Head lights are already extra useful for hands-free illumination, but here’s a strong but quick cheap and easily reversible/repeatable magnetic clip mod to make them even more adaptable.
Tail-cap magnets are less use with a head-light than with a normal torch. A magnetic pocket clip is better for use on vertical surfaces and pointing down from things like a car bonnet/hood.
Basically just shrink fit a couple of neodymium magnets on to ensure they stay in place and don’t get left behind on the object they were sticking to. The magnets could be placed on the inside of the clip but that reduces the clip’s usefulness on thicker material.
Small Neodymium magnets are inexpensively available from eBay or Chinese web sites and they provide a very secure attachment that is even strong enough to hang on to small diameter pipe etc without slipping. Shrink fit insulation is also available in small quantities from eBay (or free if you know an electrician)
The photos are self explanatory. You just need a hair-dryer to shrink the insulation on. Black insulation would have looked better but I already had some green. It can be removed and replaced in seconds.
The two magnets are 6 x 3 x 15 mm and the insulation is 6.0 (6mm diameter after shrinkage)
It also works with regular round magnets: After reading about this fantastic idea, I grabbed 7 small round magnets (The ones I use for flat top laptop cells in my Nitecore(s)) and a small piece of shrink tube and tried it out. Less than a minute later, my HC30 finally had a magnet! Works perfectly.
Thanks for this great idea!
Should go without saying, but, eh — babies put things in their mouths, so even if you’re not living with one in the house right now, be very, very careful.
Thinking about ordering some of that shrinking tubing and go nuts here
some magnets on flashlight clips, screwdrivers and sure other places will pop up too!
This is one of those rare threads that makes you think and look differently at a common object.
Ordered a variety of N-38 (hopefully, actual and not exaggerated magnetic potential) magnets from GearBest. Kind of tempted to order some N-52’s from this site:
Useful even for lights that already have a tail mag, to give it all the mounting angle options.
Plus the shrink wrap will also protect from scratches the surface you’re sticking to, such as the side of a car or truck.
When I get my new angle light (Armytek Wizard Pro v3 XHP50) the first thing I’m going to do now is measure the clip to see what size magnets to order!