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geekhack Marketplace => Artisan Services => Topic started by: nkzt on Fri, 23 May 2014, 22:14:31

Title: APL keycaps for Keycool 87, PBT dye-sub, IBM layout, $230
Post by: nkzt on Fri, 23 May 2014, 22:14:31

The new age, keycap DIY printing has been started! This is the first item from the age.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/189473627/apl-keycaps-for-keycool-87-pbt-dye-sub (https://www.etsy.com/listing/189473627/apl-keycaps-for-keycool-87-pbt-dye-sub)

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YSouf8zHkbQ/U38rWPcOkpI/AAAAAAAAAWU/2Z54D8bgtHM/s1600/IMG_0349.JPG)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HQIEFeLQDIM/U38rWA0UUMI/AAAAAAAAAWc/lDO4fyVTgGw/s1600/IMG_0348.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SWbHicpqzpU/U38rXHp81fI/AAAAAAAAAWs/UxebFE8ds1Y/s1600/IMG_0367.JPG)

Title: Re: APL keycaps for Keycool 87, PBT dye-sub, IBM layout, $230
Post by: Photekq on Fri, 23 May 2014, 22:18:36

Okay now THAT is awesome!

Title: Re: APL keycaps for Keycool 87, PBT dye-sub, IBM layout, $230
Post by: Pacifist on Fri, 23 May 2014, 22:19:43

That's pretty pricey, esp when you can get imsto to do dyesubs at around $2 each, and in even bigger batches, a third of the price of these

But this is sorta interesting. How much does tooling cost?

Title: Re: APL keycaps for Keycool 87, PBT dye-sub, IBM layout, $230
Post by: nkzt on Fri, 23 May 2014, 22:41:18

Oh imsto can print to front side? I didn't know that.
Money I paid for my instruments and materials are about $1000 without trial and error cost. Some jigs are handmade and take much labor.

Title: Re: APL keycaps for Keycool 87, PBT dye-sub, IBM layout, $230
Post by: Techno Trousers on Fri, 23 May 2014, 22:51:11

Wow, that's super cool. I don't know what your cost in materials and labor is, but if you can make a profit at about half of what you are charging, I think you will have as many orders as you can handle. I'm afraid $250 for a shipped custom key cap set is going to be a tough sell.

Then again, I see people paying well over $100 for GMK ABS sets, so you never know.

I've been spoiled by IBM's fantastic PBT caps, so I would like to get MX PBT sets someday.

Title: Re: APL keycaps for Keycool 87, PBT dye-sub, IBM layout, $230
Post by: dorkvader on Sat, 24 May 2014, 17:53:53

These are really well done!

@technotrousers: not all IBM PBT is fantastic.l They have changed surface roughness a few times, and some of the dyesubbing is sorta bad.

Title: Re: APL keycaps for Keycool 87, PBT dye-sub, IBM layout, $230
Post by: SpAmRaY on Sat, 24 May 2014, 18:43:06

good to see innovation, hopefully you can refine the process to bring the price down some  :thumb: