Introducing: Groovy! -- Part III

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PhotonFanatic

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<font color="red"> GROOVY! UPDATE </font>

<font color="blue">
Word just in from Dan that the Groovy!s are done!

Well, the bodies are done. Next to be done are the polishing, plating and assembly.

At this stage, here is what the serialized, engraved Groovy! will entail:
  1. Single cell flashlight made from 6061 Aluminum
  2. Electrical driver: Your choice of a NexGen 500 mA driver, the NexGen 750 mA driver, or the POP2G driver.
  3. The LED will be a Luxeon III emitter, bin code TW0J
  4. Light output through an IMS 17mm reflector and a double-sided anti-reflection coated lens
  5. On/off Kroll pushbutton switch with a rubber boot
  6. The Groovy! will have O-rings protecting it from dust and moisture at two points of possibe entry, i.e., bezel to lens interface and at the head to body interface. The Kroll switch's rubber boot provides protection at the switch level
  7. The Groovy! comes with a CR123 Surefire battery
  8. The driver will be held in place with a retaining ring, which is easily removed with a pair of needle nose pliers
  9. Surface finish will be electroless nickel plate
  10. First 200 lights will be laser engraved with "Groovy! #123", where the 123 will be the actual serial number and whatever else the buyer wishes, i.e, his name, etc.
  11. Wrist lanyard
  12. Price: $130.00, postpaid
At the bottom of this post is a list showing serial number, name, which choice of driver you may have stated, and the name to be engraved on your Groovy!. If your choice of driver isn't shown, or your engraved name is blank, then please either post here, or send me a PM.

After we get the Groovy!s plated, I will open up a buy thread and start accepting PP payments. If you do not have a PP account, then a money order will work just fine. </font>


Introducing the CNC-123 Groovy!

Latest prototype, in polished aluminum:

SlantNG750.jpg


What have CNC_Dan and I changed/added?

First, we have designed the light to be able to accept three different optics/reflectors without much modification at all. The new head will accept the Carclo, NX05 and Fraen optics if the mold stem is removed; just add the O-ring and it is done. The IMS 17mm reflector slides in place after the legs are trimmed off. However, the reflector is designed to be used with our double-sided anti-reflection coated lens, so that gets put on top of the reflector, you add the O-ring and you are done.

Speaking of O-rings, the Groovy! now comes with all seams/interfaces protected by O-rings, or in the case of the tailcap area, by the Kroll rubber boot. So the Groovy! will be watertight, but not designed for diving.

And speaking of seams, can you see the bezel/head seam? A very special thank you to andrewwynn for suggesting that modification.

Notice the body has been simplified, there is one combined battery/tailcap tube which holds both the CR123 battery and the Kroll switch.

And did I mention the grooves? Those in the head are great heat dissipators and feel great in your fingertips. The rear grooves are, believe it or not, replacements for the traditional knurling. When one wants to turn the light on by pressing on the Kroll switch, it can be a one-handed operation as the grooves stop your fingers from sliding forward. The rear grooves will cause a lot less wear and tear on your clothes, also, if you EDC it.

Should you want more grip, see the photo below with O-rings placed in the grooves.

As far as what you can use for drivers, just about any of the standard .55" diameter sandwiches will work as drop ins. There is a retaining ring to hold the sandwich in place so that when changing the battery.

Here is a retouched photo showing the seams eliminated:

GROOVY!-modded.jpg


Now use your imagination and consider adding some O-ring to the grooves at the back:

Groovy!_ringed.jpg


Price? $130, includes driver with TW0J Lux III and wrist lanyard. <font color="red"> Note that this is a special introductory price for the first 200 lights--the price will be higher after these are sold. </font>

Length: 3.32"; Maximum diameter: just under 1"; Weight 2.2 oz.

Yes, the body will be available separately.

SIGN-UP LIST for Groovy! TK Light (Nickel plated with serial number engraved and your CPF name/real name/whatever):

<font class="small">Code:</font><hr /><pre>
No. CPF Name Driver Engraved Name
1 andrewwynn ? andrewwynn Paid
2 LitFuse ? ?
3 CromagNet POP2G+ CPF Special Edition 2005 Paid
4 LaserBurnz NG750 Earthgrrrl
5 arewethereyetdadPOP2G blank Paid

6 arewethereyetdadPOP2G blank Paid
7 arewethereyetdadPOP2G arewethereyetdad Paid
8 flashlight POP2G+ CPF Special Edition 2005 Paid
9 nrk POP2G NRK
10 Dr_Joe POP2G JRL 10/200

11 StarEye POP2G+ StarEye Paid
12 Icarus POP2G Icarus Paid
13 cgpeanut POP2G+ Charlotte Grace Paid
14 leadfoot NG750 CPF Special Edition Paid
15 billybright POP2G CPF Special Edition 015/200 Paid
16 Vifam POP2G CPF Special Edition 016/200

17 DasFX POP2G DAS Paid
18 GADGETOMETRY NG750 GADGETOMETRY
19 mmdrag POP2G DRAG Paid
20 peu POP2G PEU Paid
21 dbrad POP2G db Paid
22 Toglud POP2G Torben Glud Paid
23 greenlight ? ?

24 javafool NG500 javafool Paid
25 Doc NG750 blank
26 TrueBlue POP2G TrueBlue Paid
27 NetMage POP2G+ NetMage Paid
28 sputnick NG750 ?

29 doctorf NG750 ?
30 moeman POP2G blank
31 Bogus1 NG750 ?
32 modamag POP2G+ MODAMAG Paid
33 mst3k NG750 mst3k Paid

35 Darkstar POP2G Darkstar Paid
36 shinning ? ?
37 Phylor ? ?
38 winny NG750 Andreas Vinnberg Paid
40 RchGrav POP2G+ CPF Special Edition Paid
42 RchGrav ? ?

44 mbira NG750 Groovy
45 Kilted POP2G =D~~ Kilted Paid
46 XFlash POP2G+ XFlash Paid
50 Free POP2G+ Free Paid

52 Bob_G NG500 Molly Paid
53 karlthev POP2G WB Paid
54 karlthev POP2G PB Paid
55 red_robby POP2G G
56 fleshlite POP2G+ CPF Special Edition 05 Paid
57 Marconi POP2G Marconi

62 AW POP2G+ 88888888 Paid
63 jdriller POP2G Jody Paid
65 nethiker POP2G GVC Paid
66 Colette NG750 Colette Paid
69 Sky ? WEH-2005 Paid
70 cdalyt POP2G CPF SE 070/200 Enroute

76 flex76italy POP2G+ Samuele Paid
77 rhutchinson ? ?
86 lk99bt ? ?
88 alauda NG750 88 Paid
90 mgk65 POP2G mgk65 Paid

93 jeffb POP2G+ jeffb Paid
95 Wong POP2G+ Wong Joey Paid
98 MrMom NG500 blank Paid
99 yaesumofo POP2G YAESUMOFO
100 mut POP2G CPF
101 andrewwynn ? awr Paid

111 Bogus1 ? ?
122 Bob_G NG500 Skye Dancer Paid
123 AndyB POP2G+ AJB Paid
128 Amorphous POP2G CPF Special - Amorphous Paid

133 Aluraeo NG750 ?
143 MrMom POP2G blank Paid
168 AuroraLite POP2G Semper Ad Lucem{TYAH} Paid
169 Former_Mag_User NG750 Daniel Soria
188 alauda POP2G+ Tony H Paid

189 CNTSTPDRMN POP2G Michael Robbins Paid
199 wmpwi POP2G Apollo Paid
200 Andreas ? ?

All other numbers are available.</pre><hr />




Original Thread Here: Groovy! Part I

Part II here: Groovy! -- Part II
 

andrewwynn

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I have a production pre-release groovy (bare aluminum) and have to say: 'exceeds expectations'.. i can't wait to see the plated and engraved model.. kudos to cncdan.. I hope everybody likes theirs enough to direct their friends to photonfanatic.com for their own copy.

-awr
 

AuroraLite

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Location
HK
Hi, PhotonFanatic!

I would like to order one TK Groovy as follow, thank you /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif :

Serial number: #168
Driver: POP2G
Engraving:
Semper Ad Lucem
 

PhotonFanatic

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Some have been asking what kind of Lux output the Groovy! generates, so I took some measurements.

Groovy! with the NexGen 750 and the IMS 17mm reflector: 950 Lux

Groovy! with the NexGen 500 and the IMS 17mm reflector: 760 Lux

Groovy! with the NexGen 500 and the Carclo 6 degree optic: 810 Lux

Measurements taken at one meter; primary 123 battery was used.

Unfortunately, I do not yet have the POP2G to test in the Groovy!, but I will post results when available.

Keep in mind that your mileage may vary as each TW0J has a mind of its own, not to mention the battery. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

PhotonFanatic

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F_M_U,

No, the 20mm IMS reflector is much too long to fit into the Groovy.

Having said that, Dan is looking into modifying the head by boring a tad deeper to clear the bottom curve of the 20mm relfector and then using a longer bezel. All that would accomplish is the ability to get a 20mm in there, but it isn't an elegant solution--a new flashlight designed around the 20mm specs would be the way to go.
 

andrewwynn

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I have shoehorned a 20IMS into the cnc123.. but the bezel only grabs a couple of threads.. I've been dying to try to use a groovy bezel on the cnc123.. and it should fit nice.. of course.. that doesn't help the groovy solution huh?

those lux measurements are in-line with what i'd expect... maybe just a little higher than i'm accustomed to seeing.. i usually get about 100lux more than the mA (coincidence.. not at all power levels).. but 500mA gets me 600 lux.. 900mA gets me 1000 lux.. i've made like 6 or 7 CNC123s and groovies now.. optics are the same, and always using TWOJ save one case of a TX1H.

were you using primary 123s in that testing, Fred.. i thought i read where you used an R123 and NG in one case.

former mag.. the shape of the groovy is exactly the shape of the cnc123 as far as a holder would go.. fred has the dimensions somewhere... but about .8" body.. 1.0" head and like 3.3" long..

Maybe somebody can locate a good holster.. i just use my buttpack :-D

-awr
 

Former_Mag_User

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[ QUOTE ]
CromagNet said:
.
blah-needcoffee.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

I think that's how all of us feel.
 

wintermute

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Nov 16, 2004
Messages
681
ok...who want serial number 3 ?? Although I would love to get this thing, other issues take priority at the moment. So #3 is available to whoever wants it. Take care all.
 

Dr_Joe

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/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif "Rumors of my demise may have been premature" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/party.gif

WOW, go away for a few days and all sorts of good projects start to come to fruition !!

I am definetely still in, and I think I want a POP2G. Let me see if I have this straight, the POP2G is not recommended for use with primary cells.......right ? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 

winny

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How did I miss number 11?
It says "open" and a low serial number is always welcome. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Move my #38 to #11 if possible.

Kind regards
Andreas
 

PhotonFanatic

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Andreas,

Some folks who had previously indicated an interest have changed their minds, so if I hear from them, then I open their previously reserved number for anyone to claim.

Speaking of hearing from people, anyone know if LaserBurnz has had a CPF name change, or??
 

mgk65

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Aug 30, 2004
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Light #90, mgk65

I'll take the POP2G and name as "mgk65"

thanks!
 
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