty XML U2, *3" reflector,* 127,000 [email protected] 1meter*
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...00-lux-1-meter

#4*: Franken MagDragon Jr. *Cree R2 *221,000lux @ 1 meter*
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=288704

#5: *Franken Mag spotlight*:* The LED Torpedo >300,000 [email protected] *
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=298347*
*
#6: *Franken MagDaddy *PAR46 HIR: *>400,000 lux @ 1 meter*
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=289329 

#7: *Franken Mag Short Arc NHII* *flashlight ~500,000 lux @ 1 meter*
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?313112


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## ToyTank (Mar 25, 2012)

I haven't used a mag in years but bought one of the Malkoff drop-ins for an old 3D and was quite impressed by the throw. I think for throw mag mods are better than any P60 or other pocket sized lights. My Thrunite Scorpion V2 with turbo head is a decent thrower but no match even for a newer stock Magled let alone a malkoff drop in.


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## brandocommando (Mar 25, 2012)

I was just recently turned on to modded Maglights, and I just finished 2 of them!!!

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?335655-A-couple-Mag-mods-with-modded-SB-drivers.

Fun projects...


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## LuxLuthor (Mar 25, 2012)

We are rebelling after they changed the switch removal set screw from 5/64th inch allen wrench, to a Torx 7 or 8 long wrench without asking us.


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## LEDninja (Mar 27, 2012)

missionaryman said:


> ... a few years ago if you wanted more than about 200 lumens you went for an Incan and the easiest and cheapest host was the Maglite ...


The Mini Maglite Pro is 226 lumens and the Pro+ is 245 lumens or 25% of that. $25.49 and $28.99. Stock. No need to mod anymore unless you like the incan tint.

For brighter there is a lot of 3*XM-L lights that push 3000 lumens. Can not focus them to set fire to things which is good.


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## LuxLuthor (Mar 28, 2012)

LEDninja said:


> Can not focus them to set fire to things which is good.



Notice all the assumptions, including that incan performance is solely limited to a "tint" issue rather than the full multitude of CRI rendering. But the mother of all assumptions is it being good not to be able to have an LED scramble eggs.

A comparable assumption: Since Toyota has the "iQ Concept," or Mercedes has its "Smart For Two" cars, there is no purpose in wanting a 12 mpg, 4th generation Viper.

LED Jockeys will never get it.


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## Mikeg23 (Mar 28, 2012)

That post made me smile... This whole thread has been irritating me for over a week. The Incan forum doesn't see a lot of traffic and I keep clicking on this thread thinking I'm gonna read something about a hotwire.


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## Ragnar66 (Mar 29, 2012)

My favorite light is my maglite with the terra lux 1000 lumen 3d with the bezel and window break cap. Love it.


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## SLOCIVIC (Apr 7, 2012)

I have a few Mags laying around that need some love!


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## Colonel Sanders (Apr 24, 2012)

You know, after a foray into LEDs, HIDs, and now a short arc....I find myself now leaning back towards incans...but this time I want to make 'em regulated. Yep, I sure would love to do a regulated [email protected] and FM1909. All I need now is...well, the regulator! After that would be a regulated 64458 (again, all I lack is the regulator....hint, hint, JimmyM!)


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## Quest4fire (May 1, 2012)

My go to, around-the-house, light is a 3D mag with an AW soft start multi-mode incan driver with a "Poor mans FM 1909" Hikari bulb driven by three 26650's. Nice and floody. Color rendition? It's a given. Ain't nuthin' like the real thing baby! 

My "12 mpg, 4th generation Vipers" may spend more time in the garage (Shelf), but when I take em out for a spin, *everyone* knows it. They have a way of banishing the darkness.


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## JimmyM (May 17, 2012)

Colonel Sanders said:


> You know, after a foray into LEDs, HIDs, and now a short arc....I find myself now leaning back towards incans...but this time I want to make 'em regulated. Yep, I sure would love to do a regulated [email protected] and FM1909. All I need now is...well, the regulator! After that would be a regulated 64458 (again, all I lack is the regulator....hint, hint, JimmyM!)


I hear ya Colonel. I hear ya. I've gotta get my a** back in gear. I've got the boards and now need to buy the components. Some are no longer in stock at digikey so I have to shop around a bit.


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## fyrstormer (May 17, 2012)

People discovered modular flashlights with type-3 hard anodizing (or even better, solid titanium shells), and suddenly Maglites don't really look like they're worth the trouble anymore.


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## Colonel Sanders (May 18, 2012)

Yeah, well, I still ride my 'ole '73 Harley Superglide every now and then. It's uncomfortable, impractical, it shakes, vibrates, and buzzes. Things fall off of it now and then and sometimes it just quits running for no unforeseen reason....BUT...I wouldn't sell it for anything! Man does that bike ever sound cool. It just does something for me that many would never understand.



fyrstormer said:


> People discovered modular flashlights with type-3 hard anodizing (or even better, solid titanium shells), and suddenly Maglites don't really look like they're worth the trouble anymore.


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## Colonel Sanders (May 18, 2012)

JimmyM said:


> I hear ya Colonel. I hear ya. I've gotta get my a** back in gear. I've got the boards and now need to buy the components. Some are no longer in stock at digikey so I have to shop around a bit.



Get to shopping!


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## fyrstormer (May 18, 2012)

Colonel Sanders said:


> Yeah, well, I still ride my 'ole '73 Harley Superglide every now and then. It's uncomfortable, impractical, it shakes, vibrates, and buzzes. Things fall off of it now and then and sometimes it just quits running for no unforeseen reason....BUT...I wouldn't sell it for anything! Man does that bike ever sound cool. It just does something for me that many would never understand.


If it were my bike I'd start shopping for upgrade parts to fix the problems with it. There have to be some available now.


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## F250XLT (May 18, 2012)

fyrstormer said:


> If it were my bike I'd start shopping for upgrade parts to fix the problems with it. There have to be some available now.



I think you're missing his point, sometimes a classic just needs to stay a classic.


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## Colonel Sanders (May 18, 2012)

Right! And besides, if you could actually fix all the problems this old Harley has, it wouldn't be the bike it was when new (do understand, they had these problems right off the showroom floor back then!) It would lose all of it's personality if it ran like my newer bikes. I just love it for what it is, faults and all. :thumbsup:


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## fyrstormer (Jun 6, 2012)

F250XLT said:


> I think you're missing his point, sometimes a classic just needs to stay a classic.


No it doesn't.  Classics go by other names too; my favorite is "prototype".


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## Quest4fire (Jun 8, 2012)

> sometimes a classic just needs to stay a classic.



The Harley, yes. The [email protected], No. Without modding in some way, the [email protected] is an over engineered, under performing aluminum tube.
A late 60's early 70's muscle car on the other hand: Add modern tires, rims, brakes, suspension, A/C and sound system and you have a car that is actually enjoyable to drive.


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## Old-Lumens (Jun 8, 2012)

kcdunn1 said:


> I havent been on this site in several years, since i did my ROP mod, but i seem to remember alot more Maglite modders than i am seeing now. If Maglites have been put on the back burner, what took its place and why?


 I think all the changes in high powered LEDs pretty much did away with Incan mods and I think the massive flood of $15-$25 XM-L T6 Chinese lights pretty much did away with Maglites. Even though most all of those "budget" chinese lights are junk, they are "CHEAP" and that's exactly what the world has been taught to do, "buy cheap" and "throw it away", when it don't work! 




LuxLuthor said:


> Notice all the assumptions, including that incan performance is solely limited to a "tint" issue rather than the full multitude of CRI rendering. But the mother of all assumptions is it being good not to be able to have an LED scramble eggs.
> 
> A comparable assumption: Since Toyota has the "iQ Concept," or Mercedes has its "Smart For Two" cars, there is no purpose in wanting a 12 mpg, 4th generation Viper.
> 
> LED Jockeys will never get it.


 LuxLuthor, I love to read your posts, makes me smile quite often. 
I've gone over to LED and I can't say I'm sorry either. I still mod maglites, because I grew up on them and I still love the looks of them compared to the flood of junk, but I put LEDs into them because I really love the look of a good cool white bordering on neutral white. My old eyes could care less about CRI rendering. Hell, I can't even focus half the time, let alone worry about color rendering! LED gives so many "flavors" I just can't resist.


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## JimmyM (Jul 20, 2012)

Colonel Sanders said:


> Get to shopping!


OK. Here it is.
Batch 2 of the D1 regulators is now available HERE.
This will be the last batch for a long time, if ever. So get 'em while they're hot.


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## jmpaul320 (Jul 23, 2012)

To answer the initial thread question I am almost done acquiring parts for 4 possibly 5 diff mag builds. I will take photos and post details once they are completed.


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## Hoop (Jul 27, 2012)

After recently building a larryk14 I am really looking forward to more incan builds. To get the kind of throw and lumens you can get from an incan you need a serious array of leds. I have an Olight SR-90 and it's quite a wonderful utility item, but after seeing what an incan is capable of, in both lumens output and color quality/tint/CRI, I fail to see why more people aren't building incans in the custom/homemade lights forum.

I am not sure I find the "wall of light" of mag mods particularly useful though, and so I think I will be making scratch build hotwire hosts with DCC coated electroformed reflectors. I might build a regulated mag85 though.


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## morelightnow (Aug 24, 2012)

I still enjoy my 5761 hotwire as much as my leds, it just cost more to operate and only last 20 minutes. I've always wanted to build it in regulated form, but other lights came first. Sounds like now is the time to go for it.


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## JimmyM (Aug 25, 2012)

morelightnow said:


> I still enjoy my 5761 hotwire as much as my leds, it just cost more to operate and only last 20 minutes. I've always wanted to build it in regulated form, but other lights came first. Sounds like now is the time to go for it.


My favorite light is the 5761 run at ~7.15V from 3 LiIon D cells (32600). Run time is great. 3 levels.


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## LumensMaximus (Sep 26, 2012)

Withdrawn and moved to different post :wave:


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## jellydonut (Sep 27, 2012)

LEDninja said:


> The Mini Maglite Pro is 226 lumens and the Pro+ is 245 lumens or 25% of that. $25.49 and $28.99. Stock. No need to mod anymore unless you like the incan tint.
> 
> For brighter there is a lot of 3*XM-L lights that push 3000 lumens. Can not focus them to set fire to things which is good.



A light with 3 XM-Ls might match the lumens output of a hotwire, but it won't light up anything past your house.

The main advantage of a hotwire is surface brightness/focusing/throw.. Next follows CRI/tint. Then, heat tolerance.


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