Have you ever procrastinated so hard that you made an entirely new keyboard, while trying to finish a keyboard?
Well I'm only half joking, here is my second keyboard design I would like to share with you all:
Aqua F-rowless TKL
(https://i.imgur.com/3k3COqf.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/5ppXMZq.png)
More renders of different colors and angles can be found here: https://ellipse-antelope-7c7s.squarespace.com/keyboardcatalog/aqua-f-rowless-tkl (https://ellipse-antelope-7c7s.squarespace.com/keyboardcatalog/aqua-f-rowless-tkl)
Password:keyboards
https://imgur.com/a/nJ25vvd (https://imgur.com/a/nJ25vvd)
Some of the renders might be a bit outdated, the design now uses an unified daughterboard on the right side.
Inspiration and Design:
I wanted to make a flowing water-themed keyboard, so I spent a long time trying to experiment with different corner designs and symmetries trying to make metal resemble water flowing over the edge. After a while, I finally arrived at this design. The bottom carries over the flowing corners from above but I tried to do something different with the feet by having it resemble a canyon with a river cutting through the middle.
So yeah, I don't want to make this too long, but I have one really important note:I WOULD LIKE TO COLLABORATE WITH SOMEONE THAT CAN DESIGN AND PROTOTYPE A PCB FOR THIS BOARD.I don't know enough about pcb manufacturing and prototyping to feel comfortable trying to do this alone. If you are interested, please reach out to me, we can work out something together. Once a pcb prototype is ready I will make at least one prototype, and if there is enough interest I will start a small private run where people can contact me if they want to join. I don't want to take on too much at once and not be able to deliver properly. If you are a vendor, please leave a note if you would be ok with taking orders for this board too, I want to be as transparent and honest as possible.
Please take this strawpoll:
https://www.strawpoll.me/45589374/
Specs:
5 degree typing angle
frowless TKL
gasket mount
CNC aluminum with either aluminum or brass weight
Notes:
Are the feet uneven?: No, every part of the keyboard that contacts the desk is flat at 5 degrees.
Will the keyboard be unstable?: No, the feet run along the entire length of the top and bottom.
Will X layout be supported?: I'm not sure, maybe during an actual run, but right now I'm just trying to make it as simple as possible to prevent mistakes along the way.
Estimated price?: I know the prototype pricing for 1 is around 1k, but I would need to know how many I'm making for a better estimate.
Does it use unified daughterboard?: yes
Questions:
What colors would you guys be interested in?
Would you guys also like a brass weight option?
I'm thinking of making something like brass bottom for a single run only:
(https://i.imgur.com/FkrwgtA.png)
but it would probably be super expensive. Would that be something you would be interested in?
Reddit:
https://old.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/p7uynt/ic_aqua_frowless_tkl/? (https://old.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/p7uynt/ic_aqua_frowless_tkl/?)
Update 1:
Am working on possible additional weight designs
Update 2 8/25/2021 (also below):
Hello guys, this is probably going to be the last update before I order prototypes from the factory.
This means that the final weight design is done which is attached below:
(https://i.imgur.com/WNOwbE7.png)
more renders https://imgur.com/a/85it10a
I also have a quote from the factory, and after seeing the quote I think I'm going to aim for 50 boards if I can't get vendors on board. If it does get popular I will think about running it again.
Please fill out this form if you are interested in this board:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd3T_QgJI29Irx9yaC8kREZKi514abKdY3_BDp14Bt7ZZhUIw/viewform?usp=sf_link
This is the estimated pricing and configs I'm going to offer unless something unexpected happens in the form above:
Board colors: Navy or Dark Red (If you are curious about the red, I'm going to try to match it to the ones in the renders above)
Weight option: only the wave weight option as shown in this post, as I think it's going to be more popular.
Either color is going to cost about 550~600 if we reach 50 boards. If we do get to more boards with more vendors, it's probably going to be closer to 500.
Additional plate 80
additional pcb 40~50
If e white/e black ends up being more popular, I will eat the cost difference between anodization and the electrophoresis process, at least for the first run.