Hi-Profile PBT Dye-sub (the time has come)

[matt3o]

There is clearly a lack of motivation/priority somewhere in the development chain, and I don't think it is Matt3o...

it's the $30k initial investment for the tooling that is quite a let down.

[Wodan]

Who has to invest that money? This would be a great subject for a crowdINVEST campaign!
Just a little difficult to run such a campaign when the money goes to China ...

[zslane]

Ah, I think many of us were under the impression that a Chinese manufacturer was already prepared to do this, including investing whatever funds were necessary to enable production. What I'm hearing now is that a lot of time-consuming R&D went into something that never had a committed manufacturing partner at all. That is disappointing.

[matt3o]

oh there is a commitment, the set is going to be done, just the priority is not the highest (not on my part of course).

[Wodan]

Chinese made their own Granite, even got an ISO enter ...
https://www.keyclack.com/product-catego ... milestone/

I hate to admit it and I don't think anyone asked matt3o for permission but what they are offering is beyond epic.

Non profiled though!

[matt3o]

I got a new round of samples coming my way!

If everything's alright we will then go to production!

[Laser]

I got a new round of samples coming my way!

If everything's alright we will then go to production!

That's very good news! Would you risk some "GB date" estimate, even if a very rough one?

EDIT: Also, pics! lottsa pics! (when you have the samples, of course)

[zslane]

Chinese made their own Granite, even got an ISO enter ...

Yeah, but do they have Matt3o's awesome icon mods?

[matt3o]

That's very good news! Would you risk some "GB date" estimate, even if a very rough one?

I'd say Q1 2017

[zslane]

Can you give us some idea of the first colorway you'll be doing?

[Laser]

That's very good news! Would you risk some "GB date" estimate, even if a very rough one?

I'd say Q1 2017

Thanks!

Hmm, after all, I might be able to buy one set in December (sculpted customizable ABS SA) and also your set, when it arrives.

[matt3o]

PRE-PRODUCTION prototypes!

[Laser]

Ooh! They look pretty accurate, from this distance!

(You can start selling them spacebars )

[matt3o]

I'll take better pictures in a jiffy. I think we need to make some very minor changes. I'm such a perfectionist, everybody hates working with me

[Khers]

Looking good!

Maybe good enough for me to get yet another taste of sphericals. I might even like these, considering how much I enjoy my beamer.

[Wodan]

Oh wow they look so precious ...

The surface texture it totally speaking to me ... SA profile might be true vintage but the smooth surface was never first choice

[scottc]

Oooh man... I'm not a normally huge fan of sphericals on anything except the real deal but those look sexy!

[zabuza1997]

Dayummmmm :p

[XMIT]

I'll take better pictures in a jiffy. I think we need to make some very minor changes. I'm such a perfectionist, everybody hates working with me

It's true. The Massdrop guys mentioned this. This looks great matt3o, keep up the good work.

[uncletobai]

Those look really good can't wait for more pics! I always wanted high profile caps but I'm not too fond of ABS so these will be perfect!

[XMIT]

matt3o, when you're getting photos, can you do a comparison with some of the other spherical profiles we know and love - SA, Topre HiPro, IBM, Alps - to help us understand what this is like?

If that Q1 2017 time frame is realistic I can look into offering these as a stock option on my Hall boards, or at least, offering them for sale at the same time along with a barebones option.

[Muirium]

Mmmm… vintage niceness.

I look forward to that production set I scored by loaning you my beamsprings for modelling. Wonder how they'd suit a NovaTouch…

[Ratfink]

Wow, those look great! I'm glad to see a "spherical" set that emulates beamspring keycaps, which aren't quite truly spherical.

[Hypersphere]

Wow, those look great! I'm glad to see a "spherical" set that emulates beamspring keycaps, which aren't quite truly spherical.

Hypospherical perhaps. Someday we can transcend spherical -- to hyperspherical and beyond!

In any event, thanks for the great perfectionistic work, matt3o!

[zslane]

matt3o, when you're getting photos, can you do a comparison with some of the other spherical profiles we know and love - SA, Topre HiPro, IBM, Alps - to help us understand what this is like?

I second this motion.

... I can look into offering these as a stock option on my Hall boards, or at least, offering them for sale at the same time along with a barebones option.

I like this idea very much. Vintage-inspired HE switches with vintage-inspired spherical keycaps! All that's left is to put them together with a vintage-inspired case and you've really got something!

[Hypersphere]

@XMIT: When I first saw "stock option" I thought that we were being given the opportunity to buy shares in your company.

[matt3o]

If you have comments speak now or forever hold your peace

[Nuum]

The transition from row 2 to row 3 looks odd. Are those two rows the same, but the other way round?
A parallel row 3, like in SA, would look much better I think.

[photekq]

The transition from row 2 to row 3 looks odd. Are those two rows the same, but the other way round?
A parallel row 3, like in SA, would look much better I think.

Good eye.

I think we tried a parallel row 3 at one point, but decided the current setup is more aesthetically pleasing.

[Muirium]

I'm iffy about the front lip of the mods immediately beside the space bar being a different height. Ideally that whole row is thumb-slide smooth.