[IC] full PBT (spacebar included), gray or beige set

[Matt3o]

The GB has started! http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=56354.0


I'm finalizing a DSA, full PBT (including 6.25u and 7u spacebars) GB. The legends will be dye sub'ed, so legends will be darker than keycap color (this is a limit of the technology!) but all kits will be available in blank.

If interested please help me defining all the details.

What we need to do is:

1) Pick the colors
The set will have a retroish look, the color options are three at the moment:

1) Pure gray, SGI Granite or WYSE
2) Beige, Model M
3) Charcoal, think of it as a Dolch with black legends. Please note that legends contrast won't be very high.



2) Find the typeface.
So far out best bet is Gotham Rounded. If you have other ideas, please tell



3) Define the kits
Base, extras (1.5u, 1u, etc mods), numpad and ergodox are already there. Let me know if you have specific requests. There will also be an International Kit that will include all major European languages.

Also being this dye sub we will also have an extra kit with 9-12 retro-geek-nerd themed keys. If you have ideas let me know but no multicolor legends!. We will have line-art only with 1-2 or max 3 solid shades.





FAQ

what family will this be?
DSA

why DSA?
because there are no rows, you can mix and match the keys around, which is great for custom keyboards and to support non standard layouts (colemak, qwertz, etc...). Also that is the only full PBT keyset SP can do.

Will Ergodox be supported?
Yes

ISO languages?
Yes. Probably this will support: IT, ES, DE, UK, FR, Nordic. Please note that ISO Return will be in DCS family! there's not ISO return in DSA.

Are keycaps thick?
Pretty much yes. Actually the same thickness of ABS DSA. The blue spacer below is PBT



Blanks?
Aplenty

[riotonthebay]

I'm in favor of charcoal. I think it would be a very cool dark look.

[SpAmRaY]

Matt your poll options and the set images are in a different order that might confuse some people

[Matt3o]

Matt your poll options and the set images are in a different order that might confuse some people

good point. thanks

[ideus]

Color: (3) Pure gray.
Typeface: GR is ok.
Kits: Base TKL, Additional mods (Like Skull's)

[Matt3o]

some examples.

This would be the pure gray, BUT ALL legends are black! no WYSE feticism



This would be beige



This would be charcoal, BUT again ALL legends are black!

[ideus]

Any of the three are awesome color combos, but I'd prefer either the gray or the charcoal, in that order. The gray may have better contrast which looks nicer, just an opinion of course. It may be useful to have a mockup of the color contrast in the charcoal though.

[SpAmRaY]

Definitely pure gray

[Matt3o]

just for the record: I won't have company or product logos (no, not even windows key). So don't ask

[yicaoyimu]

Voted for pure grey! This will be epic!

Maybe you should mention that the first WYSE OTD picture is taken by YongJK? Just to give some credit to YongJK.

[yicaoyimu]

just for the record: I won't have company or product logos (no, not even windows key). So don't ask

Does that also imply that the legend of this set will be all characters and no symbols like the arrow on shift keys?

[ideus]

Pure gray, yeah. And letters only will be very elegant.

[samwisekoi]

Model M beige (technically Pearl and Pebble) on a Filco Beige TKL would be (a) sweet and (b) a rare combo in MX-land.

Especially if there are some special keys in IBM red.  Say WAT/GTP/RBH for those who have PBT rings.

That combo would also *look* good on a beige Cherry ML board.

 - Ron | samwisekoi

[LechnerDE]

Voted for pure grey.

I hope this doesn't finish before I get my Macross Set to test the DSA profile. If I like it, I will also join this GB

[Matt3o]

Voted for pure grey! This will be epic!

Maybe you should mention that the first WYSE OTD picture is taken by YongJK? Just to give some credit to YongJK.

you just did. thanks for the heads-up!

[ideus]

Charcoal is heading?

[SpAmRaY]

Charcoal is heading?

Only because its got the word dolch in the poll

[riotonthebay]

Charcoal is heading?

Only because its got the word dolch in the poll

And because it looks best

[jacobolus]

Matt3o, Gotham Rounded is pretty nice, but note, I don’t recommend just typing characters in and leaving them the way they first appear; especially for several of the symbols, you want to carefully re-adjust the size/spacing so that they best align and match the other caps, and in some cases even re-draw the outlines. If you want, I’d be happy to help w/ layout (manually changing letter shapes, adjusting kerning, etc.). It’s obviously a slightly different design direction than you’re headed, but here’s an example of a little bit of fiddling I was doing: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=54972.0

[BunnyLake]

awesome job sir

[MsYutai]

I am interested! I prefer the grey or the charcoal ^_^

[vardhana]

No hope of 6x spacebar?

[Dianoda]

Any chance of cherry legends?  Either way, thick PBT DSA sounds sweet.

Do you have the SP codes for the colors?  I'd be happy to post pics of the options (funny story, I was cleaning out my room last night and found a package from mkawa that I had completely forgotten about, opened it and found a set of the SP PBT color rings...).

[SpAmRaY]

Any chance of cherry legends?  Either way, thick PBT DSA sounds sweet.

Do you have the SP codes for the colors?  I'd be happy to post pics of the options (funny story, I was cleaning out my room last night and found a package from mkawa that I had completely forgotten about, opened it and found a set of the SP PBT color rings...).

I don't think the cherry lengeds can go on DSA, I forget the exact reason.

Doh! These are dyesubs...see matt's comment below.

[pasph]

Another gray set...on another black case :-(
POWER TO PEARL & PEBBLE!

[ideus]

Charcoal is heading?

Only because its got the word dolch in the poll

I thought the same when I saw the charcoal running at the top.

[Matt3o]

okay maybe there's a bit of confusion here about the legends.

This is PBT, SP can't double shot PBT yet, so we are going to sublimate the legends. We can have any font/character/icon we want on them (cherry replica included, granted we get permission).

As of now the best typeface I could find is Gotham Round, but I'm open to alternatives.

Matt3o, Gotham Rounded is pretty nice, but note, I don’t recommend just typing characters in and leaving them the way they first appear; especially for several of the symbols, you want to carefully re-adjust the size/spacing so that they best align and match the other caps, and in some cases even re-draw the outlines. If you want, I’d be happy to help w/ layout (manually changing letter shapes, adjusting kerning, etc.). It’s obviously a slightly different design direction than you’re headed, but here’s an example of a little bit of fiddling I was doing: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=54972.0

yeah there will be a lot of work to make the legends, in fact Gotham Medium is too thick and Gotham Book is too light. So we will have to take Gotham Book and outline it a bit. So we will have to adjust each character one by one. Also, gotham has some really bad symbols in my opinion (such as @)... Definitely a lot of work!

Any chance of cherry legends?  Either way, thick PBT DSA sounds sweet.

Do you have the SP codes for the colors?  I'd be happy to post pics of the options (funny story, I was cleaning out my room last night and found a package from mkawa that I had completely forgotten about, opened it and found a set of the SP PBT color rings...).

I also have the color ring, thanks.

These are possible color combos but not definitive.



Charcoal would be 99% GJQ+GQT and Model M WAT+GTP. Pure gray instead is more complicated. I believe the best combo is GKK+GEC (not pictured). Here below a nice gradient of (almost) neutral grays.

[ideus]

okay maybe there's a bit of confusion here about the legends.

This is PBT, SP can't double shot PBT yet, so we are going to sublimate the legends. We can have any font/character/icon we want on them (cherry replica included, granted we get permission).

As of now the best typeface I could find is Gotham Round, but I'm open to alternatives.

Matt3o, Gotham Rounded is pretty nice, but note, I don’t recommend just typing characters in and leaving them the way they first appear; especially for several of the symbols, you want to carefully re-adjust the size/spacing so that they best align and match the other caps, and in some cases even re-draw the outlines. If you want, I’d be happy to help w/ layout (manually changing letter shapes, adjusting kerning, etc.). It’s obviously a slightly different design direction than you’re headed, but here’s an example of a little bit of fiddling I was doing: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=54972.0

yeah there will be a lot of work to make the legends, in fact Gotham Medium is too thick and Gotham Book is too light. So we will have to take Gotham Book and outline it a bit. So we will have to adjust each character one by one. Also, gotham has some really bad symbols in my opinion (such as @)... Definitely a lot of work!

Any chance of cherry legends?  Either way, thick PBT DSA sounds sweet.

Do you have the SP codes for the colors?  I'd be happy to post pics of the options (funny story, I was cleaning out my room last night and found a package from mkawa that I had completely forgotten about, opened it and found a set of the SP PBT color rings...).

I also have the color ring, thanks.

These are possible color combos but not definitive.

Show Image

Charcoal would be 99% GJQ+GQT and Model M WAT+GTP. Pure gray instead is more complicated. I believe the best combo is GKK+GEC (not pictured). Here below a nice gradient of (almost) neutral grays.

Show Image

A vote for cherry replica font, if authorized. But is it still under copyright? I do not think a font can be patented...

[Photoelectric]

Actually, I voted for Dolch, but the more I think about it, the more I think that the WYSE replica set would look nicer in PBT with Dye Subed legends.  So -1 from Dolch and +1 to Gray.

[Matt3o]

Actually, I voted for Dolch, but the more I think about it, the more I think that the WYSE replica set would look nicer in PBT with Dye Subed legends.  So -1 from Dolch and +1 to Gray.

I think you can change your vote.

I also removed the reference to dolch or model m in the poll

[CommonCurt]

1st choice is Beige.

2nd choice is Pure Gray.

[jacobolus]

yeah there will be a lot of work to make the legends, in fact Gotham Medium is too thick and Gotham Book is too light. So we will have to take Gotham Book and outline it a bit. So we will have to adjust each character one by one. Also, gotham has some really bad symbols in my opinion (such as @)... Definitely a lot of work!

If you’re willing to drop the “rounded” bit (or add some rounding manually), do consider Avenir Next. It’s pretty solid among geometric sans faces for this kind of use, but has the advantage of having many weights, small caps, some stylistic alternates, etc.

[Elrick]

1st Choice - Beige (as always).

2nd Choice - Charcoal, need more charcoal love out there  .

Also love the fact this will be the FIRST - PBT buy from SP for this year.  I hope they fixed all the molds for these keys and are running brilliantly in their factory.

[ideus]

Pure gray,




...and credit goes to eyesmiles.

[Melvang]

Count me in on this one guys.

[naokira]

Oh.. I thought this had a 6000$ issue before.

So can we make Sindarin now?

[stancato9]

Pure gray,




...and credit goes to eyesmiles.

Damn this looks so sick!

[Melvang]

Pure gray,




...and credit goes to eyesmiles.

That is damn sexy.  I just like the ` and the \ keys to be the same color as the mods.  To me it just looks incomplete.  I know a lot of people like it this way but it would be amazing if this was an option.

[ideus]

Pure gray,




...and credit goes to eyesmiles.

That is damn sexy.  I just like the ` and the \ keys to be the same color as the mods.  To me it just looks incomplete.  I know a lot of people like it this way but it would be amazing if this was an option.

I prefer the same option as you do. I understand the other way as a way to get the alphas in the same color code.

[CommonCurt]

1st Choice - Beige (as always).

2nd Choice - Charcoal, need more charcoal love out there  .

Also love the fact this will be the FIRST - PBT buy from SP for this year.  I hope they fixed all the molds for these keys and are running brilliantly in their factory.

Beige FTW 

I thought the original name was "Black on Beige"?

[Matt3o]

I agree this should be beige, I actually find the pure gray pretty boring, and it's the least appealing of the three to me... but I understand that gray is the easiest to use (it goes well on anything).

[CommonCurt]

I agree this should be beige, I actually find the pure gray pretty boring, and it's the least appealing of the three to me... but I understand that gray is the easiest to use (it goes well on anything).

If it doesn't end up Beige (like it should be) then I would rather have the Gray instead of Charcoal.  There are so many people sporting Dolch colors already.

[Matt3o]

okay there's another option... we could have both gray and charcoal by using the dark color of the gray as light color of the charcoal.

the color codes might be

GKK light gray
GEC medium gray
GQT dark gray

[jacobolus]

okay there's another option... we could have both gray and charcoal by using the dark color of the gray as light color of the charcoal.

Sounds great. Especially if you just have 3 base colors for each of alphas and mods, then someone can equally get uniform-colored caps or light mods + darker alphas or light gray alphas + super dark gray mods. Makes it pretty flexible without impossibly much expanding the set of options.

[Matt3o]

please consider that dye sub is an expensive beast and we have to reach high tiers to get decent pricing, we need to find a nice spot, we can't dilute the kits too much

[Loligagger]

Since the ergodox will be supported, could there be an option for extra blank keys for acidfire's (eventual) ergo board?

[Matt3o]

Since the ergodox will be supported, could there be an option for extra blank keys for acidfire's (eventual) ergo board?

you should be able to cover it with a couple of numpads maybe? I don't know, do you have a schema?

[Loligagger]

Closest there is at the moment is this. So really the only difference would be a few more 2x and 1x keys.

[riotonthebay]

I actually find the pure gray pretty boring, and it's the least appealing of the three to me... but I understand that gray is the easiest to use (it goes well on anything).

^

I personally like Charcoal, but would be down for a 3-color dark scheme as well. I think that Charcoal is sufficiently different from Dolch though with the black legends, which I think would be cool for the same reason that black on black (dark grey) is cool.

[Belfong]

My problem is that I am slowly being assimilated by the master topre race and I have just too many MX key caps but not many MX boards. The beige looked really interesting (and PBT space bars(!)) but do I want another set of key caps. Why you do this to me?!