[IC] SKBXX solid bent alu case made in Germany (60%+75%)

[PlastikSchnittstelle]

Hi,

I'm Plastikschnittstelle. This is an interest check for a keyboard case. It's made of thick aluminium sheets, laser cut and bent. Bead blasted and black anodized for the finish. It's supposed to be a more affordable alternative to all the awesome but also expensive CNC aluminium cases. The design is simple and sturdy, with integrated height adjustability (6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 degrees) and a low initial row. The plate is laser cut from steel and powder coated, black. The plate is edge-mounted top-mounted. There are different profile versions to decide on - medium, high and high with integrated wrist-rest. We will have to decide which size and layout the case should be adapted to. The case is high profile and there will be different 60% (Standard, WKL, HHKB, YAS) and one 75% version to choose from. This is just the case, plate and screws, no PCB, switches or caps included. All PCBs fit - just if the plate supports the layout you want.

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UPDATES:



10.04.2018
- IC ended and GB started

27.03.2018
- made a second build from the samples, more pictures

22.03.2018
- got the samples and made a build, pictures

13.03.2018
- updated intro text
- still waiting for the samples, will arrive soon

07.02.2018
- waiting for samples

17.12.2017
- updated plate drafts, added banana split and DZ60 support

13.12.2017
- first plate drafts

08.12.2017
- third google form for choosing your preferred layout

06.12.2017
- bead-blasted finish
- screws
- order step size
- pricing

26.11.2017
- new renderings of 75%
- first try to determine the plate layouts:
-> 60% versions
-> 60% HHKB versions
-> 60% YAS versions
-> 75% versions

20.11.2017
- decision change: all 60% versions (Standard, WKL, HHKB, YAS) AND 75%
- evaluating the possibility of sandblasting before anodizing for higher quality finish

16.11.2017
- decision: it's a 60%
- decision: high profile case
- design change: caps sink in 2mm
- design change: added 6° angle
- design change: flathead screws
- new renderings
- question: "everyone gets his 60" or "keep it simple"
- second google form

06.11.2017
- first google form

03.11.2017
- initial post

75% as well
I'm aiming at a combined GB. So not only the various 60% but also 75%. Here are the renderings that I promised:

SKB75H-NEW-01.jpg (882.78 KiB) Viewed 23100 times

SKB75H-NEW-02.jpg (1.01 MiB) Viewed 23100 times

SKB75H-NEW-03.jpg (1.01 MiB) Viewed 23100 times

SKB75H-NEW-04.jpg (810.14 KiB) Viewed 23100 times

SKB75H-NEW-05.jpg (640.8 KiB) Viewed 23100 times

SKB75H-NEW-06.jpg (483.91 KiB) Viewed 23100 times

"Everyone gets his 60" or "keep it simple"

Spoiler:

The form shows, that all 60% versions combined make up for well over 50% of the total votes and the vast majority wants the case to be high profile and some wish for a lower angle than 8° degree. Changing the design to make the 6° angle possible might seem like no big deal, but it did take a while. High profile it is now and the caps sink in 2mm deep. Going for a 60% case seems to be the obvious choice after looking at 119 votes. Now there are two possible ways we might go for:

A) Making only the standard 60% with one universal plate. The 60% group is pretty defragmented and this would mean I could probably only rise enough interest for a relatively low production count. The prices would be as already mention when I started this thread. Maybe we would reach around 20 units I guess. So we wouldn't be enough to advance to the more attractive midrange pricing zone.

B) Offer all 60% versions (standard, WKL, HHKB and YAS) so every 60%-supporter gets exactly what he wants, including a plate that fits his version. This way we could get way past the 50 units mark, maybe even higher. But although the overall production count number would be higher than A, the price per unit would still be higher because it is not an order of just three parts anymore but many different parts instead.
Also it would be impossible to name a specific price up front. I would only know the pricing after I know exactly how many orders are safe. I could only estimate a price range and hope I'm not mistaken. Buyers would have to agree to that. Managing all the different orders would also be quite a challenge.

I'm waiting for your opinion on this. I put up a second google form, so I can decide which way we will go. I'm still working out some detail with the manufacturer regarding a more complex, mixed order and I hope I can give a rough price range soon.

All the sixties!

I hope you like the new renderings, they now show the different 60% versions with different angles starting at 6 degrees.
I also threw in some more colors. You've seen the classic beige with red accent Enter+Esc Mods already in the first renderings. Here I wanna point out again Wodans work on his HADapter GB awhile ago, which made it possible to make use of the old HAD sets on modern layouts. He'll do another round soon so we can make even more use of the all the HAD sets we can harvest from old G80/G81s.
Since HHKB is pretty popular I looked at some original HHKB models. The Black with red accents are pretty nice, so I tried to ported this style into the GMK color universe.
YAS color theme - well just another try.
The colors should just give you a better impression what a final keyboard with the case might look like.

Here you go:

01-SKB60H-STNDR-01.jpg (904.43 KiB) Viewed 23358 times

02-SKB60H-STNDR-04.jpg (1.09 MiB) Viewed 23358 times

03-SKB60H-STNDR-07.jpg (643.48 KiB) Viewed 23358 times

04-SKB60H-WKL-05.jpg (1.01 MiB) Viewed 23358 times

05-SKB60H-WKL-08.jpg (794.77 KiB) Viewed 23358 times

06-SKB60H-HHKB-01.jpg (865.63 KiB) Viewed 23358 times

07-SKB60H-HHKB-05.jpg (985 KiB) Viewed 23358 times

08-SKB60H-HHKB-06.jpg (806.89 KiB) Viewed 23358 times

09-SKB60H-YAS-04.jpg (1.15 MiB) Viewed 23358 times

10-SKB60H-YAS-05.jpg (1.05 MiB) Viewed 23358 times

11-SKB60H-YAS-07.jpg (668.61 KiB) Viewed 23358 times

12-SKB60H-angles.jpg (179.83 KiB) Viewed 23358 times

13-SKB60H-ex.jpg (287.01 KiB) Viewed 23358 times

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Old Pictures

Spoiler:

I already made a post on GH, but I think it's necessary to open up a discussion here as well. I won't c&p the whole text from GH, please read it over there in order to get all the details.

Here are some of the pictures:

01 skb60-iso-01.jpg (900.92 KiB) Viewed 24153 times

02 skb60-iso-06.jpg (736.07 KiB) Viewed 24153 times

03 skb60-yas-04.jpg (1.09 MiB) Viewed 24153 times

04 skb60-yas-05.jpg (1013.38 KiB) Viewed 24153 times

05 skb65-iso-01.jpg (931.64 KiB) Viewed 24153 times

06 skb65-iso-08.jpg (758.28 KiB) Viewed 24153 times

07 skb75-iso-04.jpg (1.01 MiB) Viewed 24153 times

08 skb75-iso-06.jpg (705.29 KiB) Viewed 24153 times

09 SKB-gr-01.jpg (147.61 KiB) Viewed 24153 times

10 SKB-gr-03.jpg (295.97 KiB) Viewed 24153 times

11SKB65M-02.jpg (423.61 KiB) Viewed 24153 times

12 SKB65M-03.jpg (427.94 KiB) Viewed 24153 times

Short remarks regarding the pictures:
- SKB60H, 60%, high-profile, @ 10°
- SKB60H, 60%, high-profile, @ 10° (YAS62)
- SKB65M, 65%, medium-profile, @ 12° (Keycap GB here)
- SKB75H, 75%, high-profile, @ 10° (possible PCB)
- Graphics
- Photos of the prototype

You can find more photos of the prototype if you dig through this and that album.

Pricing:

Spoiler:

Expected pricing:
20 Units: ~135€
50 Units: ~105€
100 Units: ~92€

Yes, I had hoped for a lower price, but that is probably not possible when manufacturing in Germany. Only high quantities can make the price appealing. There is still a lot that may change and have an effect on the price but if so, it would probably get cheaper.
You would get the three main parts (bottom, top and plate) as well as screws (all M3), nuts, washers and rubber feet.
I would consider world wide shipping.

What to decide on:

Spoiler:

- any interest at all?
- what size: 60%, 65%, 75% or else?
- plate material: anodized aluminium or blank steel?
- what layouts to support?
- not the color!

If there is enough interest, I'll put up a google form in order to clarify which size and layout is the most popular.

GUDE!

[Wodan]

Very nice concept for a solid and affordable custom kit! Love the way the keyboard angle can be adjusted.

[seebart]

Very nice concept for a solid and affordable custom kit! Love the way the keyboard angle can be adjusted.

I like the looks of it but I don't see any information on pricing here. Remember that the black/red burns my eyes too much when I try to read anything at GH!

[faxe]

Very nice, was very much interested in it at Mechanicon, would definitely be down for 75% version!

[PlastikSchnittstelle]

thanks for the first replies. and sorry, forgot pricing info, that's quite important, of course. updated it.

[seebart]

thanks for the first replies. and sorry, forgot pricing info, that's quite important, of course. updated it.

Thank you. Wodan was right then, quite affordable indeed!

[Nuum]

Looks awesome! Incidentally I had a similar idea a while ago, but your's looks obviously much more fancy and polished. Where did you get it made?
Personally I'd be interested in the 75% one or even a TKL.

Spoiler:

75% plus bend case 3.png (1.07 MiB) Viewed 24081 times

75% plus bend case exp2.png (494.62 KiB) Viewed 24081 times

[PlastikSchnittstelle]

@Nuum:
nice too, i made more designs, one is a little more similar to this, but it would make more sense in steel.
step by step.

questions:
i'll wait till more questions come up and then try to answer in a combined post.

[scottc]

Looks interesting. I'd be interested in a winkeyless one at the lower price tiers (~€100).

[RealityCavesIn]

Wow that looks really nice! I would be down for the 75% version for sure.

[kolruds]

I'd be down for one of these for the yas62, which I forgot about and don't have a case for.

[hoq]

Looks so sweet. I choose 65% version!

[Shihatsu]

I don't like the fact that it is not solid. I cannot adjust to layouts smaller than TKL. I absolutely hate "floating style" Keyboards. So I do not need one. I do not want one.
But... here it comes: GB from Germany? Resonable price? Not a big vendor who sucks the money out of my wallet while calling some marketing bullshit "GB", but a trustworthy individual from "the community"? FFS, count me in!

[shreebles]

It looks terrific. I just wish more flat cases existed. They are hard to find.

[Myoth]

This is quite nice. As for finish, take the cheapest, I think more people would be interested if it was to be very cheap. A 75% is for me the way to go, they seem to be quite the hype and they're a space-saving TKL, can't go wrong with that !

[Durchfuhrer]

- any interest at all?

Yes! High profile on 65% or 75% would be great :) Anodized aluminium as well and (obvious) ISO-DE.

[The_Boom_Boy]

This is very cool

[hansichen]

A winkeyless high profile one looks pretty good. If it reaches the lower price tiers I may be interested in it

[HAL]

This looks awesome, but of course everyone ( ) wants an 80% TKL keyboard.

[PlastikSchnittstelle]

thanks very much for your replies! sorry I couldn't answer earlier. some of your questions have already been covered by the starting post over at gh. I also just replied to lots of questions that came up over there.
now some answers to the questions here:

@Shihatsu
what do you mean by "not solid""- this thing is damn solid!
Yes, now I really have no more doubt that 99% seem to hate floating key design - no worry the medium-height version is out of question now, it will be high profile for sure.
The rest: thank you so much, best post so far

@Myoth
Of course, cheaper -> more interest, but only a high production count leads to cheap prices. the coming weeks will show how much will hop on.

@Durchfuhrer
Yes, of course I want to provide ANSI and ISO. I hope it'll be possible to offer at least two different plate versions to choose from. But it's far to early to talk about specific plate layouts now.

I'm preparing a form which I will hopefully post soon. this way we'll be able to determine what's most wanted.

[DarKou]

Really nice look!

Any chance to have a 6U HHKB (or 7U) layout?

[Shihatsu]

I meant "not milled from one piece" when I mentioned "not solid". So it is like we german say "crying on high level". Looking forward for the high profile version. I allready have switches (either tactile grey or white) and a keyset (GMK Dolch) in mind. Need a PCB

[ideus]

Really nice look!

Any chance to have a 6U HHKB (or 7U) layout?

+1: I am interested in the 6U-HHKB layout style too.

[PlastikSchnittstelle]

I finished the the google form - hope it will give us a clear direction.


@DarKou & @ideus :

before we can talk about layout specifics we need to sort out more general stuff. but whishes for hhkb style is considered in the form.

[Durchfuhrer]

Filled the form :) Keep it up, german groupbuys are rare!

[Nuum]

Multiple choices for some of the questions in the form would be nice, e.g. layout choice, as I'd like a 75% and/or a TKL and with voting for "something bigger" my vote for 75% would be lost. Also maybe a comment field?
I don't know whether you can change a google form afterwards, though.

[mike52787]

Forum filled out, this is a quite nice idea.

[DarKou]

Form filled too!

[zzuper]

if you made this for the plum kb75 and kb84 i would pay 150 for them.. : ]

[ideus]

Filling the form was very funny, thank you for that nice sense of humor you have.