Laser Flashlight Hack!!

Step 9 Installing it in your MiniMag!

After soldering two leads to the positive and negative diode connectors, it's time to install it in the MiniMag. After disassembling the MiniMag (remove the top, the reflector, lens and bulb) you will need to enlarge the MiniMag reflector using a reaming tool, round metal file or drill or a combination of all three.

Comments

[eddiekim95]

i dont know why, but i cant open the top part of my minimag. the very top ring wont come off

[SIRJAMES09]

that is prolly cuz it has never been off B4.....

take some foam or some heavy cloth(to protect the finish of the maglight) & turn....Lefty loosey, righty tighty. left to loosen it, right to tighten it.

[yeaitskimmel]

do i attach the new diode to the board the old one came off of?

[EvilB]

Would using one of the new LED maglites make things any easier?

[sterlinglynn]

Are you using standard AA's to power the laser or lithiums(if so what voltage?)?

[Kipkay]

Yes, standard AA batteries.

[xxdracoxx]

hey kip i did something a little different i took a blu ray diode and made a driver circuit to limit the voltage and made a case with an on and off switch and another to adjust the voltage and hooked up a 9volt battery :)

[juscallmesteve]

this is a part I am also at a loss you say remove the bulb correct what do you mean like entirely or just break the bulb and connect the diodes pos and neg wires to the bulbs neg and pos wires please put more in-depth instructions

[mayday295]

Do you think that you could provide more pictures on this step? that would really help, also...does the reflectors hole have to be an exact size?

[mhouse974]

you instruction says "After soldering two leads to the positive and negative diode connectors" where would i get the two leads, would raido shack have them? sorry about the dumb question but if i went over to raido shack and asked for two leads whoul they know what i am talking about? THANKS!!! and great tutorial Kipkay i already ordered the DVD burner and the $7 Aixiz module

[paulm]

the leads = the two wires; negative and positive on the diode.

[luizzyfresh]

how do I know which is the positive or negative ends of my diode?

[mijink]

You can use the leads from the maglight's bulb. If you need a spare bulb one should be located behind the sprint in the battery compartment of the maglight. Just snip the leads off from the base of the bulb - measure the against the diode and solder to the leads - the leads don't need to be any longer than what's already on the maglight's bulb so make sure that you cut them to match the same size or solder them flush against the diode. A word of warning though, the diode is fragile to heat so please take care when soldering the leads on!

[Kipkay]

It's pretty much just 2 pieces of small wire. I snipped them off of an led I had.

[mhouse974]

great i guess ill snip mine off of the maglite bulb and solder it to the diode. Thanks for answering

[luizzyfresh]

which is positive & which is negative!!!!!! ahhhhhh

[Kieys]

I have one of the new Mini maglites and I have the slightest idea on how to take the bulb out... i know I sound stupid but i cant get it out!

[creddy]

Usually, drilling to widen a hole is tough - and can shatter the mylar plastic - A way to get a nicer circle, and easier to do is to cut across the back side of the reflector - resulting in the size whole you need - picture a funnel and you are cutting off some of the "flare." Just an idea

[teddy981]

is the reflector necessary or can i just remove it al together?

[Kipkay]

That's true. I used a combination of a reaming tool and a round file.

[Arbitror]

Can you just hook up a 9 volt to a normal "cheepy" dollar store laser pointer?

[Kipkay]

Nope. Totally fry the diode in a split second.

[Arbitror]

Is there any way to easily mod a "cheepy" laser pointer so it can burn through ballons, light a match so on... I love your instructables! Keep up the good work!!!

[teachmehownow]

Yes. I haven't tried it but it looks ligit. Check it out here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw0qvBPDzMM

[Ricardo III]

ya look for a video by shootingeggs on metacafe, it shows how to solder a part on the laser which makes it more powerful

[150frider]

How do you know which wires are positive(+) and negative(-) on the diode?You know how there is three little wires sticking out.Also, will any small flashlight work?

[casvandegoor]

do you really have to install it in your mag lite? I mean, does it already work when you did steps 1 till 8?

[pwbarrett]

No you don't *have to*, it's just handy and portable. But otherwise you'd need to solder leads to the diode and power it from something, and I'd use a 4 Ohm resistor for current limiting if you're going from anything bigger than AA batteries.