Nice review Garry, I just ordered one of these for $18.99 shipped. From reading the reports on this, and I always get double good lights, I should have ordered two. 
cehowardGS, you read about the heatsinking issue? They will need some sort of attention, at least thermal compound to the edge of the star. Mine on 4AAA NiMH drew 2.80A which I think is too much for more than a minute or so without filling the hollow pill. Of course I don't know how long the batteries will hold 2.80A. My Rayovac's are only 650mAh. I'm not sure how the 4h cell (extra voltage) plays in, but if you just divide 650mAh by 2800mA you get 14 mins of runtime at 2.80A! I believe a few posts back it was stated that the light runs 60 to 90 minutes on the AAA's (I think that was on alkalines). Not sure what cells you were going to run this one (26650, 18650, AAA's).
-Garry
Got my quote from Speedy Metals -> (3) 4" pieces of 15/16" 6061-T6511 aluminum is $6.46 + $5.15 USPS (small flat rate box) for a total of $11.61. That gives me 12" total for use on other future projects. I had them cut it for easier USPS shipping. Not sure yet if I want to go this route or see what I can do with copper plumbing parts.
-Garry
(Note: Cross-reference: see this thread on the same light.)
I went to the local ACE in town and could not find anything that fit snug. Bought some 3/4” copper pipe and it is too small and the 3/4” caps are to big. I am not very good at custome stuff so I tried to wrap the pipe with some aluminum foil and that didnt work either it just wanted to slide out. When I reassembled the light i put some fujik on the outer edges and then me and the kids went outside and tourchered the neighborhood (JK). I ran it on high probably like 10 minutes and it started to warm up after a couple of minutes. I am sure that it was doing better on pulling the heat out but figured it would get alot warmer with a solid insert! Its still nice but thinking of gifting it to someone!
With my low modding skills I decided to order the HD2010 when I read about the 30% off at MeritLine and only paid $25 and some changed shipped so that I could forget about the mod that my skilset/tool set didnt get completed. 
So a 3/4" copper pipe won't fit . . .hmmm. . . I was hoping it would. I didn't check an exact fit because I didn't want to unsolder the wires to get full access to the "pill". It looked very close though. I don't know if a thick layer of Fujik would be enough or not. So was the aluminum foil too thin? Loose fit? I have copper foil which is thick and that might work, but still not as good as machining a piece of solid aluminum. Are you up to grinding/sanding/filing a piece of 15/16" aluminum to fit if I sent you a piece? (That is, if I go ahead and decide to order it.)
If you want rid of it I'm interested in obtaining another one.
-Garry
I wrapped the foil around it twice i think and when i would try to slide it in it would start pushing the foil up. I didnt try real hard to get it in there but now after thinking about it with more force probably would work (definately better then nothing). was trying to solder a top piece on but all I had was a solering iron so i couldnt make it stick to where I needed it so I just gave up. Definately could be interested in a piece of aluminum to put in there. Will definately try that foil thing again after i get something that put a top on a piece of pipe.
Also cant remember what size the driver was so that when I get a better heatsink/pill I could pour some amps to it and see what it can really do!
Thanks
EDITED! - Maybe this would be a good reason to get a dremel!!! Always been wanting one!
Garry, I only got one of these lights and that was for $18.99 shipped. Not going overboard. I am like somebody else that posted here, and they went for the 2010 which is on sale for $25. I like the looks of this light, and the reviews are going 50/50. Most likely I will be runnng this light with 26650/18650. My night time runtimes almost never exceed half hour. I think will be okay.
When you all do mod this light with the better heatsink, post up some pictures. I might be able to get into it.
ceh
was think about this on the way home from work. Thought that the hole could be drilled out so that the rod would kind of like press fit right in. Wouldnt have to worry about the lip for the led star as you could install another smalled led star if needed and then it would have more then enough mass. The hard part/expensive part might be the price of the drill bit especially since its kinda like singe use then! Gary I guess you or I could ship the bit to who wanted to use it for a small fee…lol
I received mine today. What i don’t like: strange reflector, not so uniform beam profile, works only with spacer with unprotected cells, press fit tailcap, high resistance springs + wires, hole under the star, crazy pwm in low mode.
what I like: it’s a good looking light, 26650 capability, very cheap, I can say worth the money ($17-18 but not more).
some photos
filled hole, replaced wires
(just a note, the stock wires between the led and the driver has 40 milliohm/ piece, that’s unbelievable high)
improved switch/tailcap, springs
The tailcap current was somewhere around 2.5-2.6A in factory state with a fully charged good sanyo cell. After the modifications 4A with the same cell, that means 800+ otf lumen. The improvement of the candela value: stock: 23-25kcd, modified 35kcd.
definitely not a killer thrower…
Hi!
When was the HD2010 available at Meritline at 30% off.
Thank You and Regards,
Bob
Think it was some where in the time frame of 8/8/12-8/10/12. I think, I ordered it on the 10th and they shipped it this week. :heart_eyes:
I just noticed the HD2010 sells for $33 from Tmart now (from link in JohnnyMac's review).
-Garry
Hmmmm, its about $1.5 to the pound at the moment, must resist……
£20.80 for an hd2010……
I may have to break my abstinence come payday…
Finally got the AAA carrier. Very nice! Anybody stick one in a HD2010?
Wow nice shots 2X better then mine… But man I got gypt too. My lens well how shall I explain this. About 1/2 of the diameter of the lens
there’s these rainbowy effect. Maybe imperfect glass lens is causing this dimming effect 2/3s the way out. It’s not the outer bezel that’s causing it but I think it’s the lens. Also the last millimeters of the reflector there is 2 distinct BENDs! or cutoff that is CREATING some spot adnormalitities. Why would they ruin a prefectly good reflector by making this abrupt corners that bend back in? Shouldn’t a reflector be smooth and not have corners? What it feels like is a souped up Maglite. Instead of a solid spread then a fallout of XM-L lights. I have 3 of them (C8, 3T6 & J12).
I took the reflector off and wow… more uniform beam & has like 100+ degree good solid spread. I suggest other owners to try this if you have the same problem. It also has a tinge of yellow around the ends? Non-T6?
Anyways 26650 bearly fits. If you have any fat ones… they will be chipping each time they go in due to the screw interior of the tube. My skinny Tenergy 26650 was the slimmest, so it got in much better then the others (Flames/Ultrafire). Also the inside of the tube is bored out like a screw like the other parts or something they didn’t bother sanding it o something so I wish they did. Probably I can do it myself but bah that’s two negative ascepts I have for this already.
The grease or lube that came with my flashlight is a bit tangy, sort of like the organic type I get with my cheap 20 dollar ebay swords that leave your hand smelly after touching it.
And lastly my spring on my flashlight fell off it’s held by a tiny bit of solder. I was trying to err stretch the springs a bit for these other 26650 and it came off. Honestly this flashflight will probably kill TopofKing and I’ll never buy from him again.
In conclusion I think I need to buy a UCL lens or something to fix this issue or cut the reflector 2-5mm short to erase that cornering effect that is killing this light. I was amaze u guys say it’s the reflector? I’ll try to redo the solder and see what you guys did to fix this problem.
Oh God, here I go again!!, (and a 26650)
I thought about it, but was afraid of the extra voltage (the 4th cell adds). I'm not sure how the LED handles the extra voltage. I assume a direct-drive driver (like in this 4AAA light and the HD2010) does nothing to "buck" extra voltage. Besides, my HD2010 is now apparently dead.
-Garry
I was able to make a pill/heatsink to fill the gap under the star/led. This was my first attempt at making something like this. I made it out of spare/scrap aluminum belt idler from the machines I service at work.
On my 4th try I finally went to our main shop where we have a drill press, belt sander, press, torch and other tools at my dispossal. This was alot easier when you have the tools that you need for the job. I first squared the end of the roller on belt sander. Then put the roller in the end of a cordless drill so that I could use sandpaper to sand down the outter diameter to the desired size (22.6mm). Then cut it to the desired length (12mm). Where the idler rides on a shaft with bearings there was a hole in the middle (11mm). I filled the hole with random wire that we had laying around the shop and solder. Started heating it with the propane torch and started adding solder to fill in the gaps, worked like a charm. Then cut off the extra wire and put it back on the belt sander to make it flush again. Used a triangle file to cut some notches in the side for the wire from the driver to the led to slide through. Tried to press the pill/heatsink in and it was a no go. Finally i used sand paper in the gap in the torch body to get it to the right width. Was able to press it in then. VIOLA
Here is what I started with
Just after cutting
Sanded smooth
Wire crammed in along with solder - heating it up and adding solder
about to cut off the wire that has been added to the pill
wire cut off and sanded smooth, still needs filling up. Heated again and then filled it with solder
Filled and sanded smooth and notches cut into the sides
heatsink pressed in and smoothed out
Upclose white wall beam shot
I am satisfied with this mod and it now pulls the heat away from the led. The section of the light that was modded is probably double the weight it was. It gets warmer faster then it did before.
Sorry for the pics not beign great all I have is my Iphone 4s to take the pics
Please update on this guys?