Custom Topre keycaps - possible through a GB?

[kelske]

So I've been wondering... How come there aren't any GB's for flavourful Topre keycap sets?

- Is it simply that MOQ isn't obtainable?
- Are the manufacturers like SP not equipped to create caps with the topre stem?
- Legal issues around anyone but the Topre board manufacturers making keycaps for the Topre switches? (if so, how does Clack get away with it? )

Apologies if this has been brought up previously.

It seems that with the FC660C landing, there's quite a bit of demand for Topre keycaps that have 1.25x modifiers, which just don't currently exist on the market it seems.

[aggiejy]

- Is it simply that MOQ isn't obtainable?
- Are the manufacturers like SP not equipped to create caps with the topre stem?

I believe it's mainly that SP and others don't have the molds to do them.  (But maybe someone else does, I don't know for certain.)  But then of course, we'd have to get MOQ which usually isn't as groupbuy-friendly as SP.

I wish we could though!  We could of course try to save to buy molds ourselves, but it would be silly expensive.  Given that Topre's aren't super mainstream, I'd guess it's a fat chance.  A year or so ago I priced a complete set of molds for a new profile with a Chinese company and they quoted ~$20-30k.  I'd imagine it's really twice that once you get into it, and that doesn't include design time and iteration.  It would be even more if you did it in the US.

[kelske]

Cool sounds about right.. Damn man those costs are a bit steeper than I imagined!

All you patriotic Topre lovers - only $3k a piece!

[zoolzoo]

We can just pretend that laser etched pbt is the new "best" type of key cap...and then we wont have to worry about it.

[take]

do these even exist?

i'm aware that EK sells a few sets that fit the 87U, but i'm not a huge fan of the available colors. i'd love to get a set of the mixed grey/white to mix in with my black on black version. are there any third party options?

[tricheboars]

i would buy a set (round 3/4 style, fake wyse, two-tone beige, dolch color etc) for a topre board even though i do not own one currently.

i plan on buying a 55g Realforce (black) at some point this year. i would freaking love a nice set of caps with it. especially for how much i am going to pay.

[roobis_cube]

This would be amazing. My hhkb is on the way and as a student living on part-time, minimum wage job, (not to mention I just bought an hhkb ) ) I would kill for some cheap novelty topre caps!

[tsangan]

Yeah this was attempted before with Red Alert for Topre and we can't really meet the MOQ for it to happen

You can by all means try again but it's going to be directly from topre as SP and all 3d party keycap makers don't do topre

MX overall is just a larger market

EDIT: If you want to read all about the last attempt, its here http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=28054.0

[calavera]

What is the MOQ that Topre required?

[tsangan]

Well no one here has direct contact with them so we kind of have to go through Brian at EK...

With that said we couldn't even break 100 last time sooooooooooo

iirc it was way more then 100 but with a 100 orders we can show EK that there is actually interest and it wasn't all just talk, though it doesn't translate to the set being produced for sure as EK has to order way more then that and keep them in stock

[tricheboars]

someone at realforce is making spherical topre caps for the new hi-pro board. i would love to get a set of those caps. i hear you can put the high-pro caps on a normal realforce board but you cant put normal caps on the hi-pro.

[rowdy]

If the keycap set suited the FC660C you could possibly get a lot more interest as those keyboards seem to be very popular now.

[Hypersphere]

If the keycap set suited the FC660C you could possibly get a lot more interest as those keyboards seem to be very popular now.

Indeed! I would be very interested!

[Puddsy]

If I can put it on my hhkb, I'd be in. I love novelty keys, but only having a red esc doesn't do it for me.

[rowdy]

If I can put it on my hhkb, I'd be in. I love novelty keys, but only having a red esc doesn't do it for me.

You can get a few coloured keycaps here: http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,toprekeys

Mainly WASD though.  The coloured modifiers don't suit a HHKB

[meiosis]

I believe you can find a few different kinds in Yobodashi Camera in Tokyo, but that seems a little far to go for some different colors.

[Puddsy]

I believe you can find a few different kinds in Yobodashi Camera in Tokyo, but that seems a little far to go for some different colors.

I'm in Tokyo right now. This is false.

You can get a topre for a spectacular price, though. My hhkb we 19800 yen.

[nightsnack]

Maybe if the Type Heaven becomes a big hit, this might happen. But then again, it wouldn't be helpful to FC660C users since the modifiers on the TH are still the same as the RF keyboards.

[rowdy]

Good point.

RealForce tends to be difficult to get.

HHKB is somewhat niche, due to its non-standard layout.

FC660C is populate - wonder how many of them are actually out there in the wild.

But maybe FC660C coupled with Type Heaven might be enough to push the balance in favour of someone actually starting to make customer Topre keycaps.

[nightsnack]

I'm sure there will be a lot more out there if EK gets a constant supply, given the huge North America market. I got mine directly from Leopold using Gmarket, there seems to be no shortage. Hopefully Leopold will find it worth their while to make keycap sets for it.