Inside the Maxblaster

Time: 6 months | Cost: $1,800

PERFORMANCE: Some flashlights pump out more light, but the Maxablaster has a much greater reach because the mercury arc lamp creates a tightly focused beam. Ottow says he once illuminated a ferry boat some nine miles away.

POWER: Thebulb is typically used for lab equipment and is designed to run off an outlet, so Ottow had the difficult task of packing together 54 off-the-shelf nickel-metal-hydride batteries. To regulate the current, he added a ballast.

SAFETY: Ottow installed a strong glass window in case the pressure shatters the bulb and gave it an extra coating to block harmful UV rays. He also added a mechanism so the light needs a key to operate.

Over the Moon

The Maxablaster has a reach equal to 38 million candlepower, more than 5,000 times that of an average off-the-shelf handheld flashlight.