Hi guys, I'm currently working on a 60% top mount case which I want to be compatible with the alps64 PCB. Unless I messed it up the case itself should be okay by now, but next is the hardest part:
plates.
The options for ALPS layouts are almost endless, and the type of stabilizers used is also not always the same for different keysets even if they use the same layout. Making matters worse, ALPS plates that support multiple layouts aren't really a thing (at least not to my knowledge). Since this will be a small production run with both ALPS and Cherry options I also can't offer many ALPS plate options without having them priced at or close to one-off pricing, I think two options is the highest I can go.
Since my experience with ALPS is very limited I now want to ask more knowledgeable people (you) about this. Which layouts should I support (and what kind of stabs do they use)? And which plate material would work best?
My current plans are to definitely support the AEK layout, as this is rather commonly available and the caps are of pretty good quality.
But then I'm left with only one other option, and even that will probably only make MOQ problems worse. My current idea for that one is either the V60 layout to have support for Tai Hao ALPS caps, or a standard 60% layout using cherry stabilizers in order to support future Signature Plastics sets.
Or, if MOQ is too much of a problem, I will just offer one plate option (probably AEK) and make the plate files available for everyone to get their own plate made, but this is also a huge pita for the consumer at the end.
Next up is the plate material, options are alu, steel and brass. I can probably only choose one of these, as I imagine the amount of ALPS orders will be pretty small. I'd love to see brass as this would probably be one of the first times that this is offered, but if that makes it less desirable for many people I will probably settle for alu or steel.
I hope you guys can give me some insight in this part of the hobby and help me with deciding for the options that please the majority.
Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for answers and help.
Edit:
I might have found a solution to part of the plate layout problem, but I don't have the stuff at hand to check if it works. Can someone please check for me if a standard 2u Costar wire fits into a 2.25u ALPS cap? If yes that would mean I can use the Matias adaptors for those keys and support both ALPS stabilizer based keycaps and Cherry stabilizer based ones (with the same layout) with one plate which would make things a lot easier.
Edit2:
I just found the one Costar wire I knew I still had somewhere. Bad news: doesn't fit as is. Good news: it's only off by a tiny bit and just having these Matias adapters should make for enough clearance.
Edit 3: Scrap that, I should have checked before, but 2u and 2.25u ALPS caps might have differently spaced stabmounts, at least I don't know if they are the same or not. I still need one of you guys to check that for me as I don't have a 2.25u ALPS cap