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geekhack Marketplace => Group Buys and Preorders => Topic started by: Lil on Sun, 13 June 2021, 17:45:24

Title: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring F13 TKL) LIVE-> June 28th [Price drop!]
Post by: Lil on Sun, 13 June 2021, 17:45:24
(https://i.imgur.com/eEHXekJ.png)
IC Link (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=108208.0)

(https://imgur.com/sMqx7WC.jpeg)

The name of this keyboard means 'the beginning' and marks my first keyboard design.
Aesthetically I was inspired by the shape of the rowing shell and the katamaran; which manifests in curved profiles, bezels and a seamless shape reminiscent of a boats motion over water.

(https://imgur.com/KWVuvhl.jpeg)

Additional Photographs will be linked in the 2nd post, along with the build stream.

Specifications:
. Seamless side profiled anodised 6063 Aluminium case
. Anodised Aluminium plate
. WKL 7u only bottom row with fixed Ansi enter [Plate files will be available later for ISO]
. 4.2 degree typing angle/20.5mm front height
. O-ring mount with Jane CE V2 mounting points
. Custom H88 PCB by Hineybush with centred USB-C daughterboard and VIA software - F13 TKL form factor
. Ships in Monokei KABAN case
. Built weight ~ 1.9kg

Typing tests:


Pricing and Vendors:

GB open for two weeks from the 14th of June

Please check your regional vendors site for exact pricing and the pricing of extras.

The GB is now live across all regions:

NA: Spacecables USD $499 (https://spaceholdings.net/products/ex-arkhe?variant=40295874199730)
EU: OblotzkyIndustries €469 Inc VAT (https://oblotzky.industries/products/ex-arkhe/)
SEA: Monokei $675.00 SGD (https://monokei.co/products/ex-arkhe?variant=40140301074597)
CA: Ashkeebs CAD $605.00 (https://www.ashkeebs.com/product/ex-arkhe-f13-tkl-keyboard//)

Lead time est 9 months

(https://imgur.com/gapXdeG.jpg)(https://imgur.com/OxL2imt.jpg)
Colour options:
. Black Top/Blue bottom
. Black Top/Red bottom
. Red Top/Silver bottom
. Silver Top/Red bottom
. Blue top/Silver bottom
. Silver Top/Blue bottom
Renders:
[attachimg=1]
More
(https://i.imgur.com/aU37459.jpg)
(https://imgur.com/famvqx6.jpg)(https://imgur.com/2Nlx1J2.jpg)(https://imgur.com/bYdsszN.jpg)(https://imgur.com/rPe3CfX.jpg)

Proto Pics:

(https://i.imgur.com/fS8uf6a.jpg) (https://imgur.com/8FultJG.jpeg)
(https://imgur.com/yPeulet.jpg)(https://i.imgur.com/ZKOdfhk.jpg)



Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring mounted F13 TKL) Live June 14-28th
Post by: Lil on Sun, 13 June 2021, 17:45:33
Build stream:


Please note that a 3mm o-ring was used during the build but the board is designed around a 3.5mm o-ring. When the correct o-ring size is used [as is provided in the GB] the movement of the plate side to side seen in the video isn't present
A link to the discord server for updates on this, and other projects. Along with emotes: Here (https://discord.gg/9KrAVfHJYB)
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring mounted F13 TKL) Live June 14-28th
Post by: kk73715 on Sun, 13 June 2021, 18:16:43
Beautiful!
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring mounted F13 TKL) Live June 14-28th
Post by: onedrunkman on Sun, 13 June 2021, 18:36:07
very goog like a5 waygu
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring mounted F13 TKL) Live June 14-28th
Post by: Baka Bot on Sun, 13 June 2021, 18:36:42
very naisu
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring mounted F13 TKL) Live June 14-28th
Post by: Sturmtiger on Sun, 13 June 2021, 19:29:59
Where the brass at?
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring mounted F13 TKL) Live June 14-28th
Post by: Lil on Mon, 14 June 2021, 07:22:31
GB is now live on Monokei and Ashkeebs. I hope that everything will be up and running with the other two vendors along with the extras by tonight.

Quote from: kk73715 on Sun, 13 June 2021, 18:16:43
Beautiful!

Quote from: onedrunkman on Sun, 13 June 2021, 18:36:07
very goog like a5 waygu

Quote from: Baka Bot on Sun, 13 June 2021, 18:36:42
very naisu

Thanks guys!




Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring mounted F13 TKL) Live June 14-28th
Post by: of_sam on Mon, 14 June 2021, 09:38:20
Very unique design. GLWB.  :thumb:
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring mounted F13 TKL) Live June 14-28th
Post by: _ODIN_ on Mon, 14 June 2021, 14:15:13
Awesome design. I might be getting one.
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring mounted F13 TKL) Live June 14-28th
Post by: Neely_12 on Mon, 14 June 2021, 14:20:02
Side profile on this is amazing. Good luck!
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring mounted F13 TKL) Live June 14-28th
Post by: Jyobah on Mon, 14 June 2021, 14:25:58
The curves on that !!  :cool:
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring mounted F13 TKL) Live June 14-28th
Post by: ephemeral25 on Mon, 14 June 2021, 14:39:03
Finally a design we don't see everywhere, copied over and over !

Good luck with the group buy  :thumb:
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring mounted F13 TKL) LIVE until June 28th
Post by: Lil on Mon, 14 June 2021, 15:32:22
Thank you everyone! The GB is now live in all regions and the price has been amended on the Oblotzky Industries storefront from the initial amount of €539 to €469 inclusive of VAT. There aren't the same Tariffs over imports in the EU, and the shipping is a little cheaper from the manufacturer so the price was lowered in consideration of that.
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring F13 TKL) LIVE-> June 28th [Price drop!]
Post by: Lil on Tue, 15 June 2021, 03:02:10
We have made the decision to also lower the list price across the other vendors. Anyone who has paid the old list price can expect a refund for the difference; whilst the price of extra plates and PCBs remains unchanged.
The price for NA is now $499USD; The Canadian price is now CAD$605. Monokei is now $675.00 SGD. EU pricing is now €469 inclusive of VAT as previously stated.
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring F13 TKL) LIVE-> June 28th [Price drop!]
Post by: Lil on Sat, 19 June 2021, 16:57:00
Due to not being on the right trajectory to hit the intended moq, it has been decided to close and cancel the GB early. I apologise to everyone that joined or was intending to join. Those that have ordered will be refunded within standard time frames.
I have identified several areas that may have contributed to the failure of the GB:

.Bad timing: running the GB immediately after/overlapping with an unlimited TGR GB meant that many prospective buyers would have insufficient funds and be unable to join
.Sub-par marketing on my part
.Lacking reputation as a designer
.Not running a 'limited' GB; as alot of keyboard sales in general feel special due to their finite nature even if no more or less units are sold. In addition, for open GBs where there is no time pressure i personally tend to enter at the last minute (admittedly this could be specific to myself)
.My design language being foreign to the community (not tried and tested or safe)

I am confident in the quality of the design; the sound, feeling and aesthetics of the keyboard being sold in my opinion made it worth buying at the list price and compared to comparable options. I feel that if one or two of the outlined issues were not present then the GB could've been successful.

My current intention is to use this as a positive experience and drive to work towards designing better tools - keyboard related or otherwise. I intend to build recognition for my work and design before attempting any further public sales.
In the future I will run private buys, and potentially commissions through my discord (https://discord.gg/wD2vHX99ZK). I will also contact vendors about designing for them.

Hopefully you haven't seen the last of me
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring F13 TKL) LIVE-> June 28th [Price drop!]
Post by: _ODIN_ on Sat, 19 June 2021, 17:24:11
Sad to see the GB being cancelled but I do understand your reasoning. Excited to see your upcoming projects.
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring F13 TKL) LIVE-> June 28th [Price drop!]
Post by: kiyoboard on Sat, 19 June 2021, 22:26:21
Sad to hear that this is cancelled :/ I was going to get Silver/Red which looked pretty nice.

Regarding to it being open GB: I don't know if this affected the sales, but I for one really appreciate it, and I hope that is the direction where hobby is going to. So, hopefully you still consider it in the future. Maybe instead of limiting units, you can limit the duration to make it more "exclusive". For example making the GB run only for few hours, but all the orders are accepted in that duration.

Good luck in the future, and if Arkhe is any indication, I am looking forward to your other designs  :)
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring F13 TKL) LIVE-> June 28th [Price drop!]
Post by: valen_c13 on Sun, 20 June 2021, 04:28:48
sad news. this project was something interesting, i jumped in. prolly you got not so long period b4 sales, not enough pr with our beloved streamers. dont stop, ideas behind keeb was good.

Отправлено с моего HD1913 через Tapatalk

Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring F13 TKL) LIVE-> June 28th [Price drop!]
Post by: RedBananaBread on Sun, 20 June 2021, 09:14:54
Oh damn. Sad to see this get canceled. Hope to see this or your other projects before long!
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring F13 TKL) LIVE-> June 28th [Price drop!]
Post by: The0rigina1 on Sun, 20 June 2021, 10:48:20
I really love the design, but just like you said, I poured all my money on tomo  :-[
I would love to see this design return.
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring F13 TKL) LIVE-> June 28th [Price drop!]
Post by: Jyobah on Sun, 20 June 2021, 11:13:57
FOMO for TOMO which is what most did. I really liked this board and hard passed on the FOMO board. GL in the future, hope I can join the next one.
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring F13 TKL) LIVE-> June 28th [Price drop!]
Post by: SDKCAMPING on Mon, 21 June 2021, 00:12:30
ouch , good luck for the next try. i dont like your list of reasons one bit but so long as you can see positive from this experience somehow
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring F13 TKL) LIVE-> June 28th [Price drop!]
Post by: treeleaf64 on Sun, 01 August 2021, 11:14:37
Dont worry you guys, you have not seen the last of the Mr. Lil

I am telling you this so that you can be happy
Title: Re: [GB] Ex Arkhe (Seamless curved o-ring F13 TKL) LIVE-> June 28th [Price drop!]
Post by: andreiborisov on Sat, 25 September 2021, 10:54:23
I wasn't interested in the board as I'm not a TKL user, however, I've wanted to chime in and say that the board itself looks really awesome, much more so than most of the other options on the market right now. I'm quite concerned to see another authentic project not hitting its MOQ, while tons of yet-another-rectangle boards are doing just fine. For a hobby, seemingly all about customization and personalization we sure like the same tired designs.