# Introducing ... "The Rocket!"



## modamag (Dec 15, 2006)

2x Intensity, 3x Throw, 2x Runtime?

Anyone care? I don't think so. It's all just a bunch of numbers.

It's much more interesting to see the beamshoot and pictures, don't you think! ~!~

Without further adieu ...

Note: all pictures are taken at 0 and -2 EV.
























































Introducing ... "The Rocket!"

Enjoy everyone!


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## kenster (Dec 15, 2006)

modamag said:


> Introducing ... "The Rocket!"
> 
> Enjoy everyone!


 

All I have looked at so far is the set up and SWEEEEEEEEET!!!!!!:rock: I`m aToys"R" Us kind of kid!!!

You remember how to use my PayPal don`t you? I`ll take it! 

Ken


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## modamag (Dec 15, 2006)

[song]_

"I don't want to grow up, 
... I'm a Toys' R Us kid,
... there's a million toys at Toys 'R Us that I can play with!"

"More bikes, more trains, more video games, 
... it's the biggest toy store there is!"

"I don't want to grow, because then if I did, 
... I wouldn't be a Toys 'R Us kid!"

[/song]_


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## dat2zip (Dec 15, 2006)




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## kenster (Dec 15, 2006)

modamag said:


> [song]
> 
> _"I don't want to grow up, _
> _... I'm a Toys' R Us kid,_
> ...


 
You are my Mentor & HERO!!!!!:bow: 

Ken


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## EsthetiX (Dec 15, 2006)

can i have one?


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## kenster (Dec 15, 2006)

dat2zip said:


>


 
As Wayne said, more details PLEASE. 

Ken


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## Mike Painter (Dec 15, 2006)

modamag said:


> [song]_
> 
> "I don't want to grow up,
> ... I'm a Toys' R Us kid,
> ...



A real Toy's R Us kid would not tease the other kids on the block and make them wait for details (or cry)


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## Trashman (Dec 15, 2006)

Hmm...is it a Draco that's been modified with a Cree XR-E? Does it use the same, but modified reflector?


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## localguy808 (Dec 15, 2006)

sweet light jonathan


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## kenster (Dec 15, 2006)

Trashman said:


> Hmm...is it a Draco that's been modified with a Cree XR-E? Does it use the same, but modified reflector?


 
Howdy Trashman!:wave: Long time no get bothered by Kenster!  I believe you have something there!


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## frisco (Dec 15, 2006)

Put me on the list !!!!!! For a "Freakin Rocket" or should I get a AWR Nano?

Looks like you have beam worked out!!!!

----Side note..... Modamag.... I'd really love to see you do a CR2 version. AW has a nice rCR2 battery.

Thanks, frisco


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## Frenchyled (Dec 15, 2006)

I don't even receive my TI draco that you release a new light ??? The Rocket ? Hmmm.. too bad.... 

Please upgrade my order and put me a nice Cree XRE in my Draco, it will be my Draco rockets


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## DFiorentino (Dec 15, 2006)

Frenchyled said:


> I don't even receive my TI draco that you release a new light ??? The Rocket ? Hmmm.. too bad....
> 
> Please upgrade my order and put me a nice Cree XRE in my Draco, it will be my Draco rockets


 
My sentiments exactly!

-DF


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## Tronic (Dec 15, 2006)

:goodjob:
I am in for a Draco XR-E upgrade-Kit.


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## Trashman (Dec 15, 2006)

Tronic said:


> :goodjob:
> I am in for a Draco XR-E upgrade-Kit.



+1. If it's not a simple droppin, I'll be waiting in line for the send in option.


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## BVH (Dec 15, 2006)

If orders are being taken, I'm in for a bare Ti.

PayPal at the ready...


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## FlashInThePan (Dec 15, 2006)

I....need....this...light.

How do I sign up for one? =)

Another excellent light, Modamag.

- FITP


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## vortechs (Dec 15, 2006)

Nice job on the reflector. 

I am curious about the current draw of "The Rocket" (and the runtime) at the brightness setting shown in the pictures.


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## McGizmo (Dec 15, 2006)

dat2zip said:


>



What my friend said! :nana:


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## blahblahblah (Dec 15, 2006)

Tronic said:


> :goodjob:
> I am in for a Draco XR-E upgrade-Kit.



I'm in for my Ti #8 order to be upgraded.


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## Icebreak (Dec 15, 2006)

Wow. My TiCN Ti Draco is more beautiful than I imagined. Thanks for putting that Cree XR-E in it. Let me know what I owe and I'll PayPal that right out to you.



























Oh, that's not mine? OK "list me".


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## rscanady (Dec 15, 2006)

if this is an upgrade to the upcoming Ti's, like everyone else, sign me up to upgrade TiN #017!!!!!


Ryan


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## coyote (Dec 16, 2006)

nice!


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## k-2 (Dec 16, 2006)

rscanady said:


> if this is an upgrade to the upcoming Ti's, like everyone else, sign me up to upgrade TiN #017!!!!!
> 
> 
> Ryan


 
Ditto. #16.

k-2


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## Trashman (Dec 16, 2006)

Just saw on JimH's thread about the "Rocket" story, that upgrades will be available! Modamag, you are the best!! My worries have been lifted! 

The BEST!


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## JimH (Dec 16, 2006)

Trashman said:


> Just saw on JimH's thread about the "Rocket" story, that upgrades will be available! Modamag, you are the best!! My worries have been lifted!
> 
> The BEST!


As Trashman said, the story about how the "Rocket" came to be is in this thread. Modamag will post more info on ordering details soon.


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## glockboy (Dec 16, 2006)




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## ZeissOEM2 (Dec 16, 2006)

edit


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## 3rd_shift (Dec 16, 2006)

I'm not normally into smaller lights, but I think I would like one of these.
This one stands out from the rest of them enough. 

A 2 stage switch would certainly be handy with this one.


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## modamag (Dec 16, 2006)

*"The Rocket"* to me is a concept of lighting that need to satisfy the following requirement.
1. highest ratio of lumen/oz
2. ultra-compact
3. durable and usable for everyday life.

Basically the ultimate light for your keychain. So for now it will be the Draco host plus the highest output / watt LED which is currently Cree XRE (P4). Next year it the configuration might not be the same because technology will evolve ans so will "The Rocket!".


So now the detail of construction. What I started out was just a plain Jane Draco and gave it a heart transplant.






First off I need to machine a slot for the XRE reflector to sit. It'll make it much easier when you only have to align by one axis instead of two for centering.

When I mount (Artic Alumina epoxy) the emitter, I use the reflector to further center the emitter on the free axis.





The next challenge was to resolve the optic & internal height stack. Well with only one or two reflector it does not justify making a complete run of the McR-11-XR reflector so I have to mod my own. A little turning and facing the McR-17-XR reflector and this is what I got.

Then the rest is just history!



*Frenchyled & DFiorentino: *You guys (the Draco-Ti group) will the among the first to get this if you upgrade because I only have the Ti XRE converter at the present. The Al XRE converter is in the work but it will be couple away.

*Trashman: *It's a dropin but depending which one you want.

*BVH: *Bare order is taken on the payment thread, check post #1 for upgrade details

*vortechs: *Current drive is 650-700mA for the picture shown.

*McGizmo: *Thank you Don for your XR-series reflector

*3rd_shift: *How about 3-stage. Hi/UsrSet/Lo


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## rscanady (Dec 16, 2006)

Paypal at the ready for the swaps! WOHHOOO I am excited for christmas again!

Ryan


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## 3rd_shift (Dec 16, 2006)

3 stage is fine. 
I'll wait up for the aluminum version.


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## BVH (Dec 16, 2006)

Details in the payment thread post. Thanks, Jonathan!


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## jeffb (Dec 16, 2006)

I have (2) alu chromies to potentially swap..........Thanks.

jeffb


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## Tronic (Dec 16, 2006)

Can I use the Turbo head with the XRE LE?
I love the Turbo head!!!


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## modamag (Dec 16, 2006)

Tronic the XRE LE will NOT work with the Turbo head (Luxeon based reflector). Remember *The Rocket* is just borrowing Drac's body for now.


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## JnC (Dec 16, 2006)

Johnathan, can you post a beamshot of The Rocket vs. a Luxeon Draco? Thx!


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## modamag (Dec 17, 2006)

Have to wait till the kids and wife goes to sleep. Otherwise my son will blast the experiment with his Quad-XRE.


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## modamag (Dec 17, 2006)

JnC, wish granted! Added comparison vs Luxeon Draco & CR2-Ion (XRE P4 upgrade)


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## Finbar (Dec 17, 2006)

Johnathan,

Please post Cree vs U-bin Luxeon pic.

Thanks,
Fin


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## Lurveleven (Dec 17, 2006)

modamag said:


> Basically the ultimate light for your keychain. So for now it will be the Draco host plus the highest output / watt LED which is currently Cree XRE (P4). Next year it the configuration might not be the same because technology will evolve ans so will "The Rocket!".


 
So does this mean you will offer other upgrades to Draco when the technology has evolved further? Somthing that might work with the turbohead?

Sigbjoern


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## Lurveleven (Dec 17, 2006)

ZeissOEM2 said:


> Mmm
> with cree.
> 
> Maybe i have to jump on the "train" again


 
Jump on the train!  
I find the v2 Flupic to be another great improvement to the light.

Sigbjoern


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## ZeissOEM2 (Dec 17, 2006)

edit


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## glockboy (Dec 18, 2006)

Is this the sigh up list for the "The Rocket!"? or just the upgrade the "Draco"?


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## jch79 (Dec 18, 2006)

Put me on for an Aluminum Rocket.
john


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## modamag (Dec 18, 2006)

Sorry guys no signup. It's just what ever is left from the Draco run for now.
Please check the Sales thread if you are interested.


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## ZeissOEM2 (Dec 18, 2006)

edit


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## modamag (Dec 18, 2006)

No Zeiss, the train is still chugging along. I just remove the option of selecting the serial number.


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## 3rd_shift (Dec 18, 2006)

Man.. I have no titanium lights and yet, this one with a cree XRE looks promising.
I'll have to see what's left after my Christmas spending before I get one.
This is the one little bugger I do really want though.


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## vortechs (Dec 18, 2006)

modamag said:


> *vortechs: *Current drive is 650-700mA for the picture shown.



Wow  , no wonder it is so bright. I think you've succeeded in your goal of getting the most possible light from the smallest possible size with the currently available technology. I'm impressed. Now I suppose I need to decide whether to wait for the Q2 bin Cree's to become available before ordering. 

The biggest limitation is probably the current that can be drawn from a Li-Ion cell. I think that 650-700mA is a pretty high current draw for a 180mAh 10280 Li-Ion cell (over 3.5C) so it should probably be limited to short bursts at this current level when powered by the 10280 cell. The 10440 extended body is probably a better choice for extended runs with that high a current. The 650-700mA current draw is within the range of what the 320mAh 10440 cell should be able to deliver, since that is only a bit over 2C for that cell.


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## modamag (Dec 20, 2006)

A few members have asked me about the lumen output of the Rocket. Well it's clocked at about 160 ulumens while the Draco is @ 80. I must however stress the lumen output is really not that significant. It's the BEAM which makes it spectacular.


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## Psychomodo (Dec 20, 2006)

modamag said:


> A few members have asked me about the lumen output of the Rocket. Well it's clocked at about 160 ulumens while the Draco is @ 80. I must however stress the lumen output is really not that significant. It's the BEAM which makes it spectacular.




:wow:


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## rscanady (Dec 20, 2006)

WOW! That is nice Johnathon, thanks

Ryan


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## Rookwood (Dec 20, 2006)

Any plans to offer an upgrade or mod for the Turbohead reflector? I'd love to upgrade both my Dracos, but one has a dedicated Turbohead.

Thanks
Chris


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## Glen C (Dec 20, 2006)

Modamag, just wanted to add my congratulations on making what seems to be the ultimate keychain light at the moment. Very impressive use of todays technology.


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## ShortArc (Dec 21, 2006)

Modamag,
What hardware/software did you use to generate graph and measure output?
Willem.


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## modamag (Jan 3, 2007)

Thanx guys for the compliment.

*Rookwood: *Hold on to that turbo head, quantity is very limited and yes there is plan for that upgrade if couple more pieces falls in the right place.

*ShortArc: *Oceanoptics Integrating Sphere & native software


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## cryhavok (Jan 3, 2007)

Are you going to be designing a new host for the Cree XR-E or Seoul P4? I think I read something that the draco was just a temporary host...


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## DFiorentino (Jan 3, 2007)

modamag said:


> Hold on to that turbo head, quantity is very limited and yes there is plan for that upgrade if couple more pieces falls in the right place.


 
Ah, ok. That explains the minor confusion I was experiencing.   

-DF


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## dduane (Jan 9, 2007)

Jonathan, I used my keychained ROCKET, instead of my 7W Golston to read an address 30-40 yards up a steep and long driveway in the Berkeley hills tonight. I couldn't position/elevate the Elise's headlights, so I used the ROCKET to penetrate the windshield and could still make out the numbers despite the light reflecting back. WOW! 

I will carry the Turboed Draco as backup in the car, to replace the heavy Golston. This is in keeping with Colin Chapman's Lotus philosphy of "Adding lightness". 

I won't need any other lights!!! Although the Draco upgrades have me holding my breath...


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## Alin10123 (Jan 9, 2007)

Nice job!


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## EVOeight (Jan 9, 2008)

PayPal ready to initiate the launch sequence!

P.S. Three stage would be nice, just like the Saturn V !!!


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## jch79 (Jan 9, 2008)

EVOeight said:


> PayPal ready to initiate the launch sequence!
> 
> P.S. Three stage would be nice, just like the Saturn V !!!



:wave: EVOeight,

There are threads on BST for them: 
=== Drake / Draco Payment === (PART 3)

And here are the discussion threads:
Introducing "Draco" - - - PART 2
Introducing ... "Drake"

This thread was started as the Draco update thread, from the ol' school LuxIII emitters, to the Cree. If you own a LuxIII Draco, I suppose this thread is still relevant, but a new Draco/Drake ships with a Cree, and are three stage, as you requested! (with one user-chosen level).

 john


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