Author Topic: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)  (Read 10271 times)

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Offline ScottInTokyo

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[IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 01:12:35 »
235907-0

235940-1

People in the MechKeys discord told me there would be a big demand for desk mats with Japanese text, so I mocked these up.

I found a supplier (https://www.yourplaymat.com) who can put them up at $30 for:
  • 90 cm x 40 cm
  • Rubber bottom, cloth top
  • Stitched edges
  • Free worldwide shipping from the US and China/support

But he'll only do the prep/put them on the site if there's a decent amount of interest (understandably), so the MechKeys folks told me to do an IC here.

I have all of the designs in vector (done up in Illustrator) so they should be ready to tweak and/or print.

Translations are:

#1
White: Mechanical Keyboard
Red: Hell
Small: Switches, keycaps, customs . . . All I can eat are cup noodles

#2
Top and bottom: No keyboards // No Life
Escape icon: Run away

#3
Pink: Mechanical Keyboard
Cyan: Heaven
Small text: There's no point if you don't make it yourself!

#4
Please look around and make sure you haven't forgotten anything.

#5
Same as #4 but in black since some people seemed a little more interested...

Poll on Google Forms: https://forms.gle/uA6R4N1xtPAe39Ja6
« Last Edit: Wed, 19 February 2020, 02:06:43 by ScottInTokyo »

Offline nicole_loke_richards

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 01:19:10 »
I want all of them! 全部欲しい!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline ScottInTokyo

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 01:21:23 »
I want all of them! 全部欲しい!

That's encouraging, thanks!

Added a Google Forms link so people can vote on multiples too.

Offline ilikerustoo

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 01:21:38 »
I'd buy all of them

Offline bowen

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 01:21:42 »
Fire exit one is pretty cool, nice mockups

Offline belgium_waffles

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 01:44:52 »
really liking the exit one

Offline TameFlame

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 05:06:28 »
Is your aim for this to be a release on a single american store, or would you be open for a EU proxy, if there's a demand?

Offline ScottInTokyo

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #7 on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 06:57:31 »
Is your aim for this to be a release on a single american store, or would you be open for a EU proxy, if there's a demand?

My aim is to let the people who want them, buy them.

The guy I talked to said he offers free worldwide shipping, which was one of the main reasons I picked him since I know Dixie, for example, can get expensive.


Are there other reasons to have a European proxy? Sorry, I don't know much about selling to European users.

Offline DALExSNAIL

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #8 on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 07:06:00 »
#2 is really nice man. I would buy it for sure.

Offline Andrago

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #9 on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 09:19:03 »
Need a full black and white one PLS


Offline Randalljai

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #10 on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 10:43:36 »
Responded to the google form, color me interested! I'd like it without the white boarders, but that's just me.

Offline ScottInTokyo

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #11 on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 11:15:31 »
Responded to the google form, color me interested! I'd like it without the white boarders, but that's just me.

Sorry I didn't make it clear -- none of them will have white borders. Those are just the background color.

Offline fabijolo

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #12 on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 11:29:22 »
I really like 1 and 2, they look great!

Offline Randalljai

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #13 on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 12:27:07 »
Responded to the google form, color me interested! I'd like it without the white boarders, but that's just me.

Sorry I didn't make it clear -- none of them will have white borders. Those are just the background color.

Ahh, got it. Will number 4 be mainly white or will that be changed later?

Offline ScottInTokyo

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #14 on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 19:54:53 »
Responded to the google form, color me interested! I'd like it without the white boarders, but that's just me.

Sorry I didn't make it clear -- none of them will have white borders. Those are just the background color.

Ahh, got it. Will number 4 be mainly white or will that be changed later?

Everything is in its final (barring popular requests) state right now, so #4 is supposed to have a white background.

If people like the idea but not the colors, I could do something like a black background with some other color for the symbol and text.

Offline irew0w

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #15 on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 21:44:32 »
i love these but i'm definitely most interested in #3 and #4!

Offline ScottInTokyo

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #16 on: Mon, 17 February 2020, 21:58:10 »
I went ahead and made a #5 that's just #4 with a black background, updated the poll too.

If you prefer a black background, you can edit your votes. :)

https://forms.gle/uA6R4N1xtPAe39Ja6

Offline ScottInTokyo

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #17 on: Tue, 18 February 2020, 19:56:54 »
Is your aim for this to be a release on a single american store, or would you be open for a EU proxy, if there's a demand?

This has been bugging me, so I talked to the supplier; he said that they can ship worldwide from the US or China.

Is this bad for buyers in the EU? If so, I can start trying to look around for a proxy or something if you can tell me more about what's necessary for EU buyers. :)

Offline Ensaum

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #18 on: Tue, 18 February 2020, 23:23:38 »
I'm getting some Bobop vibes from the heaven and hell ones. I'm be down for both of those.

Offline dankpupdaddy

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #19 on: Wed, 19 February 2020, 20:41:50 »
Count me down for 1-3

Offline ScottInTokyo

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #20 on: Sun, 23 February 2020, 01:12:40 »
Just a reminder, anyone who wanted the black version of the escape mat should go vote/change their votes -- as it is, it doesn't have anywhere near enough votes to justify it...

Offline ScottInTokyo

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #21 on: Mon, 24 February 2020, 19:52:26 »
So, for anyone watching this, I have a question. I already tried PMing signature the other week and didn't get a response.

I see that the rules say that when projects enter the GB stage, the IC threads should be marked/updated and a new thread should be started in the GB forum.

Since this won't be going to GB, but instead will be (hopefully) permanently put up in my supplier's store, what's the right course of action when it comes to that? Is there a more appropriate forum to post that link in, or should I just post it here, or what?

Hopefully someone knows the answer. :)

Offline japancakes

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #22 on: Mon, 24 February 2020, 20:28:24 »
#1 is so good -- "all I can eat are cup noodles"

Offline platypusduck

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #23 on: Mon, 24 February 2020, 22:41:15 »
If I may offer a suggestion with regards to the Japanese text...
It would be great to have something like "自作キーボード" (self/custom-made keyboard), which is what the hobby is usually called here.

In any case, I love the カップ麺しか食えねえ part! (もやし would be more realistic though XD)

Offline ScottInTokyo

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #24 on: Mon, 24 February 2020, 23:41:47 »
Thanks for the feedback, platypusduck!

It would be great to have something like "自作キーボード" (self/custom-made keyboard), which is what the hobby is usually called here.

I thought about it, but some people told me that they preferred just "mechanical keyboard" since they don't make their own.

In any case, I love the カップ麺しか食えねえ part! (もやし would be more realistic though XD)

I thought about that, too! But the cup noodles transfer across cultures more and these are primarily targeting a western audience. :)

For those of us in Japan, I've been working on a keycap set that has JIS keycaps and stuff that we need (like 英数) as options so that we can actually get custom caps that match our layouts other than... realforce or varmilo.
« Last Edit: Tue, 25 February 2020, 02:37:07 by ScottInTokyo »

Offline platypusduck

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #25 on: Wed, 26 February 2020, 01:40:14 »
That makes sense! Good luck :)

Offline TameFlame

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #26 on: Wed, 26 February 2020, 19:52:55 »
Is your aim for this to be a release on a single american store, or would you be open for a EU proxy, if there's a demand?

My aim is to let the people who want them, buy them.

The guy I talked to said he offers free worldwide shipping, which was one of the main reasons I picked him since I know Dixie, for example, can get expensive.


Are there other reasons to have a European proxy? Sorry, I don't know much about selling to European users.

Many European countries have high import taxes as well as handling fees for orders from outside the EU. Were I for example to order a deskmat from an American seller, priced at around 30$, I could expect to pay around 75$ in total, excluding the actual shipping fees. I'd care a lot for European proxies for this reason. The added on expenses are proportionally higher for cheaper orders of course.

Offline Puddsy

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #27 on: Wed, 26 February 2020, 22:32:22 »
I like #1 and #3.
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Offline Techichi

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #28 on: Thu, 27 February 2020, 16:54:22 »
I like #1 and 2.

Offline Snapple

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #29 on: Thu, 27 February 2020, 17:19:36 »
I like #1 and #5

Offline ScottInTokyo

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #30 on: Thu, 27 February 2020, 21:54:56 »
Is your aim for this to be a release on a single american store, or would you be open for a EU proxy, if there's a demand?

My aim is to let the people who want them, buy them.

The guy I talked to said he offers free worldwide shipping, which was one of the main reasons I picked him since I know Dixie, for example, can get expensive.


Are there other reasons to have a European proxy? Sorry, I don't know much about selling to European users.

Many European countries have high import taxes as well as handling fees for orders from outside the EU. Were I for example to order a deskmat from an American seller, priced at around 30$, I could expect to pay around 75$ in total, excluding the actual shipping fees. I'd care a lot for European proxies for this reason. The added on expenses are proportionally higher for cheaper orders of course.

Thanks for the detailed explanation! I didn't realize the import taxes had such an impact on something like this.

I'll talk to the prospective supplier I have lined up and see what they say, and we can try to go from there.

Offline ScottInTokyo

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #31 on: Sat, 29 February 2020, 02:24:30 »
A sad update... due to nCoV, my supplier's backed out temporarily since they can't produce the goods anymore. :(

Offline Techichi

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Re: [IC] Japanese text desk mats (90 cm x 40 cm)
« Reply #32 on: Sat, 29 February 2020, 09:32:50 »
That sucks, sorry. Hang in there and maybe that will change soon. Keep us posted!