[IC] Keycap Display Boards

[MatchstickMan]

One of the things I've been looking for for a while is a way to show off extra keycap sets easily. If I'm spending hundreds of dollars on these pieces of plastic, I want to enjoy them even when they're not in use. I imagine other people feel similarly as I see a lot of people saying they just keep them in a ziplock bag in a drawer. So I decided to model something up and see what you all thought about it.

These are intended to be injection molded in either clear or black plastic. I also intend to have a ortholinear display as well for those that get those specific kits.

The standard layout can easily be modified to accommodate TKL and 60% designs.


As an ergodox owner, it makes me sad that I have to put my ED-specific keys in a bag when they're not in use.


I've sent these to Signature Plastics for quote and haven't heard back from them yet. In the meantime, I wanted to get the community's feedback. What other layouts would you like to see? Any other recommendations for a product like this?

[82d28a]

I would love it. I assume they would be cheaper then the ones already sold by some of the keyboard vendors?  Like less the $5 per tray without shipping?

Thank you for leading this! 


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[MatchstickMan]

I would love it. I assume they would be cheaper then the ones already sold by some of the keyboard vendors?  Like less the $5 per tray without shipping?

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with ones that are currently being sold, do you have links? Maybe I could contact them instead of reinventing the wheel, so to speak.

But I also can't really say how much they'll cost until I get a quote back. The major unknown at this time is new tooling that could be required. If I can partner with a vendor, then that could make this much easier. Personally, I want to set the price target lower than even a cheap keycap set would cost. Under $20 is what I'm hoping for.

[donutcat]

There's quite a few floating around on Taobao and Aliexpress of varying price, construction, and quality. https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20180620080640&SearchText=keycap+storage+board

I would see about contacting them if you're interested in a different design like the ergodox one or bulk ordering since I'm sure that would be cheaper than new tooling from SP, or just SP in general. What I notice about your design vs others is the holes for presumably mounting, which I could get jiggy with.

[dimo]

I would love it. I assume they would be cheaper then the ones already sold by some of the keyboard vendors?  Like less the $5 per tray without shipping?

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with ones that are currently being sold, do you have links? Maybe I could contact them instead of reinventing the wheel, so to speak.

But I also can't really say how much they'll cost until I get a quote back. The major unknown at this time is new tooling that could be required. If I can partner with a vendor, then that could make this much easier. Personally, I want to set the price target lower than even a cheap keycap set would cost. Under $20 is what I'm hoping for.

That's tough competition with the other vendors if it's even near $20 without shipping

[MatchstickMan]

There's quite a few floating around on Taobao and Aliexpress of varying price, construction, and quality. https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20180620080640&SearchText=keycap+storage+board

I would see about contacting them if you're interested in a different design like the ergodox one or bulk ordering since I'm sure that would be cheaper than new tooling from SP, or just SP in general. What I notice about your design vs others is the holes for presumably mounting, which I could get jiggy with.

Oof! Yeah, I'll see if I can contact one of them and find the supplier for a different version of what they've got. And yes, the holes are there to hang the boards on a wall. Strategically placed so they shouldn't show when the board is filled haha!

That's tough competition with the other vendors if it's even near $20 without shipping

Undersell and overdeliver!

Also, I just got work back from Signature Plastics and they can't work with pieces as large as these anyway. So my choices are to either find a new supplier, or work with one of the AliExpress vendors on a new design. AliExpress vendor seems to be the way to go for now.

[82d28a]

Wow prices dropped since last I checked! I can just grab a few of these as is. 


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[pixelpusher]

I have 8 of the enjoyPBT holders.  I had aspirations of showing off my unused caps.  However, since I change stuff around so much, it was pissing me off to have to remove/replace an extra time just to try out a profile/look.  Granted, I have close to 40 boards and who knows how many sets of keycaps, so I'm not the average user.  But for me, ziplock baggies make it much more convenient to switch things out quickly.  And knowing I have sets in the closet in a baggie or in boxes is a good incentive to BUY MORE KEYBOARDS to put them on!!! GENIUS!

[82d28a]

How about boxes? Keeps the sun light off the ABS. Being able to organize out of bags would be great.

[MatchstickMan]

How about boxes? Keeps the sun light off the ABS. Being able to organize out of bags would be great.

Now that would be interesting. Similar to how GMK ships their keycap sets?

Consider this: Take the aliexpress display boards, frame them, and inset some UV filtering acrylic inside the frame. Display it, hang it, protect it.

[Starius]

I've thought about getting some of these before, but I haven't yet.   
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mechanical-keyboard-keycaps-holder-key-caps-storage-board/222421426557

Someone on another forum once told me that the stems might be prone to breaking and then you have a keycap with a broken stem inside.  I don't know how likely that is, but the idea makes me nervous.  In any event, I've been wanting something like these for a long time.
But I've also wanted something similar that doesn't show any particular keyboard layout, for all the extra keys I get that don't conform to a standard layout.

[MatchstickMan]

I've thought about getting some of these before, but I haven't yet.   
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mechanical-keyboard-keycaps-holder-key-caps-storage-board/222421426557

Someone on another forum once told me that the stems might be prone to breaking and then you have a keycap with a broken stem inside.  I don't know how likely that is, but the idea makes me nervous.  In any event, I've been wanting something like these for a long time.
But I've also wanted something similar that doesn't show any particular keyboard layout, for all the extra keys I get that don't conform to a standard layout.

Yeah, but the stem breaking is also a fear for switches themselves. If you're pulling them out straight from the mounting point, that shouldn't be an issue. Material choice is also a consideration, we'd probably want a plastic similar to switch stems themselves.

As for extra keys, I think an ortho layout would probably facilitate that pretty well.

[82d28a]

More so like this for a box that protects from UV light and no stem breaks.  If there was a little UV protected window to see some of the key sets, would be good.

AliExpress
http://s.aliexpress.com/Ereq6nEz

[MatchstickMan]

Ah, I get what you're getting at. More for storage than for display.

[donutcat]

I have 8 of the enjoyPBT holders.  I had aspirations of showing off my unused caps.  However, since I change stuff around so much, it was pissing me off to have to remove/replace an extra time just to try out a profile/look.  Granted, I have close to 40 boards and who knows how many sets of keycaps, so I'm not the average user.  But for me, ziplock baggies make it much more convenient to switch things out quickly.  And knowing I have sets in the closet in a baggie or in boxes is a good incentive to BUY MORE KEYBOARDS to put them on!!! GENIUS!

I had the same problem, sorta, I got tired of the time spent on changing caps, so I decided to just get more of the same layout to display them on and then just instantly swap for usage, and that's the story of the invention of the budget96 :3

[pixelpusher]

I have 8 of the enjoyPBT holders.  I had aspirations of showing off my unused caps.  However, since I change stuff around so much, it was pissing me off to have to remove/replace an extra time just to try out a profile/look.  Granted, I have close to 40 boards and who knows how many sets of keycaps, so I'm not the average user.  But for me, ziplock baggies make it much more convenient to switch things out quickly.  And knowing I have sets in the closet in a baggie or in boxes is a good incentive to BUY MORE KEYBOARDS to put them on!!! GENIUS!

I had the same problem, sorta, I got tired of the time spent on changing caps, so I decided to just get more of the same layout to display them on and then just instantly swap for usage, and that's the story of the invention of the budget96 :3

LFMAO... that's exactly why I joined your GB.  Madness, right?

[MatchstickMan]

Haha incredible! Hopefully this will end up being cheaper than a new keyboard for each keycap set! ;P