[IC] DvZ's Dirt Cheap Storage Trays

[DevilZmods]

Introducing DvZ's Dirt Cheap Keycap Trays



Hi, I'm DevilZmods, an Industrial Design student from Germany and I've been part of the community for almost two years now. Today I want to present my design for an affordable keycap storage tray.

Imgur Album: https://imgur.com/a/hrZ4DIS

Interest Check Form: https://forms.gle/6PmPo5EtTwiJm9cP7

Discuss on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/mechmarket/comments/r5stqr/ic_dvzs_dirt_cheap_storage_trays/

Estimated Price: 15$

With JTK keycap tray availability dwindling and basically no alternative around I've been looking into getting a custom sorting box made. These sorting boxes can be molded in a single operation, thanks to their living hinge design. If you can offset the mold cost, they get very cheap to manufacture.

The Tray will be transparent and stackable with an interior grid to fit an entire basekit plus spacebars, novelties etc.. It will not be as rigid as a Polycarbonate Tray, but very durable nonetheless.

Characteristics:

• Material: Polypropylene Plastic
• Color: Transparent
• Size: 44cm x 26cm x 2.2cm
• Capacity: 22u x 12u, space for ISO Enter keys and one BAE
• Supports all keycap profiles up to SA R1/ MT3 R0

Internal Layout:



State of the Product:

Please Fill out the Interest Check Form.

My design is basically ready to manufacture, only waiting on your feedback.

I already have quotes from a few manufacturers confirming that my price target is reasonable and will land even cheaper if we hit significantly more than 1000 units.

Feedback and To Do:

• Concerns about the wall height making it difficult to pick up caps have been raised with reference to JTK's trays and I will make sure these will do better.
• With the height of the tray, lower profiles like Cherry, DSA or DSS are bound to shuffle around loosely. A Foam insert could be a very economic solution and I'm looking into it.
• Multiple people have mentioned a spot to attach a label which is a fantastic idea and will get stolen by me immediately.

Vendors:

Yes please!

Once I have Interest numbers I will contact the usual suspects, but if you'd like your store to be part of the Groupbuy, reach out to me and we can talk numbers.

I am also looking for Vendors who are willing to stock these. I believe these could be an absolute no-brainer to any enthusiast's keycap order.

Timeframe:

Since the design is already fairly polished, I'd like to move into Group Buy as soon as I have numbers from the Interest Check and was able to secure vendors and agree on a timeline with them.

My quotes claim lead times of 4 weeks, though it's probably safer to assume those could double. I'd estimate another 2 months for sea freight from the factory to individual vendors, so 4 months + national shipping from the end of the Group Buy.

More Renders:

[dededecline]

Are these meant to be 1:1 design-wise to JTK Max trays? It'd be great to have a similar design, but one that doesn't squeeze some profiles and also isn't at a height that allows most profiles to fly around easily.

[DevilZmods]

Are these meant to be 1:1 design-wise to JTK Max trays? It'd be great to have a similar design, but one that doesn't squeeze some profiles and also isn't at a height that allows most profiles to fly around easily.

I suppose it has to be either or, but i'd rather allow all profiles to fit. The ribs will be made tall enough so different rows don't mix, even when shuffled around, but i'm affraid i can't do much more than that. I could see foam inserts being a viable solution, though it will impede visibility of your caps.

[MIGHTY CHICKEN]

This looks pretty promising, need a place to put all my mt3

[WHAT!?]

I'm finding out quickly that I need a solution like this. I'd be down to by a couple of these... or more.

[growler]

This would be a godsend. I have a few JTK trays, but they are like hen's teeth

Sent from my SM-G980F using Tapatalk

[AshF]

Been looking into trays for 6 months now so my eyes lit up when I saw this post. Will need around 10 so keeping an eye on this one. GLWIC

Sent from my ASUS_I003D using Tapatalk

[HappyB0T]

I have tray needs. You make the trays and then I can get rid of my edible ones. Deal?

[ItIsWritten]

I guess they're like these, but cheaper?

 

https://a.aliexpress.com/_v6cwfS

Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-G986B met Tapatalk

[DevilZmods]

I guess they're like these, but cheaper?

In the way that those are exactly like JTK trays but from aliexpress (tbh, migth as well be genuine trays, some of the pics are stolen from drop).

[piit79]

Awesome! I'd get a dozen of these. I also run a small EU-based MK shop and would love to stock them, but I just realized they would need large, possibly custom boxes... Will get in touch anyway and we'll see

[Rob27shred]

I'm totally down with this! JTK trays are awesome but ultimately a little overkill for storage. I've searched high & low on Amazon for something like this made of a cheaper plastic, but nothing quite fit the bill. I'd be in for at least 8 of these if not more. Filled out the IC form, GL with this OP!

[ItIsWritten]

I guess they're like these, but cheaper?

In the way that those are exactly like JTK trays but from aliexpress (tbh, migth as well be genuine trays, some of the pics are stolen from drop).

Yes, but your design is the same. Only the closing mechanism seems different. There's nothing wrong with that, but probably if you make a large enough order, you can get these at the same price or lower already as you are offering them.

[Stilou Studio]

Love it, will definitely get 8-10!
GLWIC

[carlouws]

I said this in the IC form but I will also say it here for visibility. I would prefer if you either offered a standard tray-like size for GMK/Cherry only or a Max for GMK/Cherry only.

I think I’m in the majority of the hobby that pretty much only buys GMK/Cherry profile caps and those tend to fly around inside the JTK Max trays. I currently use JTK standard trays and even with their quirks of sometimes caps being too tight and stuff, I prefer those over the max. I think the standard trays offer more flexibility for people with only base kits and the option to expand to house more child kits with additional single trays.

[Wonderfool]

Love it, will definitely get 8-10!
GLWIC

Same here!  This is great - I'm tired of trying to Tetris unequally-sized original boxes and grab-bag sacks.

[hottrout]

I need a few dozen of these.

[hussar_name]

too expensive in my opinion, I use these which are 4 eur each

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333540156696

[hussar_name]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/WestonBoxes-Plastic-Presentation-Storage-Multicolour/dp/B07CS28NNN?th=1

[Dyto69]

yess ill take 5.

[Dyto69]

Oh i have a question: Do these trays protect my Keycaps from UV Rays?

[hussar_name]

Oh i have a question: Do these trays protect my Keycaps from UV Rays?

no
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6pc6a9/does_uv_lightradiation_pass_through_clear_plastic/

same with glass, it needs some coating to block a complete spectrum of UV
https://www.thoughtco.com/does-glass-block-uv-light-608316

[DevilZmods]

I plan on talking to the manufacturers about UV absorbant additives, but their main purpose would be to keep the tray itself from deteriorating over time. I don't think you can get the material UV absorbant enough to confidently store your keycaps in direct sunlight.

[Mad_Rhetoric]

It has been baffling to me, with the culture's love for any and all things accessories, including storage/display options (IKEA), that these have not been mass-produced by every major vendor. There are options on Aliexpress but they are all ~$30. I love this idea, I have needed storage solutions for this evergrowing collection of half-empty cardboard boxes of keycaps I can't see. I want organization and a way to view my collection %100 in on this. Thank you.

[Koniotaur]

Will these be less translucent than what jtk is offering?

[DevilZmods]

Will these be less translucent than what jtk is offering?

At worst just slightly. Polycarb ist definitely the clearer material but I believe these will still be more than suitable to display your keycaps.

[hussar_name]

It has been baffling to me, with the culture's love for any and all things accessories, including storage/display options (IKEA), that these have not been mass-produced by every major vendor. There are options on Aliexpress but they are all ~$30. I love this idea, I have needed storage solutions for this evergrowing collection of half-empty cardboard boxes of keycaps I can't see. I want organization and a way to view my collection %100 in on this. Thank you.

there are options at tai-hao (in stock)

[Neely_12]

Any idea of a timeline. Would definitely pick up a couple

[ManiacMarc]

I just got my first GMK set in the mail today... needless to say, I immediately looked for alternatives for storage. With 7 sets on the way in the next 1-24 months (lol), I'd be down for at least 7 of these.

[genevatypes]

Still interested in this!

[growler]

Me too

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[hussar_name]

Meanwhile, me too, I've bought Weston boxes in a4 slim format from Amazon

[growler]

Meanwhile, me too, I've bought Weston boxes in a4 slim format from Amazon

You rate them highly?

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[Anthixious]

I myself am in agreeance. I don't see any other alternative except keeping them inside their GMK trays or JTK trays. I'd invest in JTK, buuuuuuuuut for someone that has now invested in 30+ key cap sets, these are looking REALLY nice for the price 

[hussar_name]

Meanwhile, me too, I've bought Weston boxes in a4 slim format from Amazon

You rate them highly?

Sent from my SM-G980F using Tapatalk

I really like them. Solid, thick, stackable. Nice.

There are different sizes, I like A4 thin because caps don't overlap, you get only one layer.

[eddieboyemo]

ne update?

[spamblock]

Any update(s)?

[growler]

ne upd8

Tappity tap tap tap

[Harke]

Keen as, I'll take 10!

[Cafeine]

Is this project dead? I need this in my life

[PinkCynicism]

Hopefully this project is still going, I would love to talk with vendors to see if I could use these for my sets.

[aicyborg]

Is this project dead? I need this in my life

Hopefully this project is still going, I would love to talk with vendors to see if I could use these for my sets.

It's dead. OP doesn't check this thread but they're active on Reddit. I messaged there to encourage them to continue this but they weren't interested in speaking to me after I explained I'm not a vendor, just an interested customer. At that point they ghosted me.

If all you need is to store Cherry or similar profiles, PBTfans trays are available on their own.