[GB] Modern M0110 custom keyboard

[ibabo]

Almost 1 year since this started 

Good reminder! It helps to keep the time frame in perspective, I was just feeling like this GB was taking forever, but it really only has been a year, virtually no time at all for a GB, and this makes me feel better about it, thank you! This really is one of the better GBs

Your being silly right?

[ThomasTH]

Almost 1 year since this started 

Good reminder! It helps to keep the time frame in perspective, I was just feeling like this GB was taking forever, but it really only has been a year, virtually no time at all for a GB, and this makes me feel better about it, thank you! This really is one of the better GBs

Your being silly right?

I would assume so too, this is definitely one of the gbs that stopped me from buying more boards...

Sent from my LYA-L29 using Tapatalk

[dwarflemur]

It's taking foreverrrr which is annoying, but I wouldn't say this one is really that bad, it seems like they're working on it and we get updates once in a while.

[dead_pixel_design]

Almost 1 year since this started 

Good reminder! It helps to keep the time frame in perspective, I was just feeling like this GB was taking forever, but it really only has been a year, virtually no time at all for a GB, and this makes me feel better about it, thank you! This really is one of the better GBs

Your being silly right?

I'm being sarcastic to make a point, yeah. How long do you think these things take? I have been part of a dozen group buys and hundreds of crowd funding projects, one year really isn't that long. I have seen a lot of products be produced and the amount of work and time that goes into it is crazy, not to mention pieces that are out of the GB runners hands, other companies, with hundreds if not thousands of other projects they have to make happen on their own deadlines... This isn't going slow at all, and it's not really taking that long, AND we are getting communication from the creator, at least more than I have gotten on most projects or GBs I have been a part of.

Try to have a little perspective.

[crowKAKAWWW]

Almost 1 year since this started 

Good reminder! It helps to keep the time frame in perspective, I was just feeling like this GB was taking forever, but it really only has been a year, virtually no time at all for a GB, and this makes me feel better about it, thank you! This really is one of the better GBs

Your being silly right?

I'm being sarcastic to make a point, yeah. How long do you think these things take? I have been part of a dozen group buys and hundreds of crowd funding projects, one year really isn't that long. I have seen a lot of products be produced and the amount of work and time that goes into it is crazy, not to mention pieces that are out of the GB runners hands, other companies, with hundreds if not thousands of other projects they have to make happen on their own deadlines... This isn't going slow at all, and it's not really taking that long, AND we are getting communication from the creator, at least more than I have gotten on most projects or GBs I have been a part of.

Try to have a little perspective.

We realize that most of the delays have been out of DeskCandy's control, but it's a stretch to say that it isn't going slow at all-- we're 8 months past estimated fulfillment and we're still in the process of approving production samples.

I fully trust that we'll get a fantastic product out of this, but let's not fool ourselves into thinking everything has been going fine.

[dead_pixel_design]

Estimates are wrong nearly 100% of the time in these situations, that doesn't mean it's taking a long time, this is still on track to be a faster GB than most I have been a part of, and WAAAAY faster than many other crowdfunding platform projects. Nothing ever goes 'fine' with projects like this, there are always issues, there are always delays, and this one is not nearly as bad as most. Maybe if you have never been a part of something like this this feels long, maybe if you have only been a part of 4 or 5, or hell even 10 crowd funded projects maybe you think people are fooling themselves, but after you have seen hundreds of projects, on both sides of the project, across a half dozen different platforms for a bunch of different types of product, you start to really appreciate when a project has only been a year late so far.

[pixelpusher]

I tried a quick count by looking at my boards.  I’ve joined around 23 group buys for keyboards (not
Counting pcbs, switches, or caps) here on geekhack.  This is one of 4 that has taken over a year.  Things go wrong. Some group buy runners get lucky.  Some have bad luck.  Some are better at dealing with problems. Some are better at communication.

With long running buys such as this, the best you can do is wait and hope for the best.   We’ve asked for more frequent updates, and they don’t happen.  Deskcandy seems to be satisfied with updating via email every few months.  It’s not the best experience, but it’s what we have.  Complaining usually only slows things down.

[lukelex]

Estimates are wrong nearly 100% of the time in these situations, that doesn't mean it's taking a long time, this is still on track to be a faster GB than most I have been a part of, and WAAAAY faster than many other crowdfunding platform projects. Nothing ever goes 'fine' with projects like this, there are always issues, there are always delays, and this one is not nearly as bad as most. Maybe if you have never been a part of something like this this feels long, maybe if you have only been a part of 4 or 5, or hell even 10 crowd funded projects maybe you think people are fooling themselves, but after you have seen hundreds of projects, on both sides of the project, across a half dozen different platforms for a bunch of different types of product, you start to really appreciate when a project has only been a year late so far.

I think you've been numbed by your past GB and CF experiences.

Avaraging things out and adjusting your expectations is a fine way to cope with these bad situations but let's not fool ourselves to think that this is acceptable. **** can and will go wrong and deadlines will endup shattered but this is the kind of stuff that limits the growth of this hobby. Just sheer lack of professionalism and a horrible customer experience.

That being said, I'm looking forward to get my hands on one of these.

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[ptiede]

This isn't even that bad of a gb. Like sure it isn't great and we would al like more communication but some perspective is needed. We aren't buying products from some huge company whose sole goal is to make profit. It is a one off product made by someone who is passionate about it. Desk candy is still keeping us updated and I'm pretty certain that we will eventually get the board.

[lukelex]

This isn't even that bad of a gb. Like sure it isn't great and we would al like more communication but some perspective is needed. We aren't buying products from some huge company whose sole goal is to make profit. It is a one off product made by someone who is passionate about it. Desk candy is still keeping us updated and I'm pretty certain that we will eventually get the board.

Tbh. This sure sounds a lot like Stockholm syndrome.

"yeah I got punched a few times but I can hardly few them now"

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[japanesehorrorwriter]

just two cents - deskcandy has always responsive. may not be the answers you want but they always respond, least to me. not sure the bad customer service should be added to the list. and no I dont know the guy personally. yes I am also in the gb.

[lukelex]

My experience is that I never got a response to any of my emails

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[dwarflemur]

It took me about a week to get a reply which was fine for me.

[deskcandy]

Hey guys, long time no update but actually have a lot to update you guys on. My wife (yes, I've pulled her into this madness because she's really good at managing process) and I have been busy and put a ton of miles on our car traveling between vendors.

Cerakote
TL;DR - 4 units done, rest of unengraved in progress, then will start rest after engraving

• 4 unengraved units (light sand) are DONE. They look really good with the double layer painted approached we had to take because the machinist changed his tool path for production without telling me, which was a bit of a scare for the success of actually getting this GB done.
• These are going to ship out later this week to some of the early number orders who opted out of engraving - thank you! I feel really good about actually getting these out in your hands, even if it's just a small percentage to start. Getting the momentum of finishing a certain number of orders per week is really important.
• My Cerakote guy thinks he can get the rest of the unengraved units done by end of week, but I have to take that with a grain of salt. Don't count on all the unengraved boards being shipped out within a week. Maybe two or three at best given the rate he's working.
• I am still planning to send a board to janglad which has been specially engraved for him so he can independently inspect the Cerakote finish. This board has already been painted and repainted several times in order to get the finish right, and it should be good to go the next time I visit the Cerakote vendor. I am not waiting though to ship these 4 boards because I am confident in the quality of the finish that it is a step above the review unit manofinterests reviewed and honestly don't think you guys would want me to do anything to slow down getting boards in folks hands asap. You can check out the pictures yourselves.

Anodized
TL;DR - Polishing is in progress, engraving comes next

• Based on your feedback in the last "big" update, we are not doing the shotpeen (rougher textured) finish for grey keyboards. I still really love this finish, so we will reserve it for special projects if there are any raw leftovers after finishing this group buy.
• We tweaked the pre-anodizing finishing process and are not polishing the top piece as to better preserve the original machining (and avoid that "melted" look) but polish the bottom to clear the rough machining marks. After polishing the bottom but *not* the top, we shot blast and then anodize. You can check out the silver finish below. For gray, we are color matching the original China gray sample and should have dye back from the lab this week or next

A quick note on emails and comms - the time I get each week to devote to Desk Candy is almost all going to M0110 production, and I'm prioritizing vendor communications and visits to keep the train rolling. There are definitely high priority customer communications I need to deal with, and I acknowledge some of slipped through the cracks while I've been heads down on production stuff. If you don't hear back from me by Wednesday, feel free to shoot a new email.

Thanks all.

[Warrenified]

Thank you for the update! Silver ano looks great, can’t wait

[deskcandy]

Hey also really quick - since someone else asked me I'm just going to post here as well. Here are the dimensions of Modern M0110 if you need them:

Width - 338mm
Height - 145mm
Depth (max) - 44mm

[KingzandBean]

Hey guys, long time no update but actually have a lot to update you guys on. My wife (yes, I've pulled her into this madness because she's really good at managing process) and I have been busy and put a ton of miles on our car traveling between vendors.

Cerakote
TL;DR - 4 units done, rest of unengraved in progress, then will start rest after engraving

• 4 unengraved units (light sand) are DONE. They look really good with the double layer painted approached we had to take because the machinist changed his tool path for production without telling me, which was a bit of a scare for the success of actually getting this GB done.
• These are going to ship out later this week to some of the early number orders who opted out of engraving - thank you! I feel really good about actually getting these out in your hands, even if it's just a small percentage to start. Getting the momentum of finishing a certain number of orders per week is really important.
• My Cerakote guy thinks he can get the rest of the unengraved units done by end of week, but I have to take that with a grain of salt. Don't count on all the unengraved boards being shipped out within a week. Maybe two or three at best given the rate he's working.
• I am still planning to send a board to janglad which has been specially engraved for him so he can independently inspect the Cerakote finish. This board has already been painted and repainted several times in order to get the finish right, and it should be good to go the next time I visit the Cerakote vendor. I am not waiting though to ship these 4 boards because I am confident in the quality of the finish that it is a step above the review unit manofinterests reviewed and honestly don't think you guys would want me to do anything to slow down getting boards in folks hands asap. You can check out the pictures yourselves.

(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)

Anodized
TL;DR - Polishing is in progress, engraving comes next

• Based on your feedback in the last "big" update, we are not doing the shotpeen (rougher textured) finish for grey keyboards. I still really love this finish, so we will reserve it for special projects if there are any raw leftovers after finishing this group buy.
• We tweaked the pre-anodizing finishing process and are not polishing the top piece as to better preserve the original machining (and avoid that "melted" look) but polish the bottom to clear the rough machining marks. After polishing the bottom but *not* the top, we shot blast and then anodize. You can check out the silver finish below. For gray, we are color matching the original China gray sample and should have dye back from the lab this week or next

(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)

A quick note on emails and comms - the time I get each week to devote to Desk Candy is almost all going to M0110 production, and I'm prioritizing vendor communications and visits to keep the train rolling. There are definitely high priority customer communications I need to deal with, and I acknowledge some of slipped through the cracks while I've been heads down on production stuff. If you don't hear back from me by Wednesday, feel free to shoot a new email.

Thanks all.

These are hott

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

[laserbeamspewpew]

Can't wait!

[crowKAKAWWW]

@deskcandy


Awesome update, looking forward to seeing the gray anodized

[dantambok]

Glad to see a big update! Congrats to the 4 lucky fellas who ordered light sand 

[pixelpusher]

Thanks for updating us.  Good to see progress and some cerakote boards finally.

Quick question:

I've never had a cerakoted object before.  In the photos, there are a lot of specks on the boards.  If it was paint I would be worried b/c those specks (blobs of finish? dirt?) would chip off over time from wear and tear.  Is it a different story for cerakote?



Same thing goes with rough edges like this.  Is it more durable b/c of the particular cerakote finish?



It probably just looks rougher in the photos b/c they are so close up.  I understand that the finish won't be "perfect." I just wanted to have an idea of how much imperfection to expect

[ron310]

Anyone interested in my spot. I ordered the following setup:
[Group Buy] Kailh box white - pack of 65
[Group Buy] Modern M0110 Keyboard Kit
[Group Buy] Desk Candy Edition XD60 V3.0
[Group Buy] GMK Stabilizers 2u (2)
[Group Buy] GMK Stabilizers 7u
[Group Buy] Modern M0110 Assembly Service

It's anodized Space Grey

PM me

[deskcandy]

Thanks for updating us.  Good to see progress and some cerakote boards finally.

Quick question:

I've never had a cerakoted object before.  In the photos, there are a lot of specks on the boards.  If it was paint I would be worried b/c those specks (blobs of finish? dirt?) would chip off over time from wear and tear.  Is it a different story for cerakote?

(Attachment Link)

Same thing goes with rough edges like this.  Is it more durable b/c of the particular cerakote finish?

(Attachment Link)

It probably just looks rougher in the photos b/c they are so close up.  I understand that the finish won't be "perfect." I just wanted to have an idea of how much imperfection to expect

Small flecks and imperfections like this are normal for Cerakote and other painted/sprayed on finishes like powder coating (although powder coats are usually so textured you never notice). They are less obvious for really small parts like gun slides (that's what my vendor specializes in), but for a part with a much bigger surface area like Modern M0110 they are inevitable. If anyone really wants after receiving their keyboard, they can go over the Cerakote finish with really high grit sandpaper like 2000+, but that's at your own discretion (and risk, as you could risk stripping the top layer and have the dark grey second layer of paint show from underneath).

[DukeEsquire]

Thanks for updating us.  Good to see progress and some cerakote boards finally.

Quick question:

I've never had a cerakoted object before.  In the photos, there are a lot of specks on the boards.  If it was paint I would be worried b/c those specks (blobs of finish? dirt?) would chip off over time from wear and tear.  Is it a different story for cerakote?

(Attachment Link)

Same thing goes with rough edges like this.  Is it more durable b/c of the particular cerakote finish?

(Attachment Link)

It probably just looks rougher in the photos b/c they are so close up.  I understand that the finish won't be "perfect." I just wanted to have an idea of how much imperfection to expect

I think that is inherent with cerakote.

I know that Keycult was experimenting with cerakote and they were having difficulty getting an absolutely smooth surface.

[pixelpusher]

I'm okay with a few flecks as long as they don't come off sometime down the road

[ibabo]

any word on black cerkote units  glad to see progress again

[gaustin]

Anyone interested in my spot.
<snip>
PM me

PM sent!

Edit: Took ron310’s spot. Thanks!

[break]

Edit: nvm

[sibicle]

Super interested in a sand Cerakote spot. Thanks!!

[gminso]

I am interested in a silver. plz pm if anyone changed their minds.

[dantambok]

i wonder if the 4 cerakoted ones already went out? If so, hopefully the lucky owners comment here soon! 

[pijo]

I’m really interested in a spot for any color. Let me know!

[snaranda0305]

really interested in a spot with any color   

[mwahlig]

Any updates? It's been 3 weeks since the last update that referenced the cerakote guy's estimate of a week to finish the non-engraved boards.

[crowKAKAWWW]

Would also be nice to see a new gray sample sometime soon

[nuclear_wizard]

Looking to sell my silver ano spot.

[NOLA]

Looking to sell my silver ano spot.

PMed

[foxlive]

I would definitely buy a spot for cerakoted one! PM if interested

[OtherAndrew]

please update

[MPAstudio]

Need update...

[crowKAKAWWW]

Feels ignored man

[dantambok]

hopefully we have an update soon!  )

[nuclear_wizard]

Still looking to sell my silver ano spot.

[ibabo]

Its been like 6-7 weeks with no update. What the heck is this

[nulltorious]

Its been like 6-7 weeks with no update. What the heck is this

Poor communication efforts from the GB runner 

[your_fish_monger]

Registered an account just now to express how completely frustrating this whole GB is. I first saw this project over on Reddit maybe 18-24 months ago and fell in love with the design. And I bought the whole enchilada: case, PCB, stabs, custom serial number, switches, assembly, the whole thing. I have asked for refunds on everything except for the case at this point but I haven't seen a dollar back.

At this point, I am just assuming I am out the entire bill. As much as I want to support small group buys from motivated community members, I am probably only buying finished goods or going through MD/Drop for anything I buy in the future. What a mess.

[pandemic123]

yeah this is crazy, does anyone know the GB runner personally?

[Choobies]

His last response was on July 10th, with one before that explaining that his time is packed with driving vendor to vendor to make ends meet and actually get the things made.  He showed pictures of prototypes.  Think about it, if he were scamming us, why would he bother spending more money to actually make prototypes to show us pictures of?  We're all in past the point of return with any PayPal return window, so he should just run off with the money.  We're all in the same boat here.  Why choose to assume the worst and get upset, and in doing so cause yourself unnecessary headache and heartache, right now, for something that might not even be true?  If you (and all of us) do get completely shafted, then yeah, then we'll feel bad together, if it happens.  For me, I'm assuming the best, because if it works out, I didn't experience any headache or heartache through any of the process.

[dantambok]

I still have faith that this will ship one day. I just wish we had better communication with John 

[ThomasTH]

Registered an account just now to express how completely frustrating this whole GB is. I first saw this project over on Reddit maybe 18-24 months ago and fell in love with the design. And I bought the whole enchilada: case, PCB, stabs, custom serial number, switches, assembly, the whole thing. I have asked for refunds on everything except for the case at this point but I haven't seen a dollar back.

At this point, I am just assuming I am out the entire bill. As much as I want to support small group buys from motivated community members, I am probably only buying finished goods or going through MD/Drop for anything I buy in the future. What a mess.

Even worse for me, my order was over 1000 usd AND i shipped him blue alps, brown alps etc worth ovet 300 USD for assembly.

This GB, Alf x1.1 and xondat killed this hobby for me i have yo say, there's not much passion left.

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