flashlight...what are my options...

[Envious Eric]

Basically, what kind of light do I want? I understand the brinkmann is a good one, but what else is there...



I dont really care for the gun type light, I want something like a normal flashlight that I can check my work with when working under a canopy, in a garage, or under clouds. But I dont want a huge halogen...



with that said, post up some links or types of light I should get....in a handheld flashlight...

[imported_Detailing Technology]

Sure-fire.

I have 3 of them, all different models.



Makes all other lights look like toys

[Scottwax]

Get an LED flashlight.

[KnuckleBuckett]

LED Rules. I like Maglite. They now come in LED. Been using my original Maglites since the eighties. Problem free, light, and tough as nails.

[dsms]

I just got my brinkmann dual xenon, its very bright. Havent done any paint inspection yet hoping to test it out this weekend.

[the other pc]

The Brinkman works well for swirl finding because its light output is reasonably bright, doesn’t diverge too severely and most importantly is extremely uniform.



It’s the uniformity of the beam that allows you see the surface defects rather than artifacts of the light beam. If you shine most flashlights on a uniform surface (a movie screen would be ideal but a flat white painted wall works well) you’ll see brighter areas, darker areas, shadows, edges and various visual artifacts of the flashlight’s illumination components.



The brinkmann’s spot looks more like a fuzzy ball of light. This comes from the Brinkman’s very small xenon lamp, the lamp`s very, very small tungsten filament and the flashlight’s dimpled parabolic reflector.



Most flashlights are built to simply “throw light out there� so lights that work well for swirl finding are few and far between.



LED flashlights tend to be especially bad because the geometry of the LED’s semiconductor die and plastic envelope usually produce very distinct beam irregularities. Getting an LED to efficiently project uniform light requires skilled optical design.



I haven’t tried a Surfire light yet (mostly because I’ve had an aversion to CR123a batteries) but it’s looking like I just might need to now. Besides being really well designed and built they do actually concentrate on the optics (Surefire’s roots are in optics, not consumer products). Their reflector design is similar to (and I’m sure better than) the Brinkmann’s. And they have LED units so I won’t be burning through CR123a’s at a painful rate.



I’ve converted all of my C and D cell MagLites to LEDs, both with Mag Instrument’s lamps and with aftermarket conversion lamps. They’re fine for simple illumination but I find them very poor for swirl finding. (Plus, I don’t like waving heavy aluminum clubs over a finish.)





PC.

[Legacy]

The Brinkman works well for swirl finding because its light output is reasonably bright, doesn’t diverge too severely and most importantly is extremely uniform.



It’s the uniformity of the beam that allows you see the surface defects rather than artifacts of the light beam. If you shine most flashlights on a uniform surface (a movie screen would be ideal but a flat white painted wall works well) you’ll see brighter areas, darker areas, shadows, edges and various visual artifacts of the flashlight’s illumination components.



The brinkmann’s spot looks more like a fuzzy ball of light. This comes from the Brinkman’s very small xenon lamp, the lamp`s very, very small tungsten filament and the flashlight’s dimpled parabolic reflector.



Most flashlights are built to simply “throw light out there� so lights that work well for swirl finding are few and far between.



LED flashlights tend to be especially bad because the geometry of the LED’s semiconductor die and plastic envelope usually produce very distinct beam irregularities. Getting an LED to efficiently project uniform light requires skilled optical design.



I haven’t tried a Surfire light yet (mostly because I’ve had an aversion to CR123a batteries) but it’s looking like I just might need to now. Besides being really well designed and built they do actually concentrate on the optics (Surefire’s roots are in optics, not consumer products). Their reflector design is similar to (and I’m sure better than) the Brinkmann’s. And they have LED units so I won’t be burning through CR123a’s at a painful rate.



I’ve converted all of my C and D cell MagLites to LEDs, both with Mag Instrument’s lamps and with aftermarket conversion lamps. They’re fine for simple illumination but I find them very poor for swirl finding. (Plus, I don’t like waving heavy aluminum clubs over a finish.)





PC.

So what light do you reccomend?

[JaredPointer]

When I was working as a correctional officer in college, a 3 or 4 cell D Maglight was the only way to go.

[Fallz]

Surefire !!!

[the other pc]

So what light do you reccomend?

As I said, I haven’t tried a Surefire yet, so I can’t recommend one for swirl finding until I actually get one in my hands to try (hopefully, I’ll fix that soon).



So far, the Brinkmann is the best performing battery powered handheld flashlight I’ve used for swirl finding. There are still lots of flashlights out there that I haven’t tried (3M`s SunGun for example ).

When I was working as a correctional officer in college, a 3 or 4 cell D Maglight was the only way to go.

Hmmm, I’m guessing that illuminating swirls wasn’t your highest priority back then. :think2





PC.

[BlueZero]

For swirl finding, I would go with the Brinkmann. For finding your way in the dark I like Maglight LED. I went to the store to buy a surefire but just wasn`t impressed with them. The non LED one`s are really bright but they suck down batteries like crazy. The LED version was about the same brightness as my (2)AA LED Maglight for more money. I just bought the LED upgrade bulb for my (4)D Maglight too and I like it. The one possible down side is when you focus in to a narrow beam you still get the larger pattern of dim light, I don`t mind it but some might.

[Macruz19]

I use my Brinkman, and it`s very bright. It`s always with me when I drive



It`s cheap and got for $30 I believe.

[howareb]

I use my Brinkman, and it`s very bright. It`s always with me when I drive



It`s cheap and got for $30 I believe.

Are you talking about the Brinkmann MaxFire Xenon Rechargeable Flashlight?



I was looking into getting another flashlight after my other was lost.

[imported_themightytimmah]

I`ve got a Streamlight, it`s a great light and rechargeable. Not the best for swirl finding, but I keep it around for the hurricanes, and in the console when I`m in a bad neighborhood.

[Macruz19]

Are you talking about the Brinkmann MaxFire Xenon Rechargeable Flashlight?



I was looking into getting another flashlight after my other was lost.

It`s this one... Shop Brinkmann