[GB] CNC Alum. Cooler Master TKL cases r2, SHIPPING

[JDragon]

Thanks for the update!

If we're getting a powder coated case, is it possible to switch colors by any chance?

[elcubismo]

So hype! Is it going to be shipped by boat? Are we thinking sometime in the 2nd or 3rd week of May?

[norbauer]

So hype! Is it going to be shipped by boat? Are we thinking sometime in the 2nd or 3rd week of May?

I assume you meant July, since May is already over. ;)

Assuming so, it should actually be a bit faster than you said, because they're definitely not going by boat (which is painfully slow). The orders will be shipped via express internationally (usually 2-4 days, barring customs delays), and by batched express and then FedEx ground for USA destinations (adds maybe 2-4 days on top of international express). This is my first time using the fulfillment provider, so I don't know exactly what their turnaround time will be, but assuming they're reasonably fast, some people in Asia might see their cases as early as the last week in June. And I would expect most everyone's to have arrived by the middle of next month.

[norbauer]

Thanks for the update!

If we're getting a powder coated case, is it possible to switch colors by any chance?

It is not too late assuming you ordered a powder coated color and want to switch to another powder coating color. The anodizing has been done for a few weeks already, so unfortunately I can't switch anyone to an anodized finish that didn't already order one.

[JDragon]

Thanks for the update!

If we're getting a powder coated case, is it possible to switch colors by any chance?

It is not too late assuming you ordered a powder coated color and want to switch to another powder coating color. The anodizing has been done for a few weeks already, so unfortunately I can't switch anyone to an anodized finish that didn't already order one.

Yep no worries just want to swap out for another powder coated finish. Will PM you 

[elcubismo]

So hype! Is it going to be shipped by boat? Are we thinking sometime in the 2nd or 3rd week of May?

I assume you meant July, since May is already over.

Assuming so, it should actually be a bit faster than you said, because they're definitely not going by boat (which is painfully slow). The orders will be shipped via express internationally (usually 2-4 days, barring customs delays), and by batched express and then FedEx ground for USA destinations (adds maybe 2-4 days on top of international express). This is my first time using the fulfillment provider, so I don't know exactly what their turnaround time will be, but assuming they're reasonably fast, some people in Asia might see their cases as early as the last week in June. And I would expect most everyone's to have arrived by the middle of next month.

Ahaha, never noticed I wrote May. Yes, I meant July. Thanks!

[zslane]

Thanks for the update!

If we're getting a powder coated case, is it possible to switch colors by any chance?

It is not too late assuming you ordered a powder coated color and want to switch to another powder coating color. The anodizing has been done for a few weeks already, so unfortunately I can't switch anyone to an anodized finish that didn't already order one.

Do the silver cases get an anodizing pass? Or are they "bare aluminum"? Can they be powder-coated after delivery?

I'm not actually asking about these cases in particular; this is more of a general question. Basically I'm wondering if "uncolored" aluminum aftermarket cases can typically be powder-coated after the fact, or do they have some sort of sealing agent covering them that defeats the powder coating process?

[Auk]

Pretty sure the clear/silver cases are anodized, and anodized aluminium surfaces may not be ideal for powder coat. It's a layer of hard oxide and the paint may not bond well. It's not a big deal, if you're going to paint you would be cleaning the parts thoroughly anyway.

If you are going to use a professional powder coating service, they should know what the correct procedure is do it without harming the surface finish. You could also take it to an anodizing service and they should be able to clean it no problem. If you are confident of doing it yourself, there are various methods, but do plenty of research first because you can damage and alter the surface, which may mean not ending up with the finish you hoped for.

[nightdriver]

got my SA Ashen keycaps installed so i figured i'd take another picture.  front one is aluminum, back one is enigma.

[richard912]

got my SA Ashen keycaps installed so i figured i'd take another picture.  front one is aluminum, back one is enigma.

Show Image

The Ashen goes so nice with the Enigma. Awesome!!

[elcubismo]

Are those both Norb cases? Is it just me or does the front one seem much bigger?

[jcmsvr]

Does anyone know if this case is compatible with the new coolermaster masterkey s pbts?

[eksuen]

Are those both Norb cases? Is it just me or does the front one seem much bigger?

That's just the perspective. The keycap sizes don't change, so if you look at the spacing, you can tell that the cases are the same size.

[Auk]

Does anyone know if this case is compatible with the new coolermaster masterkey s pbts?

Same question was asked earlier in this very thread. To repeat Ryan's answer: probably the plate will fit, but you'd almost certainly need to remove the LED indicators.

It will be an interesting project if it can be done 
 

[nightdriver]

Are those both Norb cases? Is it just me or does the front one seem much bigger?

i think it's just perspective in the photo.  they're the same size.

[gregcake]

Round 3 please!

[h3xadat]

Round 3 please!

+1

[elcubismo]

Can't believe I never thought to ask, but how tall are these cases? How does it compare to the original plastic case?

[poolside]

Can't believe I never thought to ask, but how tall are these cases? How does it compare to the original plastic case?

The case is about 2.5cm tall. With the riser feet and rubber bumpons installed, the top of the case rises up to about 4.6cm above the desk.
As for the stock NT case: it is about 1.8cm tall at the front and 2.8cm at the back.

[stillzman]

If anyone still wants a case, I have a black one from round 1 that I am looking to sell in CONUS. PM if you are interested.

[jimmydosveces]

Will I need to remove keycaps before transferring my board into the new case when it arrives? I just received a new keycap set and am anxious to get them mounted, but will wait if I need to remove them for installation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[elcubismo]

Will I need to remove keycaps before transferring my board into the new case when it arrives? I just received a new keycap set and am anxious to get them mounted, but will wait if I need to remove them for installation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you aren't going to add lube or silencers, I don't imagine that you will need to take off your caps. I added new caps to my novatouch, silenced, and lubed it in prep for this case. That said, I don't have one yet so what the hell do I know, lol.

[engra]

new to the game and got myself one of these .... can someone here recommend a lube for the novatouch? I've reading a bunch but am still not sure about thick vs thin and what actually works well

[q1w2e3r4t5z]

I am using EK Mechlube 2 for Topre - works for me like a charme

[pexon]

Are the boards being shipped directly from the manufacturer?

[TheEerieCold]

Are the boards being shipped directly from the manufacturer?

If by boards you mean cases I think he has to place them in the special packaging he had made once they arrive stateside, so I think the answer is no.

[NJDEN]

Are the boards being shipped directly from the manufacturer?

If by boards you mean cases I think he has to place them in the special packaging he had made once they arrive stateside, so I think the answer is no.

Hi all. Sorry for being quiet for the past week or so. Being busy with work from the "real world" kept me away from keyboards for the past few days. Alas.

At any rate, I wanted to offer an update. Boxes are done on the 21st and then make a cross-town journey to the factory, where the cases will be placed into them with the hardware and will be inspected by my agent for any cosmetic defects before being shipped out in the following few days, at which point everyone should get tracking numbers by email. Apologies again for the slight delay, but hopefully you'll all like the little box upgrade I decided to spring for and it will have been worth it.

Looks like it's going to be direct from factory. I'd expect tracking numbers any day now.

[consolation]

I am using EK Mechlube 2 for Topre - works for me like a charme

Do you notice any difference? Topre is buttery smooth stock, seems like we would be getting into rather diminishing returns... Curious to hear if there's a perceptible difference.

[TheEerieCold]

Are the boards being shipped directly from the manufacturer?

If by boards you mean cases I think he has to place them in the special packaging he had made once they arrive stateside, so I think the answer is no.

Hi all. Sorry for being quiet for the past week or so. Being busy with work from the "real world" kept me away from keyboards for the past few days. Alas.

At any rate, I wanted to offer an update. Boxes are done on the 21st and then make a cross-town journey to the factory, where the cases will be placed into them with the hardware and will be inspected by my agent for any cosmetic defects before being shipped out in the following few days, at which point everyone should get tracking numbers by email. Apologies again for the slight delay, but hopefully you'll all like the little box upgrade I decided to spring for and it will have been worth it.

Looks like it's going to be direct from factory. I'd expect tracking numbers any day now.

Oh my bad, I get lost trying to keep up with news/updates. Thanks for clearing that up. I think the folks who had a powder coated case still fall into this scenario though because that is being done in stateside.

[afrokobe]

I am using EK Mechlube 2 for Topre - works for me like a charme

Do you notice any difference? Topre is buttery smooth stock, seems like we would be getting into rather diminishing returns... Curious to hear if there's a perceptible difference.

lubed and hyperspheres is a million times better than stock nova

[richard912]

I am using EK Mechlube 2 for Topre - works for me like a charme

Do you notice any difference? Topre is buttery smooth stock, seems like we would be getting into rather diminishing returns... Curious to hear if there's a perceptible difference.

lubed and hyperspheres is a million times better than stock nova

EK lube 2 seems to be a mix. Wondering if Krytox 106 would suffice since I have it on hand

[MythicalWagyu]

Hi all. Sorry for being quiet for the past week or so. Being busy with work from the "real world" kept me away from keyboards for the past few days. Alas.

At any rate, I wanted to offer an update. Boxes are done on the 21st and then make a cross-town journey to the factory, where the cases will be placed into them with the hardware and will be inspected by my agent for any cosmetic defects before being shipped out in the following few days, at which point everyone should get tracking numbers by email. Apologies again for the slight delay, but hopefully you'll all like the little box upgrade I decided to spring for and it will have been worth it.

Hi norbauer, just curious how much extra time you think the powder coating for the Retro Refrigerator / Enigma Black / Space Station White colors adds to the process? I think you'd mentioned it somewhere previously in the thread but I'm forgetting.

[norbauer]

Hi guys! For some reason GeekHack stopped sending me email notifications for this thread so I didn't see the past several posts until now. Sorry about the slow reply as a result.

I'll answer several of the questions answered above below, but firstly, I wanted to provide an update. The packaging (which is was the last component holding other stuff up) is finished now and at the office of my colleagues in Shenzhen (not the factory, but the inspection/fulfillment folks). The aluminum cases are being inspected at the factory today and then are going over to the fulfillment guys for final kitting with the parts (screws, bumpons, etc.) and boxing. Then the cases should start shipping. I'm *hoping* that this might mean people get their ship notifications as early as this week, but everything always takes longer than people promise so I'll pessimistically assume next week is more likely.

Hi norbauer, just curious how much extra time you think the powder coating for the Retro Refrigerator / Enigma Black / Space Station White colors adds to the process? I think you'd mentioned it somewhere previously in the thread but I'm forgetting.

The powder coating shop says "2 weeks," but based on my last experience (as mentioned in the GB page), this led me to estimate "about a month." The shop does amazing work, but breakneck speed is not their specialty. =\

Will I need to remove keycaps before transferring my board into the new case when it arrives? I just received a new keycap set and am anxious to get them mounted, but will wait if I need to remove them for installation.

You should be able to swap a plate with keys installed just as easily as without, so go for it.

Are the boards being shipped directly from the manufacturer?

They go from the manufacturer to my inspection/fulfillment guys. For international orders, they ship Express directly to customers. For US customers, they come Express to California first as a batch and then are immediately turned around and shipped via FedExGround. The exception is the powder coated cases. I pick those up in California, drive them over to the powder place, and then will ship them to customers directly once the powder is done.

Round 3 please!

+1

I promised myself I wouldn't, but then a million people emailed me to ask, so now I'm thinking about it. Let me see how this whole third-party fulfillment thing goes and I'll make a determination in a couple of weeks. If it really goes as smoothly as it's supposed to, doing follow-up orders like this isn't nearly as burdensome as r1 was for me in terms of time and work, so I'm open to it if it helps keep folks from feeling like they missed out.

Do the silver cases get an anodizing pass? Or are they "bare aluminum"? Can they be powder-coated after delivery?

I'm not actually asking about these cases in particular; this is more of a general question. Basically I'm wondering if "uncolored" aluminum aftermarket cases can typically be powder-coated after the fact, or do they have some sort of sealing agent covering them that defeats the powder coating process?

The silver cases are indeed anodized. It makes the surface scratch-resistant (or more scratch-resistant than bare aluminum anyway).

Yes, you can absolutely powder coat anodized cases but you have to remove the oxide layer first, typically with bead blasting. I actually did this to salvage a couple of cases last round where the anodized got messed up.

[h3xadat]

Round 3 please!

+1

I promised myself I wouldn't, but then a million people emailed me to ask, so now I'm thinking about it. Let me see how this whole third-party fulfillment thing goes and I'll make a determination in a couple of weeks. If it really goes as smoothly as it's supposed to, doing follow-up orders like this isn't nearly as burdensome as r1 was for me in terms of time and work, so I'm open to it if it helps keep folks from feeling like they missed out.

Great News!

[MythicalWagyu]

Hi norbauer, just curious how much extra time you think the powder coating for the Retro Refrigerator / Enigma Black / Space Station White colors adds to the process? I think you'd mentioned it somewhere previously in the thread but I'm forgetting.

The powder coating shop says "2 weeks," but based on my last experience (as mentioned in the GB page), this led me to estimate "about a month." The shop does amazing work, but breakneck speed is not their specialty. =\

Sounds fine to me, much rather they take a while and do it right than hurry through the process! Thanks for the comprehensive update 

[autobot]

I promised myself I wouldn't, but then a million people emailed me to ask, so now I'm thinking about it.

If you do decide to go for R3, you NEED to do the Apple Space Gray and annode finish/texture to match the new iMac Pro! 

I'm seriously considering the regular silver iMac because there isn't a Norbauer case available in space gray, LOL! 

I might be in the minority using a mac, but hey, it's at least worth throwing that out there. 

[norbauer]

I promised myself I wouldn't, but then a million people emailed me to ask, so now I'm thinking about it.

If you do decide to go for R3, you NEED to do the Apple Space Gray and annode finish/texture to match the new iMac Pro! 

I'm seriously considering the regular silver iMac because there isn't a Norbauer case available in space gray, LOL! 

I might be in the minority using a mac, but hey, it's at least worth throwing that out there. 

Ha. You know, I was just in the Apple Store the other day and had the exact same thought. It'll be tough to match it exactly, but we could probably get in the neighborhood.

[poolside]

Hi guys! For some reason GeekHack stopped sending me email notifications for this thread so I didn't see the past several posts until now. Sorry about the slow reply as a result.

I'll answer several of the questions answered above below, but firstly, I wanted to provide an update. The packaging (which is was the last component holding other stuff up) is finished now and at the office of my colleagues in Shenzhen (not the factory, but the inspection/fulfillment folks). The aluminum cases are being inspected at the factory today and then are going over to the fulfillment guys for final kitting with the parts (screws, bumpons, etc.) and boxing. Then the cases should start shipping. I'm *hoping* that this might mean people get their ship notifications as early as this week, but everything always takes longer than people promise so I'll pessimistically assume next week is more likely.

Show Image

Show Image

Thanks for the update!
That's a nice Norbauer logo I see here on the bottom part of the case. Much better than the sticker from the previous round. Is that lasered on the aluminum surface?

[norbauer]

Hi guys! For some reason GeekHack stopped sending me email notifications for this thread so I didn't see the past several posts until now. Sorry about the slow reply as a result.

I'll answer several of the questions answered above below, but firstly, I wanted to provide an update. The packaging (which is was the last component holding other stuff up) is finished now and at the office of my colleagues in Shenzhen (not the factory, but the inspection/fulfillment folks). The aluminum cases are being inspected at the factory today and then are going over to the fulfillment guys for final kitting with the parts (screws, bumpons, etc.) and boxing. Then the cases should start shipping. I'm *hoping* that this might mean people get their ship notifications as early as this week, but everything always takes longer than people promise so I'll pessimistically assume next week is more likely.

Show Image

Show Image

Thanks for the update!
That's a nice Norbauer logo I see here on the bottom part of the case. Much better than the sticker from the previous round. Is that lasered on the aluminum surface?

So it is.

Pwpw.

[nightdriver]

i kinda liked the made with pride in china.  that's something you don't see products bragging about much.  it was refreshing.

[autobot]

Ha. You know, I was just in the Apple Store the other day and had the exact same thought. It'll be tough to match it exactly, but we could probably get in the neighborhood.

Nice, yeah, matching finishes is always tough. Thankfully, in the case of a keyboard next to an iMac, the keyboard has some distance away from the iMac bezel & base, and the main surface is horizontal, versus the vertical main surface of the iMac. In use, the user looks at the monitor and not so much at the keyboard.

"In the neighborhood" should be close enough for this type of finish matching scenario. 

Space Gray Norbauer board would look stealthy with Black on Dark Grey Keycaps 

[elcubismo]

Freakin dope! I've been looking forward to this. Need to get some shelf liner and some tactility restoring rings ordered to get here in time for this. After the case, all I will need is to add 55g domes to finally endgame one of my boards!

[navy2x]

Hey norbauer, any idea how well the retro refrigerator color would match the cyan color from GMK (color code TU2)? My favorite keyset is hyperfuse and it would be awesome if they worked well together. I have an enigma black already ordered because I'm a scaredy cat to change it.

[TheEerieCold]

Hey norbauer, any idea how well the retro refrigerator color would match the cyan color from GMK (color code TU2)? My favorite keyset is hyperfuse and it would be awesome if they worked well together. I have an enigma black already ordered because I'm a scaredy cat to change it.

I was in the same boat trying to match as close to SP's ABS BFQ color. He said it best matches Pantone 325C, which looks about as close to GMK TU2 as you can get from GMK colors. Obviously lighting conditions and other factors will change how it looks in person but I think it matches both of those color codes very well.

[norbauer]

Hi guys. It is with some pain that I must report a slight delay to the r2 shipment, albeit in the name of quality.

As promised, I hired a third party inspector to come in on Monday and verify that all of the cases were made to spec. All of them looked good in general, but I outlined pretty rigorous inspection standards, so the inspector rejected a decent number of them based on small cosmetic blemishes in the anodizing finish. The factory has already started a rush job to re-make these cases, and they estimate this work will be completed in...roughly 10 days. Unfortunately, because of the weird way of the fulfillment warehouse charges for its services I can't really afford to ship in two batches, so this means a delay of 10 days or so for all of us in the meantime.

The exception to this is the powder coated cases. I'm taking the extra expense of having those shipped to me now direct from the factory so work can begin on those here in California as early as next week.

For whatever it's worth, the factory is extremely sorry for these problems and wanted me to extend their apologies with you all for the delay. Honestly, I'm a little frustrated that they didn't catch these issues earlier (all of which were caused by their anodizing vendor), during the period when we were waiting for the boxes to be finished and the cases were just sitting there. But I guess what's done is done, and I didn't want to raise too much of a fuss because they are being very accommodating to get these issues fixed ASAP.

Please just let me add, however, that I'm personally truly sorry for (and, frankly, slightly mortified about) this delay, and I hope you guys will stick with me just a bit longer while I ensure that the cases you get are of the highest possible quality, which at least will now arrive in nice upgraded custom packaging and with the confidence that they've been checked over very thoroughly and any issues directly addressed.

If you have any questions or concerns, of course just post here or feel free to email me directly.

[beamingrobot]

Thanks for the update, and please don't feel bad. Your updates have been great and on time 

[elcubismo]

Hi guys. It is with some pain that I must report a slight delay to the r2 shipment, albeit in the name of quality.

As promised, I hired a third party inspector to come in on Monday and verify that all of the cases were made to spec. All of them looked good in general, but I outlined pretty rigorous inspection standards, so the inspector rejected a decent number of them based on small cosmetic blemishes in the anodizing finish. The factory has already started a rush job to re-make these cases, and they estimate this work will be completed in...roughly 10 days. Unfortunately, because of the weird way of the fulfillment warehouse charges for its services I can't really afford to ship in two batches, so this means a delay of 10 days or so for all of us in the meantime.

The exception to this is the powder coated cases. I'm taking the extra expense of having those shipped to me now direct from the factory so work can begin on those here in California as early as next week.

For whatever it's worth, the factory is extremely sorry for these problems and wanted me to extend their apologies with you all for the delay. Honestly, I'm a little frustrated that they didn't catch these issues earlier (all of which were caused by their anodizing vendor), during the period when we were waiting for the boxes to be finished and the cases were just sitting there. But I guess what's done is done, and I didn't want to raise too much of a fuss because they are being very accommodating to get these issues fixed ASAP.

Please just let me add, however, that I'm personally truly sorry for (and, frankly, slightly mortified about) this delay, and I hope you guys will stick with me just a bit longer while I ensure that the cases you get are of the highest possible quality, which at least will now arrive in nice upgraded custom packaging and with the confidence that they've been checked over very thoroughly and any issues directly addressed.

If you have any questions or concerns, of course just post here or feel free to email me directly.

Thanks for the update, and even more so for your commitment to quality! While this is definitely a shame, it was entirely out of your control at that point, so don't beat yourself up too much about it.

[zslane]

Agreed.

There's only so much you can control when you are trying to get the best anodizing work done for the most reasonable cost. That tricky trade-off is frequently going to lead to these kinds of failures. But I think we all understand the economic dynamics involved and I, for one, will gladly wait a little longer to have it done right. The opportunity to pay twice as much for a more reliable anodizing vendor is long past, and I'm not any of us would have wanted to pay that premium anyway. A little extra wait is worth it, all things considered.

[norbauer]

Agreed.

There's only so much you can control when you are trying to get the best anodizing work done for the most reasonable cost. That tricky trade-off is frequently going to lead to these kinds of failures. But I think we all understand the economic dynamics involved and I, for one, will gladly wait a little longer to have it done right. The opportunity to pay twice as much for a more reliable anodizing vendor is long past, and I'm not any of us would have wanted to pay that premium anyway. A little extra wait is worth it, all things considered.

Oh man, that's so true! I actually said the same thing to the CNC factory yesterday: I wish we could just pay more to an anodizing vendor to get someone who can work fast and commit to delivering 100% of the products back without any flaws. I get that anodizing is a tricky process to control, but if something comes out of the tank bad, they should just redo it then and there rather than delivering it as if it were fine. When so many industries focus obsessively (in my opinion) on the race to the bottom in terms of cost, it sometimes gets hard to even be able to throw money at people to get them to do something to a higher standard. =\

Also, FWIW, this isn't a China issue; I had the exact same issue (actually, much more severe cosmetic blemishes) with anodizing shops in the US back when I was doing R&D for r1—as some of you will remember. The issues here are pretty tiny irregularities and only affect a minority of the units, but I still wanted to make sure that they were fixed. Apparently anodizing shops are tough to work with, no matter what side of the globe you're on. I know the CNC factory is pretty frustrated right now, because they know this problem makes them look bad (to all of us), but other than not catching the problems earlier, it's largely out of their hands.

The cases were all prepped today and are ready to go out to a new anodizing vendor they have found (based on a recommendation of a colleague), which hopefully will be better.

The cases for powder coating are also being sent over to today to be kitted and boxed for shipment to California ASAP.

[bekkra]

Personally, I need none of the apologies from you.

Of what I have read from you, you are a top notch group buy organizer, and I wish that you will be fully content with r2.

I am grateful for you taking care of so many aspects in so great detail of our  luxury gadgets.... you are doing a fantastic work.
Thanks a lot for the update.