Author Topic: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Group buy is live!)  (Read 17211 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline enrique.aliaga

  • Posts: 250
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/7/2020)
« Reply #50 on: Wed, 08 January 2020, 17:31:37 »
Yes, I'm kind of envisioning a Filco TKL build right now. I'd want to replace the switches, primarily, so having a new plate and PCB are helpful in that respect. I don't really need an aluminum case, but nicer internals would be better.

For sure yeah.
But just to clarify, PCBs will come after, at the moment I'm still working with a designer to get this complete and prototypes made.

In the future, after this is done, I'll be running a full upgrade kit for a Filco's internals (Plate, PCB, Stabs, and potentially switches), so if you hold out until 2nd quarter, possibly 3rd of this year, that could be an option.

I’d be totally in for such a kit!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline Aldarris

  • Posts: 4
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/7/2020)
« Reply #51 on: Fri, 10 January 2020, 00:32:24 »
Glad a project like this was picked up. Been looking into building into the Aliexpress Aluminum case and this popped up at a perfect time.

I don't mind losing the switch top removal cuts. That actually benefits people who are looking to use this plate for Alps SKCL/SKCM or perhaps SMK switches.

Offline DALExSNAIL

  • The User Formerly Known as 'Formerly DudeSnail'
  • * Esteemed Elder
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1500
  • Location: Port Wentworth, GA
  • 𝖋𝖚𝖈𝖐 𝖆𝖑𝖕𝖘
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/7/2020)
« Reply #52 on: Fri, 10 January 2020, 11:27:21 »
Glad a project like this was picked up. Been looking into building into the Aliexpress Aluminum case and this popped up at a perfect time.

I don't mind losing the switch top removal cuts. That actually benefits people who are looking to use this plate for Alps SKCL/SKCM or perhaps SMK switches.

I'll say that Im not sure if this plate would be compatible with Alps at the moment. I plan to run some sort of alps thing eventually, but just wanted to give a heads up since Im not familiar with the fit on them.

Offline DALExSNAIL

  • The User Formerly Known as 'Formerly DudeSnail'
  • * Esteemed Elder
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1500
  • Location: Port Wentworth, GA
  • 𝖋𝖚𝖈𝖐 𝖆𝖑𝖕𝖘
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/7/2020)
« Reply #53 on: Mon, 13 January 2020, 02:19:20 »
Late night update on the design. Cleaned up some things not needed, and removed switch top removal.

233565-0
233563-1

Offline iliketimex

  • Posts: 113
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/7/2020)
« Reply #54 on: Mon, 13 January 2020, 10:15:31 »
Are the plates 1.5mm thick? I would assume so but I don't see it in the thread. Thanks.

Offline DALExSNAIL

  • The User Formerly Known as 'Formerly DudeSnail'
  • * Esteemed Elder
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1500
  • Location: Port Wentworth, GA
  • 𝖋𝖚𝖈𝖐 𝖆𝖑𝖕𝖘
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/7/2020)
« Reply #55 on: Mon, 13 January 2020, 10:23:12 »
Are the plates 1.5mm thick? I would assume so but I don't see it in the thread. Thanks.

Yes they are. For the time, they'll be standard thickness. But in the future I'm looking to run a thin version, that will pair with a thin PCB.

Offline DALExSNAIL

  • The User Formerly Known as 'Formerly DudeSnail'
  • * Esteemed Elder
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1500
  • Location: Port Wentworth, GA
  • 𝖋𝖚𝖈𝖐 𝖆𝖑𝖕𝖘
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/7/2020)
« Reply #56 on: Mon, 13 January 2020, 10:23:18 »
1/13/2020
  • Updated the plate files to remove switch top cutouts, and clean up other things in the layout.
  • Will be offering a small number of Micarta plates as well. This should be a less dense but very similar material to carbon fiber. The decreased density should in theory help with sound reduction. Will most likely be more expensive than other options for the time.
  • Quote should be here relatively soon, now that the files are in order, and the holidays are over.

Offline DALExSNAIL

  • The User Formerly Known as 'Formerly DudeSnail'
  • * Esteemed Elder
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1500
  • Location: Port Wentworth, GA
  • 𝖋𝖚𝖈𝖐 𝖆𝖑𝖕𝖘
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/13/2020)
« Reply #57 on: Mon, 13 January 2020, 15:05:43 »
Dimension images for both items: 

Plate:
233592-0

Liner:
233594-1


Probable not important, but I'm just learning fusion more and I like the feature  :p

Offline DALExSNAIL

  • The User Formerly Known as 'Formerly DudeSnail'
  • * Esteemed Elder
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1500
  • Location: Port Wentworth, GA
  • 𝖋𝖚𝖈𝖐 𝖆𝖑𝖕𝖘
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/13/2020)
« Reply #58 on: Tue, 14 January 2020, 19:34:45 »
Update - 1/14/2020
I've gotten the majority of quotes on things and I feel confident starting the buy next week. I'll submit the post on Monday, and when it's approved the group buy will begin. I'll keep the form up for the buy until that same time, the following Monday.

Here's what pricing will look like:

Plates
  • FR4 Full plate - $20
  • FR4 Half plate - Same as above
  • Micarta Full plate - To be determined, but seems to be around the same pricing. Expect $30, but be happy when we get below that  :thumb:

Plates
  • So all of these will be the same price. $22 per liner. Refer to the OP for info about each material. I could be wrong, but I got the impression today that since they are cutting almost all the same thickness, from the same outline, that as long as they're ordered together pricing should stay consistant. Expect small changes here just in case, but I'm hopeful.

Shipping
  • $12 CONUS, Individually determined international
« Last Edit: Tue, 14 January 2020, 19:47:21 by DALExSNAIL »

Offline placebo guy

  • Posts: 181
  • Location: Minneapolis, MN
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/14/2020)
« Reply #59 on: Wed, 15 January 2020, 12:20:55 »
Woo hoo..

Btw- Please don't use yellow characters.. MY EYES.. THEY'S BURRRNNNNN..
Leopold TKL MXRed; RF 103U 55G; WASD MXBlack; Unicomp Spacesaver; AT101W; RK-9000 Blue; various Filco

Offline DALExSNAIL

  • The User Formerly Known as 'Formerly DudeSnail'
  • * Esteemed Elder
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1500
  • Location: Port Wentworth, GA
  • 𝖋𝖚𝖈𝖐 𝖆𝖑𝖕𝖘
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/14/2020)
« Reply #60 on: Wed, 15 January 2020, 12:28:35 »
Woo hoo..

Btw- Please don't use yellow characters.. MY EYES.. THEY'S BURRRNNNNN..

Using the light theme?

Yellow is my favorite :O

Offline DALExSNAIL

  • The User Formerly Known as 'Formerly DudeSnail'
  • * Esteemed Elder
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1500
  • Location: Port Wentworth, GA
  • 𝖋𝖚𝖈𝖐 𝖆𝖑𝖕𝖘
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/14/2020)
« Reply #61 on: Wed, 15 January 2020, 12:36:01 »
Woo hoo..

Btw- Please don't use yellow characters.. MY EYES.. THEY'S BURRRNNNNN..

Using the light theme?

Yellow is my favorite :O

That's pretty painful on those light themes now that I tried it haha. I'll stick to ORANGE then

Offline DALExSNAIL

  • The User Formerly Known as 'Formerly DudeSnail'
  • * Esteemed Elder
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1500
  • Location: Port Wentworth, GA
  • 𝖋𝖚𝖈𝖐 𝖆𝖑𝖕𝖘
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/14/2020)
« Reply #62 on: Thu, 16 January 2020, 15:37:16 »
Was just informed that the Micarta would present some issues with cutting so thin, potential shattering, and a special way that it needs to be waterjet cut would raise the price significantly, close to $40 a plate NOT including material. In the future this may be an option, but for now they've presented me with an alternative material that will be very inexpensive similar to FR4, but has many of the same properties as Micarta. It's a polyester based "plastic" made in the same way as micarta (heater then pressed), with a different resin used as the binding agent, typically used as shim stock.

Will be offering these in a clear color with the buy.

Should be similar to an acrylic plate, but will hopefully sound much better.

Offline iliketimex

  • Posts: 113
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/14/2020)
« Reply #63 on: Fri, 17 January 2020, 10:07:00 »
Pricing looks great. My only advice on this GB since the hole size changed to "exact fit" is to test one plate on a PCB before the full run. I had a plate lasercut in acrylic and even though the files were perfect, the plate cutouts would not align with the switches from end to end. Could be because some PCB's use 19mm and others use 19.05mm spacing. Adjusting the switch hole to 16mm wide fixed the problem as there was more room for error. Also the Holy Panda and some Outemu switches can be difficult to fit into an exact fit plate. I doubt there will be problems but in my efforts w/ builds whatever can go wrong will.

Offline DALExSNAIL

  • The User Formerly Known as 'Formerly DudeSnail'
  • * Esteemed Elder
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1500
  • Location: Port Wentworth, GA
  • 𝖋𝖚𝖈𝖐 𝖆𝖑𝖕𝖘
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/14/2020)
« Reply #64 on: Fri, 17 January 2020, 10:56:05 »
Pricing looks great. My only advice on this GB since the hole size changed to "exact fit" is to test one plate on a PCB before the full run. I had a plate lasercut in acrylic and even though the files were perfect, the plate cutouts would not align with the switches from end to end. Could be because some PCB's use 19mm and others use 19.05mm spacing. Adjusting the switch hole to 16mm wide fixed the problem as there was more room for error. Also the Holy Panda and some Outemu switches can be difficult to fit into an exact fit plate. I doubt there will be problems but in my efforts w/ builds whatever can go wrong will.

The cuts should be closer to 15mm than 14mm, so hopefully that helps. The cutouts are taken right from the phantom open source, and then the tabs are just removed, so hopefully that works out. This is technically a limited test run, and I sort of want as tight a fit as I can get. If anything else, then fr4 is "soft" enough to accommodate a bit I think.

The plates are affordable enough, that if I get plates in and their too tight, I'll most likely be able to either print new ones with a small change, or host a small GB for users at a much more discounted price, where I cover most of it.

Offline Almost

  • Posts: 39
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Zs Xe
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/14/2020)
« Reply #65 on: Sat, 18 January 2020, 14:07:24 »
Hope this goes good, phantom scene is way slow. I aint put on the form but a gloss black/yellow with that schwey logo would be insane. 2003 is begging for it and so am i  :cool:

ALSO any idea on estimate shipping to UK? if it's hefty i'll let some lucky conus user get one 1st round. Don't keel over before i can get a few later tho  :thumb:

----
I know this aint the time for colour discussion but I'd love to see raw FR4 in the future. it's either a way cool cloudy transparent green or cloudy yellow colour which would pair with polycarb like a champ. Do your guys do that or does it have to be coated? (also are people even interested in raw epoxy fiber??)

thanks for doing this, my poor baby "filco" has been begging for some love
Kbds: KOBO Red Carbon - Filco MJT2 Beige - Topre U23 - Cherry 3700 - Model F XT 5155
Sets: Dolch R1 - Red Alert - Hyperfuse R1 - Cherry WoB - Plum


Offline DALExSNAIL

  • The User Formerly Known as 'Formerly DudeSnail'
  • * Esteemed Elder
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1500
  • Location: Port Wentworth, GA
  • 𝖋𝖚𝖈𝖐 𝖆𝖑𝖕𝖘
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/14/2020)
« Reply #66 on: Sat, 18 January 2020, 15:57:13 »
Hope this goes good, phantom scene is way slow. I aint put on the form but a gloss black/yellow with that schwey logo would be insane. 2003 is begging for it and so am i  :cool:

ALSO any idea on estimate shipping to UK? if it's hefty i'll let some lucky conus user get one 1st round. Don't keel over before i can get a few later tho  :thumb:

----
I know this aint the time for colour discussion but I'd love to see raw FR4 in the future. it's either a way cool cloudy transparent green or cloudy yellow colour which would pair with polycarb like a champ. Do your guys do that or does it have to be coated? (also are people even interested in raw epoxy fiber??)

thanks for doing this, my poor baby "filco" has been begging for some love

Honestly fully raw sounds good, and I'll ask about that. Would be a cool thing to try at least. If they can do that, I'll keep it in mind for the next run.

Shoot me a PM with your address if you're comfortable with that, and I can get you an estimate, would be a good way to estimate it for the GB post  :thumb:

Offline kernelsanders

  • Posts: 7
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Update 1/14/2020)
« Reply #67 on: Sun, 19 January 2020, 06:03:02 »
I gotta say I'm super excited about this. I have several filcos that are in the aliexpress alloy case with universal plates, and am very excited to see you invest in the Filco ecosystem. Count me in!

Offline DALExSNAIL

  • The User Formerly Known as 'Formerly DudeSnail'
  • * Esteemed Elder
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1500
  • Location: Port Wentworth, GA
  • 𝖋𝖚𝖈𝖐 𝖆𝖑𝖕𝖘

Offline yogiblowski9009

  • Posts: 1
Re: [IC] - FR4 Phantom/Filco Plates and Plate liners (Group buy is live!)
« Reply #69 on: Mon, 07 February 2022, 20:44:16 »
Any possibility for a r2 buy? Ik im 3 years late