Are UniComp-caps really half-ass finished ?

Peter · 18 Mar 2012, 21:01

I would like to know, for sure !,
since I'm planning on buying a shitload of caps from them ..

Anybody willing to make some macro-photos ??
( The 'standard' key-sets, like they sell on the website .)

glossywhite · 18 Mar 2012, 21:56

Peter wrote:I would like to know, for sure !,
since I'm planning on buying a shitload of caps from them ..

Anybody willing to make some macro-photos ??
( The 'standard' key-sets, like they sell on the website .)

I am not sure about cap sets bought on their own, but you can see my other thread documents the poor finish of the caps as on the Model M, so I cannot see why loose caps would be better:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22008695@N ... 594643579/

Peter · 18 Mar 2012, 22:56

Yes, I saw that ..
Pretty horrible those caps are, so I was
wondering what the standard-sets look like ?

ripster · 18 Mar 2012, 23:49

It's the Internet (McRip effect). All of my Unicomp keys are fine.

If anything the Topres have worse molding marks and they cost $110 a set and come with ABS spacebars.

Peter · 18 Mar 2012, 23:59

The Unicomps I've seen looked fine, maybe glossywhite was just really unlucky with his caps ?
But you never know, I have some SP-caps where you just gotta ask yourself : Did they even LOOK at them ??

ripster · 19 Mar 2012, 02:57

They probably send the EU folks the seconds like IBM did with a Scottish factory.

sixty · 19 Mar 2012, 05:59

As ripster said, it is just the internet. All Unicomp made keys (especially with custom legends!) are always crisp and clear. There never are any issues with them. MC RIP MC RIP! GO ON NOTHING IS WRONG HERE!

kps · 19 Mar 2012, 14:34

One of my APL keycaps has major flashing. A handful have minor flashing. I never noticed before today. I don't spend enough time looking at the gaps between keys.

ripster · 19 Mar 2012, 16:41

Melissa at Signature Plastics taught Unicomp how to kern.

mhinsch · 19 Mar 2012, 21:37

@Peter - may I ask where you live? I'm looking for Model M keycaps but shipping costs to UK have so far prevented me from ordering them from Unicomp directly. I.e. in case you order to EU and especially UK or DE I would be interested in joining.

rodtang · 19 Mar 2012, 21:39

mhinsch wrote:@Peter - may I ask where you live? I'm looking for Model M keycaps but shipping costs to UK have so far prevented me from ordering them from Unicomp directly. I.e. in case you order to EU and especially UK or DE I would be interested in joining.

He lives in Denmark.

Maarten · 19 Mar 2012, 22:06

If you look close enough and are super-uber-picky everything is half-ass finished.....

Gilgam · 19 Mar 2012, 23:06

I bought Five sets of azerty keycaps from Unicomp (pearl and metallic) and a black blank one.
They are very nice, and very well printed. The geekhack keys indeed were not so good, i have some too.
But these are custom printed ones.
For standard sets they can be trusted.

daedalus · 19 Mar 2012, 23:24

From what I have heard, the dye sheets for custom keys are made in house, whereas the regular production ones are made for Unicomp by a company that specializes in such things. Thus, why the custom ones tend to be a bit dodgy.

That said, I have some keys were standard markings have been printed onto coloured keys, and the marking are skew-ways. I think this may be to do with the fact that the keycaps are usually printed as part of the keyboard manufacturing process - the keyboard is assembled with blank keycaps, and then the entire keyboard is printed onto in one go. I can imagine that to print a single keycap would involve some creative use of their printing equipment. It's not like the custom doubleshots, where the keys are actually manufactured as individual pieces.

ripster · 20 Mar 2012, 00:17

It's not like Signature Plastics are any better at doing custom work.

: FLA_4416.jpg (475.77 KiB) Viewed 6961 times

: FLA_4418.jpg (546.36 KiB) Viewed 6961 times

Notice the fat lower left lip.

: FLA_4425.jpg (287.45 KiB) Viewed 6961 times

Obvious problem is obvious.

: FLA_4427.jpg (335.54 KiB) Viewed 6961 times

The REGULAR Unicomp keys are fine. At least my Unicomp Spacesaver AND 3 sets of black blanks were. And my Boscom. And my telephone rubber dome Unicomp. And my M13 made by Unicomp.

kps · 20 Mar 2012, 00:34

ripster wrote:Notice the fat lower left lip.

You didn't notice the variation in thickness of the circle? I'm appalled at your low standards.

: awesome.jpg (58.03 KiB) Viewed 6955 times

sixty · 20 Mar 2012, 07:49

With Signature Plastics it depends a lot on how you run the group buy. In all group buys I organized, I had all faulty keys replaced free of charge within 6 weeks.

Trent · 21 Mar 2012, 19:25

All of the caps I have purchased are just fine, don't worry.

cactux · 21 Mar 2012, 20:33

[Account and posts deleted on request]

ripster · 22 Mar 2012, 15:05

I can post pics if you want. Just not right now.

Sent From Brother Ripster's iPad

ripster · 22 Mar 2012, 21:15

: FLA_4452.jpg (218.56 KiB) Viewed 6792 times

ripster · 22 Mar 2012, 23:40

MOAR they say!

Oh wait, that's the offcenter arrow keys on an IBM that Geekhackers are so upset about.

: FLA_3442.jpg (293.42 KiB) Viewed 6775 times

huttala · 26 Mar 2012, 01:11

Don't know if ur trolling or not but all the keys look fine to me, except the red geekhack keys, they look awful.
I would however be upset about the pubic hair on the arrow key on the last picture you upped ripster.

ripster · 26 Mar 2012, 10:13

Why? Hasn't yours come in yet?

Unicomps are fine.

It's 7bit group buys you need to worry about.

huttala · 27 Mar 2012, 16:00

ripster wrote:Why? Hasn't yours come in yet?

Unicomps are fine.

It's 7bit group buys you need to worry about.

I rather keep mine around me crotch instead of on the keyboard.

And great that Unicomps are fine, I might just get a board from them soon.

Peter · 28 Mar 2012, 17:36

daedalus wrote:From what I have heard, the dye sheets for custom keys are made in house, whereas the regular production ones are made for Unicomp by a company that specializes in such things. Thus, why the custom ones tend to be a bit dodgy.

That said, I have some keys were standard markings have been printed onto coloured keys, and the marking are skew-ways. I think this may be to do with the fact that the keycaps are usually printed as part of the keyboard manufacturing process - the keyboard is assembled with blank keycaps, and then the entire keyboard is printed onto in one go. I can imagine that to print a single keycap would involve some creative use of their printing equipment. It's not like the custom doubleshots, where the keys are actually manufactured as individual pieces.

That's kinda what I was afraid of ...
'Printing' the entire keyboard in one go should ensure properly aligned legends ..

But if I was to order 'National characters only' keysets for the main Euro-languages I'm afraid that
they might be 'off-centre' or slightly off-colour . And some people just can't stand that !

mhinsch wrote:@Peter - may I ask where you live? I'm looking for Model M keycaps but shipping costs to UK have so far prevented me from ordering them from Unicomp directly. I.e. in case you order to EU and especially UK or DE I would be interested in joining.

I'm starting to think that it won't happen, people will have to order their own national layout-sets directly from Unicomp.
One reason is the Danish 25% Sales-Tax on the entire invoice ,another the 23Euro customs handling-fee .
It's just to much money for me to have to front ATM,
considering that a large portion is going down the Government Black Hole.
Somehow Unicomp needs to set up a pipeline into the Euro-market if they are interested ..
( German Sales-Tax is 'only' 19% IIRC ?
Also, German International freight-rates seem reasonable, at least compared to Danish Post or UK Royal Mail )