TEX 80% TKL case compatible to MIT keyboards

[sdiearly]

Maybe some guys saw my pictures from someone's forwarding post.
And I delete the imgur source.

http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_list&c=44
The price contains shipping is $148, I think it's very cheap after comparing to others.

This case is compatible to TKL keyboards made in Taiwan, A.K.A. Filco/Ducky/CM QFR/Leopold/CODE
You can find these keyboards are assembled by Costar, excepted Ducky.

I have got this case information in May, there are four color this batch.
Grey/Red/Blue/Black



Overview on top and bottom case. and feets







My gift is red, I test it with CM QFR due to this keyboard is easiest to assemble.




The size is very close to plate.



Completed


Compare to original CM QFR, the profile is higher.





I like the KBT keycaps in R5


notice, this case's source is different from 60% case. The quality isn't the same.

[Soulpyre]

I'm curious, would this case be compatible with a Phantom pcb+plate? I believe Phantoms were designed to be able to fit into Filco cases and it looks like these work with Filcos.

[sdiearly]

I'm curious, would this case be compatible with a Phantom pcb+plate? I believe Phantoms were designed to be able to fit into Filco cases and it looks like these work with Filcos.

Maybe asking mechanicalkeyboards.com is faster if you need this case.
I don't have phantom, Is phantom designed with plate?
This case need plate to keep in place

[Vanilla]

I like what I'm seeing.

Anyone think I'll be able to squeeze a slightly wider filco MJT1 tkl into this?

[sdiearly]

I like what I'm seeing.

Anyone think I'll be able to squeeze a slightly wider filco MJT1 tkl into this?

Filco is no problem.
TEX guys come from Costar, they know how to fit their design.

[gameaholic]

I hate you WalletHack.

[MigZm]

Thinking of getting one to go along my CODE. Hope it fits. 

[Puddsy]

will this work with a KUL?

I guess if the KUL works with Filco...

I'll have to take mine apart sometime.

[koalapear]

Noooo! My wallet can't handle anymore! It look so good!

[Vanilla]

Wait, weren't these out for awhile back?
I kind of remember seeing these out of stock @ MK while I was buying my tex machined alu case for my poker.

Yes, I am eyeing that blue one. 

[Permeability]

Wait, weren't these out for awhile back?
I kind of remember seeing these out of stock @ MK while I was buying my tex machined alu case for my poker.

Yes, I am eyeing that blue one. 

You are probably thinking of the ones made by Vortex, not Tex

[Sifo]

Ooo maybe I'll have to pick up a blue one

[Vanilla]

Wait, weren't these out for awhile back?
I kind of remember seeing these out of stock @ MK while I was buying my tex machined alu case for my poker.

Yes, I am eyeing that blue one. 

You are probably thinking of the ones made by Vortex, not Tex

Hmm I don't think so, there's a review for the red one from 3 months ago.

[Permeability]

Wait, weren't these out for awhile back?
I kind of remember seeing these out of stock @ MK while I was buying my tex machined alu case for my poker.

Yes, I am eyeing that blue one. 

You are probably thinking of the ones made by Vortex, not Tex

Hmm I don't think so, there's a review for the red one from 3 months ago.

For some reason they reused the SKU for the Vortex ones, that review was actually one I wrote.. haha and it was a Vortex one I purchased. They are not the same product

[Vanilla]

Wait, weren't these out for awhile back?
I kind of remember seeing these out of stock @ MK while I was buying my tex machined alu case for my poker.

Yes, I am eyeing that blue one. 

You are probably thinking of the ones made by Vortex, not Tex

Hmm I don't think so, there's a review for the red one from 3 months ago.

For some reason they reused the SKU for the Vortex ones, that review was actually one I wrote.. haha and it was a Vortex one I purchased. They are not the same product

Ooooooh gotcha!
I keep thinking they're the same company for some reason....

[sdiearly]

Wait, weren't these out for awhile back?
I kind of remember seeing these out of stock @ MK while I was buying my tex machined alu case for my poker.

Yes, I am eyeing that blue one. 

You mentioned my notice, this 80% case's quality is worse than 60% ones.
I like Lian-Li level anodizing. but they are expensive.

[nubbinator]

I'm curious, would this case be compatible with a Phantom pcb+plate? I believe Phantoms were designed to be able to fit into Filco cases and it looks like these work with Filcos.

I'm not sure it would.  Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the Filco plate like the QFR plate in that it's bent over on the edges?  It seems like the case might need that slightly bigger plate with the bent over lip.  You may need something like these that were made for the Vortex case.

[dorkvader]

Yeah, I think you will need to put some spacer around the edge so the non-bent-over plate will fit on the phantom. Also it wont work at all if you have a more "full" layout. Then there's the chance that it'll not fit the teensy at all. Finally, you will hav to mod the connector to plug into the USB of the teensy.

[nubbinator]

Yeah, I think you will need to put some spacer around the edge so the non-bent-over plate will fit on the phantom. Also it wont work at all if you have a more "full" layout. Then there's the chance that it'll not fit the teensy at all. Finally, you will hav to mod the connector to plug into the USB of the teensy.

That's probably the easiest part of all.  You'll just need the female end of the connector from Mouser, the right crimps, then solder those onto the Teensy.  The plate and making sure the Teensy fits is the tricky part.

[okwchin]

Will there ever be a 100% version of this case?

I know of someone who would need a 100% case in red!

[Vanilla]

Hmm it doesn't seem like there have been any takers for the cases yet as I've been keeping an eye on their stock levels for each color and they havent seem to have moved one bit.
As it stands I'm pretty tempted to get one myself.                                                                                       

Wait, weren't these out for awhile back?
I kind of remember seeing these out of stock @ MK while I was buying my tex machined alu case for my poker.

Yes, I am eyeing that blue one. 

You mentioned my notice, this 80% case's quality is worse than 60% ones.
I like Lian-Li level anodizing. but they are expensive.

Haha likewise. My desktop chassis just so happens to be an armorsuit P80. 

[Battou62]

I have been searching for a custom, but it is tempting to pick up one of these and drop a tkl into it.

[pr0ximity]

You mentioned my notice, this 80% case's quality is worse than 60% ones.
I like Lian-Li level anodizing. but they are expensive.

Worse how? Anodizing, thickness, fit?

I'm kind of torn between putting my Filco in this or sticking to my guns and going with a 55g RF. These look very tempting given TEX's reputation.

[sdiearly]

You mentioned my notice, this 80% case's quality is worse than 60% ones.
I like Lian-Li level anodizing. but they are expensive.

Worse how? Anodizing, thickness, fit?

I'm kind of torn between putting my Filco in this or sticking to my guns and going with a 55g RF. These look very tempting given TEX's reputation.

The cost shows you the quality. 

TEX 60% case comes from a factory which taking order from Lian-Li. Anodizing is very beautiful and flawless.
Another factory handle the 80% case, which is cheaper and some flaw points in the case.

[Vanilla]

What's a better alternative that's available at the moment/ in the not so distant future?

To be honest, although it's lower quality, it's quality is plenty acceptable IMHO and as mentioned before, with a price that's fair.

Yeahhhh I'm in the market for a 80% case hehe.

[t2russo]

Remember you can always get a case reanodized at a later date...

I'm probably going to swap the KBDMod aluminum case I have on one of my filcos for one of these.  I don't like the beveled front edge on it and this case is flat like my KMACs.  Matches better than my black vortex case which is wedge shaped.



vortex on top kbdmod on bottom

or maybe I buy a KUL or Code and shoehorn it in...

[Hucifer]

Would anyone know if it is possible to have one of these shipped directly from Taiwan? I'm currently living in Bangkok and it seems crazy for me to pay for shipping all the way from the U.S. when I'm so close to the source.

I have Googled and tried looking on Taobao, but no joy yet. It also doesn't help that I can't speak or read a word of Chinese 

[JaccoW]

I would love a blue or a red one but I just swapped my KeyCool to a stainless universal plate.

[sdiearly]

Remember you can always get a case reanodized at a later date...

I don't know the reason.
But re-anodizing will make the surface be coarse.

[sdiearly]

Would anyone know if it is possible to have one of these shipped directly from Taiwan? I'm currently living in Bangkok and it seems crazy for me to pay for shipping all the way from the U.S. when I'm so close to the source.

I have Googled and tried looking on Taobao, but no joy yet. It also doesn't help that I can't speak or read a word of Chinese 

This product is ordered by MK.com, even Taiwan is no distributor.
It's hard to buy TEX case in Taiwan 
I can have one just because personal friendship.

I can't sure TEX would like to handle direct shipping in single or not, you should mail to them first.
their web site leaves the contact message.

[combataran]

How heavy is your case(fully assembled), and what's the pitch with the feet attached?

[Johan]

I'm considering ordering one of these cases, the price with shipping to Sweden wasn't as bad I would expect. Would anyone recommend this case, or would you get something else?

[Dreamre]

Does anyone have a better picture of the grey one?

[zennasyndroxx]

Since you said that this fits code keyboards, is it very safe to assume that this actually fits WASD?

[sdiearly]

Since you said that this fits code keyboards, is it very safe to assume that this actually fits WASD?

Costar's OEM are the same.

[zennasyndroxx]

Since you said that this fits code keyboards, is it very safe to assume that this actually fits WASD?

Costar's OEM are the same.

So I guess dip switches won't be an issue? Cause the dip switch placement for code and wasd keyboards are not the same as the dip switch cutout in the case

[LechnerDE]

Just found this thread thanks to Combataran

So, has anybody besides OP bought the case? Any compatibility and/or quality issues?

[xavierblak]

The quality of the case is nice. But I did notice it did not work well with DSA caps on the edges. Keys like F1 and F4 which are against multiple edges would rub and not depress smoothly. I need to play with it more but I had to pack it up since I'm in the middle of moving.

[LechnerDE]

The quality of the case is nice. But I did notice it did not work well with DSA caps on the edges. Keys like F1 and F4 which are against multiple edges would rub and not depress smoothly. I need to play with it more but I had to pack it up since I'm in the middle of moving.

Thanks for the feedback!

I am mostly interested in the compatibility with GMK keys. Can you check please if those have the same problems?

I guess Filcos and QFR will definitely fit. Has anyone tried Duckys as well?

[zennasyndroxx]

The quality of the case is nice. But I did notice it did not work well with DSA caps on the edges. Keys like F1 and F4 which are against multiple edges would rub and not depress smoothly. I need to play with it more but I had to pack it up since I'm in the middle of moving.

Thanks for the feedback!

I am mostly interested in the compatibility with GMK keys. Can you check please if those have the same problems?

I guess Filcos and QFR will definitely fit. Has anyone tried Duckys as well?

judging based on the pictures and the location for the dip switches, it looks like it'll fit the ducky g2 pro tkl  - DK 9087

[xavierblak]

The quality of the case is nice. But I did notice it did not work well with DSA caps on the edges. Keys like F1 and F4 which are against multiple edges would rub and not depress smoothly. I need to play with it more but I had to pack it up since I'm in the middle of moving.

Thanks for the feedback!

I am mostly interested in the compatibility with GMK keys. Can you check please if those have the same problems?

I guess Filcos and QFR will definitely fit. Has anyone tried Duckys as well?

I got a chance to do a bit more testing with this case. The problem locations are f4, f8, f12, pause/break and the right arrow keys. I tested with the DSA caps from the retro keyset and those keys would actually get stuck in the down position after being pressed.

I tried some gmk and original cherry caps and they both rub against the corners in those same locations. Not as bad as the DSA keys but still noticeable. SA profile also had a slight rubbing problem. I tried out OEM profile and DSC profile and they were fine.

Edit:
BTW the keyboard guts I used to test with was from a filco. So I suppose a different keyboard could be slightly different.

[t2russo]

Slide your plate to the left? Sounds like the inner assembly is too far to the right relative to the cutouts.

[xavierblak]

Slide your plate to the left? Sounds like the inner assembly is too far to the right relative to the cutouts.

I tried that I wasn't able to get it move enough to the left to make any difference. I even tried loosening all the screws, putting the keyboard on it's left side and pulling down on the keys. Doing this the best I was able to do was make the DSA keys not stick but even still they were rubbing on the edges. Once I tightened up the screws it was back to the keys sticking down.

[Johan]

I got my case today! There are some blemishes on the bottom half, while it's not an issue for me, it might bother some of you.
Pictures of the scratches; http://i.imgur.com/XwmMtBX.jpg http://i.imgur.com/D7MSRlf.jpg Sorry for the potato pictures. I can try to take new ones if someone wants me to.

[LechnerDE]

As long as you can't see these scratches if you look at your board from above it's no problem I guess


Which board will you put into the case?

[Johan]

As long as you can't see these scratches if you look at your board from above it's no problem I guess


Which board will you put into the case?

Just a regular old brown switch filco, I got a little bit scared when dsa apparently didn't' fit well. Hopefully there won't be any issues with a thick ducky set.

[Johan]

I'm already having issues with assembly, I can't seem to get the original filco cable out, do I just use a screwdriver with a super small flat-head?
FIXED IT!
Now all I need is for my pexon cable to arrive  It feels like the left ctrl is sticky though, I'll have to do something about that.

[swornxin]

I should have searched through this forum before posting a new thread. 

Does anyone have any idea if this case would be compatible with the KUL ES-87 keyboard?  Looking for a TKL with clears that I can customize, because I don't feel comfortable enough building my own and soldering.

[Johan]

For anyone curious, This case with feet is slighty less tilted  than a stock filco. It was also very easy to assemble.

[mapple]

would that case work also with ducky shine 3 tkl? anyone tried before?

[sdiearly]

would that case work also with ducky shine 3 tkl? anyone tried before?

This case is compatible to TKL keyboards made in Taiwan

[mapple]

would that case work also with ducky shine 3 tkl? anyone tried before?

This case is compatible to TKL keyboards made in Taiwan

so I'm ok, since it is produced in taiwan....?

[Jokrik]

Hi,
I didn't prepare much to write a full in depth look for this case but I just got mine (Grey) off mechanicalkeyboards
Here goes the pictures:

1. Packaging



There is no doubt about the packaging, it's damn good
you know what; I'm keeping the box and foam for the future keyboard sale if I ever sell my keyboard

2. Imperfection




I'm not sure whether this is a uneven powder coating or some scratches, but it's located where the pcb laid on
It does not interfere with the pcb and unseen when assembled but yeah...
I tried my best to take pictureswhere you can see the texture of the case when compared to my KMAC, it feels smoother by little

3. Accessories
What's included in the box are:
- Thick USB cable (I can tell it's a good quality one)
- Hex key
- Bolts (8 of them why you only use 6)
- Case stand
- Padding for the case stand and the bottom corner of the case

Sorry I forgot to take the picture

4. Assembly
It's easy to figure, nothing much
Though I can see (thx to Commoncourt) that the gap between the top and bottom part of the case after aseembly, are tighter on the bottom (space bar area)
compare to the side and the F row side, I didn't dare to screw the bolts all the way in so that might be the factor but I tried to be as even as I can

Please note, I find this pretty annoying
Since I am using green switches for this, it makes the annoying "PING" sound when using the alphas
I might try and find some dampener and put it underneath the PCB

Final shots:


Filco + Tex + Reaper by hansen_oe, on Flickr


Custom Filco by hansen_oe, on Flickr

[LechnerDE]

Thanks for taking the time to write this little review 

I am still hesitating to order one for myself though

[taylordcraig]

Thanks for taking the time to write this little review 

I am still hesitating to order one for myself though

I am planning on ordering one after all the slew of key cap GB end.
So much money up in the air right now.  )

[SL89]

this looks amazing, i wish there was a comparable case for fullsize boards from the same makers :/

[taylordcraig]

this looks amazing, i wish there was a comparable case for fullsize boards from the same makers :/

Go yell in the lightsaver v2 thread about how you want another round!

[sdiearly]

Nice GREY one,
I should call TEX to have my special color for myself. 

[whiskytango]

Anybody try this with a phantom yet?

[metalliqaz]

Anybody try this with a phantom yet?

Yeah I wonder how it would work.  I got my Phantom to fix into that damn Vortex case, so I assume this could possibly work.  You have to install your teensy properly, though

[whiskytango]

Anybody try this with a phantom yet?

Yeah I wonder how it would work.  I got my Phantom to fix into that damn Vortex case, so I assume this could possibly work.  You have to install your teensy properly, though

well this case does appear to have a cutout area in the case bottom that looks like it's in the right spot for the teensy on a phantom.

[Arcoril]

Thanks to strict's recent Phantom plate GB, I've decided that I'm going to try putting a Phantom into this case. I have a QFR case as a fallback if it doesn't work, but this TEX case is a whole lot more awesome.

My goal is to avoid modifying the USB header that comes with this case so that I won't make my life more difficult in the future if I decide to sell the case or put in a QFR. However, since the Teensy uses mini USB I'd like to create my own adapter which plugs right in. Does anyone have any specs or part numbers for the header? From looking around, it seems like it could be a 5 pin Molex PicoBlade (not sure on the thread pitch, but I can try to measure it later). Do those look like a good match? Or have people found a different solution? Thanks!

[telegraphist]

The quality of the case is nice. But I did notice it did not work well with DSA caps on the edges. Keys like F1 and F4 which are against multiple edges would rub and not depress smoothly. I need to play with it more but I had to pack it up since I'm in the middle of moving.

I got a chance to do a bit more testing with this case. The problem locations are f4, f8, f12, pause/break and the right arrow keys. I tested with the DSA caps from the retro keyset and those keys would actually get stuck in the down position after being pressed.

I tried some gmk and original cherry caps and they both rub against the corners in those same locations. Not as bad as the DSA keys but still noticeable. SA profile also had a slight rubbing problem. I tried out OEM profile and DSC profile and they were fine.

Edit:
BTW the keyboard guts I used to test with was from a filco. So I suppose a different keyboard could be slightly different.

I am new to this hobby and need to understand whether this Vortex set:
http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=772
fits into this TEX case:
http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=283
They didn't post the keyset profile at mechanicalkeyboards.com.
Can you tell?

[LechnerDE]

These keys are OEM profile 

[telegraphist]

These keys are OEM profile 

Thank you!

[docwlad]

Well I just pulled the trigger on a blue one of these. I was planning on putting a Filco in it, but now I'm thinking about trying out the CM Novatouch when it comes out. Anyone have any idea if it'll fit or not?

Also, the Novatouch has a micro USB port, so would that be compatible with this case? I don't really know anything about electronics. Here's a pic of it from Ripster's review: http://i.imgur.com/xT86cSk.jpg
EDIT: Well, after doing some research, looks like the Quickfire Rapid also has a micro USB cable; so I guess that shouldn't be a problem.

[Lethal Squirrel]

Would kinda look weird on a QFR or Leopold with those LED holes.

[docwlad]

Would kinda look weird on a QFR or Leopold with those LED holes.

That's true. Do you know of any other aluminum cases compatible with those keyboards?

[MGH]

How is the anodizing? Is it better, same, or worse than the vortex cases mechanicalkeyboards.com used to stock?