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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: dgdosen on Tue, 23 February 2016, 13:17:47

Title: LED/RGB friendly SA Group Buys
Post by: dgdosen on Tue, 23 February 2016, 13:17:47
As LED/RGB keyboards become more popular, has there been any effort to make a "double shot SA" group buy that's light friendly?  I'm assuming that would mean a translucent plastic key fill...

Has anyone been kicking the tires on that idea yet?
Title: Re: LED/RGB friendly SA Group Buys
Post by: dgdosen on Tue, 23 February 2016, 13:40:09
Information from signature plastics: http://www.keycapsdirect.com/faq.php

Quote
12. Do you manufacture Backlit Keycaps?
Signature Plastics manufacturers a variety of custom keycaps for customers with backlit requirements. This process typically involves molding keycaps in a translucent material, then painting them with a highly durable automotive paint and engraving legends through the paint using a CNC engraver. Producing our standard keycaps as double shot backlit keys has quality limitations related to flow channels required to fill islands in legends ( a, b, d, e, g, o etc.) as well as light interference from the mounting stems. Fill islands are referred to as 'counters' by typographers.

Have there been any keyboard group buys with these painted keys?
Title: Re: LED/RGB friendly SA Group Buys
Post by: regack on Tue, 23 February 2016, 17:36:38
Information from signature plastics: http://www.keycapsdirect.com/faq.php

Quote
12. Do you manufacture Backlit Keycaps?
Signature Plastics manufacturers a variety of custom keycaps for customers with backlit requirements. This process typically involves molding keycaps in a translucent material, then painting them with a highly durable automotive paint and engraving legends through the paint using a CNC engraver. Producing our standard keycaps as double shot backlit keys has quality limitations related to flow channels required to fill islands in legends ( a, b, d, e, g, o etc.) as well as light interference from the mounting stems. Fill islands are referred to as 'counters' by typographers.

Have there been any keyboard group buys with these painted keys?

Not that I'm aware of.  I would love a set in DSA, simply because I have a lot of non-standard things, and I want to move the keys around without worrying about profile. 
Title: Re: LED/RGB friendly SA Group Buys
Post by: Den441 on Tue, 23 February 2016, 19:40:46
I also think there is some interest out there for a backlight compatible custom keyset. My idea was for a set with bluish-gray mods and dark gray alphas. They would be doubleshot and the legends would be transparent plastic. Profile could be SA or whatever people would want. The issue is that I don't think SP offers a transparent plastic color for doubleshots. They could likely make it a custom color, but that would increase the MOQ/price. Still, it may be something to explore if the interest is really out there.
Title: Re: LED/RGB friendly SA Group Buys
Post by: nightdriver on Fri, 26 February 2016, 21:59:48
i don't think painted keycaps are the way to go.  the paint will wear off and you'll be left with illegible ugly keys.
Title: Re: LED/RGB friendly SA Group Buys
Post by: Lepidus on Fri, 26 February 2016, 22:13:23
The issue is that I don't think SP offers a transparent plastic color for doubleshots.

They do, but it will look like this:
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
[attach=3]
Title: Re: LED/RGB friendly SA Group Buys
Post by: blai5000 on Fri, 26 February 2016, 22:17:51
SP does those translucent polycarb caps in DCS, maybe they can use the same for DSA and SA?  Wouldn't need any new tooling, right?
Title: Re: LED/RGB friendly SA Group Buys
Post by: seville57 on Sat, 27 February 2016, 09:03:53
SP does those translucent polycarb caps in DCS, maybe they can use the same for DSA and SA?  Wouldn't need any new tooling, right?

I have a   clear translucent DCS set + 2 blue DCS caps  from SP + W, A, S, D and Up arrow, Down arrow, Left arrow and Right arrow caps from ex Qwerkeys on this Ducky Shine 3 k-board.

(http://i.imgur.com/0U9oiB3.jpg)


Title: Re: LED/RGB friendly SA Group Buys
Post by: misconceit on Sat, 27 February 2016, 13:27:18
Does SP take single order, like custom made?
Title: Re: LED/RGB friendly SA Group Buys
Post by: seville57 on Sat, 27 February 2016, 13:49:36
Does SP take single order, like custom made?

I e-mail SP in 2014, about a single DCS ISO/Nordic legend layout translucent set (like the photo above your post but with ISO/Nordic legends). $800 for this single custom set but I never did that.



 http://www.keycapsdirect.com/customkeycaps.php





Title: Re: LED/RGB friendly SA Group Buys
Post by: misconceit on Sat, 27 February 2016, 14:47:14
Does SP take single order, like custom made?

I e-mail SP in 2014, about a single DCS ISO/Nordic legend layout translucent set (like the photo above your post but with ISO/Nordic legends). $800 for this single custom set but I never did that.



 http://www.keycapsdirect.com/customkeycaps.php
Lol for that price I could get a vintage IBM keyobard  :))