# Maglites



## midgetgreen11 (Apr 7, 2008)

So I have a mini-mag LED 2xAA and for some reason it recently decided to not work, and so i pulled it apart and tried to fix it, only to make the problem worse. I was just reading the thread about "making friends with local supply shops" and only wish we had a decent one. The only one we have in Rhode Island is total crap, so i'm thinking i want to buy a new one online. Who knows of a good online theatre tool supply store or something of the type where i can get one?


----------



## mnfreelancer (Apr 7, 2008)

If it's an actual replacement Maglite you're looking for, they should be available almost anywhere. I have purchased countless mags of all sizes from the local WalMart. If it's a more high-tech flashlight you're after, you have any number of ways to go. There are a few flashlight/personal tool threads on this board - search 'em out. My personal recommendation (FWIW) for a theatre flashlight is the Innova XO. It is just slightly larger in diameter than a minimag and about the same length. It uses a tactical tailcap that is momentary/continuous or lock-out. Mine has an approx. 3W LED in it which throws a lot of light a good distance. Uses CR123a type batts so be prepared to invest a little for good bright light on demand.

If you're seeking online theatre supply sources in general, so far I've had very good luck with www.toolsforstagecraft.com. They specialize in cool gear for theater/set techs.


----------



## midgetgreen11 (Apr 7, 2008)

thanks for the advice, but something about paying $75 for an INOVA light doesn't appeal to me, being a freshman in high school.


----------



## Charc (Apr 7, 2008)

midgetgreen11 said:


> thanks for the advice, but something about paying $75 for an INOVA light doesn't appeal to me, being a freshman in high school.



Don't you have sound gigs every Friday and Saturday night?


----------



## mnfreelancer (Apr 7, 2008)

Understandably so. I've always liked high-performance "torches". My secret, though, is that I got mine at Target for $50! I'm self-employed right now though so that means I can take it off of my taxes for this year.

Before I got the Inova I used a 2AA minimag with a NiteIze drop-in 3 LED module. Both area cheap and a rig like this is useful for close-work behind racks, under platforms and reading scripts in the dark. I like the Inova because it can illuminate the grid from the deck like a xenon can.


----------



## midgetgreen11 (Apr 7, 2008)

charcoaldabs said:


> Don't you have sound gigs every Friday and Saturday night?



umm no? i think you've got the wrong person. i WISH i did, but one, i know nothing about sound because our high school has to hire/rent equipment due to the lack of auditorium funding


has anyone used this flashlight: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=9123705

? is it any good?


----------



## mnfreelancer (Apr 7, 2008)

I've got one of those. That model came to being early in the development of LED technology. It may have been re-tooled in the approx. 4 year since I bought mine but mine is rather dim by today's standards. Mine has a standard "old" white LED (not luxeon, cree) that is less than 1W in brightness. The beam is focused and looks like a sharp follow-spot beam but obviously much less bright. It should also be noted that the ring that holds the lanyard/hand strap on is weak and will snap off under mild to moderate force. For the price it makes an OK close-work light but won't shine as far as more expensive LED products.

MAG themselves now offers a 3W LED product that I am rather fond of. It comes in a 2AA variety that is only slightly longer than the krypton version. They go for about $24 or so at WalMart. I used one for about 3 months until somebody dropped a manhole cover on it (long story) and it died shortly thereafter. The nice thing about this light was that the beam could be focused. Battery life was also good.


----------



## midgetgreen11 (Apr 7, 2008)

yeah my mini mag was about $23 i think, but walmart.com keeps telling me that mini mags are not available in stores. 

and i wouldn't have a use for a lanyard ring anyways, it comes with a pouch, which is what i used for my mag.


----------



## gafftapegreenia (Apr 7, 2008)

I went to Target, got a mini mag and the single diode nite-ize retrofit and I love it.

Total cost: $30.


----------



## avkid (Apr 7, 2008)

midgetgreen11 said:


> yeah my mini mag was about $23 i think, but walmart.com keeps telling me that mini mags are not available in stores.


Every Walmart, Kmart and Target I have ever been to has Mini Maglites.


----------



## icewolf08 (Apr 7, 2008)

avkid said:


> Every Walmart, Kmart and Target I have ever been to has Mini Maglites.


I think my local supermarket carries them too. Also Home Depot and Lowes.


----------



## sobenson (Apr 8, 2008)

I have this one http://www.coastportland.com/displa...46%A1259%A1258%A1228%A1229%A1230%BF&mastCat=5 It is a coast V2 6 Chip Dual Color Tactical Torch. 5 LED bright white and 1 Red LED. So it has a built in running light. It was $20ish at Lowes.


----------



## midgetgreen11 (Apr 8, 2008)

avkid said:


> Every Walmart, Kmart and Target I have ever been to has Mini Maglites.



do they have LED ones?


----------



## Grog12 (Apr 8, 2008)

The LED Mag I had was the same one mentioned earlier in the thread....died 3 months after I bought it. Basically the little pressure point that turns it on and off when you screw the lens up an down gave out. Not a fan.


----------



## avkid (Apr 8, 2008)

Grog12 said:


> The LED Mag I had was the same one mentioned earlier in the thread....died 3 months after I bought it. Basically the little pressure point that turns it on and off when you screw the lens up an down gave out. Not a fan.


Return it to Mag Instruments.


----------



## Grog12 (Apr 9, 2008)

Or option two...get pissed off and by an Innova from TFS and be happy when my boss has flashlight envy!


----------



## gafftapegreenia (Apr 9, 2008)

I think the petzl headlights are overpriced. I have an energizer model that works fine.


----------



## gafftapegreenia (Apr 9, 2008)

Well, if a retractable headband floats yur boat, so be it. My energize might not have that, but it has spot, flood, spot & flood both and stealth mode.


----------



## gafftapegreenia (Apr 9, 2008)

LOL, DUAL RED LEDS


----------



## gafftapegreenia (Apr 9, 2008)

Yea sure ok whatever its called all I know is that it makes me look like the Red Eyes from Mystery Men.


----------



## gafftaper (Apr 10, 2008)

Grog12 said:


> The LED Mag I had was the same one mentioned earlier in the thread....died 3 months after I bought it. Basically the little pressure point that turns it on and off when you screw the lens up an down gave out. Not a fan.



Grog I've had the same problem with my LED Mag. You have to fiddle with the twist back and forth to get it to turn on. It may be a common problem. 

I just went to Mag's website and found this FAQ... I'm going to have to mess around and see what I can do.


----------



## Grog12 (Apr 10, 2008)

I'll have to take a look at mine when I get home...thanks Gaff!


----------



## gafftapegreenia (Apr 10, 2008)

I really want to try this 100 lumen LED retrofit for my minimag. 

OR

Nite-ize makes a blue LED retrofit. Do want.

OR

Land planes with your mini mag


----------



## Lightingguy32 (Apr 10, 2008)

Ah yes, someone else has fallen into that "100 lumen" trap. That is 100 lumens of initial light from the LED itself, due to inefficient optics, the output drops to only about 60 usuable lumens after it goes through a plastic reflector and a plastic window (lens). Take a look at surefire flashlights at www.surefire.com
Try their G2 LED ($65.00 retail) or 6P LED ($85.00 retail). Don't get me wrong on this, the G2 is a polymer body flashlight, but it is very durable polymer unlike that of a cheap plastic light from the dollar store (it is a very well made polymer that has a glass fiber imbedded within it and a metal aluminum tube that is imbedded on the inner most layer for electric conduction and stability)


----------



## gafftapegreenia (Apr 11, 2008)

Yea but when I lose that $85 flashlight, or someone walks off with it, I'll be upset. 

Mini mag with a LED is still about half the cost of a Surefire.

The light also technically goes off of the reflector. 

I'm sure I'll break down but I love my old skool maglite.


----------



## gafftaper (Apr 13, 2008)

Grog12 said:


> I'll have to take a look at mine when I get home...thanks Gaff!



I got so frustrated with mine I tossed it aside somewhere. I've spent the last few days trying to find it to see if I can fix it. Still haven't found it. 


gafftapegreenia said:


> I really want to try this 100 lumen LED retrofit for my minimag.



I've been looking at that upgrade kit too. It's very tempting. I'm totally with your gaff-brother on the not spending $80 on a flash light. I'm a flash light nut but they disappear. Plus I don't want to deal with the batteries they cost significantly more and you can't find them everywhere.


----------



## Lightingguy32 (Apr 14, 2008)

Just FYI, don't be underwhelmed when the "100 lumen" drop in only outputs about 60 or so lumens out the front, the LED may be emitting 100 lumens, but some of that light gets eaten up by being absorbed by the polycarbonate window (lens) and some of it is also gobbled up by the inefficient reflector. You may want to look at the Streamlight Jr. Luxeon, it is the same size as the minimag LED but it has a better output and a much more even beam (not to mention it uses a push button tailcap instead of pressure contacts which wear out a lot faster)


----------



## gafftapegreenia (Apr 14, 2008)

That streamlight is interesting, but I think that when I stray from the Maglite cult its going to be for a Surefire G2.


----------



## Lightingguy32 (Apr 15, 2008)

gafftapegrenia- I am with you in that "surefire cult" (well not really a cult, just a group of "surefire people" as they call them). I own a surefire L7 and a KT5 turbo head.


----------

