Author Topic: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | In Production  (Read 25822 times)

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Offline Pwner

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Equinox XL
Equinox is back - The compact size and PCB-mount structure remain, but this time with more keys and a screwless exterior.

To stay up-to-date, it is highly recommended to join either ai03's or ION Keyboard's Discord server.



Visible Evolution
The proven tabbed-gasket PCB mount structure from the original Equinox remains, offering an unusual yet comfortable typing feel designed primarily for plateless use.
Equinox XL has been updated from the original with a seamless design and internal screws, making the exterior clean and sleek from any angle.



From the Desk to the World
The compact yet functional 50% key layout of the Equinox XL allows for easy migration from larger layouts while also ensuring compatibility with many keysets.
An internal brass weight balances the board’s mass - just light enough for portability, and just heavy enough for stability during use.



Tailored to the Occasion
Choose between winkey and winkeyless variants to choose between maximum functionality and a classic aesthetic.
The PCB allows for 3U-1U-3U split spacebar to extend productivity further without sacrificing the symmetrical aesthetic.



Specifications
- Aluminum case, internal clear cerakote brass weight, manufactured by Salvun CNC
- Weight: ~670g for the case incl. internal weight
- PCB: Soldered (Non-hotswap), QMK/VIA
- Case colors: Black, Blue, Grey, Purple, Red
- Case variants: Winkey or Winkeyless
- Cost: $320USD
- GB Date: August 15th - August 29th, 2021
- Shipping: Q4 2022
- Vendors: Cannonkeys, Salvun, Daily Clack, Typeplus, Yusha Kobo

- Media coverage/streamer review: Lightning Keyboards Build Stream, Alexotos Build Stream, Apiary Keyboards Build Stream
- Note: PCB-mounted structure. It is recommended to use PCB-mount switches without a plate.
If absolutely necessary, please use the bundled FR-4 plate, or cut a plate based on the provided plate files.


Layouts



Images













Typing Tests
ai03 x Ion Equinox XL Prototype with lubed MX Blacks Typing Sounds
ai03 x Ion Equinox XL Prototype with lubed Snag Linears Typing Sounds

« Last Edit: Thu, 09 September 2021, 16:31:47 by Pwner »

Offline Pwner

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | Live: 8/15-8/29
« Reply #1 on: Sat, 14 August 2021, 16:08:22 »
Sep. 2021 - Case materials order placed
Nov. 2021 - All standard tops and half of the WKL tops have been machined.
Dec. 2021 - Machining well underway
Jan. 2022 - Machining nearly finished
Feb. 2022 - Machining finished
Mar. 2022 - In ano queue
Apr. 2022 - In ano queue
May 2022 - Anodizing stage has begun (Mid May)
Jun. 2022 - Anodizing continues
Jul. 2022 - Anodizing continues
« Last Edit: Sun, 24 July 2022, 22:34:45 by Pwner »

Offline NoteMakoti

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | Live: 8/15-8/29
« Reply #2 on: Sat, 14 August 2021, 19:46:54 »
Quote
- Shipping: Q4 2022

gee willikers...

Offline ESJvR

  • Posts: 18
Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | Live: 8/15-8/29
« Reply #3 on: Sun, 15 August 2021, 08:08:15 »
Reserved

Offline BouncyChillups

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | Live: 8/15-8/29
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 15 August 2021, 13:50:24 »
This is literally the only sub 60 board I ever considered. Great job, looks great

Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | Live: 8/15-8/29
« Reply #5 on: Sun, 15 August 2021, 18:19:21 »
Too smol for me but definitely appreciated that this will be pretty easy to buy. Hope you guys all the best with this one.

Offline YXXX

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | Live: 8/15-8/29
« Reply #6 on: Sun, 15 August 2021, 22:26:08 »
jeez sound test

Offline Jo_hannes

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | Live: 8/15-8/29
« Reply #7 on: Mon, 16 August 2021, 05:05:15 »
Daily Clack mentions a hard carrying case being included when ordering Equinox, but I cannot find that info on Salvun's page. Is the case only included for DC customers in that case? Also, CK has anodizing samples up for purple and grey - might be good to add these to the other vendors' sites as well. :)

Best,
Johannes

Offline Chingu

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | Live: 8/15-8/29
« Reply #8 on: Tue, 17 August 2021, 14:29:28 »
Sorry if I missed it, bit does the PCB support QMK and VIA?

Offline LightningXI

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | Live: 8/15-8/29
« Reply #9 on: Tue, 17 August 2021, 16:00:48 »
Sorry if I missed it, bit does the PCB support QMK and VIA?
Yes

Offline honoka

  • Posts: 346
Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | Live: 8/15-8/29
« Reply #10 on: Thu, 19 August 2021, 01:30:43 »
Also interested to know if there is a carry case included with the board

Offline honoka

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | Live: 8/15-8/29
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 25 August 2021, 07:30:02 »
Any chance OP can jump in and answer some questions in the thread?
@Pwner

Offline Jo_hannes

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | Live: 8/15-8/29
« Reply #12 on: Mon, 30 August 2021, 05:15:39 »
Any chance OP can jump in and answer some questions in the thread?
@Pwner

Answer appears to be no, sadly.

Well, in the end, the 3-1-3 spacebar was was deterred me as a right thumb spacer. Too bad, otherwise this really would have been a nice travel board. /Johannes

Offline Pwner

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | Live: 8/15-8/29
« Reply #13 on: Mon, 30 August 2021, 14:34:01 »
Also interested to know if there is a carry case included with the board

Apologize for the delay, but yes they all have a carry case.

Offline Pwner

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | In Production
« Reply #14 on: Sat, 04 December 2021, 16:07:17 »
Pictures courtesy of Salvun, production going great!




Offline honoka

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | In Production
« Reply #15 on: Fri, 02 September 2022, 04:12:09 »
Hi, all good?

Offline Kokaloo

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | In Production
« Reply #16 on: Fri, 18 November 2022, 14:11:49 »
is anodizing still continuing

Offline Kokaloo

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | In Production
« Reply #17 on: Thu, 25 May 2023, 13:38:18 »
Is anodizing still continuing

Offline ggggggg

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | In Production
« Reply #18 on: Thu, 25 May 2023, 13:50:17 »
I remember turning this down in favour of Oceanographer, partly because of the projected fulfilment date.
I wonder which, if any, will come first. Either way, joke's on me.

Offline ESJvR

  • Posts: 18
Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | In Production
« Reply #19 on: Fri, 26 May 2023, 02:25:56 »
Same for me turned this down for FK45 at the time, which I received a year later. Really wondering how long it takes until fulfilment and extras drop

Offline iamtragic

  • Posts: 60
Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | In Production
« Reply #20 on: Fri, 26 May 2023, 06:49:32 »


Latest update from ai03's discord.

Offline honoka

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | In Production
« Reply #21 on: Thu, 14 September 2023, 06:21:14 »
Two years have passed. Cheers everyone!
#neverforget

Offline Mecxs

  • Posts: 202
Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | In Production
« Reply #22 on: Thu, 14 September 2023, 14:54:27 »
Latest update was half the boards are done, haha.

Cya in 2025.

Offline honoka

  • Posts: 346
Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | In Production
« Reply #23 on: Wed, 17 January 2024, 18:22:09 »
Remember when we scoffed at the 2022 Q4 ETA?Holy smokes. Zero accountability. Zero updates here. Zero ****s.
You folks killed the gb-model with this one.

Offline Kokaloo

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | In Production
« Reply #24 on: Thu, 18 January 2024, 10:57:31 »
Is anodizing still continuing

Offline Rhienfo

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Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | In Production
« Reply #25 on: Thu, 06 June 2024, 02:36:58 »
Just in case anyone is still interested in this project extras just came up on cannonkeys

https://cannonkeys.com/products/gb-ion-x-ai03-equinox-xl
keyboard collection - fjell
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lubed with tribosys 3203 | like topre a lot, prefer it lubed but did make less tactile but that might have been a skill issue. probably will get more tactile over time as the domes age.
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Offline honoka

  • Posts: 346
Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | In Production
« Reply #26 on: Thu, 06 June 2024, 02:41:05 »
Extras?!? Where the fudge are the units from Salvuns store?
I swear if Pwner doesn't get banned from promoting anything on Geekhack for not maintaining or updating the thread it will be the final nail in the coffin of this cesspool.

Offline Rhienfo

  • Posts: 764
  • Location: Melbourne, Australia
  • Why is everything I want here so expensive :(
Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | In Production
« Reply #27 on: Thu, 06 June 2024, 08:28:57 »
Extras?!? Where the fudge are the units from Salvuns store?
I swear if Pwner doesn't get banned from promoting anything on Geekhack for not maintaining or updating the thread it will be the final nail in the coffin of this cesspool.

According to the salvun discord they should be shipping soon (didn't realise that the eu proxy was salvun themself)



I'll link his server for more updates - https://discord.gg/ctWjy72T9j
keyboard collection - fjell
More
cherry blacks - unlubed - filmed and springswapped with tx 55g mediums - alu Plate | pretty happy with this, the blacks were cherry picked so they weren't that scratchy to begin with, but currently breaking them in, may lube them with a dry lube like ro59 or ptfe powder.
| hhkb bt
More
lubed with tribosys 3203 | like topre a lot, prefer it lubed but did make less tactile but that might have been a skill issue. probably will get more tactile over time as the domes age.
| m0115
More
bad orange alps lol | definitely needs a restoration. planning on wax boiling them and maybe a replacement pcb because the board has only 2 key rollover apparently.
| praxis
More
gateron yellows - lubed with 205g0 - 62g tx mediums - pc plate | probably my favourite keyboard already, feels super nice and sounds pretty good, it's got a great layout as well. probably gonna build this with mx browns, I feel like it would suit the board more.
| camo filco
More
stock with silent reds | Pretty cool looking board, the silent reds are actually good, they are smooth and I don't mind the mushiness (it's not even that mushy as well). the layout is pretty weird, but is useable. will probably mod this in the future. maybe a pcb and plate swap, change the keycaps to something dolch like, and also spring swap the springs in the silent reds.
| ibm model f at
More
stock, needs a cleaning and probably replacement foam. Do plan to change layout so it has split bs and rs, as well as ansi enter.
| baebae tkl
More
Built with new nixies on pc half plate. Love this board already, probably the best looking board I own, those brass accents are so mint. Really like it as is, but I do want to try an alu build (probably with nixies as well) just to experiment with that.

collection in pixel art
More

Offline MeshModeler

  • Posts: 8
  • Location: San Diego, CA
Re: [GB] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard | In Production
« Reply #28 on: Thu, 06 June 2024, 14:01:05 »
Usuaully dont go for this size but this looks rad