[IC] Norbauer CoolerMaster (Novatouch, Rapid-i, Masterkeys) CNC cases, round 2!

[eksuen]

Dark Blue is pretty men... Charcoal is very basic.
Your choice of champagne in round 1 was way more classy.
I mean do you see dark blue anodized phones? Cmon!

Something like classy color please!

"Classy" is subjective. I've seen the dark blue in person and I think it looks wonderful. I also think champagne and gold colored phones are gaudy as ****.

[krutmob]

Just bought a Rapid-i specifically for this.

[norbauer]

Dark Blue is pretty men... Charcoal is very basic.
Your choice of champagne in round 1 was way more classy.
I mean do you see dark blue anodized phones? Cmon!

Something like classy color please!

Personally, I am inclined to agree with you about blue on most products, but I tend to have idiosyncratic tastes. Blue was and continues to be the #2 vote getter in the survey, however, and I'm inclined to give my fellow keyboard nerds what they want, without imposing my own idiosyncratic aesthetic preferences too much—well, at least on this occasion. :) Also, you may change your mind once you see the pics. It looks way cooler than I would have guessed.

[zslane]

Dark blue is the color I am primarily interested in. I will either put SA Dasher, Round 6 BLUE, or GMK Nautilus on my NovaTouch. The common theme there is the color blue, so a dark blue case is really what I'd need.

[norbauer]

Dark blue is the color I am primarily interested in. I will either put SA Dasher, Round 6 BLUE, or GMK Nautilus on my NovaTouch. The common theme there is the color blue, so a dark blue case is really what I'd need.

Yeah, actually, that's a good point. You also have to consider not just the object itself but the keysets with which it will be paired. I wouldn't think that a bronze/brownish colored case would be a good idea, for example, until I consider it paired with something like the Amazing Chocoltier and similar sets.

And there are a lot of keycap sets out there where blue is a prominent color.

[autobot]

You also have to consider not just the object itself but the keysets with which it will be paired.

100% this.

[zslane]

I wouldn't think that a bronze/brownish colored case would be a good idea, for example, until I consider it paired with something like the Amazing Chocoltier and similar sets.

That's precisely why I also mentioned a tan color as a good third option. You could put Chocolatier, Industrial, Retro, or 1965 on a tan case and it would look absolutely killer.

[sth]

wow these look great! almost tempted to get a novatouch to build one out... but i better not.

[krutmob]

Dark blue is the color I am primarily interested in. I will either put SA Dasher, Round 6 BLUE, or GMK Nautilus on my NovaTouch. The common theme there is the color blue, so a dark blue case is really what I'd need.

Yeah, actually, that's a good point. You also have to consider not just the object itself but the keysets with which it will be paired. I wouldn't think that a bronze/brownish colored case would be a good idea, for example, until I consider it paired with something like the Amazing Chocoltier and similar sets.

And there are a lot of keycap sets out there where blue is a prominent color.

But if you want a legit Spacecadet you need white!

[zslane]

Dark blue is the color I am primarily interested in. I will either put SA Dasher, Round 6 BLUE, or GMK Nautilus on my NovaTouch. The common theme there is the color blue, so a dark blue case is really what I'd need.

Yeah, actually, that's a good point. You also have to consider not just the object itself but the keysets with which it will be paired. I wouldn't think that a bronze/brownish colored case would be a good idea, for example, until I consider it paired with something like the Amazing Chocoltier and similar sets.

And there are a lot of keycap sets out there where blue is a prominent color.

But if you want a legit Spacecadet you need white!

True dat.

But let's face it, if you want a legit Spacecadet, you need a full-size board. A TKL simply will not cut it.

[sth]

But let's face it, if you want a legit Spacecadet, you need a full-size board. A TKL simply will not cut it.

why not Space Cadette?

[Trente]

I like the dark blue/black/grey options, these are very basic but always good-looking, however I am also looking forward to some color like pink or somekind of mint color.

[norbauer]

I like the dark blue/black/grey options, these are very basic but always good-looking, however I am also looking forward to some color like pink or somekind of mint color.

Ooh, I love these kinds of palettes as well. If you're into that, I should actually have a powder-coated mint-green (very 1960s) color available as a one-off. I chose to get one of the salvaged cases from the first run (where the re-coated the ones that had cosmetic blemishes in the factory powder) re-coated with this color and I hope to get it back from the powder coater soon. I'll probably put it up for sale in my shop at the same time as when group buy launches.

[autobot]

I like the dark blue/black/grey options, these are very basic but always good-looking, however I am also looking forward to some color like pink or somekind of mint color.

Ooh, I love these kinds of palettes as well. If you're into that, I should actually have a powder-coated mint-green (very 1960s) color available as a one-off. I chose to get one of the salvaged cases from the first run (where the re-coated the ones that had cosmetic blemishes in the factory powder) re-coated with this color and I hope to get it back from the powder coater soon. I'll probably put it up for sale in my shop at the same time as when group buy launches.

Love it! Can you share pics of that case? I personally love that retro appliances turquoise! 

[clappingcactus]

Yeah, I'd love to see it, too.

[ihalatch]

I like the dark blue/black/grey options, these are very basic but always good-looking, however I am also looking forward to some color like pink or somekind of mint color.

Ooh, I love these kinds of palettes as well. If you're into that, I should actually have a powder-coated mint-green (very 1960s) color available as a one-off. I chose to get one of the salvaged cases from the first run (where the re-coated the ones that had cosmetic blemishes in the factory powder) re-coated with this color and I hope to get it back from the powder coater soon. I'll probably put it up for sale in my shop at the same time as when group buy launches.

Can you make more of these "mint-green (very 1960s) color" - "retro appliances turquoise"? Sounds like a great idea. I've seen some old typewriting machines in similar colour. They look amazing. I think that if you put some nice chromed tags and SA retro looking keycaps they can become highly desirable.

[zslane]

Yeah, actually, that's a good point. You also have to consider not just the object itself but the keysets with which it will be paired.

BTW, if you ever decide someday to make an aluminum case for the RealForce RGB in powder-coated white, I will eagerly buy two of them. Maybe even three!

[Blazestorm]

I'd be willing to learn the software to build/design one... I just don't know where to go for the manufacturing part/rest of it.

Realforce RGB would be my favorite Topre if it had a nicer case.

[norbauer]

Yeah, actually, that's a good point. You also have to consider not just the object itself but the keysets with which it will be paired.

BTW, if you ever decide someday to make an aluminum case for the RealForce RGB in powder-coated white, I will eagerly buy two of them. Maybe even three!

I'd be willing to learn the software to build/design one... I just don't know where to go for the manufacturing part/rest of it.

Realforce RGB would be my favorite Topre if it had a nicer case.

I'm already testing a design for the RF 87U. Does the RGB have a different plate design? I've never seen one in the wild.

[zslane]

Yes, the RGB has an entirely different case than previous RealForce boards. It is more like a Filco Majestouch-2 than a traditional RealForce.

[norbauer]

Yes, the RGB has an entirely different case than previous RealForce boards. It is more like a Filco Majestouch-2 than a traditional RealForce.

Oh, right. Sorry, I was confusing keyboards there for a minute. This is the 100% keyboard that supports cherry stems. Aluminum cases for 100% boards get very expensive, but I wouldn't rule out tackling something like this in future. I would just hope that RF comes out with a TKL version of this, which would effectively replace the Novatouch. Now that I would make a case for in an instant. :)

[norbauer]

Yeah, I'd love to see it, too.

I like the dark blue/black/grey options, these are very basic but always good-looking, however I am also looking forward to some color like pink or somekind of mint color.

Ooh, I love these kinds of palettes as well. If you're into that, I should actually have a powder-coated mint-green (very 1960s) color available as a one-off. I chose to get one of the salvaged cases from the first run (where the re-coated the ones that had cosmetic blemishes in the factory powder) re-coated with this color and I hope to get it back from the powder coater soon. I'll probably put it up for sale in my shop at the same time as when group buy launches.

Can you make more of these "mint-green (very 1960s) color" - "retro appliances turquoise"? Sounds like a great idea. I've seen some old typewriting machines in similar colour. They look amazing. I think that if you put some nice chromed tags and SA retro looking keycaps they can become highly desirable.

I like the dark blue/black/grey options, these are very basic but always good-looking, however I am also looking forward to some color like pink or somekind of mint color.

Ooh, I love these kinds of palettes as well. If you're into that, I should actually have a powder-coated mint-green (very 1960s) color available as a one-off. I chose to get one of the salvaged cases from the first run (where the re-coated the ones that had cosmetic blemishes in the factory powder) re-coated with this color and I hope to get it back from the powder coater soon. I'll probably put it up for sale in my shop at the same time as when group buy launches.

Can you make more of these "mint-green (very 1960s) color" - "retro appliances turquoise"? Sounds like a great idea. I've seen some old typewriting machines in similar colour. They look amazing. I think that if you put some nice chromed tags and SA retro looking keycaps they can become highly desirable.

I'll happily post pics as soon as I get the case back, hopefully this coming week.

[zslane]

Yes, the RGB has an entirely different case than previous RealForce boards. It is more like a Filco Majestouch-2 than a traditional RealForce.

Oh, right. Sorry, I was confusing keyboards there for a minute. This is the 100% keyboard that supports cherry stems. Aluminum cases for 100% boards get very expensive, but I wouldn't rule out tackling something like this in future. I would just hope that RF comes out with a TKL version of this, which would effectively replace the Novatouch. Now that I would make a case for in an instant.

Yeah, I'm sure it is expensive. I had a taste of one when I briefly owned an IKBC MF-108. It was glorious. I returned it (back to MassDrop) for various reasons, but the CNC aluminum case was simply awesome. I really wish I had one, in white, for my RealForce RGB boards.

[cynviloq]

Some Germans are making a similar case with an IC on r/mm: https://www.reddit.com/r/mechmarket/comments/618xiq/ic_cnc_alumimum_novatouch_rapidi_masterkeys_s/

However, the anodization quality looks a bit shoddy - does anyone have a Norbauer Silver for comparison?

In any case, I would rather wait for Norbauer's versus this option which seems to be missing a few key design ideas that were implemented first here (where are the insets for riser bumpons??)

[derzemel]

Edit: Sorry, I replied without thinking to a post on the first page

dark blue would be awesome.

Think about it, it would work very good with DOLCH, WOB, BOW, and maybe with classic beige.

Anyway, Norbauer will pick the shade that he thinks it's best for a case.

As an example this hard anodized blue is gorgeous:

[derzemel]

questions for Norbauer:

1. Would you be adding lower height feet in this GB?
The alu case itself is flat but with the normal riser feet you had in R1 one could get it to the height of a normal Novatouch with the feed extended.
The issue I have is that I find it difficult to type on raised keyboards and on flat keyboards (wrists issues)
So, lower height feet would be perfect for me.

2. would you ever plan on an aluminium case for the topre Leopold FC660C?

[clasicks]

Yeah I love dark blue anno! matte or shiny.

How are we doing on a time frame for this GB - I want to get my funds in order so I can be able to purchase when the GB opens. Yes I should be prioritizing other things, but this case is IMPORTANT!

[zslane]

That dark blue is stunning.

I also want the charcoal gray.

 

[elcubismo]

Dark gray is still my favorite look, followed by space cadet white.

And I still think it looks pretty great without the top half of the case... would love to have a topre board with floating keys

[norbauer]

Yeah I love dark blue anno! matte or shiny.

How are we doing on a time frame for this GB - I want to get my funds in order so I can be able to purchase when the GB opens. Yes I should be prioritizing other things, but this case is IMPORTANT!

My hope is to start the GB in a week or so. I am still (rather impatiently!) waiting on two pieces of information back from third parties before I can finalize everything, but I'm going to ping them both today to nudge them along.

[clasicks]

aww yuss! thanks R!

[b9nign]

Any round 1 buyers from the EU can tell me how much import taxes and customs you've had to pay?

[theillumedpanda]

I actually do not even own a Novatouch (yet) but a R2 of that gorgeous case would justify it!

Just have to save some money and see whether I like the Topre switches. MechMarket is probably the best option to buy a Novatouch, right?

[nightdriver]

originative has some novatouches.  not sure how many he's got left though.

i just got a novatouch and a silver norbauer case from originative yesterday.

[sherryton]

originative has some novatouches.  not sure how many he's got left though.

i just got a novatouch and a silver norbauer case from originative yesterday.

We sold our last one 3 days ago!

[theillumedpanda]

originative has some novatouches.  not sure how many he's got left though.

i just got a novatouch and a silver norbauer case from originative yesterday.

Will look into that. Thanks bud!

[Eklipses]

Yes, the RGB has an entirely different case than previous RealForce boards. It is more like a Filco Majestouch-2 than a traditional RealForce.

Oh, right. Sorry, I was confusing keyboards there for a minute. This is the 100% keyboard that supports cherry stems. Aluminum cases for 100% boards get very expensive, but I wouldn't rule out tackling something like this in future. I would just hope that RF comes out with a TKL version of this, which would effectively replace the Novatouch. Now that I would make a case for in an instant.

Yeah, I'm sure it is expensive. I had a taste of one when I briefly owned an IKBC MF-108. It was glorious. I returned it (back to MassDrop) for various reasons, but the CNC aluminum case was simply awesome. I really wish I had one, in white, for my RealForce RGB boards.

Yes, the RGB has an entirely different case than previous RealForce boards. It is more like a Filco Majestouch-2 than a traditional RealForce.

Oh, right. Sorry, I was confusing keyboards there for a minute. This is the 100% keyboard that supports cherry stems. Aluminum cases for 100% boards get very expensive, but I wouldn't rule out tackling something like this in future. I would just hope that RF comes out with a TKL version of this, which would effectively replace the Novatouch. Now that I would make a case for in an instant.

Yeah, I'm sure it is expensive. I had a taste of one when I briefly owned an IKBC MF-108. It was glorious. I returned it (back to MassDrop) for various reasons, but the CNC aluminum case was simply awesome. I really wish I had one, in white, for my RealForce RGB boards.

I'd so jump on this too with white aluminum for Realforce RGB, I currently have my top bezel painted pearl white just to make me feel a bit happier. 

[zslane]

I currently have my top bezel painted pearl white just to make me feel a bit happier. 

You and I may be the only two people in the world who have done that. 

[norbauer]

Some Germans are making a similar case with an IC on r/mm: https://www.reddit.com/r/mechmarket/comments/618xiq/ic_cnc_alumimum_novatouch_rapidi_masterkeys_s/

However, the anodization quality looks a bit shoddy - does anyone have a Norbauer Silver for comparison?

In any case, I would rather wait for Norbauer's versus this option which seems to be missing a few key design ideas that were implemented first here (where are the insets for riser bumpons??)

Interesting. It does appear to be somewhat similar, so I appreciate that they called out their project as not being a "Norbauer case," just to avoid confusion.  For folks in Europe, this might be a good way to save on shipping fees and to be able to get a similar case. For whatever it's worth, I would caution (based on my own, semi-painful, experience) that getting consumer-grade finishing on a product like this, especially outside of Asia, is a lot harder than most people think. So if I personally were going to put money down in such a group buy, I would wait to see photos of the final bead-blasted and anodized final cases before committing. If you go back and read my original IC thread, you'll see that getting a physical design I was happy with took me only a few weeks, but finding a vendor who could give a high quality of finish took me almost a year and lots of lost expenses in getting samples and prototypes made by various vendors, from around the world. And even with that, among some of the final cases that came back (the powder coated ones), a certain—thankfully low—percent weren't quite up to my aesthetic expectations. (This is one of the reasons that I'm still vacillating on whether to offer any powder finishes in r2—waiting on some final samples next week.)

In any case, I would rather wait for Norbauer's versus this option which seems to be missing a few key design ideas that were implemented first here (where are the insets for riser bumpons??)

I agree that bumpon recesses are important. I have some aluminum cases that don't have them, and the bumpons always slide off the edge of the board over time for me, leaving a streak of adhesive residue in their path. =\

[KINGPIN]

I hope this can come at may....where I can bloody pay for it

[norbauer]

I hope this can come at may....where I can bloody pay for it

If you (or anybody) can't afford to purchase a case when the drop is live, feel free to message me and I'll try to figure out a way to accommodate you.

[nightdriver]

pretty sure i wanna get an enigma, but if that's not an option this time around, i may go for dark blue...

[norbauer]

pretty sure i wanna get an enigma, but if that's not an option this time around, i may go for dark blue...

The enigmas are what I'm getting back this week. I'll post pics when I have them.

[KINGPIN]

I hope this can come at may....where I can bloody pay for it

If you (or anybody) can't afford to purchase a case when the drop is live, feel free to message me and I'll try to figure out a way to accommodate you.

Woah! I am excited now!

[Dystopia]

Any chance for an R3 in Q3/4 this year? I would like to get one but I'm prioritizing The Moon over this because I need more keebs to fit my caps on...

[norbauer]

Any chance for an R3 in Q3/4 this year? I would like to get one but I'm prioritizing The Moon over this because I need more keebs to fit my caps on...

Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves. :)

I would probably try to accommodate it if enough people wanted one, but I would not honestly consider an r3 super likely, especially since one of the 3-4 keyboards that this case fits is no longer being actively manufactured. And now that I've switched to a slightly more high-end anodizing vendor, MOQs are higher. I would also like to move on to do an RF 87u case next. I'm just one guy doing this in his spare time, and while I try to approach it in an efficient and reasonably professional manner, I don't really have the mental fortitude to manage a large number of simultaneous product pipelines. ;)

So, yeah, in short: I'm open to it, but I would say if one wants to be sure of getting one of these cases, it would be best to get on the train with r2. :)

[qbadger]

So, yeah, in short: I'm open to it, but I would say if one wants to be sure of getting one of these cases, it would be best to get on the train with r2.

Choo choo!

[SICAR187]

So, yeah, in short: I'm open to it, but I would say if one wants to be sure of getting one of these cases, it would be best to get on the train with r2.

Choo choo!

All aboard

[kmba]

I've been clamoring for dark blue cases for a long time; glad someone is finally taking it seriously.  So many blue sets these days, it just makes sense. 

[norbauer]

Hi all. Just a quick update.

It looks like the group buy will probably start next week rather than this week, for two reasons: 1) I'm still waiting to see if enigma black is going to be available as an upgrade, and the powder coating place keeps taking longer than expected to deliver the samples and 2) I'm trying to work out a fulfillment option that will make shipping cheaper for folks in Asia, Europe, and Australia, but I'm still waiting on some final pricing details on that.

I've also been working on a video about the production process from r1, and hopefully I should be done editing footage by next week and will be able to post it on the group buy page.