"Introducing "Draco" [Accepting Deposit].

Re: Introducing "Draco"

Any ideas when a working proto will be lit up ???

frisco

Re: Introducing "Draco"

Please add 135 Maro (w/turbo) $?

Re: Introducing "Draco"


frisco I think you'll be excited with some news late this coming week.

Re: Introducing "Draco"

actually my apologies. some bills just popped up and i need to withdraw. sorry. =(

(you haven't added me to the list yet, but just in case you have already written it down somewhre adn just not updated yet, #148 is free again)

Re: Introducing "Draco"

I'm sorry to say this, but after evaluation my lighting needs I'm pulling out of this. Spot #123 is regretfully open for anyone. I have to put some money in the HID dive-light fund or I'll never afford to buy one...

Sverre

Re: Introducing "Draco"

I'd like to ask, will there be protection built in so that the cell doesn't over discharge? With such a tiny li-ion cell and the fact that it's not protected it'd be REALLY important to make sure that it's protected, especially on a keychain light.


Also, ANY ballpark idea as to what the prices might be like? I'm interested, but have to stay within a "starving" (ok, fat, but on ramen damnit!) student budget. If I do get in I'd love to get serial number 132 (my birthday, 13th of February) or 13. Love the Titanium finish, it'd fit well on a chain at that tiny size! Bling? LOL LOL LOL (Yeah fat white guy nerd coming in to teach his first elementary class wearing flashlight bling).



-Nomad (2AA minimag TL-3 hotwire, 1AAA solitaire w 30000 mc LED & A23 battery, ooohhh buddy)

Re: Introducing "Draco"

I would like to reserve # 138.
tks

Re: Introducing "Draco"

Please put me down as interested in a aluminum one with turbo head.

Re: Introducing "Draco"

CroMagnet, please add turbohead to #15. Thanks.

Re: Introducing "Draco"

NoFair said:

I'm sorry to say this, but after evaluation my lighting needs I'm pulling out of this. Spot #123 is regretfully open for anyone. I have to put some money in the HID dive-light fund or I'll never afford to buy one...

Sverre

Click to expand...

I'd like number 123.

Ti and turbo head

Re: Introducing "Draco"

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to back out of this as well (I was #74).

I'm buying my first house at the end of July, so I think I'll have to cut back on some spending.

I apologize for any inconvenience.

Re: Introducing "Draco"

Update, please

TI, Turbo Head

Thanks,

jeffb

Re: Introducing "Draco"

Will the aluminum bodies be hard anodized or bare Al? What color(s)? I would want HA natural or color. I'm still in for Al with turbo plus Ti w/turbo pending pricing. Hope I can afford both. CroMagnet, you said Saturday that some lights are almost ready. Will later ones be offered in other finishes than the first batch?

Thanks,
Steve

Re: Introducing "Draco"

I am in for 1 in Titanium (TiCN) please with lanyard attachment.

#142 if available otherwise any number is good.

Thanks!

Steve

Re: Introducing "Draco"

#144 in Ti for Bombelman !
p.s. in which posts are the prices ?

Cheers !!

Re: Introducing "Draco"

Friends,

After many weeks of delay due to "real" work travel, I was able to scrounge enough time together to finalize the design.
Althought the actual length of the 10280 is 28.3mm, 0.3mm longer than spec, the overall length a whooping 0.3mm (see T/O story @ end of post), just a tad bit shorter than orginally projected Yep tvodrd's disease is rubbing off on me
I've dropped of the production prints at our shop ealier today and told them to fire off the machines at their earliest convenience (to save $$$).

Almost all the parts for this run have been ordered. One of the earliest piece that arrived was the saphire lens. I'm sure are glad that I choose saphire over mineral glass. I accidentally wipped them off my work bench several time (due to the small size and how clear the dam thing is). It fell from a height of 36" (~1m) and not a scratch, dent or chip.

The rev. 3 constant current driver and the uPIC have also arrived. It's amazing what our electronic wizards were able to do in such small package. Almost everything on these boards are surface mount. Even the connection to the LED are SMT. Do you know why? ... Yep you guess it to save couple um

Below are couple beam shots from 3'(~1m) to 14' (~4.3m) at a regulated current 350mA.


Canon A80 | Manual | ISO100 | Shutter 0.4s | Aperature F5.0 | Auto White balance
=== 3 feet distance, picture taken from a distance of 6' (~2m) ===


Canon A80 | Manual | ISO100 | Shutter 0.4s | Aperature F5.0 | Auto White balance
=== 6 feet distance, picture taken from a distance of 6' (~2m) ===


Canon A80 | Manual | ISO100 | Shutter 0.4s | Aperature F5.0 | Auto White balance
=== 6000 lumens of shop lights (2x), picture taken from a distance of 6' (~2m) ===


Canon A80 | Manual | ISO100 | Shutter 0.4s | Aperature F5.0 | Auto White balance
=== 14 feet distance to the Maco screw drawer, picture taken from a distance of 14' (~4.3m) ===


Canon A80 | Manual | ISO100 | Shutter 0.4s | Aperature F5.0 | Auto White balance
=== 24000 lumens of shop lights (8x), picture taken from a distance of 14' (~4.3m) ===
=== Yep now you get a chance to see that I don't really have that much toys in my garage ===


Here are couple of the final production decisions recently made.

1. Aluminum Draco will be plated with a nickel electroless per MIL-C-26074, Class IV, Grade A, Low Phosphor.
What does this all means? Well it's gonna be a shinny light, with hardness range of 60-70RC (similar to harden stainless steel) it's harder than most knives in my kitchen, and due to low phosphor process it's gonna be glossy.

2. Titanium Draco will be split lot coated between TiN and TiCN. Serial number will be assigned as follows 01-50 TiCN and 01-50 TiN.
Currently, it's the cost is $40-$50 per light to get this coating, which is freaking rediculous. You can purchase an el-cheapo set of TiN 20 pcs endmill set for that price. I will just have to pull some more strings and try to get better pricing.

3. Premium Luxeon III emitter have been upgraded to UY0@ resulting in a 50% increase in intensity at no power cost (well maybe pocket book cost).

4. Premium Luxeon I S@0H will be available upon request at no additional charge to you.

5. Battery spacer for charging have also been redesign to be a battery extractor.


I will try to finance the entire project until 50% of completion. At which time, I will request a 50% deposit. And the final balance is due upon the shipment of the light.

Within the next 48 hrs I will post the release AA6061-T6 pricing schedule. Once it's posted please let CroMagnet know your order status.
You will also need to verify that your serial number for the material you have selected is within this range:
1-100 for Aluminum version
1-50 for Titanium version with TiCN coating
1-50 for Titanium version with TiN coating


Please refer to Post #2 for production status update.

T/O Story: I had to make a business trip to Micron the maker of Crucial memory for a typical fire/fight visit. After spending over 15 in the fab and in the rush to degown to head out for breakfast, I lost my USB key which contained ALL my personal information. Some of the information relavant to CPF was the rev4 design of Draco ... ouch! So I spent the last couple days going thru the synch data (2 weeks old) and shop prints and was able to reduce the overall light length.

Re: Introducing "Draco"

Glad to hear that things are progressing but there are more details I'd like to know before I'd want to commit any money.

1. Do you have any pictures of the completed prototype? Hopefully next to some known lights for size comparison.

2. Can you post comparative beamshots of the standard vs. Turbohead?

3. Is this a two stage twisty? If not, how will this interface work? What are the differences between the constant current and the uPic?

4. Do you have any runtime specs for the light?

5. Would it be possible to order a bare Titanium light? I'm not too much of a fan of the TiN, or Nickel plating and don't see the need for TiCN given the durability of Titanium in it's bare form especially given the per/light cost of TiN and TiCN coating


CroMagNet, I'm currently #150, please put down my tentative interest for #1 TiCN, but it's contingent upon receiving answers to the questions I've asked and most importantly the final cost.

Modamag, sorry if my post seems negative. I've been very interested in this light since I first stumbled across this thread, but I'd want to know a lot more details before fully committing. I hope you understand my caution. I'm sure everyone interested appreciates all the thought and effort you've put into this project, myself included.

Re: Introducing "Draco"

Great news on the start !!!!
I'm a little confused (normal) why would you coat Titanium? I kinda like Raw/Nat Titanium. A little more explanation on the Ti and coating would be helpful (to me at least)

Thanks, frisco

Re: Introducing "Draco"

Ahem, I thought I was #1 in line for Ti! :tsk: :touche:

I would like to reaffirm my #1 position for Ti(CN) with Turbohead and U-bin please, thank you.


-DF

Re: Introducing "Draco"

fore: No offense taken, everyone is entitle to their like and dislike. I really do appreciate you taking the courage to ask those "hard" questions.

1. No not yet, the next picture will be the completed production aluminum version. For sizing reference you can take a look at CroMagnet's
preview shot at one of the Bay Area lunch get together.

2. Beamshot comparison between standard vs turbo will not be available for a while.

3. Light operation is dependent upon the electronic package you select.
Constant current driver will have a lo/hi two stage twisty.
uPIC will have a lo/hi/burst on/off/on twisty.

4. Runtime chart will be available shortly. Current estimate is 35-230 minutes. Again it's dependent on the converter, drive level and LED Vf bin.

5. Yes, but if we do that the cost per light for coating for the remaining members will sky rocket. I will try figure out a new price structure and how to pull the cost down to earth.

frisco:
1. Although Ti have great corrosion resistance but when it comes to halides (chlorides and fluorides) it doesn't do so well. I want this to go thru a standard wash/dry cycle w/o any problem.
2. Titanium on titanium threads tend to gall (stick) so the coating will make it better.
3. Galvanic corrosion due to Ti / Cu junction (negative contact) will be reduced.
4. Electrical conductivity significantly increased from 40 mΩ·cm -> 25 µΩ·cm
5. TiN got a beautiful gold color while TiCN is greyish.

Other than that, it's mainly my personal preference.