It costs a lot for manufactures to print them. Signature Plastics, GMK, etc Same with Keycaps, materials for mold, cast, supply demand, etc.
It costs a lot for manufactures to print them. Signature Plastics, GMK, etc Same with Keycaps, materials for mold, cast, supply demand, etc.
dem limited runs
It costs a lot for manufactures to print them. Signature Plastics, GMK, etc Same with Keycaps, materials for mold, cast, supply demand, etc.
dem limited runs
*Cough Cough*Show Image(http://i62.tinypic.com/2zdwwoz.jpg)
You and me both.It costs a lot for manufactures to print them. Signature Plastics, GMK, etc Same with Keycaps, materials for mold, cast, supply demand, etc.
dem limited runs
*Cough Cough*Show Image(http://i62.tinypic.com/2zdwwoz.jpg)
the amount of things i would swallow for one blank Realforce set...
*Cough Cough*Yeah, but those were made in Japan. Topre keycaps are like square melons.Show Image(http://i62.tinypic.com/2zdwwoz.jpg)
You would think wider adoption of 3D printing tools would make small production runs less costly?
I expect the material cost to be something around $0.05 worth of plastics. Its the labour we pay for, the person doing the physical work on each chunk of plastic. (Dunno why, since Foxconn slave labour gets paid less than $0.05 anyways, but thats a different issue altogether.) But the labour cost is minimized once the automation kicks in, any decent CNC/3DPrint setup should be able to spew forth tons of one-of-a-kind pieces along a programmed script, no?
You would think wider adoption of 3D printing tools would make small production runs less costly?
I expect the material cost to be something around $0.05 worth of plastics. Its the labour we pay for, the person doing the physical work on each chunk of plastic. (Dunno why, since Foxconn slave labour gets paid less than $0.05 anyways, but thats a different issue altogether.) But the labour cost is minimized once the automation kicks in, any decent CNC/3DPrint setup should be able to spew forth tons of one-of-a-kind pieces along a programmed script, no?
The more you buy, the cheaper it gets.
Hey Dustin where EXACTLY do you live I'm going to be headed through MN and I would love to drop by and cough...cough... Say hi yes that's it i would like to chat :thumb: j/k you always have the craziest stuff good sir. Do you mind if I ask what your profession is? Anyways beautiful pics and gear as ALWAYS. Don't mind me I'm just spoon deep in a jar of smuckers. Love it :eek:It costs a lot for manufactures to print them. Signature Plastics, GMK, etc Same with Keycaps, materials for mold, cast, supply demand, etc.
dem limited runs
*Cough Cough*Show Image(http://i62.tinypic.com/2zdwwoz.jpg)
Good God. That's so nice. ;-;It costs a lot for manufactures to print them. Signature Plastics, GMK, etc Same with Keycaps, materials for mold, cast, supply demand, etc.
dem limited runs
*Cough Cough*Show Image(http://i62.tinypic.com/2zdwwoz.jpg)
Okay, that post above was me. I didn't realise I made a separate account for tapatalk. I'm dumb.Reported j/k
Thank you guys for all the responses. I was looking into buying some keysets but they are so freaking expensive!
Thank you guys for all the responses. I was looking into buying some keysets but they are so freaking expensive!Keep in mind that the past few years GMK and custom SP legends have become much more readily available. Usually companies order those keysets at much larger numbers and often in standard colours meaning better prices. Before group buys were a thing we couldn't even get our hands on Cherry/GMK keys because it took us a while to find the place that bought the old machinery and was using it now.
Supply and demand.
Heh, I was about to make the same topic, but then got derrailed. Good that I looked again before making a duplicate one.You could take a look at Tai Hao caps.
So, where can I find cheap keycaps sets for making a custom keyboard? Because, besides the case, they seem to be the largest single cost. I did not expect that. A single mx-compatible keycap set is more expensive than my entire keyboard everwhere I looked. Even a blank one at Signature Plastics. And it is not because I'm buying too little, because I bought only one of my keyboard too.
And I've not found any keycaps for matias switches, so I guess they are not suitable to build a custom keyboard... The quiet click ones sounded nice, but I guess the cheap gateron browns will make do, and maybe even better for me.
Supply and demand.
For resale. For new caps it's economies of scale.
Thanks, on mechanical keyboards there are even cheaper sets than the Tai-Hao and the ones I saw on Signature Plastics. Still kinda pricey. But the GB set is a better price for sure. I guess there is no way around the economies of scale. I will probably wait some more to see what will come out of Axios and Keyboardio croudsourcing, or if there is a new GB like the one you linked.Heh, I was about to make the same topic, but then got derrailed. Good that I looked again before making a duplicate one.You could take a look at Tai Hao caps.
So, where can I find cheap keycaps sets for making a custom keyboard? Because, besides the case, they seem to be the largest single cost. I did not expect that. A single mx-compatible keycap set is more expensive than my entire keyboard everwhere I looked. Even a blank one at Signature Plastics. And it is not because I'm buying too little, because I bought only one of my keyboard too.
And I've not found any keycaps for matias switches, so I guess they are not suitable to build a custom keyboard... The quiet click ones sounded nice, but I guess the cheap gateron browns will make do, and maybe even better for me.
Alps are currently limited to vintage sets.
EDIT:
These (http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_list&c=40) Tai-Hao sets are available on MK.com (http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_list&c=40). Roughly $49 per set with free shipping.
In a GB some sets can be as cheap as $15 (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=58110.0).
If that is still too pricey... you might have picked the wrong hobby. :P
I could give you a more technical explanation why a GMK is more expensive than Tai-Hao or Signature Plastics if you want. ;)
The Keyboard Co now lists Matias keycaps on their site: http://www.keyboardco.com/index.aspThanks, I'm looking for boring sets. But I think this round was won by cherry compatible swiches, for me. I hope in some years those matias swiches and keycaps will be more accessible, as the connector between them seems a simpler and better design than the cross shaped cherry mx stem.
Can't remember who their partner is on the other side of the ocean, but they most likely will also start to stock them. Not a lot of options (white or black only so far), but at least it's something.