Print Page - [IC]NEO Palette G88 - Gasket Stacked Acrylic TKL Kit|Build Guide Anime Updated

Ladies and gentlemen, this is Patrick, owner and designer of NEO Keys (https://www.neokeys.net/)(Discord (https://discord.gg/2MCKpQQ), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/neokeys)) .
I’m honored to present you with NEO Key’s 4th project and the first TKL model, Palette G88.
While most details of the design have been finalized, there are a few more that I would like to leave to the community. Please fill in the IC Form (https://forms.gle/XzYr7yChZLgbq9sN9).

(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Angelic_Stand_Front.png?v=1642662240)

Palette G88 is the second model of Palette series following Palette G67, the first gasket mount stacked acrylic keyboard kit.
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/NEOKey_Palette_G67_-_Ripple_with_GMK_Noel_RGB.png?v=1613705803)
Palette G88 inherited the simple yet effective gasket mount structure and is further improved on material application and engineering precision.
Palette G67 was a budget friendly, high performance, fun to build keyboard kit. But it was far from perfect. With the great feedback and advice for improvement from NEO Keys customers and Discord community,

Palette G88 has received a few major upgrades:

- Acrylic material and design upgrade:
Palette G67 featured fully customizable acrylic colors. An unexpected downside is the inconsistency of acrylic plate thickness.
Thickness of different color varies from 2.2mm – 2.8mm. With a certain color combination, the case body could get too thin to allow any plate flex.
Between the dilemma of typing experience, performance, engineering precision and aesthetics diversity, Palette G88 went for the former.
Palette G88 uses a hybrid of 3 different types of acrylic material, 2.7mm frosted clear cast acrylic, 2.5mm clear extruded acrylic and 3.5mm clear extrude acrylic.
The result is 3.25mm PCB to case bottom clearance (vs maximum of 2.35mm clearance on G67), allowing a lot more plate flex; more consistent external dimension and internal structure; more consistent gasket compression ratio which also delivers better performance and typing sound.
Because 2.5mm and 3.5mm extruded acrylic plate is available in only clear, plate color customization and color tab design is no longer available for Palette G88.

- PCB and general case structure upgrade:
All stacked acrylic keyboards share the same inevitable design flaw, the cut-outs on lowest 3 layers for integrated USB-C port.
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G67_R1.5_No_Tabs_v9.jpg?v=1642673727)
To resolve the issue, Palette G88 PCB does not have an integrated USB-C port, instead uses C3 Unified USB-C Daughter Board.
The cable that connects PCB and daughter board runs through the bottom layer, which is covered and protected by an acrylic housing.
Palette G88 thus has a fully closed case body. It is visually integral, structurally more rigid, robust and durable.
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_88_-_Final_v60.jpg?v=1642673728)

- Feet design upgrade:
Palette G67 uses stacked acrylic plate feet design. It has an angled contact surface with desktop, thus grip and stability could become an issue for those who don’t use a desk mat.
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/NEOKey_Palette_G67_Feet.jpg?v=1642674975)
Palette G88 features a new locking mechanism that binds stack acrylic plates vertically, thus creating a perfectly flat and level contact, providing a much stronger grip against your desk, and no doubt looks much cooler.
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_88_-_Feet.jpg?v=1642674974)

- Plate material and finish upgrade:
Due to the large size of TKL keyboard layout and the natural lack of stiffness in acrylic case, softer plates material didn’t test as well as stiffer plates during prototyping stage. Brass plate came out as the final winner.
With some properly designed flex cuts, it provides a great balance between soft typing experience and crispy and clear acoustics.
To compensate the lack of case color options, the brass plate comes in 4 polished PVD finishes, gold, gun metal grey and rarely seen blue and purple!

- Hardware upgrade:
Brass standoff used on Palette G67 has some rust issues and its gold color will not universally work well with some darker plate color options such as gun metal grey and blue. Palette G88 will use all custom made anodized aluminum M2 standoff.

Palette G88 Specs

- Dimension -

364.6mm*140mm*20.6mm(front)/36.5mm(rear); 6.5 degree typing angle

(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Dimension_1.png?v=1642679080)
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Dimension_2.png?v=1642679080)

- Case -

Case layout option: Standard, WKL
Case color option: Frosted clear

- Plate -

1.5mm brass, polished chrome plating + PVD finish
Layout options: Solder Standard, Solder WKL, Hotswap Standard, Hotswap WKL,

Color options: Angelic(gold), Tungsten(gun metal grey), Abyss(blue), Nova(purple).

(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Plates.png?v=1642759748)
Other options: With Palette Logo, Without Palette Logo

- PCB -

QMK programmable, VIA supported
C3 Unified daughterboard

Soldered version – TKL F13 layout; ANSI/ISO compatible; split backspace, split right shift and WKL supported; LED underglow; screw-in stabs only.
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Soldered_PCB_and_Plate_Layout.png?v=1642679109)
Hotswap version – WKL F13 layout; ANSI only; LED underglow; per key LED.
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Hotswap_PCB_and_Plate_Layout.png?v=1642679109)

Renders

- Angelic -

(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Angelic_GMK_BoW.png?v=1642662240)(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Angelic_GMK_BoW_Front.png?v=1642662240)(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Angelic_GMK_BoW_Side_2.png?v=1642662240)

Tungsten
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Tungsten_GMK_WoB_Side.png?v=1642662240)(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Tungsten_GMK_WoB.png?v=1642662240)(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Tungsten_GMK_WoB_Side_2.png?v=1642662361)

- Abyss -
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Abyss_GMK_BoW_Side.png?v=1642662240)(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Abyss_GMK_BoW.png?v=1642662240)(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Abyss_GMK_BoW_Side_2.png?v=1642662240)

- Nova -
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Nova_GMK_WoB_Side.png?v=1642662240)(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Nova_GMK_WoB.png?v=1642662240)(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/0418/6773/files/Palette_G88_Nova_GMK_WoB_Side_2.png?v=1642662240)

Estimated kit price: $180-200
Extra Plate and PCB will be offered, but I recommend purchasing them only as pack up spare parts or for your own keyboard design project,
as changing plate/pcb module involves taking apart and reassembling 6 pieces of acrylic plates and 20 screws.
For the sake of your time and sanity, picking up extra plate and pcb for another set of key switches is not a good idea.

GB starting in early-mid March.
Build streams coming soon at Twitch channels of these awesome keyboard builders:
MechMerlin (https://www.twitch.tv/mechmerlin) | MechMerlin's Unboxing Video (https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1276246975) | MechMerlin's Build Video (https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1414723748)
Andy Nguyen (https://www.twitch.tv/andyvnguyen) | Andy's Build Stream VOD (https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1290869531) | Andy's Build From SCRATCH Stream VOD (https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1408885998)
Alexotos (https://www.twitch.tv/alexotos) | Alexotos' Build Stream VOD (https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1302550629)
Manoli Visuals (https://twitch.tv/ManoliVisual) | Manoli' Build Stream VOD (https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1307110106)
Build Gude Animation

Stay tuned!

100% in! i love my palette g67! :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

Please don't use a proprietary PCB, will the case design be made available as DXF?

Possibility of a plate without the "Palette" cut out for a cleaner look?

Quote from: atyxiao on Thu, 20 January 2022, 16:28:27

Possibility of a plate without the "Palette" cut out for a cleaner look?

Thanks for this ... I'm in the #nologo train too.

I somehow posted the thread while I thought I was editing it. Any added some pics and renders. build streams coming soon.

Quote from: atyxiao on Thu, 20 January 2022, 16:28:27

Possibility of a plate without the "Palette" cut out for a cleaner look?

I will release plate files for both with and w/o logo versions.
but the plate that comes with the kit will have logo

Quote from: hussar_name on Thu, 20 January 2022, 13:53:52

Please don't use a proprietary PCB

No off the shelf PCB meeds my requirement sadly.

Quote from: hussar_name on Thu, 20 January 2022, 13:53:52

will the case design be made available as DXF?

Case no, plate yes.

As someone who has bought Element G67 from you, your support in discord, and the way that you take feedback, I am 100% going to support and buy this.
Looking forward to the GB! :thumb:

I hate the "palette" logo, feels so art nouveau.

Plus not compatible with existing pcbs and case not open source. Not sure that I'll join.

Quote from: Handke on Fri, 21 January 2022, 06:15:48

I hate the "palette" logo, feels so art nouveau.

Plus not compatible with existing pcbs and case not open source. Not sure that I'll join.

thanks for the feedback.

Added a question for no logo plate option in IC. Will let community decide.

I use PCB of my own design and supply chain due to lead time and cost.

Like Palette G67, case file is actually available to customers.

Quote from: Handke on Fri, 21 January 2022, 06:15:48

I hate the "palette" logo, feels so art nouveau.

Plus not compatible with existing pcbs and case not open source. Not sure that I'll join.

Thanks, for that. I tend to prefer h88c compatible PCBs because I hot swap them, and I don't like to do it for each new keyboard.

Added plate layout options, standard/WKL, with logo/without logo.

added MechMerlin's unboxing video:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1276246975

Andy V Nguyen is streaming a Palette G88 Abyss build right now
https://www.twitch.tv/andyvnguyen (https://www.twitch.tv/andyvnguyen)

Andy Nguyen's build stream VOD:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1290869531

Alexotos' build stream VOD:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1302550629

I really dig this. And those builds from Andy and Alex are really nice. GLWIC (and eventually, GB).

Manoli Visual's build stream VOD:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1307110106

Looks quite nice! GL for the group buy, might look to pick it up.

I'd add that to my collection, good luck with the gb!

updated with Andy and Merlin's new build stream.
Also considering adding lower cost plate options.

Updated build guide animation

gb when? i got cash on hand, gotta throw it out before someone finds out ;D ;D ;D

Any updates on this?

geekhack

geekhack Marketplace => Interest Checks => Topic started by: Patrickwu on Thu, 20 January 2022, 01:54:24