My First Handheld!

[Wolfman29]

Hey people. I just wanted to make a thread for my first handheld build! I have some pictures. The batteries haven't arrived yet (so no beamshots yet!) but the build is complete, and it works (...usually...). Anyway, so without further ado, here are my pictures.

And another...

Anyway, I will add beamshots and other pictures once I get my batteries! (Probably won't be for another week or two though because I don't have money.)

 

[anselm]

I just wanted to make a thread for my first handheld build!

Did you actually build it? It almost looks like you simply unwrapped it from the box!
Nevertheless, nice one, you don't get to see many Maglite lasers here...
Does it turn on by turning the head just like the original?

 

[Wolfman29]

Yes, I built it! I took apart the maglite, bought my driver (Rkcstr, set it to around 390mA), extracted the diode, and the hardest part was making it so the positive lead on the driver was electrically isolated from the case (case negative), because the Rkcstr driver does not come with a spring... so I had to essentially make a tab (from an old battery pack) that was attached to a piece of round plastic (in fact, I cut it from the little keychain thing given by HighTechDealz), stick a hole in the plastic to wire the input wire to the driver down through the plastic to the metal tab, and then solder it all into place. Nonetheless, it's nice and stable...

Only thing I am waiting on now is to get some 14500s and a charger, because the MiniMag only has enough room for 2 AAs, and that's not enough voltage for the driver + diode.

As for where I got the MiniMag? I found it in a cupboard in my kitchen, and it wasn't working, so I figured I could salvage it and give it at least *some* use.

 

[anselm]

OK cool!
So I'm assuming you put the diode into an Aixiz housing, right?
What are you using as a heatsink? Because you know at that current you gonna need it.

 

[Wolfman29]

Yes, I put the diode into the Aixiz housing.

Unfortunately, I don't have a heatsink... yet, sort of. But I do have complete contact with the actual host from the Aixiz module, so the host should act as a minimal heatsink, anyway, and I can always do the whole "if it gets hot, turn it off" thing.

Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out how to get it to turn on when the top is twisted... I couldn't figure out the mechanism. So right now I have a twisty bottom (blocked some of the threading with electrical tape at the bottom where the batteries go), so when I unscrew it a bit, the batteries disconnect. It's a rough turn, but meh.

 

[lazeerer]

Yes, I built it! I took apart the maglite, bought my driver (Rkcstr, set it to around 390mA), extracted the diode, and the hardest part was making it so the positive lead on the driver was electrically isolated from the case (case negative), because the Rkcstr driver does not come with a spring... so I had to essentially make a tab (from an old battery pack) that was attached to a piece of round plastic (in fact, I cut it from the little keychain thing given by HighTechDealz), stick a hole in the plastic to wire the input wire to the driver down through the plastic to the metal tab, and then solder it all into place. Nonetheless, it's nice and stable...

Only thing I am waiting on now is to get some 14500s and a charger, because the MiniMag only has enough room for 2 AAs, and that's not enough voltage for the driver + diode.

As for where I got the MiniMag? I found it in a cupboard in my kitchen, and it wasn't working, so I figured I could salvage it and give it at least *some* use.

If you ever Need a Spring, Use the Spring from the Aixiz Module. Just cut it to size and solder it to the driver and you are good to go. The only thing you have to becareful is the spring is not all that stiff so you might want to cut it as short as possible so it does not move round.

Then just use some Plumber tape to stop the lens from moving around when focusing. You might even be able to use the the other half left over from cutting the spring to size.

 

[Wolfman29]

Hmm. Never thought of that!