geekhack

geekhack Marketplace => Interest Checks => Topic started by: fireworm on Wed, 23 May 2018, 23:59:23

Title: [IC] Alps Blanks (Signature Plastics)
Post by: fireworm on Wed, 23 May 2018, 23:59:23
Form: https://goo.gl/forms/wVjUqNI7N4DmZkAz1 (https://goo.gl/forms/wVjUqNI7N4DmZkAz1)

I'm interested in buying a ton of alps blanks (because no one is stocking them at decent prices or wide enough variety) and then opening a little shop, or running a group buy similar to the one currently running.

To keep costs 'low', my suggestion was to buy white DSA (uniform profile), then dye them to a nice color scheme. Disadvantage is that matching colors for replacements is near impossible.

Looking at DCS, the issue is that profiles really make it quite expensive to get this to reasonable costs.  (Likely, $100 per blank set or so?)


DCS for standard ANSI, not including numpad, is at least 12 different orders (each row + size combination is a unique order), minimum $60 per order (regardless of how many caps, but prices become nicer around 15 caps per order).

DSA for 'anything' is 8 different orders, minimum $60 per order (regardless of how many caps, but prices become nicer around 15 caps per order).

Anyway, is there any interest in Alps Blanks out there?

Will close the form around Saturday / Sunday.
Title: Re: [IC] Alps Blanks (Signature Plastics)
Post by: RealLaugh on Thu, 24 May 2018, 00:01:14
filled in the form, am intersted in WKL (or TKL + WKL addon kit, however it's offered).
Title: Re: [IC] Alps Blanks (Signature Plastics)
Post by: fireworm on Thu, 24 May 2018, 00:10:06
filled in the form, am intersted in WKL (or TKL + WKL addon kit, however it's offered).

Likely, with blanks, I can just offer the individual caps for direct sale.  I could probably offer 'typical' sets (Planck, ANSI 60%, ANSI TKL, etc.), but I'd probably order enough for singles so long as folks would pay shipping, since those DCS R4 1.5u caps are way cheaper when I order 25 instead of 10.
Title: Re: [IC] Alps Blanks (Signature Plastics)
Post by: Hak Foo on Thu, 24 May 2018, 00:10:37
To my knowledge, Signature Plastics can only do Cherry stabilizer mounts, so we'd need adaptors to fit many ALPS boards.
Title: Re: [IC] Alps Blanks (Signature Plastics)
Post by: fireworm on Thu, 24 May 2018, 00:17:44
To my knowledge, Signature Plastics can only do Cherry stabilizer mounts, so we'd need adaptors to fit many ALPS boards.

Yep, I was considering buying a bunch of the Nexus MX to Alps Stablizers for the alps stabilizer folks.
Title: Re: [IC] Alps Blanks (Signature Plastics)
Post by: Applet on Fri, 25 May 2018, 03:19:22
I'm still waiting for the Matias blanks that should be available soon, I'm not a big fan of DCS. Any possibility to try and run a Matias GB?
Title: Re: [IC] Alps Blanks (Signature Plastics)
Post by: fireworm on Fri, 25 May 2018, 16:42:50
I'm still waiting for the Matias blanks that should be available soon, I'm not a big fan of DCS. Any possibility to try and run a Matias GB?

Looks like the Matias Blanks are available to me, actually.  They are ABS in whatever Matias' profile is.

https://matias.store/collections/keycaps-and-switches-1/products/keycap-set-white-blank (https://matias.store/collections/keycaps-and-switches-1/products/keycap-set-white-blank)

Also, looks like literally no one has PBT though, so perhaps that's a nice void to fill.   :)

Are you interested in DSA?  Or is there some other random profile you'd like?
Title: Re: [IC] Alps Blanks (Signature Plastics)
Post by: BlindAssassin111 on Fri, 25 May 2018, 16:49:43
To my knowledge, Signature Plastics can only do Cherry stabilizer mounts, so we'd need adaptors to fit many ALPS boards.

Yep, I was considering buying a bunch of the Nexus MX to Alps Stablizers for the alps stabilizer folks.

You rang? lol.

I would be interested in a set possibly. Looking for something similar to how the F62/F77 look with blanks, That is sexy tbh... DCS would be prefered though, not a fan of uniform profiles.
Title: Re: [IC] Alps Blanks (Signature Plastics)
Post by: fireworm on Fri, 25 May 2018, 16:57:13

I would be interested in a set possibly. Looking for something similar to how the F62/F77 look with blanks, That is sexy tbh... DCS would be prefered though, not a fan of uniform profiles.

'Beige' then! ;)  Fill out the form!  Make your opinion heard!

stats so far:
70% DCS, 50% DSA
90% PBT
57% White, 60% Beige, 33% Black.

Was seriously considering buying all white, and dying them myself to black to fill that gap.  Dying to Beige seems risky...
Title: Re: [IC] Alps Blanks (Signature Plastics)
Post by: BlindAssassin111 on Fri, 25 May 2018, 17:04:25

I would be interested in a set possibly. Looking for something similar to how the F62/F77 look with blanks, That is sexy tbh... DCS would be prefered though, not a fan of uniform profiles.

'Beige' then! ;)  Fill out the form!  Make your opinion heard!

stats so far:
70% DCS, 50% DSA
90% PBT
57% White, 60% Beige, 33% Black.

Was seriously considering buying all white, and dying them myself to black to fill that gap.  Dying to Beige seems risky...

Just did, I honestly think beige blanks look really nice. I would definitely not attempt to dye to beige though, the set would look so inconsistent.
Title: Re: [IC] Alps Blanks (Signature Plastics)
Post by: fireworm on Sun, 27 May 2018, 15:55:41
Bump, before I close it.
Title: Re: [IC] Alps Blanks (Signature Plastics)
Post by: Applet on Fri, 01 June 2018, 16:20:02
I'm still waiting for the Matias blanks that should be available soon, I'm not a big fan of DCS. Any possibility to try and run a Matias GB?

Looks like the Matias Blanks are available to me, actually.  They are ABS in whatever Matias' profile is.

https://matias.store/collections/keycaps-and-switches-1/products/keycap-set-white-blank (https://matias.store/collections/keycaps-and-switches-1/products/keycap-set-white-blank)

Also, looks like literally no one has PBT though, so perhaps that's a nice void to fill.   :)

Are you interested in DSA?  Or is there some other random profile you'd like?
EDIT: Matias is working on thick PBT actually, should be out "soon".
Title: Re: [IC] Alps Blanks (Signature Plastics)
Post by: AuthenticDanger on Fri, 01 June 2018, 16:32:22
FWIW, SP alps stems can be REALLY tight so be careful when mounting/removing caps and you might need to shave some plastic off for a "safer" fit.