[IC] xwhatsit Beam Spring controllers

[vivalarevolución]

Hey guys and gals! Because xwhatsit seams to be taking a well deserved break from his group buys, phosphorglow and myself are discussing doing a small group buy for xwhatsit’s beam spring controllers. We have some keyboards that we need to modernize, and imagine some other beam spring aficionados need a controller or two as well. We are going to limit this group buy to Beam Spring controllers, Beam Spring Displaywriter controllers, and solenoid drivers. For more information about xwhatsit beam spring controllers and solenoid drivers, see the links below:

xwhatsit's Grand Unified IBM Capsense USB controller thread
Beamspring USB controller

Please add yourself to this Google spreadsheet with the type and amount of controllers that you would like to buy. We will keep this open until the end of April, and then open a group buy thread with complete information and start collecting payments.

We will test interest in this thread for a few weeks. If there is enough interest, we will have the whole process planned out and calculated cost estimates before we begin collecting payments. We will then start the group buy and have estimates for the total cost of components, shipping, assembly, and any other parts or labor. Phosphorglow will do the assembly and testing, or you can order the unassembled controller for a reduced price and assemble it yourself.

We hope to keep this group buy small, simple, and short. We are not doing Model F controllers for that reason. BEAM SPRING ONLY. Based on previous amounts from xwhatsit’s group buys, we do not anticipate more than 10-20 controllers total, plus solenoid drivers.

This would be the first group buy for both of us, but we are not newbies to buying and selling in the keyboard hobby. Phosphorglow is a respected Model M mechanic with over 100 refurbishments and developed this awesome Model M replacement controller. I have done a couple dozen Model M and F refurbishments myself, various other sales, and strive to be honest and reliable in all my transactions. So we hope that you can be confident in our creditability, reliability, and trustworthiness.

Thank you for your interest and please ask if you have any questions.

That Google spreadsheet again.

[vivalarevolución]

Okay, somebody tell me how I get these urls to work.

[002]

You needn't put double-quotes around the URL. I fixed the bottom one for you

[vivalarevolución]

You needn't put double-quotes around the URL. I fixed the bottom one for you

Okay thanks, fixed. I was thinking it was 2004 again and I was writing html language on Geocities.

[Ellipse]

Hello, I had the xwhatsit Model F controllers built for $30 each last year.

Depending on how low you can get these to cost, I might be of some help. As I posted last year, I can have these xwhatsit beamspring controllers factory built for $30 each plus $5 US/$6 int'l shipping if I could get 35 pre-orders (I got just a handful of requests from my proposed group buy unfortunately).

If there are 20 beamspring pre-orders instead of 35, the cost is $43 each plus $5 (US) or $6 (int'l) shipping (also fully factory built/assembled). $50 + ship would be the cost for ordering 7 to 10.

I am also able to get solenoid drivers built for $17 each plus shipping with 35 pre-orders, though I didn't see much interest there either. It would be $25 each solenoid driver plus shipping with 20 pre-orders.

I'd be in for one beamspring controller if you can get a similarly good price!

[vivalarevolución]

Hello, I had the xwhatsit Model F controllers built for $30 each last year.

Depending on how low you can get these to cost, I might be of some help. As I posted last year, I can have these xwhatsit beamspring controllers factory built for $30 each plus $5 US/$6 int'l shipping if I could get 35 pre-orders (I got just a handful of requests from my proposed group buy unfortunately).

If there are 20 beamspring pre-orders instead of 35, the cost is $43 each plus $5 (US) or $6 (int'l) shipping (also fully factory built/assembled).

I am also able to get solenoid drivers built for $17 each plus shipping with 35 pre-orders, though I didn't see much interest there either. It would be $25 each solenoid driver plus shipping with 20 pre-orders.

I'd be in for one beamspring controller if you can get a similarly good price!

Yea, I don't know if our final prices will be in that range. Quality over the cheapest price are important for us, which I know will scare away some customers. Phosphorglow has a couple PCB fabricators in mind, and I recommend contacting him for that aspect of the group buy. I am taking care of the more administrative matters right now. We will be going forward regardless of final numbers, because the impetus for this group buy arose from needs for our own boards, and we then decided that we wanted to open up the opportunity to others if we were going to do it, anyways.

[Touch_It]

Down for 1 solenoid driver. Maybe 1 display writer (depending on price) eg if I'm the tipping point for a MOQ.

I apparently can't add myself from my phone. I shall do so tomorrow unless someone beats me to it

[photekq]

Down for 1 of each

[vivalarevolución]

Down for 1 solenoid driver. Maybe 1 display writer (depending on price) eg if I'm the tipping point for a MOQ.

I apparently can't add myself from my phone. I shall do so tomorrow unless someone beats me to it

I think MOQ is pretty small if we use something like OshPark. As I understand it, we can order any amount that we would like, as long as they are in multiples of 3. That MOQ is not considering affordability, obviously. Phosphorglow might have a preference for a different PCB manufacturer that he has used before, so we'll see.

https://oshpark.com/pricing

[XMIT]

I've added myself for one Displaywriter controller. I need to look into this more to see if I can add a solenoid to the Displaywriter.

xwhatsit finally emerged from hibernation and PM'd me details for getting a board directly. Exciting! I need to decide between this GB, getting a board from xwhatsit, or just hacking something together myself.

[scottc]

Any estimate on the cost of a solenoid driver?

[vivalarevolución]

I've added myself for one Displaywriter controller. I need to look into this more to see if I can add a solenoid to the Displaywriter.

xwhatsit finally emerged from hibernation and PM'd me details for getting a board directly. Exciting! I need to decide between this GB, getting a board from xwhatsit, or just hacking something together myself.

If xwhatsit is back in action and ready to do another run, we all of a sudden have a glut of options. That could change things.

Any estimate on the cost of a solenoid driver?

Not at the moment. When we have estimates, we will post them in this thread.

[Muirium]

I was about to jump on this until I got a quick PM from Xwhatsit today, to tell me my controller's on the way. Actually, he shipped it last Monday! Safe to say, he's been snowed under with non-keyboarding matters lately. As he's said many times before: he's happy for anyone to manufacture this open hardware to spare him the bother! So I reckon you've still a good reason to forge ahead with this little run. Probably still a good idea to ask him about his own plans though first.

[XMIT]

FWIW I already PM'd prdlm2009 now that xwhatsit has emerged. Hopefully we'll get this figured out and avoid three redundant group buys.

[andrewjoy]

I put myself down, i dont NEED one now but if i ever found another beamspring i want to be able to use it.

[vivalarevolución]

FWIW I already PM'd prdlm2009 now that xwhatsit has emerged. Hopefully we'll get this figured out and avoid three redundant group buys.

Yea, three redundant group buys would be dumb. Perhaps I could assemble the brain trust and see if we can reach a conclusion.

[0100010]

Maybe just put up a google sheet with three columns, so anyone can post which controller they want (Model F, Beamspring, Solenoid) along with their username and desired quantity of each; then figure out who has how many of what left currently - run a GB for what's left and some spares.

[joc]

I put myself down for two beam spring controllers and two solenoid drivers. Thanks!

[vivalarevolución]

I'm just gonna bump this for visibility.

[xwhatsit]

Wow, would you look at this! Nice job. It's open source for a reason Now people just need to start hacking the code

Unfortunately my time for keyboard stuff is in very short supply and will remain this way for a while to come. Although I do need to build some sort of ergonomic split or vertical keyboard for my wife who has recently developed carpal tunnel syndrome... probably some awful Cherry MX monstrosity

I have stocks of bits to do controllers, but I would wholeheartedly throw my weight behind other people manufacturing them. They're a bit frustrating to do; I feel guilty taking the small amount of markup I put on the cost of the parts, but then I get annoyed with myself at how many hours I spend doing repetitive stuff like placing 0.1uF caps

Would you be manufacturing them yourself, or getting them made through a PCBA service? If you're to make them yourself, I have a pile of blank PCBs (the white ones I was shipping before) that would cover off the majority of your spreadsheet.

[andrewjoy]

If you do send em the PCB sign me up for a white one !

[vivalarevolución]

Wow, would you look at this! Nice job. It's open source for a reason Now people just need to start hacking the code

Unfortunately my time for keyboard stuff is in very short supply and will remain this way for a while to come. Although I do need to build some sort of ergonomic split or vertical keyboard for my wife who has recently developed carpal tunnel syndrome... probably some awful Cherry MX monstrosity

I have stocks of bits to do controllers, but I would wholeheartedly throw my weight behind other people manufacturing them. They're a bit frustrating to do; I feel guilty taking the small amount of markup I put on the cost of the parts, but then I get annoyed with myself at how many hours I spend doing repetitive stuff like placing 0.1uF caps

Would you be manufacturing them yourself, or getting them made through a PCBA service? If you're to make them yourself, I have a pile of blank PCBs (the white ones I was shipping before) that would cover off the majority of your spreadsheet.

Thanks for the response, xwhatsit. I understand how life can pile up and we have to focus on the important things. I always wondered how frustrating it was for you to solder such small components.

We planned to have them made by a PCB manufacturer. If there were enough orders, we would consider having them pre-assembled. If you have a pile of blank PCBs without components, I think we would open to acquiring those and soldering the components to them. Let me check. How many of each do you have?

[xwhatsit]

There's not that many blank PCBs, maybe 8 BS, 4 BS-DW and probably another 8 Solenoid Driver PCBs. If you're going to get them made preassembled, then it wouldn't make sense to use my blank PCBs, as the price will likely drop dramatically the more you get preassembled.

However if you were set up to make your own (it's not rocket science; a cheap solder stencil from OSH Stencils, a tub of $3 solder paste from eBay and a toaster oven—along with a decent set of tweezers—will have you getting great results), then it might save a bit of cost, that's all.

[XMIT]

There is also Ellipse's group buy, I wonder how that is going?

[vivalarevolución]

There's not that many blank PCBs, maybe 8 BS, 4 BS-DW and probably another 8 Solenoid Driver PCBs. If you're going to get them made preassembled, then it wouldn't make sense to use my blank PCBs, as the price will likely drop dramatically the more you get preassembled.

However if you were set up to make your own (it's not rocket science; a cheap solder stencil from OSH Stencils, a tub of $3 solder paste from eBay and a toaster oven—along with a decent set of tweezers—will have you getting great results), then it might save a bit of cost, that's all.

At this point, it does not seem like there is enough interest to get them pre-assembled, so assembling by hand might be more cost effective. Phosphorglow is more skilled at soldering than I am, so we discussed him taking care of that aspect of the group buy and I imagine that he has most of supplies already. He has some experience soldering components to PCBs, and his expectations for quality are rather high.

There is also Ellipse's group buy, I wonder how that is going?

We've exchanged a few messages.

[XMIT]

I can do my own assembly if it results in a discount.

[vivalarevolución]

One more bump to see if there is anymore interest.

[vivalarevolución]

Also, I wanted to know if anybody cared too much if these were factory built rather than hand assembled. We might have enough interest to have them factory built at a reasonable price.

[Muirium]

I think the only thing that matters to new beamspring owners is that these are available and fairly priced!

The trouble is there's not that many beamsprings out there, and those are the price of admission. I'm 2 for 2, so I'm all good now. But every month or so I see new people entering the venerable beamspring club. It's just a trickle, not a tidal wave.

[vivalarevolución]

I think the only thing that matters to new beamspring owners is that these are available and fairly priced!

Yea, that's kinda what I figured as well.