How about the center of a cheap plastic fresnel lens? Carefully cut it to the size of the existing lens, and then slip it into the Mag's head behind the regular lens. I'm thinking fresnel lens as in something you'd see in a bookstore on the bookmark rack. I bought one of those a while back for less than dollar. I have idea how well this would work as a diffuser, if it would at all. If I could find my spares, I'd shine my Mag through one to check the results. I have one tightly sealed away in my hiking PSK, but I don't really want to open that up to dig it out.

I like mine a lot too.

I just found out - yesterday, as a matter of fact - what happens when the batteries die. The light just goes out, no warning. I though my switch had gone bad. I was cleaning the contacts, making sure everything was tight, disassembling and reassembling. You'd turn it on, it would be bright for a second or two, then off it goes. You turn it on again and it wouldn't work. Then again, and it would work for a second or two.

Then I remembered - hey, these things are highly regulated! I put in new batteries and all was good again. You really get NO WARNING when the batteries are about to die. Full brightness one second, then total darkness the next. If you're in a situation where you really need a flashlight, carry a small backup light (I always do, luckily).

There is a difference between a Fresnel magnifying lens and a Fresnel diffusing lens. I'm not sure you can interchange them as one would focus the beam and the other scatters it.

I fly electric powered model helicopters. I talked to the maker of the speed regulator I use, and asked him why nobody makes a constant-RPM regulator for electric helicopters, like they do for gas ones. He said it was the same problem- you get NO warning when the battery is low. Which is bad on a helicopter! You need to be ready to land when the battery runs out.

The basic difference being the prismatic angle of deflection. On a magnifier, the prismatic angle is facing towards the center of the lens, on a diffuser, it is facing away from the center, IIRC.

Yeah, you guys got me. I didn't consider the different types when I mentioned fresnel lens. The ones in bookmarks would be of the magnifying variety and wouldn't work. Whereas the ones you see stuck on the back of RV rear windows would be the diffuser variety, and MIGHT work. But buying a large RV model just so you could cut a 3/4" diameter circle out of the center of it might not the most cost-effective thing you could do!

"...But buying a large RV model just so you could cut a 3/4" diameter circle out of the center of it might not the most cost-effective thing you could do!..."

You could cut a jillion little discs out and sell them online, you could be rich!!!

Have you looked into that stuff they sell at the hardware stores that is used to frost household windows? I’ve seen both thin plastic film coatings that are applied like the LCD screen protectors and thicker plastic rigid sheets.

Addendum: Another thing that might be readily available at your local hardware store are the plastic diffusers for light fixtures (i.e., fluorescent light lenses, etc.). There are many styles of these, of course, and some may work better then others for flashlight diffuser function.

P.S.: I have always found the hardware store a great place to wander when looking for improvisation material for a project.

I know this is a lengthy process solution.......but not all that long ago on candel power forums........I came across a link to a company that sold actual glass/crystal lenses for the mini mags........which would be a really pro way to upgrade a mini mag........i could have swear that had a "frosted glass" equiv crystal lens...........


-I'll see what i can find

Found one link......

http://www.flashlightlens.com/