Model MF - GB CLOSED

[fohat]

made me think of the viral video from years ago "Honey Badger Don't Care" (mind the language if it offends)

Still one of the best:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg

[Rimrul]

@Hypersphere... haha... made me think of the viral video from years ago "Honey Badger Don't Care" (mind the language if it offends)

Exactly what I re-watched after seeing the magical words "honey badger".

[lot_lizard]

We close at 3:00am UTC. That is 2 hours and 46 minutes from now. If you are in the 3rd post already, or PMed interest already... you're in. Otherwise... well... you missed. Sorry

[Techno Trousers]

126 kits so far. That's a great turnout, especially considering it's a really short group buy on one forum. Down the road, I'm pretty sure there will be at least that many people lamenting that they didn't get one!

[lot_lizard]

Thanks again everyone... We are closed. If your name isn't in the 3rd post, and you are not in. We ended up at 127 (not counting myself and personal friends outside of the community), which was a great turnout for a 2-3 week GB with this complexity and cost. If you haven't got an invoice yet (<5% of you), no need to worry. I'll bill within the next couple of days.

There are a lot of pieces (mostly related to branding and finishing touches) that haven't been announced yet that I have been sorting out the past few weeks. You'll be happy. It's a real "product". Let production begin!!! I'll try to do a good job of showing the production along the way as updates since I will be directly involved (not thrown over to China). Again... Thanks for the support.

EDIT: oh... And yes... We ran out of switches. I ate into my personal reserve that I planned on keeping by 2 boards. Almost storybook ending. Highly pleased

[002]

Hooray! Congrats on a successful run to this point, and kudos to you for the strict deadline - 7bit could take some notes

[Techno Trousers]

I'm glad that you found a good home for all the switches!

[mike52787]

Whoever missed this missed out on a once in a lifetime buy. I cant wait for my MF kit, Ill actually enjoy using my ssk more! Whoever bought the 55g spring option, please report on how they feel. I was thinking about getting it, but I like the real deal F weighting too much.

[fohat]

I'm glad that you found a good home for all the switches!

Accumulating thousands of switches in a couple of months was a large undertaking.

Going forward, one person acquiring enough switches for one keyboard will not be an impossible task.

Just be patient, Model Fs turn up regularly, if not predictably. Having the option of using both types of barrels makes it much more convenient.

[DMA]

Whoever missed this missed out on a once in a lifetime buy.

Why so pessimistic? Next step is key assembly production and then it's BS in 60%, 50%.. any form factor, basically!

and if alt springs pan out.. you can have your 200gf BS

[lot_lizard]

Having the option of using both types of barrels makes it much more convenient.

This brings up a really good point that we have never really touted, but what I think sets us apart from most other keyboards (not the barrels, but the theme). Each component that makes this assembly up has a focus on interchangeability. So if some new part or discovery comes along, swapping out the old module for the new becomes a much less daunting task than a typical board.


A short list of many examples:

• DMA comes up with a new controller, slip the old one off the PCB and slap the new one on (no solder)
• "USB-D" comes out, replace the daughter board
• Bluetooth gets enabled one day. It could be integrated into a controller, new USB daughter board, or something in the middle
• A "better" spring is discovered
• a quieter but equally crisp flipper comes along
• switching up key layouts
• even better foam
• ...

It really is one of the most modular designs all the way around that I can think of (requiring only a screwdriver and a set of hands), and I personally think that is what makes it special. I am confident people will enjoy it out of the gate, but the part that is going to make me happy is to see future projects built around this base assembly... the true "tinker's" board (at least that is my hope). IBM's keyboard designs really did lend themselves to an "open system" (even though they were attached to "closed system" servers). We have just embraced that even further.

[livingspeedbump]

Yeah, this will truly be a forever keyboard indeed, with a lot of thanks to how modular it really is. Out of all my keyboards I have very, very few I'd never consider selling, this will surely be one of them.

[lot_lizard]

Everyone that participated received a PM shortly ago. If this is something that is interesting, please take the steps to make it happen in short order if you would. We are in the "new world order" group buy here. Things MOVE, and stragglers from the herd are left behind

[Phenix]

I am excited!
next step: the B-15

[wobbled]

Well I sure have treated myself this Christmas... A beamspring, Ellipse's Model F, and now Model F internals for my Industrial SSK. God I love this place. It's fucking heaven.

[chzel]

It's fucking heaven.

Or hell...depends if you ask me, or my bank account!

[mike52787]

Everyone that participated received a PM shortly ago. If this is something that is interesting, please take the steps to make it happen in short order if you would. We are in the "new world order" group buy here. Things MOVE, and stragglers from the herd are left behind

I didnt get a PM.

edit: nevermind, tapatalk just sucks

[lot_lizard]

Just posted the final metrics to the 3rd OP. Some interesting information on the whole if you haven't looked. Our polling really was helpful throughout to form a clear picture of all of this.

Everyone has been awesome about getting these invoices knocked out as well. Just two left to get out on my part, but they are to folks who have been ENTRENCHED in this from the beginning. We still need to test this latest version of the PCBs I have in, and will as soon as I receive the new controller Phosphorglow was nice enough to solder together for us.

And with that... I think we are officially "shovel ready". Let production commence on the parts that are tested and proven already. I will try to post as many pics as possible along the journey (hopefully with more substance than the one below)

[drevyek]

A question I had- are we doing anything for a new label for the backs of these? I recall a post about 1391337...

[lot_lizard]

A question I had- are we doing anything for a new label for the backs of these? I recall a post about 1391337...

Very much so... It will be drawn from the sticker that Techno Trousers put together for us with a couple of minor tweaks now that we are "branded". For anyone having us assemble them, that will be filled in. For others, it will be similar to below.

[Wodan]

LOL you're nerds

[webwit]

Will it have rgb quality control dots?

Spoiler:

[lot_lizard]

LOL you're l33t nerds

Damn straight... with the correction above though

Will it have rgb quality control dots?

Genius... it will now!!!

[drevyek]

On the cable front, I know that there are a few places that will do custom cabling (Keyclack comes to mind for the NA crowd, Pexon for across the water). I'm sure we could do something with getting a few nice coiled USB-B/C cables to go along with this.

A question I had- are we doing anything for a new label for the backs of these? I recall a post about 1391337...

Very much so... It will be drawn from the sticker that Techno Trousers put together for us with a couple of minor tweaks now that we are "branded". For anyone having us assemble them, that will be filled in. For others, it will be similar to below.

Spoiler:

There it is!

LOL you're nerds

NEERRDDSSS

[alh84001]

Will it have rgb quality control dots?

Genius... it will now!!!

Is it wrong for me to giggle over this?

[E TwentyNine]

For those of you wondering what the 2D barcode decodes to:

FSSK/FEXT Project from http://www.deskthority.net. Thanks to idollar, lot_lizard, xwhatsit, wcass, Phosphorglow, Techno Trousers, and everyone else who worked to make this happen.

Special thanks to Richard Hunter Harris of IBM for inventing the buckling spring switch (U.S. patent 4118611, filed on 30 August , 1977), and the IBM engineers who later created the capacitive buckling spring keyboard.

Xwhatsit IBM Capsense USB keyboard controllers: http://downloads.cornall.co/ibm-capsens ... e-usb.html

wcass XTant project: workshop-f7/bringing-the-ibm-pc-xt-into ... t3047.html

idollar Let's Create the FSSK/FEXT: workshop-f7/f-ssk-t10744.html

lot_lizard (Model MF) Remodeling the Model M: workshop-f7/remodeling-the-model-m-t13796.html

[POTV]

Great idea with the stickers - but that almost calls for new cases, right

[Techno Trousers]

Great idea with the stickers - but that almost calls for new cases, right

Phase 2 baby, phase 2. And actually, this particular sticker is intended to go on the back of the inner assembly bottom plate, as an homage to the original IBM parts stickers with manufacture dates and QC signatures.

[POTV]

Okay, okay - I'll hold my breath...

[ramnes]

CNC'd SSK case à la KMAC? Count me in.