[IC] QWERkeys 86-key set? RGB mod set? -- DISCUSSION MODE

[sth]

update: sleabo has mentioned that 50 MOQ might be enough to go ahead with this buy since he can probably sell the leftovers. more pre-orders are better!!
in addition QWERkeys will be adding charcoal/dark grey to their color lineup!

Hey bros and babes
Been thinking about how cool a full set of QWERkeys would be so I contacted them and got a quote.
Prices are about 75GBP (give or take, i forget exactly right now), at MOQ of 50 sets. that includes everything execpt the spacebar, for which there is an MOQ of 500... so unless we get a ridiculous number of orders I think we might need someone with an SP color ring to approximate the closest color for spacebars

Colorwise, I was thinking yellow on dark grey, but we can discuss that if there is significant interest. I may not be the one to run the group buy but I figure enough people have been talking about it for a while that we should see what the interest is like.


CURRENT IDEAS
Full set, colors up for discussion. Dark keys seem to be pretty popular. This will end up costing about 120-130 USD.
RGB set - The most economical option at this time. Everybody loves RGB!
Complete modifier set - Perhaps the best compromise and the easiest way to get all of the molds produced for future GBs.

PROFILE: I wanna do J profile, cherry compatible. Perhaps we could throw in an extra Esc key in the tripleshot option?

[The_Beast]

This is going to be a hard sell, but it is a pretty sweet set


Color me semi-interested

[sth]

i know, but LOOK at these. LOOK!

[pasph]

Interested in 1 or + set of modifiers

[sth]

a whole set or just modifiers?

[SmallFry]

Do orange on charcoal!

[1391401]

QWER keys has some awesome colors too, I'd factor that into the IC somehow... I ordered some random blanks just to see how they were and the colors were so cool I still use them for F1-F12

[sth]

Do orange on charcoal!

I knew that was going to come up ) We'll see... yellow is so much nicer than orange though

[pasph]

a whole set or just modifiers?

Are the modifiers that have that MOQ for the combination size-base color.
You can buy a 51 set of caps like that in the picture without any MOQ (i have same samples like green on gray).
So from my point of view it's better buy 3 modifiers set than an 86 set.
Or i'm interested in a set like this function row

[oneproduct]

Would they all have to have the same legend style and/or color scheme? Or can we do anything we like and we're just trying to rustle up numbers so that they'd have a reason to get mods?

[tsangan]

they can do modifiers now?

[pasph]

Well they made for me this set (don't ask please):
65 keys J Series engraved and infilled: 22 Sky blue with black legends + 22 Sky blue with blue legends + 9 Sky blue with red legends + 8 Blue with red legends + 4 Blue with yellow legends

[sth]

pretty sure it would be one set otherwise they'd have to re-set up the molds and everything which would be a huge time sink.

pasph - you get way keys with the set for the same price as what they're selling the 51/whatever set for. this group buy is for stuff they don't currently make, partly to encourage them to keep making cool stuff, partly because their work looks amazing and partly because we REALLY need a better supplier than SP.

oneproduct/pasph... don't mean to sound rude but group buys need to be cohesive or they just won't work.

[sth]

Well they made for me this set (don't ask please):
65 keys J Series engraved and infilled: 22 Sky blue with black legends + 22 Sky blue with blue legends + 9 Sky blue with red legends + 8 Blue with red legends + 4 Blue with yellow legends

so are any of those keys larger than 1x? that's really the impetus for doing a whole set is to get those. if we don't do a GB for them it might take even longer for QWER to be able to do mods. Not saying we need to be a bridge loan for them but they're community members and I would much rather my money go to them than SP for a variety of reasons...

[The_Beast]

Maybe start with a RGB mod set?

[sth]

it's a possibility. wouldn't cover enter, caps lock, tab/|\ or backspace though.
I'll see if I can get a quote on RGB for now.

[pasph]

All of them was 1x1.
If an 86 caps GB can help QWER to do mods i'm in for sure, i just prefer, if it is possible, also, beside it, an alternate color modifiers sub-set, like in the RA or Valentine gb.

[The_Beast]

IDK do the RGB to show interest in his product and maybe he'll front the money for the enter, caps..... molds or use the money from the RGB and buy those molds for the rest of the mods? IDK I'm just thrown out ideas so that we can get stuff done ^__^


Does he have a series that is close to cherry profile. I got the lambda key today, and they are super thick for ABS and really nice, but the profile is closer to OEM

[sth]

All of them was 1x1.
If an 86 caps GB can help QWER to do mods i'm in for sure, i just prefer, if it is possible, also, beside it, an alternate color modifiers sub-set, like in the RA or Valentine gb.

Yeah I gotcha, that is understandable... but keep in mind you're one of the lucky ones with a nearly-whole set

I just sent an email regarding modifier pricing at MOQ of 100. Are people interested mostly in 1.25? Would there be major objection to doing 1.25 and 1.5 mods in one set, plus maybe a short right shift? The short right shift is definitely the weak link there, and I know 1.5 is not as common but I am kinda getting sick of all the 'base set + addon' kits... it just raises prices for everybody, and we all know the resale market is doing fine.
Not to pick on Rag by any means but the red alert set that he ran ended up costing more for all the sets put together than the original RA set and that came with more keys afaik, and the reason is because the number of orders for the more esoteric keys were so low. If everybody is willing to pony up and get a key or two they don't need, it will be cheaper now AND in the future. Just my 2c though.

[Ragnorock]

$121 for a base 86 key set? Kindof expensive, what kind of keys are they?

[sth]

IDK do the RGB to show interest in his product and maybe he'll front the money for the enter, caps..... molds or use the money from the RGB and buy those molds for the rest of the mods? IDK I'm just thrown out ideas so that we can get stuff done ^__^


Does he have a series that is close to cherry profile. I got the lambda key today, and they are super thick for ABS and really nice, but the profile is closer to OEM

The J series is a replica of the cherry profile.

[The_Beast]

I'm a 1.25 mod kinda guy, but if it isn't really that much more ($3-5 per set) it would be a good idea.

$121 for a base 86 key set? Kindof expensive, what kind of keys are they?

Have you seen how thick the keys are? it's damn thick bro

[sth]

$121 for a base 86 key set? Kindof expensive, what kind of keys are they?

Yeah... it's definitely not cheap but it would be supporting a small business with roots in the community, which is valuable to me. Hopefully to others as well. Plus it would encourage them to branch out into new materials and things. They are laser engraved + infilled ABS, I know, not the best, but I think they look way better than most SP stuff.

Sorry for all the posts in a row!

[elton5354]

How about a set in transparency? http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=33316.0

[The_Beast]

How about a set in transparency? http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=33316.0

I don't like the 100% clear, but he did have some that looked like paper but still let light through. I'd be on board for those and I don't have a backlit board to put them on ^___^

[sth]

I dunno, I'm not a big fan of those... my favorite thing about QK is their solid colors + legends. They would be cool for a single key to show off your switch type though
I could see a separate GB for each common cherry MX color.

[terrpn]

so basically $122 US dollars for an 87 set that includes mods (but no space bar)?

[sth]

so basically $122 US dollars for an 87 set that includes mods (but no space bar)?

Yes. Though at this point we're discussing just a modifier set which should be considerably cheaper.

[noog]

I'd be in though the colors do not interest me. Sound silly but a grey on black would be my preference.

[sth]

Sure, we're only in discussion mode now so all ideas will be considered

[The_Beast]

I'd be in though the colors do not interest me. Sound silly but a grey on black would be my preference.

This will be the hardest thing to over come, picking a color

[Halverson]

After sinking so much into R4...can't really justify another full set of caps, especially at that price. But as for a modifier set, I would be keen in getting in on one of those. I really do like the way they do the triple colour style thing, like the GeekHack they recently did. Could possibly do a tri-tone colour of modifiers? Like charcoal sides, orange top and white letters. Just a thought, the problem with QWERkeys is the infinite possibilities in colour and arrangement hah.

[sth]

I'm not sure about their modifier tripleshot capability. It might be more prudent to have solid mods for cost and appeal reasons, but maybe I'm just the only one that's not that into the novelty of triple shot molding

[pasph]

13 base colors (14 with charcoal?) and 6 legends colors...how to make a pool?

[Halverson]

I'm not sure about their modifier tripleshot capability. It might be more prudent to have solid mods for cost and appeal reasons, but maybe I'm just the only one that's not that into the novelty of triple shot molding

I think I'm just in love with colours...you'd probably vomit if you saw my ducky rabbit and cherry 8100....

[demik]

oh?

pink on orange then

[sth]

GO RIDE YOUR BIKE

[The_Beast]

Purple keys, orange infill


^___^

[DarkShot]

I think a full set of charcoal/orange would look great, with the mods charcoal and orange print, everything else orange with charcoal print.

However to make things easier, I think a straight white on orange mod set would be one of the easier things to do, as white keys and spacebars are already easily accessible, with the forward slash and tilde keys orange as well.


(mockup borrowed from Jil's Valentine thread)

[The_Beast]

I wouldn't mind a large center font like what's on a Dolch set. That's assuming we don't have to pay legend fees since it's engraved.

[sth]

you're thinking of Round3 not dolch. Similar colors, different legends. Dolch is basically just cherry white on dark grey.

[The_Beast]

you're thinking of Round3 not dolch. Similar colors, different legends. Dolch is basically just cherry white on dark grey.

That's right I am thinking of round 3. Does QWERkeys charge legend fees? (I don't see a reason why they would)

[sth]

not sure. I actually really like the legends on their alphanums; that and the color choices are 2 of the main reasons i want to try to do a GB through them.

[The_Beast]

Fair enough,  they do look pretty good. Do we have a set color? Do we know if he can do mods? or is it still up in the air?

[sth]

They can do mods but the MOQ is 100 still. I'm waiting on a quote for mods only right now. Color is not decided... but if we do just the mods I imagine might start with RGB set and work from there. First few will probably have to be novelties if they are just one or a few at a time

[The_Beast]

Slow a long isn't ideal but if it gets us the molds for a full set, it will be worth it.

[Kellybear]

Show Image

(mockup borrowed from Jil's Valentine thread)

Hey.. I really like this set.. if the legends on the white keys were also orange. ;x Makes me want tangerines.

[demik]

I think a full set of charcoal/orange would look great, with the mods charcoal and orange print, everything else orange with charcoal print.

However to make things easier, I think a straight white on orange mod set would be one of the easier things to do, as white keys and spacebars are already easily accessible, with the forward slash and tilde keys orange as well.

Show Image

(mockup borrowed from Jil's Valentine thread)

would be better with black legends

GO RIDE YOUR BIKE

going to the gym today! i rode bike yesterday :)

[DarkShot]

would be better with black legends

Completely. Was just a quick change up in photoshop.

Hey.. I really like this set.. if the legends on the white keys were also orange. ;x Makes me want tangerines.

I agree, that one was moreso for the orange mods only.

[sth]

would be better with black legends

too halloweeny! orange is a little ostentatious for my taste but really, this group buy is to get the molds ready so we can do more in the future... just don't see orange and white being popular enough for 100. it's possible though!