Re: GatLight V3... renderings soon...
It has been a while since we last posted... sorry for being a bit slow on the pm (I'll go through those next) - Thanks to M.Tex for letting me know . The reason for the delay was that we needed a bit of a break.. building and delivering the 200 V2's was a lot of work. Also we have been working on more fundamental stuff.... see below.
So here are the things on the horizon...
Company Lumencraft
it looks like beginning of next year (January) we'll take the step from being a home garage operation to a more professional setting with company space...in the L.A area. We'll be partnering up/sharing resources with a cutting edge space flight company. They build complex actuators and other parts for space missions. We believe that this setting provides us access to knowledge and resources to execute the many flashlight related ideas we have. Besides the area we will be in is packed with aerospace machine shops and resources.
At the same time this aerospace company setting allows us to provide better support, faster service and delivery of future lights. Most likely the people building your future Lumencraft lights are the same ones building multi million dollar machinery that flies to space, mars and beyond...
We are excited about the possibilities this cooperation holds for us and also for you guys. Still a couple of if's and than's to figure out but that's the direction we're going.
GatLight
Now regarding the GatLight... we have been working on the V3... We're actually pretty close to the somewhat final design... We'll try to post some renderings maybe tonight or tomorrow.
The overall look will change a bit, of course there will be a cree xlamp XR-E in there (those simply smoke everything else we have seen) - so expect a major brightness upgrade. One major change will be that in the back the screws will be exposed as well... similar to what they are in the front for the V2... that really adds a nice touch.
Than in terms of function the multi brightness user interface will be improved. So instead of turning it quite a bit until the light turns on (like the V2). You'll be able to rotate the knob just a little bit and the light turns on at the lowest setting.
Regarding a push button in the back... the knob has room for about a half inch thick "push button" assembly. If anyone has a link to some parts to assemble a push button (or a final assembly would be ideal) let us know.
This would mean push button turns light on/off... while a rotation of the knob sets the brightness level (would be a very intuitive user interface). So if anyone has a link how to add such a function in simple way... we would consider it.
Also expect cutting edge materials with the V3... you'll
see when we post the renderings soon...
Again sorry for having been a bit unresponsive on cpf.. however the time was put to good use for the company (and future products) as well as for the V3.
While the V2 was our last "Garage manufactured product"... the V3 will be our first product coming from a professional aerospace setting....
Regards the other suggestions... focusable optics (not enough space) also water sealing to the LED or exposed optic would have to go. Minimal side spill... we tested pretty much every optic out there.... we went with the one that produces the tightest hotspot and nicest beam.. just getting the optics in was a challenge (since the XR-E hasn't been around that long, the optics haven't really been manufactured yet).
For those who sent in GatLight pictures we didn't forget about the competition... we'll do it as soon as we have a V3 ready to hand out as the first price :naughty:..
Other Lights
So far our priority list(subject to change anytime) is GatLight V3... than a small AAA design, followed by a larger 2x123 - tactical type light... maybe a 2D type light to take on the M6'es of this world.... Of course you can expect unique technologies, ideas, power sources and designs from our future products and we'll have the resources to make it happen.
Anyway keep your eyes open for the new V3 thread... we'll start tonight or sometimes tomorrow (link will be posted here).