This included novelties for the Backspace, Joker hat(s), and more suits/crowns
Add-Ons Kit[Additional keys for further compatibility or variety, such as the classic Cherry icons, additional support for HHKB, Windowed Keys (legends are UV-print*), stepped Ctrl icon key, less utilised Shift keys (1.50u, 1u, 2u), CR black spacebars (1.00u x 2, 1.25u x 1, 1.75u x 2, 2.00u x 1, 3.00u x 2, 6.00u x 1), and R3 up arrows.]
v1 of this kit:
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This included stepped Ctrl icon key, and R3 up arrow keys
Accent Spacebars Kit
[Besides the usual support for split space keyboard layouts, these gold bars include 2 x 1.75c and 2 x 2.00c bars for additional 40s/ortho support.
NorDEUK
[Pending - depends on demand and UK/EU vendor support.]
Media Kit
[Viability remains uncertain. Let me know if you like it. Also wondering if I should add some further icon keys such as a 1u musical note on R4 to cover a single XT column, and/or more R1 icons such as loop/repeat; shuffle; +/- brightness, etc. I have depicted the icons in outline line style, but I can switch to opaque in-fill if that’s people’s preference]
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Other Kit ideas include Katakana sublegend alphas (for compatibility with GMK Kin to Kuro novelties), or Cangjie sublegend alphas (with Chinese theme novelties based on Dragon or Wukong).
Alternate Alphas Kit
[This kit has been scrapped, but I was floating the idea of alternate alphas in WS1 white, for a monochrome style look. Includes extra modifier keys, so that in combination with the base kit, you could theoretically cover 2 keyboards. We both know you have more than one keyboard.]
• RENDERS •
Werk One by werk.technica
Haus by Hand Engineering
Frog by Geon Works
IRON165 by Smith + Rune
IRON180 by Smith + Rune
M60-A by Rama Works
Disclaimer: Renders shown are for illustrative purposes and may not perfectly display the actual colours. Please refer to the actual sample photos below to see the real colours and texture of existing GMK metallic ABS keycaps. Do note that the process of creating metallic ABS involves special powders that are subject to the various injection flow patterns in each cap, creating a unique (and unpredictable) result. There will also be ultimately inherent limits in emulating the lustrous and shiny appearance of metal in plastic.
• SPECIFICATIONS •
Samples
Quick photo of real-life samples of the metallic gold colourway
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Material: ABS Material
Profile: Cylindrical Cherry Profile
Manufacturing Method: Double shot injection molding
Manufacturer: GMK
Compatibility: MX switches
• Q&A •
Manufacturer choice?More
GMK for now as it has demonstrated samples with metallic ABS already.
Metallic ABS?More
This set aims to use the exciting new metallic ABS material from GMK. A
photo sample of metallic ABS was featured in GMK Kaiju R2 groupbuy - and there also exists other samples of GMK emulating the ‘metallic’ look in other colours to great effect.
As seen in the disclaimer for GMK Kaiju R2 and evident in other
photos of that set, metallic plastic has inherent variables which can lead to
unpredictable flow variations and streaks on the final
result.
However unlike Kaiju R2 Mechakaiju base kit, in this keycap set, the metallic ABS is limited to primarily the legends (except for accents), so this effect should be limited on the overall look. However it is impossible to predict whether it will or won't occur, so it will feature on some legends regardless.
I had initially contemplated doing a completely gold keycap set themed Midas but due to these flow streak artefacts, I felt it’d be better limiting it to primarily the legends and accents for now.
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Given how well the colourway goes with several themes, I’d like to try to offer 2 novelty kits instead of splitting them into separate groupbuy runs. In fact I had other novelties and themes planned, one of which became GMK Kin to Kuro (Kintsugi and Shogun novelties), whereas others i.e. Midas with Grecian sublegends, Dragon King with Cangjie sublegends will come down the line later.
Will there be other kits /layout compatibility?More
Given the current market conditions, and the likely manufacturer pricing structure and MOQ (minimum order quantity) requirements, I’m unsure which kits would reach MOQ.
Hence why the Extension kit is a combination of spacebars, windowed keys and HHKB support. It’s not ideal, but it should hopefully make it more likely to hit MOQ.
International kits will be dependent on support/demand and regional vendors, which is always a challenge.
I will be exploring the possibility of combining GB purchases for the Gold spacebars kit and/or Media kit with GMK Kin to Koru GB to make MOQ easier to reach.
If the media kit gets interest, I can explore a separate GB with these molds in basic WoB/beige.
White & Gold?More
It’s in the works! It’s got an awesome theme/novelties to match it but it’ll stay under wraps for now
• DESKMAT •
Pending
• COLLABS •
TBC
• LOGISTICS •
TBC
Estimated Groupbuy Date and Production Timeline to be confirmed.
• VENDORS •
TBC
• MISC •
• FEEDBACK FORM •
• SOCIALS •
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS •
“'Cause if you're not really here
Then I don't wanna be either
I wanna be next to you
Black and gold, black and gold, black and gold.” Black & Gold by Sam Sparro
Thank you to those who provided help, support or design assistance for this project in some form or another. Special shoutouts in particular to:
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> GMK for the keycap samples
> Nindroid for assistance with the ISO enter Art Deco novelty
> Cutie for the renders and encouraging feedback
> The designers of the respective keyboards in the renders depicted, and also the teams behind Blender, Inkscape, and KRK (Imperfectlink) whose software was used in the development of the visuals of this project.
> Nopunin10did and Konstantin for also being the original kitting wizards whose advice on previous projects of mine (and others) have led to my foundational knowledge and decision making (any mistakes or peculiarities are mine though haha)
