The ROTOR® - E-series compatible 18650 body

[fyrstormer]

Actually, 18650s are starting to fall out of favor as laptop batteries, compared to folded Lithium Polymer batteries, because they can be made to fit into the entire underside of the laptop. Makes me wonder how much power could be gotten from a Li-Po battery coiled into the shape of an 18650.

Regarding the springs on McClicky switches: the first thing I do with every McClicky I buy, whether loose or installed in a light, is crush the spring flat. That shortens and softens it a little bit. I also sand down the tip of the spring in case the end of the spring coil has a sharp edge that might dig into my batteries. Doing both of these things has made using McClickies completely irritation-free.

One last thought regarding the design of the ROTOR tube: make the front part of the tube long enough for the user to hold securely while unscrewing the back part of the tube. Since the front part doesn't need to be unscrewed from the head in order to change the battery, the easiest (and cleanest) usage would be to leave the front part screwed into the head at all times, and unscrew the front part from the back part to change the battery. Maybe a bit of knurling or TB-style cut squares would be appropriate to improve grip while unscrewing the two parts of the tube from each other.

 

[precisionworks]

... One last thought regarding the design of the ROTOR tube: make the front part of the tube long enough for the user to hold securely while unscrewing the back part of the tube. Since the front part doesn't need to be unscrewed from the head in order to change the battery, the easiest (and cleanest) usage would be to leave the front part screwed into the head at all times, and unscrew the front part from the back part to change the battery. Maybe a bit of knurling or TB-style cut squares would be appropriate to improve grip while unscrewing the two parts of the tube from each other.

Every E-compatible body I've seen looks like PEU's blueprint (partial shown below). The bore is somewhere around .730"-.740" (18.5-18.8mm) with a necked down section below the bore & a slightly larger section below that. To load a battery in the ROTOR the top cap is unscrewed.

 

[fyrstormer]

Hmm. It's possible I misunderstand the point of the two-piece design. I was under the impression the two-piece design exists because an 18650 can't fit through the forward opening, i.e. the part that screws into the head of the light. If that is correct, all I'm saying is, make sure the forward piece is long enough that it's easy to hold onto when taking the tube apart. If my understanding is incorrect, disregard my previous post.

 

[precisionworks]

Hmm. It's possible I misunderstand the point of the two-piece design. I was under the impression the two-piece design exists because an 18650 can't fit through the forward opening, i.e. the part that screws into the head of the light. If that is correct, all I'm saying is, make sure the forward piece is long enough that it's easy to hold onto when taking the tube apart. If my understanding is incorrect, disregard my previous post.

My apologies frystormer - you got it exactly right but I misunderstood what you said

One of the design challenges of the split body (two piece tube) is to try to keep the LE contact as close as possible to the battery positive terminal. Button top batteries work fine but flat tops like the AW cells need either a magnet or an extender. We've worked out a simple & inexpensive extender for owners who need that. It's a balancing act between a "top" piece that's easy to grip & one that's short enough for battery contact.

 

[fyrstormer]

I understand the compromise you're making. Since you've actually held one in your hands before, you obviously know firsthand whether the grip problem I mentioned actually exists in real life. If the "top piece" actually is hard to hold onto, perhaps some longitudinal cuts on the exposed surface would help, like the cuts on the head of a McGizmo Sapphire. The outer diameter of the exposed portion of the "top piece" could also be made a bit wider, to allow extra wall thickness to accommodate grip-enhancing cuts, as well as to prevent the user from accidentally holding the edge of the "bottom piece" while trying to separate the two pieces. A taper along the rear edge of the "top piece" could bring the two pieces together smoothly.

Admittedly I'm thinking entirely about utility and barely at all about appearance. My grip-enhancement idea might run counter to the "hidden seam" paradigm you're working with.

 

[Midnight Run]

Thanks bud!

Thanks Tashi Looks like the votes are currently running 2:1 for an integrated tail. May have to make some of each. Still looking for the shop to run these.

BTW your custom knife work is stunning http://wn.com/TashiMidnightDesign

 

[davyro]

There's no reason why this shouldn't be possible. You could even have 2 18350's which is my setup with the TBSB with a 6V Makai LE.

I've thought about that but its easier to find rocky horses sh*t than a TBSB,i've got the McGizmo 2x123 pak but i want a Makai head for that so if the Rotor looks the part i'll buy a couple of 18350's
& go with that set up.

 

[easilyled]

I've thought about that but its easier to find rocky horses sh*t than a TBSB,i've got the McGizmo 2x123 pak but i want a Makai head for that so if the Rotor looks the part i'll buy a couple of 18350's
& go with that set up.

Yes, I meant to illustrate by my statement that since it was possible to use 2 18350s with a TBSB and a Makai head, then this set-up might also work with the Rotor - since it works on the same principle as the TBSB.

However since tolerances are all slightly different amongst batteries, L.Es and different bodies, there is no 100% guarantee. Just because it happened to work with my set-up doesn't mean that it will definitely work in somebody else's.

 

[fyrstormer]

Seems like it should be possible to make the ROTOR have an internal chamber at least 70mm long, to accommodate a pair of 18350s. If that were done, I might have to put myself on the waiting list for one of these after all, since all my P60 drop-ins are 2-cell compatible.

 

[csshih]

did you really register "rotor" as a trademark? :duh2:

C

 

[precisionworks]

did you really register "rotor" as a trademark? :duh2:

C

No ... I meant to use © but hit ® instead (that's what happens when I get in a hurry late at night )

 

[fyrstormer]

Wow, my integral-tail suggestion was more popular than I expected. Usually when I make product suggestions they kinda linger for a bit and then disappear, like soap bubbles.

 

[precisionworks]

Wow, my integral-tail suggestion was more popular than I expected. Usually when I make product suggestions they kinda linger for a bit and then disappear, like soap bubbles.

+1

Here's where this project stands today ... prints, description & renderings were emailed to almost a dozen nearby CNC shops, including some in the greater St. Louis area (Missouri & Illinois) - population of 3 million. Also posted this on MFG.com. Received a grand total of one quote

In quantities of 25 the quote was over $60 higher than the original estimate from PEU's shop. We will continue to look for a shop that can more efficiently run these & we know they exist. If we can wait 6-12 months there's one shop down the block that will match the original estimate.

Bottom line? If the price is $60 more no one will buy this body & if the profit is $60 less it is not economically feasible.

 

[fyrstormer]

If it can hold a pair of 18350s, I can wait six months to get one. I'm not going to be stumbling around in the dark until then.

Can PEU's shop not do the work even though they provided an estimate? What about TnC? The ROTOR would make a good companion product for their E2C adaptors.

 

[precisionworks]

Can PEU's shop not do the work even though they provided an estimate? What about TnC? The ROTOR would make a good companion product for their E2C adaptors.

Hopefully someone will step up. I hear about all the shops looking for work but around here there was never a slow down in machining work.

I spent today working on a 20' slide gate operator that had never worked properly. Eight hours later & it's running like a well oiled machine The company makes both underground storm shelters & above ground plate steel safe rooms. As one of the owners said (while giving me a job list for next week) they've not had a recession in their business. Nicely made products: Lifesaver Storm Shelters.

 

[mikesantor]

Hopefully someone will step up. I hear about all the shops looking for work but around here there was never a slow down in machining work.
.

So True. Im working with a machine shop in your neck of the woods and he is so busy you cant even get him on the phone. I was shocked at how busy someone could be with a machine shop literally in the middle of the woods that are in the middle of a corn field...

 

[precisionworks]

So True. Im working with a machine shop in your neck of the woods and he is so busy you cant even get him on the phone. I was shocked at how busy someone could be with a machine shop literally in the middle of the woods that are in the middle of a corn field...

LOL

Most of my partner shops don't advertise, don't accept any off the street (or off the web) retail business, & pick the jobs they like to run. I sent a text to one shop this morning asking if there was any way he could run 25 ROTOR bodies & his reply was simply "no way".

At least he had the courtesy to reply. I can understand that some shops want only certain jobs, that's business. But how much effort does it take to send an email & say "no quote" or "unable to run this part". I wouldn't treat my dog like that.

 

[fyrstormer]

So True. Im working with a machine shop in your neck of the woods and he is so busy you cant even get him on the phone. I was shocked at how busy someone could be with a machine shop literally in the middle of the woods that are in the middle of a corn field...

If the product can fit in a UPS truck, it can be made anywhere and you'll never know.

 

[fyrstormer]

At least he had the courtesy to reply. I can understand that some shops want only certain jobs, that's business. But how much effort does it take to send an email & say "no quote" or "unable to run this part". I wouldn't treat my dog like that.

Forgive my soft-handed consultant mentality, but in my experience people who work with machines for a living -- any kind of machines, even computers -- don't value "people skills" very highly because machines are immune to their charms. It *is* odd they wouldn't have at least one dedicated sales/customer-service person, though. Maybe there's a market for someone who works from home or a small business-park office and handles customer interactions for multiple machine shops?

 

[ev13wt]

What a beautiful design!

What is keeping my cash in my pocket is simply that it isn't a complete light. What I saw in the renderings looks awesome as a light. Then I read its a body only. I was like huh?

Don't look at a render as a body only, look at it as a finished light, would look really awesome!