Author Topic: [IC] Martingale | PCB mounted 60-percent | Group Buy: End of Sept. 2023  (Read 44862 times)

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Offline elvenmonster

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  • Posts: 78
284734-0

[IC] Martingale

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The Martingale is a PCB top-mounted, 60-percent keyboard designed to be comfortable to type on and relatively affordable, and the aim is to maintain quality standards often found in much higher end boards in the hobby. The construction of the case is simple, and consists of three parts: Top and bottom case, and a daughterboard mounting accent. Nearly every single design element is functional in purpose, with the exception of the side profile and bezel sizes.

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Key features and specifications:

Please refer to the image below.
284834-1

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Prototyping:

As of now, the board has had four prototypes over two rounds of prototyping, with the fifth and final prototype on its way to me. All images of the prototypes can be found in the following Imgur link: https://imgur.com/a/1r6CReq (the green prototype is the most recent one). Also including three images below.
284740-2 284742-3 284738-4


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Inspirations:

1) The internal stepped geometry in the bottom case is inspired from the Bias TKL with the permission of the designer himself (Baionwave^TM lets go!). I found it useful to implement low typing angle and front height while also retaining some heft, leaving space for the pcb to flex without bottoming out.
2) The side profile is inspired from the now famous Matrix 8xv2.0 and 6xv2.0 series of boards.


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Group buy info: (Please scroll for latest updated GB info)

1) Price target: $250 + shipping and taxes (would be about $290-310 including VAT for most countries.). Will include carrying case.
Best case: sub 250 USD including carrying case. Worst case: sub 300 USD excluding carrying case. Looking at around 300 USD (slightly more with carrying case).
Please understand that these are only estimates from quotes I have received from manufacturers with some educated guesses made. The actual price could be less or more depending on number of units. I will update this when I have more information!


2) Vendors: None as of now. Will be approaching vendors soon! ClickClack.io will be the global vendor

3) GB Date: Depends on how talks with vendors go, but targeting Q3 2022. GB month will be December 2022


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Questions?

1) Why are you calling this the Martingale?
I have decided to name my boards on concepts from probability theory. Why? Those who know, know :simoneyes:

2) You say this is plateless, but will a plate be included anyway?
I plan to include an Alu 5052 plate by default.

3) What about plate files?
Any tray mount/gummy o-ring mount plate like the ones in your Tofus, Bakenekos, and Unikorns will be compatible with the board. So there is not much point in providing plate files since it has no mounting points,

4) Will the board be compatible with standard PCBs?
No. The pcb has mounting tabs which are specific to the Martingale, so no aftermarket pcb will be compatible. However, I will consider releasing gerber files of a modified Bakeneko pcb with the mounting tabs added and other minor modifications made (the GB itself will use a proprietary PCB, unless there is a change of plans for some unknown reason).

5) Do you have any experience running group buys before, or any manufacturing experience?
I have never run a group buy before, and this is my first Interest Check! However I have designed and manufactured many an engineering product back in undergrad (automotive suspensions, chassis, etc.). This my first time designing parts where aesthetics are as important as functionality, and it has been a learning experience!

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Thanks:

Maelk has been helping me with the pcb. Thanks Maelk!
This would not have been possible without the support of some of the lovely folk in the Indian Mechanical Keyboard Community (IMKC), and many more scattered across the world of overpriced rectangles. You guys know who you are! Thanks!


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Interest Check Form:

Please fill out the interest check form in your free time! Link to IC form: https://forms.gle/ACUHENyUnSGsSmBg8


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Discord Server:

https://discord.gg/4hXshyhfCn

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Will update the post as and when I have more information to share! Will update with a discord server link soon(done). Stay tuned!


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UPDATE 09/28/2022

Vendor: ClickClack.io (global fulfillment)
Pricing: $250 + shipping and taxes (would be about $290-310 including VAT for most countries.)
GB Date: December 2022
Colours: Green confirmed. Rest TBD.
#Units: 300 for now.

Next update will have exact GB date and finalized colours, hopefully with images of the final colour prototypes.
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Group Buy Details (updated 09/22/2023):

In the box: 1x Martingale keyboard, 1xAl 5052 plate, 1x 1.2mm FR4 pcb and 1x 1.6mm FR4 pcb included inside a custom hardcase (along with USB daughterboards, Jst cables, extra screws and bumpons).

Vendor: ClickClack.io (global fulfillment)
Pricing: sub $250 + shipping and taxes (should be maximum $290-310 including VAT depending on your country. Please look out for the final details on ClickClack.io)
GB Date: Last week Septemer 2023
Colours: Green (not exactly same as early prototype), Light Blue, Silver and either Navy blue/Purple
#Units: 300 for now.

Prototype images:

302741-5302743-6302745-7
302747-8302749-9302751-10

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« Last Edit: Fri, 22 September 2023, 14:52:22 by elvenmonster »

Offline elvenmonster

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  • Posts: 78
UPDATE 1: Added interest check form.
UPDATE 2: Added discord server link.
UPDATE 3: Added vendor, pricing and GB month.
« Last Edit: Wed, 28 September 2022, 20:48:35 by elvenmonster »

Offline of_sam

  • Posts: 272
  • Location: United States
Looks like a really nice project. Nice job :)
Typing on: HHKB Pro 2 - Stock :aware:
Collection: F1.69, Police, Jubi, RF 87U, En Dash, Rosenthal, Soulless, Frog, Calliope, GAF 910, Sabre, W1-AT

Offline TheLastChatha

  • Posts: 1
Reserved!

Can't wait to see the final proto. GLWIC!

Offline brudder

  • Posts: 11
This seems really promising - looking forward to this! Any chance of a proto sound test?

Offline frigidisdead

  • Posts: 2
Would love to see a large rear weight given this is one of few pcb mount 60’s at least within recent memory, but either way looks like solid project. Good luck with it!

Offline nlbh

  • Posts: 5
  • Location: India
Waiting for the final proto and the GB to start. Excited!

Offline Ustinj

  • Posts: 390
Looks really nice, glwic

Offline finalarcadia

  • Posts: 408
It's simple on the outside but you can tell a lot of work went into the inside, looks great!

Offline ayyydeee

  • Posts: 1
great work elven.

GLWIC!

Offline reticent

  • Posts: 19
  • Location: Alberta, Canada
right side USB port on keyboards LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO really solid project at a really good price point. Looking forward for more!

Offline Photekq

  • wheat flour zone
  • Posts: 4794
  • Location: North Wales, UK
  • sorry if i was ever an ******* to you
Looks very neat and tidy. I'd like to try one.
https://kbdarchive.org/
github
discord: hi mum#5710

Offline Mr_Spaceman

  • Formerly wootman
  • Posts: 13
  • Location: Pune, India
Looking really promising, elven. Cant wait to get my hands on it! :)

Offline ankit

  • Formerly ankit-sachdeva
  • Posts: 461
Looks fantastic! Consider hhkb
collection:
More
  Daal, Emp Mini, HHKB x5, Horsey, Prophet, RS60, Seis Cero, Unikorn, Pixy Mini

Offline linell

  • Posts: 114
great project
+1 for hhkb
bro this a **** set, just be thankful you even getting 1 base running fr

Offline spedywin

  • Formerly spedywin
  • Posts: 48
i agree with the hee hee kay bee but this looks good for the price glwic :D

Offline TheIcyKoala

  • Posts: 38
So happy seeing more PCB mount keyboards, especially 60s  :thumb:. Loving that green as well.

Offline elvenmonster

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 78
Thanks everyone for the support!

Also realized that I’m an idiot and didnt upload layouts. Will do it over the weekend, but you can expect the typical 60% fare. I really wanted to do the og HHKB layout with the larger right hand side blocker, but it likely wont happen. Will mostly include just the regular HHKB option along with WK and WKL.

Also regarding sound tests, they will take some time but I wanna make sure its a representative sound test. I personally do not have a recording setup of any sort, but will ask some friends to record it! Wont happen before end of month though.

Thanks again!!

Offline linell

  • Posts: 114
Thanks everyone for the support!

Also realized that I’m an idiot and didnt upload layouts. Will do it over the weekend, but you can expect the typical 60% fare. I really wanted to do the og HHKB layout with the larger right hand side blocker, but it likely wont happen. Will mostly include just the regular HHKB option along with WK and WKL.

Also regarding sound tests, they will take some time but I wanna make sure its a representative sound test. I personally do not have a recording setup of any sort, but will ask some friends to record it! Wont happen before end of month though.

Thanks again!!
true hhkb is amazing but 7u hhkb is good too  :thumb:
bro this a **** set, just be thankful you even getting 1 base running fr

Offline wencan008

  • Posts: 87
Great looking board, price estimate seems very nice. Hope this board can come to fruition. GLWIC!

Offline chaitues

  • Posts: 5
Looks lovely.
All the best Elven.

Offline houdini

  • Posts: 3
GIB
GLWIC

Offline Slayer77

  • Posts: 372
  • Location: Pune, India
Can't wait to see the green in person! GLWIC :)

Sent from my GM1911 using Tapatalk


Offline Zeelobby

  • Posts: 926
Looks great. Love to see more PCB mount coming to market.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk


Offline whirlwind

  • Posts: 212
This looks very promising, good luck with IC!

Offline conternecticus

  • Posts: 145
  • Location: somewhere with crazy shipping fees
  • (¬‿¬ )
I see you have poured a lot of effort into this. Everything looks great.
I don't see you mention which case colors will be available during the groupbuy, therefore I hope a nice, light shade of grey/blue/lilac makes it ;D
Hope there will be an Asia/South East Asia vendor.
GLWIC!

Offline sushant

  • Posts: 1
Ne gibbers avail

GLWIC

Offline yuunoda

  • Posts: 5
  • Location: Leidenschaftlich
+1 HHKB

i'm soldd

Offline Gnome

  • Posts: 59
Looks really nice, I love that green. I much prefer ceneterd usb on 60%, i think having it on either side really messed up the symmetry.
I'm not really a topmount guy, I've also never tried plateless. At the target price i'd be down to try :thumb: GLWIC

Offline v16

  • Posts: 3
very nice, hope it goes well

Offline neoknob

  • Posts: 30
    • Neo knob
It is more beautiful inside. Amazing work! Looking great

Offline elvenmonster

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 78
Thanks again for the support everyone!


I don't see you mention which case colors will be available during the groupbuy, therefore I hope a nice, light shade of grey/blue/lilac makes it ;D
Hope there will be an Asia/South East Asia vendor.
GLWIC!

You are right about no mention of colours, and its simply because I havent decided them yet. Its still an IC so the process of testing out colours with the manu is not yet done. I will be updating the IC soon with a form asking colour, layout preferences etc.

Also vendors TBD 😭. Everything is TBD and will update as soon as I have more information!

Offline lush_bunny

  • Posts: 797
  • Location: Philippines
  • TBR Prime | 7V | Pandora | Kaze
Top-Mounted Plateless Master Race represent!
This looks great OP. GLWIC.

Offline elvenmonster

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 78
Added an IC form! Here is the link again in case people miss it: https://forms.gle/ACUHENyUnSGsSmBg8

Offline sagarpruthi

  • Posts: 4
Great job Elven! This is so clean, can’t wait to get my hands on one.

Offline ankit

  • Formerly ankit-sachdeva
  • Posts: 461
Super glad to see that 7u hhkb will be offered. Def will be joining this gb, especially for this price!
collection:
More
  Daal, Emp Mini, HHKB x5, Horsey, Prophet, RS60, Seis Cero, Unikorn, Pixy Mini

Offline KeyBros_

  • Posts: 108
I'm in

Offline elvenmonster

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 78
From the IC form, it seems like a lot of people like PP plates! Will likely try out a standard 60% PP plate and see what its like.

Offline //gainsborough

  • Posts: 362
  • Location: Oregon
  • ALPSの日常
The amount of work you put into this is shining brightly, my man - such a polished product.  The praise here is well deserved!

Cheers!
//

Offline autocast

  • Posts: 43
Hell yeah what a hot looking board! Another HHKB +1 here

Offline Seunghyun Lee

  • Posts: 37
I was looking for 60 wkl top mounting. I'm in.

Offline tngpq

  • Posts: 143
Not a 60% user but had to leave a comment for the awesome naming. Maybe consider a Supermartingale in TKL in the future.   :thumb:

Offline Mecxs

  • Posts: 201
I still don't get it who is Martin Gale?

Offline paulgali

  • Posts: 251
  • Location: Dubai, UAE
    • SKME
Very nice elven!

Offline Slayer77

  • Posts: 372
  • Location: Pune, India

Offline Mecxs

  • Posts: 201
I still don't get it who is Martin Gale?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martingale_(probability_theory)

Sent from my GM1911 using Tapatalk

So the keyboard is named after the guy who invented probability? I guess that makes sense.

Offline Rafa_n

  • Posts: 319
the technical drawing is literally a 400 megapixel image and it slows down the whole page, please fix

Offline elvenmonster

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 78
the technical drawing is literally a 400 megapixel image and it slows down the whole page, please fix

Uploaded a smaller image.

Offline mmayhem17

  • Posts: 59
  • Location: Brazil
    • Steam profile
not a fan of the big chamfers on the keycap side, but aside from this the specs are perfect imo, will watch and see how this project goes. GL!  :thumb:

Offline gotgoodiez

  • Posts: 59
  • Location: USA
Looking good so far and curious to see what the color choices end up being. I feel lighter colors would look good on this board for some reason.