Topre PBT Spacebar (SECOND RUN!)

[HoffmanMyster]

I don't want to jack the props that matt3o should be getting from this, but if he doesn't change the name of the thread + add it to the GB forum, I'm gonna have to do it.

Whoever wants to make it, I'm ready to approve it! 

People ordered less than the "purchase intent" on an average so far... but anyway at this pace there shouldn't be any problem.

I still don't know how many I "intended" to purchase, but I believe I ordered more than I put on the intent form.  Also, are you taking into account that some people signed up for other colors?  Hopefully you're not counting those as "intents" for the four production colors.

[absyrd]

I don't want to jack the props that matt3o should be getting from this, but if he doesn't change the name of the thread + add it to the GB forum, I'm gonna have to do it.

Whoever wants to make it, I'm ready to approve it! 

Thread made. And I gave Matt3o all the credit he deserves, I hope.

[RoflCopter4]

If you can answer this, what is the profit margin for an individual spacebar? How much do the materials and labour cost? Knowing that, how many would you need to sell just to break even on the molds? Is that where you get the "1000 of each colour" total?

[HoffmanMyster]

If you can answer this, what is the profit margin for an individual spacebar? How much do the materials and labour cost? Knowing that, how many would you need to sell just to break even on the molds? Is that where you get the "1000 of each colour" total?

The MOQ likely comes straight from the manufacturer, not Matt3o or MassDrop.  And the manufacturer is not going to share those numbers. 

[Vizir]

Isn't most of the cost for the mold? How do colors make any difference to the mold? Just pour any colored plastic into the mold... unless you're talking about matching a specific color (i guess)

[nathanrosspowell]

Isn't most of the cost for the mold? How do colors make any difference to the mold? Just pour any colored plastic into the mold... unless you're talking about matching a specific color (i guess)

I assume that even though it sounds simple, it takes a lot of time/setup to change colours. Which equals cost.

[hcwt]

Well, perfect time to get a Realforce it seems.

[Matt3o]

guys it's much more complicated than that

[HoffmanMyster]

Isn't most of the cost for the mold? How do colors make any difference to the mold? Just pour any colored plastic into the mold... unless you're talking about matching a specific color (i guess)

I assume that even though it sounds simple, it takes a lot of time/setup to change colours. Which equals cost.

guys it's much more complicated than that

lol yeah it's more complicated.    In addition to the non-production hurdles, it's not as simple as dumping a new resin in.  You have to flush the old resin out (waste + time), order enough of the resin to get the price point you want (may require over-producing or storing extra inventory, etc), and potentially more. 

Yes, the bulk of the capital investment is the mold (I'm assuming), but that's not the only cost associated with this project or producing these caps.  And when you talk about an MOQ for a specific color, the above factors all come into play to some extent (and possibly additional factors, I don't know their facility).

[Dee1]

I'm pretty sure I met my purchase intent, but I think I'll add a few more to my order just in case.

[Elrick]

Purchase intent - 2

Bought - 4

Well done Matt3o

Onya tkim  .

My Purchase Intent was for 4 of Everything.

Bought 4 of Everything.

No confusion or mistaking the amount needed for the Thorpies in my Life, we owe you heaps Matt.

[Sturmfrau]

I'm sure to buy 4 (2 light gray + 2 dark gray), can we get an option to 2 red?

[Belfong]

I'm sure to buy 4 (2 light gray + 2 dark gray), can we get an option to 2 red?

You can add more in the Mass Drop form.

Red space bar looked damn sexy on a black HHKB. Do it!

[Sturmfrau]

I'm sure to buy 4 (2 light gray + 2 dark gray), can we get an option to 2 red?

You can add more in the Mass Drop form.

Red space bar looked damn sexy on a black HHKB. Do it!

I don't know how to hahaha this is the first time I'm ordering from massdrop. Here's the only thing I see http://prntscr.com/78b4od

[Belfong]

I'm sure to buy 4 (2 light gray + 2 dark gray), can we get an option to 2 red?

You can add more in the Mass Drop form.

Red space bar looked damn sexy on a black HHKB. Do it!

I don't know how to hahaha this is the first time I'm ordering from massdrop. Here's the only thing I see http://prntscr.com/78b4od

No, I’m dumb. I just bought the blue and red kit. Didn’t realize that there was no individual red option. Probably Matt3o can answer.

[do_Og@n]

Put in my order.....AWESOME!!!

[HoffmanMyster]

You guyyyyyyyys should post in the group buy thread.   

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=72127.0

[invisuu]

OK - I'll be that guy and do the stupid question time. You can only buy them in pairs, right? I.e. if I order quantity 1 of 1light+1dark grey, I get 2 space bars?

[snoopy]

Joined!

[absyrd]

OK - I'll be that guy and do the stupid question time. You can only buy them in pairs, right? I.e. if I order quantity 1 of 1light+1dark grey, I get 2 space bars?

Yes. Packages of 2.

[Cods]

One of each colour, twice what I put on the intent form.
Should be a nice splash of colour on the FC660C... leaving me three extras as that's my only Topre keyboard.

[Matt3o]

thanks guys! So far we sold about 1900 spacebars! This means that the expectation has been met (we sold approx 2200 in the purchase intent, but I was expecting a 10% less orders).

If we reach around 4000 spacebars (bold but still feasible) it might be possible to get a discount. So keep ordering.

[monni]

Just got my first Topre board and ordered one of each  .

[oscillik]

thanks guys! So far we sold about 1900 spacebars! This means that the expectation has been met (we sold approx 2200 in the purchase intent, but I was expecting a 10% less orders).

If we reach around 4000 spacebars (bold but still feasible) it might be possible to get a discount. So keep ordering.

glad to hear that it's going so well!

[Bucake]

thanks guys! So far we sold about 1900 spacebars! This means that the expectation has been met (we sold approx 2200 in the purchase intent, but I was expecting a 10% less orders).

If we reach around 4000 spacebars (bold but still feasible) it might be possible to get a discount. So keep ordering.

good to hear, thanks for the update

[rowdy]

Just got my first Topre board and ordered one of each  .

Welcome to Geekhack!

Did you join mainly to participate in this group buy?

[ideus]

thanks guys! So far we sold about 1900 spacebars! This means that the expectation has been met (we sold approx 2200 in the purchase intent, but I was expecting a 10% less orders).

If we reach around 4000 spacebars (bold but still feasible) it might be possible to get a discount. So keep ordering.

Does that count include vendor's orders?

[Matt3o]

thanks guys! So far we sold about 1900 spacebars! This means that the expectation has been met (we sold approx 2200 in the purchase intent, but I was expecting a 10% less orders).

If we reach around 4000 spacebars (bold but still feasible) it might be possible to get a discount. So keep ordering.

Does that count include vendor's orders?

I doubt there are any vendors there.

[wlhlm]

thanks guys! So far we sold about 1900 spacebars! This means that the expectation has been met (we sold approx 2200 in the purchase intent, but I was expecting a 10% less orders).

If we reach around 4000 spacebars (bold but still feasible) it might be possible to get a discount. So keep ordering.

Does that count include vendor's orders?

I doubt there are any vendors there.

Maybe EK will pick some up

[invisuu]

OK - I'll be that guy and do the stupid question time. You can only buy them in pairs, right? I.e. if I order quantity 1 of 1light+1dark grey, I get 2 space bars?

Yes. Packages of 2.

Thanks, thought as much, but never hurts to ask just to make sure, I suppose. I will also be ordering more than the intent in a couple of hours.

[00zeRO]

I'm so glad this is actually happening Matt3o. Sorry it has to be MD to make the attempt.

Still wonder if there are 2200 Topres in existence around the globe...?

 

[Gaspar]

I ordered 6 bars, a bit more than planned. Got 1 of each color and an extra blue + red set.

[dwk396]

I ordered 6 bars, a bit more than planned. Got 1 of each color and an extra blue + red set.

Thats what I wanted to do...ahhh I just ordered 1 red and blue set

[esoomenona]

.

[Air tree]

Somehow ended up with 10 or 12 spacebars, and that was after telling myself to remove some from my order since I didn't need them all at once and hopefully another run would be made in the future. Hoping this isn't a one time deal. Is it? I could modify my order. ...

I don't doubt you should be able to sell the extras with relative ease. I'm guessing some people will have held out and then felt remorse for not joining and will look for them on the classifieds.

[dwk396]

Somehow ended up with 10 or 12 spacebars, and that was after telling myself to remove some from my order since I didn't need them all at once and hopefully another run would be made in the future. Hoping this isn't a one time deal. Is it? I could modify my order. ...

I don't doubt you should be able to sell the extras with relative ease. I'm guessing some people will have held out and then felt remorse for not joining and will look for them on the classifieds.

Man, you sounds like talking about me. I think I am gonna order two more, grey and dark grey.

[dante]

Does anyone know if the spacebar works with the HiPro?

I want to guess and say no - since none of the other keycaps are interchangeable; but looking at the photos the spacebars look very similar between the HiPro/Non-HiPro.

[litster]

Glad I come to GH tonight and found this GB.  Ordered too many as usual. Thanks for getting this GB going.

[Elrick]

Does anyone know if the spacebar works with the HiPro?

Different profiles, so sorry not the same in height at all.

Time to get some NORMAL 55g thorpies instead  .

[nathanrosspowell]

Someone do the honors!

[ileben]

Is there an ETA on this or something? The status of my order on MD is still "drop successful" with no change in two months, and now a new drop started, selling whole topres with custom spacebars. Should I be worried?

[Matt3o]

End of July the bar should be ready

[byker]

End of July the bar should be ready

Yay! Thanks matt3o 

[a_ak57]

End of July the bar should be ready

By that do you mean they'll be ready to produce en masse (after quality is finalized) and then they'll be shipped to MD sometime afterward, or that they're currently being produced and MD will have them by the end of the month? 

[Matt3o]

either way, production of such "small" batches takes like 30 minutes.

[_PixelNinja]

Thanks for the heads-up Matt3o!

[rf87]

Thank you for this great GB Matt3o! Purchased the spacebars in numbers that I committed to on the intent form.

[just66in]

This  was life-changing. Thanks Matt3o!

[Matt3o]

I might have some pre-production for sale. They are 100% working but the final product will have slightly better color matching and it will possibly be a pinch thicker. The pre-production will be of course pretty cheap.

[TastaturenAuslese]

I might have some pre-production for sale. They are 100% working but the final product will have slightly better color matching and it will possibly be a pinch thicker. The pre-production will be of course pretty cheap.

Oh yay! Definitely would want to pick one up for my HHKB. How do I go about doing that?