My search is over for the ultimate host at a reasonable price

LED Flashlights – General Info 18650 Flashlights
1

I'm talking about something that is high-end without breaking the bank. :)

Well there's very little info that is new in this post but I finally got the missing piece in place . The L2P is great.. we all know that. I just never trusted the switch and thought the tailcap made the light too long.

THEN the S7 tailcap came out. GREAT!!! But its a twisty, and apparently it has a bit of a resistance issue (which I think can be fixed cheaply) So I bought a couple S7 tailcaps and to my delight they come apart with a little effort... and not only that, but you don't have to break anything to get it apart.

All you have to do to get the guts out are pull the boot off and you'll see a couple holes that you can get a pair of pointed tweezers in to twist the guts out (Remember, you're trying to turn it clockwise). I needed to boil the tailcap for 10 minutes to get my loosened up. Now you have a shell that needs a switch and a retainer. Yup, you guessed it... Oveready retainer with a McClicky.

Now, I realize thas not a budget part, but its perhaps the most critical part. It works perfectly.

The shell of the S7 is about a millimeter shorter than a Z41 (Surefire). With the McClicky installed the S7 leaves a bit of a gap between the cap and the body but it still fully engages the o-ring.

I also swapped out the glass for a UCLp lens from flashlightlens.com. The UCLp is nice. It looks identical to UCL, but won't shatter.

So there you have what I consider to be every bit as good as what you could spend $150+ on another brand. You get:

18650 compatible (even a little big - I cut a notecard and roll it up to make a nice tight fit)

HA finish (matching black even!) (Solarforce - make gray parts!)

UCL or lens of your choice

High amperage clicky in a compact tailcap

I haven't figured out the actual cost to assemble it, but its clearly MUCH less than a comparable light.

I dub thee : The AdequatelyPrepared™ L2P :)

I don't have any pics right now. I'll try to get some (of the tailcap specifically) but I'm not the best photographer. Thanks for reading. :)

2

And overready made THREE of those tailcaps for 32 bux apiece................ they sold out in 10 minutes.... it also works in a S6 with a nylon retainer, apparently.

3

Tips to further enhance your AdequatelyPrepared™ L2P :):

Want a shroud aroung the tailcap so it will tailstand?

Heavy duty velcro. The kind you use to wrap up cords/wires. Its 1" wide and if you cut it long enough that it wraps around the tailcap nearly 2 times you can put it on the tailcap tight enough it will not slide off unintentionally and you can slide it off the end slightly and will support the flashlight and allow tailstanding.

Lose the velcro? Cut yourself another piece. :)

Want to cover that gap between the body and tailcap?

Go to the hardware store and find an o-ring with a ID that fits snugly around the body where the gap is, but get the fattest one they have, It covers the gap (if you care) and doubles as a cigar grip ring.

4

I didn’t even know! I want to be clear that I have nothing against OR (In fact they just got more of my money the other day). I just care more about function that appearance and If I can get the same function for half the dough, I’m gonna!

EDIT: It would cost me about that much to put together this cap. Their "kit" is $22 and the S7 was $8. (granted, that retaining ring doesn't cost them $13-14)

5

[quote=mitro]

I dunno, the up front cost to machine that may have been pretty expensive, but they do make quite a boodle off each ring!

6

Here are a few pics. I'm in the process of getting more of the tailcap.

7

Here a link to the album with more pictures of the internals of the S7 and those parts installed in a Surefire Z41:

8

Mitro,

What was the purpose of using the S7 shell, vs the original L2P tailcap? Is it because it's smaller?

Why get the $21 'Oveready' McClicky upgrade kit 'for the z41 tailcap'--why not just get the $7 mcclicky switch by itself? doesn't that work in L2/L2p tailcaps? What is the advantage of the 'Oveready' part?

http://www.lighthound.com/McGizmo-McClicky-Pak-Switch-Module-with-holes-no-boot_p_3210.html

Sidenote question to anyone who knows: Why is the mcclicky switch WITH boot, more expensive than the mccklicky switch plus SEPARATE boot?

http://www.lighthound.com/McGizmo-McClicky-Switch-Module-with-rubber-boot_p_1232.html

http://www.lighthound.com/McGizmo-McClicky-Switch-Black-Rubber-Boot_p_3208.html

Mitro mentioned he thinks the resistance problem with the S7 (and I assume Z41 OEM SF tailcap) can be solved "fairly easily". I'd be VERY interested to hear about this. Does that involve the Oveready 'zero resistance' mod, or could something be done by oneself?

...And, I assume that since the S7 is so much easier to get apart, that the Oveready Zero Res plunger would be EASIER to install on the S7 than on an OEM Z41? (I purchased an OEM Z41 tailcap 3 days prior to learning of the S7's release--currently regret the Z41 b/c it's not going well on Solarforce lights, not exactly sure why--and it's apparently a bitch to take apart.)

<insert CPF's over-used popcorn-eating emoticon here>

9

Dang. Nice photos mitro. Never thought styrofoam could look so good as an item mount. How do you do that white-out/ambiguous gray background effect (or is that post-processing)? Care to share what camera you're using to do those macros?

10

Basically. I like being able to tailstand, but the way the stock tailcap is, I find it hard to activate sometimes.

Why did I use the OR retainer? Because I have it. I haven’t had a chance to take a look if a retainer from a stock L2P will work, but I seem to remember it having a smaller opening than is necessary for the McClicky. I WILL try it and see when I get a chance. And then I will try to MAKE it work. It would certainly be better to only have to buy the switch itself.

I was just thinking that soldering in a piece of de-soldering braid from the top of the spring to the aluminum disk might lower the resistance the way its been used on Mag springs.

I can only imagine that you are correct, but I’m not buying one to find out. :slight_smile: Plus, I like having a spring back there.

11

Our kitchen table is right near a window. I grabbed a styrofoam cooler, sat it on its side so the opening is facing the window, put the parts inside and voila! The only post processing is adjustingthe balance/contrast in GIMP.

The camera is a 8 year old Olympus C-750UZ. 4 whopping megapixels. :)

12

Please do let us/me know how that standard McClicky attempt works out. I was actually working up/debating a very similar order on Lighthound....

Budget genius.

You know what, my favorite camera is still a 2 megapixel point & shoot. I think the lower pixel count contributes to more light per pixel, hence better photos in most situations, esp indoors & no flash. Just doesn't have a macro like that. So I had convince myself to buy a used 6-megapixel faux SLR. (As you might tell, I hate high megapixel cams.)

13

Well I took apart a L2P tailcap and the retaining ring works, but the tailcap barely threads on (I can still see the o-ring when the tailcap bottoms out). If you take the L2P retainer and knock out the plastic center ring it works electrically. I’ll try to get a pic of the difference between the two.

It may be possible to find something at the hardware store that may be able to work with only a little modification with hand tools. Not sure when I'll get to it, but I'll keep looking for a solution.

14

I have the 770 UZ (UltraZoom) of that same vintage, and the image processing (TruePic Turbo) is great on it. It just always seems to take great looking pictures.

15

Man, I'm tellin' you; the L2P just looks right. Every time I see one I'm more convinced. Does not matter what tail cap or bezel you use, it's gonna look good. What a great flashlight.

lovemyl2pFoy

16

I took it a little further today. I just got done shortening (read: grinding down using various methods) the tail end of my spare gray L2P and didn't destroy the threads. Now there is no gap between the body and the S7 with the McClicky! The threads are a little rough, but not bad. Its a little bit harder to get started because now the o-ring hits the tailcap right before the threads are engaged. Now I just have to work up the courage to do the black one. The shortened one with the McClicky S7 definitely feels smaller than a stock L2P now.

Pics hopefully later today.

17

Here are some pics :)

18

Awesome. And yikes, you really did shorten them:

Please share your grinding techniques/learnings. I'm afraid I'd mess up the threads.

Question: does the S7/McClicky still have a lockout or 'twisty' capability while the switch is on?

Thanks for continuing updates. Funny how people still manage to improve what is considered to be the best budget host available, and do it for next to nothing. Sigh. (I don't mean the mcclicky, I meant shortening the light overall.) I assume you didn't run any problems with squishing batteries?

Last night I was thinking about posting your total cost of ownership of this light:

Costs are approximate, and not necessarily counting shipping or any tools required.

$20 L2P host

$22 McClicky/Oveready Z41 forward clicky upgrade (more expensive than the host itself!)

$ 8 S7 switch

$17 Genuine Ultrafire XM-L drop-in from Manafont

---------------------

$67 Total

So, the question is, what would $67 buy, and how would it compare to this. That is personal I guess, but would make interesting and revealing discussion.

I do see "budget" spirit including "going out of your way to get the best bang for your buck" or, like you said, something as good as true high end, at a medium-level price. I think of Subaru WRX modifiers who compete with much more expensive cars.

19

Its not pretty and I figured my chances at best 50/50. All I used was a bench grinder and a grinding stone similar to this but larger (made for a drill, not a dremel) I alternated between using the grinder for the top and outside egde and then using the stone to smooth the inside edge. You have to take it slow to keep it cool. I finished it but using some sandpaper to smooth the lip. I didn't get it quiteeven, but it works just fine.

Yup. :)

I think you are totally getting the idea. This isn't a "budget" light. It is a high-end light with a budget in mind. :) I'm not so good with budgets, I have a Oveready customized 6p that I paid more than double what this L2P costs and I think this L2P is better. (Cerakote isn't as tough as I was led to believe). I'm sure you can find somethig that will do the same thing for less money, but I like p60 hosts and specifically the L2P.

That damn retaining ring is the killer. Without the cost of that, it would be even better. I'm not quite done with this yet, but I may try another host.