Author Topic: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted  (Read 26868 times)

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Offline kcching

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[IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« on: Sun, 21 November 2021, 07:28:36 »

GB Date: 27th January 2022- 8th Feburary 2022 [Unlimited]
Time:  27th January 2022, 10AM (GMT+8)
GB Post

Introduction
Ark Studio was established in China by a group of keyboard enthusiasts since 2019.
We had run 7 successful group buys in China to date.

Please join our Discord server to discover our previous works: https://discord.gg/UvuTHkHvww

With our own CNC machining factory, all the group buys in China were all delivered earlier than expected (within 4 months).
We are confident that our production quality is in line with international standard.
Here we introduced you our latest product:- Ark68 R2.







Exploded View


We understand that its all about personal preferences in terms of sound and feel.
Hence we provide the foams so that you can use according to your liking.


Case Specification
  • 65% with top right blocker
  • Gasket mounted
  • PCB foam, case foam and switch foam
  • 7 degree typing angle
  • Seamless design
  • Unbuilt base kit is about 1.1kg; Built kit with PVD brass weight and PVD backpiece is about 2.8kg


PCB Specification
  • 1.2mm flex cut
  • Unified USB-C daughterboard
  • VIA supported
  • Solder and Hotswap options
  • Hotswap PCB only support WK, ANSI layout with 7u spacebar

Solder PCB Supported Layout


PCB Prototypes
Hotswap


Solder


** PCB color is not finalized.

Plate Options
  • FR4
  • PC
  • Aluminum

Packaging Specification
    CNC EVA form, anti-dust PE wrapping


Prototypes
We skipped the rendering and go straight to prototypes production.
Some of the prototypes will be send to keyboard enthusiast(s) for build and review (Yes! We are arranging now).

Due to the many components in this board, and we have more than 25 colors to choose from, we haven't decide on the colorway combination yet.
We will create an IC form to gather input from the community before we finalize the colorway.

Here are the actual prototypes photos:























Sound Test
Lubed Cream switches, OW stabilizers, Aluminum plate

Not a valid vimeo URL

Flex test with case foam
Not a valid vimeo URL

Flex test W/O case foam
Not a valid vimeo URL


Piano switches L/F with Sprit 63.5 slow2 spring swap W/O case foam
Not a valid vimeo URL

Banana Split switches L/F , aluminum plate, GMK Wild, NO FOAM

Neapolitan Ice Cream switch L/F , aluminum plate, CRP C64, NO FOAM

Neapolitan Ice Cream switch L/F , aluminum plate, GMK Modo Light, NO FOAM

H1 switch L/F , FR4 plate, GMK Oblivion, NO FOAM


To Do
  • IC Form
  • Colorway and Options
  • GB
« Last Edit: Mon, 07 February 2022, 04:22:21 by kcching »

Offline kcching

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Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #1 on: Sun, 21 November 2021, 07:29:52 »
CHANGE LOG

2021-11-22
- Fix typo for Hotswap PCB, hotswap only support WK, ANSI layout with 7u spacebar

2021-11-23
- Update IC form

2021-12-01
- Sound test and flex test with PC plate, without case foam

2021-12-02
- Sound test with Banana split on aluminum plate, NO FOAM except anti-static sheet beneath PCB
- Sound test with Neapolitan Ice Cream Switch on aluminum plate with CRP C64, NO FOAM except anti-static sheet beneath PCB
- Sound test with Neapolitan Ice Cream Switch on aluminum plate with GMK Modo Light, NO FOAM except anti-static sheet beneath PCB

2021-12-03
- Sound test with H1 Switch on FR4 plate with GMK Oblivion, NO FOAM except anti-static sheet beneath PCB
« Last Edit: Fri, 03 December 2021, 12:02:49 by kcching »

Offline treeleaf64

  • Posts: 1836
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    • treeleaf64
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #2 on: Sun, 21 November 2021, 08:07:23 »
Suspicious flex cuts
Suspicious amount of foam
Time to do more bad word posting
treeleaf64: https://discord.gg/rbUjtsRG6P

This is the cat and pat!!!!!!!!

Offline actress

  • Posts: 120
  • Location: Sweden
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #3 on: Sun, 21 November 2021, 08:47:04 »
please no

Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 21 November 2021, 11:31:21 »
Why does the hotswap PCB say it only supports ISO, when based off the hotswap PCB proto it looks like it supports ANSI.

Offline SDKCAMPING

  • Posts: 183
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #5 on: Sun, 21 November 2021, 14:27:55 »
that exploded view bluew my mind, so many layers it's crazy. too many!
Blue Gray Ciel 60 with BCPs | E-white 7V (plateless) with Aqua Kings

Offline HappyB0T

  • Posts: 434
  • Location: Midwest, USA
  • I'm a Piggie
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #6 on: Sun, 21 November 2021, 19:02:27 »
that exploded view bluew my mind, so many layers it's crazy. too many!

Lol I did the same thing. Mind exploded. Then I tried to count the layers. I think I saw 4 layers that were not pcb, plate or case.

Offline Fraaaan

  • Posts: 365
  • Location: cucked (EU)
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #7 on: Sun, 21 November 2021, 19:33:38 »
4 pieces of foam? Jesus... Did it really sound so bad that you had to eliminate every last bit of the case sound?

Offline kcching

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  • Posts: 26
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #8 on: Sun, 21 November 2021, 20:39:44 »
Why does the hotswap PCB say it only supports ISO, when based off the hotswap PCB proto it looks like it supports ANSI.

It was a typo. Amended.
Hotswap only support WKL, ANSI with 7u spacebar.

Offline kcching

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  • Posts: 26
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #9 on: Sun, 21 November 2021, 20:53:29 »
4 pieces of foam? Jesus... Did it really sound so bad that you had to eliminate every last bit of the case sound?

Hi! All foams are optional.
We understand that its all about personal preferences in terms of sound and feel.
Hence we provide the foams so that you can use according to your liking.

Offline kcching

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  • Posts: 26
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #10 on: Sun, 21 November 2021, 20:55:51 »
that exploded view bluew my mind, so many layers it's crazy. too many!

Hi! All foams are optional.
We understand that its all about personal preferences in terms of sound and feel.
Hence we provide the foams so that you can use according to your liking.

Offline finalarcadia

  • Posts: 408
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #11 on: Sun, 21 November 2021, 21:09:12 »
I like the case design, good job. Would’ve loved your tkl better tho :p

Offline kcching

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Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #12 on: Sun, 21 November 2021, 21:21:28 »
I like the case design, good job. Would’ve loved your tkl better tho
Thanks for the kind word!
We do plan to bring Ark87 again but with different design elements

« Last Edit: Sun, 21 November 2021, 22:30:10 by kcching »

Offline bahm

  • Posts: 2
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #13 on: Sun, 21 November 2021, 23:18:27 »
Really digging the dark mirror/pink backside

Offline Stilou Studio

  • Formerly Seo
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  • Danish Designed Keyboards
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #14 on: Mon, 22 November 2021, 03:35:40 »
Looks awesome! GLWIC

Offline kcching

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Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #15 on: Mon, 22 November 2021, 08:17:46 »

Offline kcching

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Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #16 on: Mon, 29 November 2021, 10:06:37 »
Update - Sound test and flex test with PC plate, without case foam

Offline unusuaL_

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  • Location: United Kingdom
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Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #17 on: Tue, 30 November 2021, 11:02:20 »
we need a lot of foam to keep our keyboards warm this winter i suppose
collection: yae60 proto, f1-8k (cocogoat shill), hhkb pro2

Offline kcching

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  • Posts: 26
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #18 on: Thu, 02 December 2021, 02:44:46 »
we need a lot of foam to keep our keyboards warm this winter i suppose

Updated sound test with Banana split on aluminum plate, NO FOAM except anti-static sheet beneath PCB.

Hope you like it!

Offline kcching

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  • Posts: 26
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #19 on: Thu, 02 December 2021, 02:45:58 »
4 pieces of foam? Jesus... Did it really sound so bad that you had to eliminate every last bit of the case sound?

Update sound test with Banana split on aluminum plate, NO FOAM except anti-static sheet beneath PCB.

Hope you like it!


Offline kcching

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  • Posts: 26
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #20 on: Thu, 02 December 2021, 12:15:53 »
Added sound test with Neapolitan Ice Cream Switch on aluminum plate with CRP C64 / GMK Modo Light, NO FOAM except anti-static sheet beneath PCB
« Last Edit: Thu, 02 December 2021, 13:01:47 by kcching »

Offline kcching

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Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #21 on: Fri, 03 December 2021, 12:03:15 »
Added sound test with H1 Switch on FR4 plate, GMK Oblivion, NO FOAM except anti-static sheet beneath PCB

Offline lovebee.co

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Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #22 on: Fri, 03 December 2021, 14:06:52 »
any idea for price point yet?

Offline kcching

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  • Posts: 26
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #23 on: Sat, 04 December 2021, 09:58:14 »
Est. around USD 300 for base kit

any idea for price point yet?

Offline Neprawdda

  • Posts: 6
  • Location: Russia
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #24 on: Sat, 04 December 2021, 12:58:15 »
Will there be a plate file? or can you make a pom plate? and carbon.

Offline kcching

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  • Posts: 26
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #25 on: Wed, 08 December 2021, 04:22:45 »
No plan for POM and carbon plate at the moment.
But we will release the plate file.

Will there be a plate file? or can you make a pom plate? and carbon.

Offline kcching

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Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #26 on: Tue, 25 January 2022, 04:16:01 »
We are very excited to announce that we are going to start the group buy by 27th January! It will be a 2 weeks unlimited group buy.

Offline Neprawdda

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  • Location: Russia
Re: [IC] Ark68 R2 by Ark Studio - 65% Gasket Mounted
« Reply #27 on: Tue, 25 January 2022, 09:18:55 »
We are very excited to announce that we are going to start the group buy by 27th January! It will be a 2 weeks unlimited group buy.
For three weeks?)