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Huh. That doesn't answer any of my questions!
I would like to assemble it myself, instead of having someone else do it, because my questions apparently cannot be answered, and so i cannot determine what assembly i am actually getting.
I am not asking to change which board version, which switches, or the amounts of anything i've ordered.
I am simply asking to not pay for assembly, as i initially thought i would like someone else to do for me, and instead, assemble it myself (as far as switches and plates go).
I don't know why that's a big deal. The only "change" is that it's one less thing for someone else to have to do, which i am willing to do myself.
Is that so wrong?
Since no one has answered my question yet, here it is again:
Would it be okay, or not okay, to have all the "normal" keys (switches) assembled (affixed to the board and plate), but then add the rest of the switches later (those which can be positioned differently than "standard," due to universal plate design)? Or is this a case of "you have to do it all at once or it's a huge hassle" ?
I feel these are valid questions. I attempted to ask this before invoicing began.
I am still asking.
I don't understand what would be the problem with asking to void the assembly fee (aka "change the order") and do that part myself, without changing anything else. I feel this is a reasonable request. Surely no one would be butt-hurt over being relieved from the paid obligation to assemble one more board?
You may think it's just one change from one order, we should just do it, no big deal. But consider this: there are a couple hundred orders, and there are constant requests for order changes. Now if everyone reasoned it like this, it's pretty tiresome to constantly make changes for every one of these requests. Multiple spreadsheets needs update, and old invoice canceled to type out another one for you. When orders are closed, there were not suppose to be anymore changes. But we've been pretty lenient with allowing changes, even after invoices were already sent out. No other GB does this, and especially one on this magnitude. I had to send to tjcaustin a whole list of people that wanted changes and needed to be reinvoiced, and that's already done with.
If you need another invoice sent, you'll have to bug tjcaustin to see if he's up for it. Invoicing is out of my and jdcarpe's control.
Thank you for your response (and leniency).
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Huh. That doesn't answer any of my questions!
I would like to assemble it myself, instead of having someone else do it, because my questions apparently cannot be answered, and so i cannot determine what assembly i am actually getting.
I am not asking to change which board version, which switches, or the amounts of anything i've ordered.
I am simply asking to not pay for assembly, as i initially thought i would like someone else to do for me, and instead, assemble it myself (as far as switches and plates go).
I don't know why that's a big deal. The only "change" is that it's one less thing for someone else to have to do, which i am willing to do myself.
Is that so wrong?
Since no one has answered my question yet, here it is again:
Would it be okay, or not okay, to have all the "normal" keys (switches) assembled (affixed to the board and plate), but then add the rest of the switches later (those which can be positioned differently than "standard," due to universal plate design)? Or is this a case of "you have to do it all at once or it's a huge hassle" ?
I feel these are valid questions. I attempted to ask this before invoicing began.
I am still asking.
I don't understand what would be the problem with asking to void the assembly fee (aka "change the order") and do that part myself, without changing anything else. I feel this is a reasonable request. Surely no one would be butt-hurt over being relieved from the paid obligation to assemble one more board?
You may think it's just one change from one order, we should just do it, no big deal. But consider this: there are a couple hundred orders, and there are constant requests for order changes. Now if everyone reasoned it like this, it's pretty tiresome to constantly make changes for every one of these requests. Multiple spreadsheets needs update, and old invoice canceled to type out another one for you. When orders are closed, there were not suppose to be anymore changes. But we've been pretty lenient with allowing changes, even after invoices were already sent out. No other GB does this, and especially one on this magnitude. I had to send to tjcaustin a whole list of people that wanted changes and needed to be reinvoiced, and that's already done with.
If you need another invoice sent, you'll have to bug tjcaustin to see if he's up for it. Invoicing is out of my and jdcarpe's control.
Agreed. We were very lenient with changes for quite a long time. Everything is now locked in. If TJ wants to send you a new invoice, I have zero problem with him doing it in this one case, but if he doesn't want to, please don't bug him about it, and just accept that it is the way it is.
As to the other part of your question, it would be impossible to assemble the board with a universal plate, without locking in the layout options before soldering all the switches in. Simply because it would not be possible to go back and add the Cherry PCB mount stabilizers for the modifiers once the plate is mounted and covering the PCB.
Thank you also.
I do appreciate what you guys are doing for all of us.
Your clarification is exactly what i was looking for, when i asked a month ago.
I certainly don't want to be billed for something that is impossible, and had i known this a month ago, i would have simply changed the assembly part of my order, then. I just did not know that it would be Impossible to install the stabilizers with the plate and other switches already installed. I just didn't know, and that's why i asked. I wanted clarification on a particular thing, so i could make the right decision. I thought i had seen this issue mentioned once, somewhere in the flood of discussion, but i was not able to locate those particular comments.
I'm certainly not trying to be "difficult" or cause problems. The smoother this goes and the sooner we all get our parts, the better!
May 7th is when i asked:
Question re: assembly:
If someone orders a universal plate (and switches and assembly fee), but isn't yet sure which optional config to use (standard alphanumeric placement notwithstanding)...
What happens? Partial assembly, sans mods?
Would adding pcb-mounted switches in the 'universal' holes (requirement of universal plate), after the rest of the switches have been plate mounted, be problematic? (adding pcb-mounted switches/stabs to an already mostly plate-mounted board?)
When i realized this question was even needed, i thought "maybe i should just assemble it myself... that way i won't have to make some special arrangement or lock myself into a layout, only to change my mind later, or be unable to source non-standard caps..." or something to that effect.
But the next thing i know, changes-deadline passes and invoices get sent out, and i'm still wondering whether i need to change something. Apparently i did need to change something. And so now, the thing i wanted to avoid is occurring. Either i have to make a special arrangement, or i have to be locked into a layout.
If i didn't think this board was such a great idea, and hadn't followed it's development for the majority of a year, i'd probably be like "**** this." That's not meant to upset anyone, i'm just sayin'. I never meant to cause extra hassle. I never intended to be the one who needs special treatment or exceptions made. I just wanted a cool programmable mini-board, and here it is. So here i am.
You guys rock for doing this (and probably for other reasons too).
Assuming i'm "stuck with" my impossible assembly order, how long might i have, to choose a layout and communicate it? How many stabilizers are used in the "max keys" layout?
