[IC] Another Universal TKL plate / PCB GB

[Winther]

I might also be interested..

[The_Beast]

Aluminum is cheaper but not by a whole lot. My cutter actually prefers SS for some reason.

I prefer SS as well for a plate, but people in this thread seem to be talking about aluminum. I could go either way. I guess since my phantom plate is SS, aluminum would be something different.

The original Phantom plates were black anodized aluminum. I ran the round 1 of poker plates in stainless and everyone seems to like it so WFD did the phantom plates in stainless....

[Vintage]

I personally prefer SS as well. I'd probably paint it.

But if we went with Alum, I would hope we do a color other than black for the anodization. Maybe white (if that's even possible) or silver/gray...

[The_Beast]

I personally prefer SS as well. I'd probably paint it.

But if we went with Alum, I would hope we do a color other than black for the anodization. Maybe white (if that's even possible) or silver/gray...

You can't anodize white.


Here's a pretty good explanation as to why you can't:
http://www.bluebuddhaboutique.com/blog/2011/09/no-white-anodized-aluminum/

[Vintage]

Huuuh... interesting.

Still no black alum please!

[MOZ]

Stabs be expensive

I hope ur joking

how much are cherry pcb mount stabs? including the stem and wire

[Glod]

Stabs be expensive

I hope ur joking

how much are cherry pcb mount stabs? including the stem and wire

pretty cheap at least inside the usa, especially if you buy over 25
PCB Mount http://www.onlinecomponents.com/cherry-electrical-g990742.html?p=11075025
Plate Mount http://www.onlinecomponents.com/cherry-electrical-g990224.html?p=11075022

the problem comes when you get to the spacebar wire which you cant buy you have to make or have someone on geekhack make; cherry is thicker than costar so the materials for the wire cost more.

there are other threads on this, dont want to derail especially because i hope a new round of plates happens because phantom pcbs are up on mk.

[whiskytango]

moz, if you're building off a Phantom PCB then you cannot use pcb stabs, must use plate mount, either cherry or costar. Costar can be found cheaply on wasd. Plate mount cherry can be found on mouser I think or people sell them as parts from old boards from time to time, usually for about $5 per set, but you generally have to bend your own space bar wire. Cherry wires are easy enough to bend. Costar are not easy

[MOZ]

thanks for the  info guys.

[CalmB4tehPwn]

It seems people tend to agree that SS is a better option overall, and I am definitely interested in having the weight (I like heavy things in general) but I'm so very interested in having a colored plate that I'm willing to give up the reliability and weight of SS. If we can find an inexpensive and reliable place for powdercoating, I would happily rather go that way, but most are saying that SS plates are already pretty available on the market, if you take the time and look, but Aluminum is almost non-existent.

I don't care which way we go, and it's not even my GB anymore, but if we can get SS plates powdercoated without spending say, 15 bucks more than it's anodized aluminum brother, I'd happily go that route.

[MOZ]

My lack of sleep showed my the price of each component of stabs as $6 on WASD. LOL

I just saw the prices, now it makes sense.

[MOZ]

moz, if you're building off a Phantom PCB then you cannot use pcb stabs, must use plate mount, either cherry or costar. Costar can be found cheaply on wasd. Plate mount cherry can be found on mouser I think or people sell them as parts from old boards from time to time, usually for about $5 per set, but you generally have to bend your own space bar wire. Cherry wires are easy enough to bend. Costar are not easy

If the Phantom PCB doesn't support PCB stabs, then what do those using acrylic cases with acrylic plates on the Phantom PCB use?

[jdcarpe]

moz, if you're building off a Phantom PCB then you cannot use pcb stabs, must use plate mount, either cherry or costar. Costar can be found cheaply on wasd. Plate mount cherry can be found on mouser I think or people sell them as parts from old boards from time to time, usually for about $5 per set, but you generally have to bend your own space bar wire. Cherry wires are easy enough to bend. Costar are not easy

If the Phantom PCB doesn't support PCB stabs, then what do those using acrylic cases with acrylic plates on the Phantom PCB use?

Most likely Costar stabs.

[MOZ]

moz, if you're building off a Phantom PCB then you cannot use pcb stabs, must use plate mount, either cherry or costar. Costar can be found cheaply on wasd. Plate mount cherry can be found on mouser I think or people sell them as parts from old boards from time to time, usually for about $5 per set, but you generally have to bend your own space bar wire. Cherry wires are easy enough to bend. Costar are not easy

If the Phantom PCB doesn't support PCB stabs, then what do those using acrylic cases with acrylic plates on the Phantom PCB use?

Most likely Costar stabs.

How thick do the costar stabs allow for plate to be?

[jdcarpe]

moz, if you're building off a Phantom PCB then you cannot use pcb stabs, must use plate mount, either cherry or costar. Costar can be found cheaply on wasd. Plate mount cherry can be found on mouser I think or people sell them as parts from old boards from time to time, usually for about $5 per set, but you generally have to bend your own space bar wire. Cherry wires are easy enough to bend. Costar are not easy

If the Phantom PCB doesn't support PCB stabs, then what do those using acrylic cases with acrylic plates on the Phantom PCB use?

Most likely Costar stabs.

How thick do the costar stabs allow for plate to be?

Only 1.5mm, but if you have say a 2mm acrylic plate, you can force the Costar inserts into the holes and glue them in place.

[whiskytango]

Which TKL case has an acrylic plate? I was under the impression that all the TKL sized acrylic cases only allow you to drop in your own metal plate.

[jdcarpe]

Which TKL case has an acrylic plate? I was under the impression that all the TKL sized acrylic cases only allow you to drop in your own metal plate.

Probably the upcoming 100% Open Source TKL layered acrylic/steel/whatever case project.

[MOZ]

Also the one by letsiter, and the one feng sold, I might be wrong though.

[whiskytango]

Ohhhh, I see. Well, I will keep my metal plates, thanks. I like the weight if nothing else. As Boris the Blade says, weight is a sign of reliability...

Although I guess aluminum plates are not very heavy compared to steel. I would be ok with it though if some new universal TKL plates come out in aluminum. I just want to mod this QFR but I want to wait until I can get a universal plate to swap in if I can, #1 so it will have cutouts for switch top removal and #2 so I can use cherry plate mount stabs. I hate changing keycaps on costar stabs.

Also the one by letsiter, and the one feng sold, I might be wrong though.

I am like 99% sure those did not have acrylic plates. I thought they were designed so that you could take a Filco TKL (or QFR or Phantom PCB+plate) and just drop the whole plate and PCB into a new case without having to desolder.

[BliTzKiN]

I've heard that the plates need to be rather thin in order for the stabs to fit, and that thickness needed in the form of acrylic going to be too fragile.

[Larken]

I am like 99% sure those did not have acrylic plates. I thought they were designed so that you could take a Filco TKL (or QFR or Phantom PCB+plate) and just drop the whole plate and PCB into a new case without having to desolder.

you're right. I don't know about feng's, but litster's TKL case was definitely a drop in solution.

if we take the ergodox's plate design as a reference (also done by litster), he had mentioned on occasion that acrylic needs to be rather thick to be reasonably sturdy for use as a plate, which was why he specified it as a 4.5mm layer, which precludes the use of costar stabs. It might be possible to use cherry pcb mounted stabs with the proper cut out, but you'd need the pcb have the mounting holes for the pcb-mounted stabs too.

[MOZ]

I've heard that the plates need to be rather thin in order for the stabs to fit, and that thickness needed in the form of acrylic going to be too fragile.

Yes, 3mm is bare minimum in my opinion when using acrylic plates, I would suggest 5mm though.

[esoomenona]

I've heard that the plates need to be rather thin in order for the stabs to fit, and that thickness needed in the form of acrylic going to be too fragile.

Yes, 3mm is bear minimum in my opinion when using acrylic plates, I would suggest 5mm though.

[The_Beast]

It seems people tend to agree that SS is a better option overall, and I am definitely interested in having the weight (I like heavy things in general) but I'm so very interested in having a colored plate that I'm willing to give up the reliability and weight of SS. If we can find an inexpensive and reliable place for powdercoating, I would happily rather go that way, but most are saying that SS plates are already pretty available on the market, if you take the time and look, but Aluminum is almost non-existent.

I don't care which way we go, and it's not even my GB anymore, but if we can get SS plates powdercoated without spending say, 15 bucks more than it's anodized aluminum brother, I'd happily go that route.

You would have to powder coat before cutting otherwise the powder coat will make the switch cutouts smaller than they need to be and you won't be able to fit your switch in the plate. The only problem with powder coating before is, the sheet of steel is 4' x 8' and not exactly light in weight as you can imagine. So powder coating is kinda out in terms of options. Painting might work

[jdcarpe]

It seems people tend to agree that SS is a better option overall, and I am definitely interested in having the weight (I like heavy things in general) but I'm so very interested in having a colored plate that I'm willing to give up the reliability and weight of SS. If we can find an inexpensive and reliable place for powdercoating, I would happily rather go that way, but most are saying that SS plates are already pretty available on the market, if you take the time and look, but Aluminum is almost non-existent.

I don't care which way we go, and it's not even my GB anymore, but if we can get SS plates powdercoated without spending say, 15 bucks more than it's anodized aluminum brother, I'd happily go that route.

You would have to powder coat before cutting otherwise the powder coat will make the switch cutouts smaller than they need to be and you won't be able to fit your switch in the plate. The only problem with powder coating before is, the sheet of steel is 4' x 8' and not exactly light in weight as you can imagine. So powder coating is kinda out in terms of options. Painting might work

I almost always paint my stainless steel plates. I think it looks nice.

[Vintage]

It seems people tend to agree that SS is a better option overall, and I am definitely interested in having the weight (I like heavy things in general) but I'm so very interested in having a colored plate that I'm willing to give up the reliability and weight of SS. If we can find an inexpensive and reliable place for powdercoating, I would happily rather go that way, but most are saying that SS plates are already pretty available on the market, if you take the time and look, but Aluminum is almost non-existent.

I don't care which way we go, and it's not even my GB anymore, but if we can get SS plates powdercoated without spending say, 15 bucks more than it's anodized aluminum brother, I'd happily go that route.

You would have to powder coat before cutting otherwise the powder coat will make the switch cutouts smaller than they need to be and you won't be able to fit your switch in the plate. The only problem with powder coating before is, the sheet of steel is 4' x 8' and not exactly light in weight as you can imagine. So powder coating is kinda out in terms of options. Painting might work

I almost always paint my stainless steel plates. I think it looks nice.

Yeah I have seen some really nice painted SS plates from WFD's GB. Saw one that actually looked a lot like anodized aluminium too. I would do this for sure if we got standard SS plates.

[BliTzKiN]

I think if its SS we could probably just do them raw? And let the owners decide for themselves how they want to paint it. If we're going to take colour ways,  I think there might be too many different colour choices to meet MOQ, or we could poll and do it all the same colour.

[CalmB4tehPwn]

Well, it sounds like he would be getting them raw from his machinist, and be looking into color (either anodizing or powder coating) from there. Sending it off to another person for the service.

So if anyone wanted color, and was willing to pay the extra cost, it shouldn't count against MOQ for people wanting raw SS. Also, you'd get the plate significantly earlier, not having to wait for powder coating or anodizing services.

Honestly, I'm fine with anything, and assuming powder coating isn't an absurd price, would pay for anyof them. If you guys want to do another SS run, I'll buy it.

[gnubag]

Well, it sounds like he would be getting them raw from his machinist, and be looking into color (either anodizing or powder coating) from there. Sending it off to another person for the service.

So if anyone wanted color, and was willing to pay the extra cost, it shouldn't count against MOQ for people wanting raw SS. Also, you'd get the plate significantly earlier, not having to wait for powder coating or anodizing services.

Honestly, I'm fine with anything, and assuming powder coating isn't an absurd price, would pay for anyof them. If you guys want to do another SS run, I'll buy it.

i think raw SS is better than raw Al. I have both of WFD's plates here and the SS feels much better and wasn't that much more expensive (it was not from a GB)
I would definetly get a SS universal plate and maybe let Beast or whoever is going to make them make me a custom phantom plate as well.

[dragonxx21]

I'd be interested in both the plate as well as the PCB.

[CalmB4tehPwn]

I'd be interested in both the plate as well as the PCB.

PCB is for sale at MechanicalKeyboards

[dragonxx21]

I'd be interested in both the plate as well as the PCB.

PCB is for sale at MechanicalKeyboards

Oh, thank you, I didn't notice that. What about the plate, is there any place that sells TKL plates?

[CalmB4tehPwn]

I'd be interested in both the plate as well as the PCB.

PCB is for sale at MechanicalKeyboards

Oh, thank you, I didn't notice that. What about the plate, is there any place that sells TKL plates?

Not currently, but keep an eye on the beast. As we're talking about currently in this thread, The_Beast is looking at doing a buy in the coming couple months.

[The_Beast]

Well, it sounds like he would be getting them raw from his machinist, and be looking into color (either anodizing or powder coating) from there. Sending it off to another person for the service.

So if anyone wanted color, and was willing to pay the extra cost, it shouldn't count against MOQ for people wanting raw SS. Also, you'd get the plate significantly earlier, not having to wait for powder coating or anodizing services.

Honestly, I'm fine with anything, and assuming powder coating isn't an absurd price, would pay for anyof them. If you guys want to do another SS run, I'll buy it.

You can't anodize SS and powder coating is a bad option since it's going to mess up the tolerance of the switch cutouts

[CalmB4tehPwn]

Well, it sounds like he would be getting them raw from his machinist, and be looking into color (either anodizing or powder coating) from there. Sending it off to another person for the service.

So if anyone wanted color, and was willing to pay the extra cost, it shouldn't count against MOQ for people wanting raw SS. Also, you'd get the plate significantly earlier, not having to wait for powder coating or anodizing services.

Honestly, I'm fine with anything, and assuming powder coating isn't an absurd price, would pay for anyof them. If you guys want to do another SS run, I'll buy it.

You can't anodize SS and powder coating is a bad option since it's going to mess up the tolerance of the switch cutouts

I was under the impression that powder coating gave an even and predictable thickness.

If it's predictable, then can we not account for it in the size of the cutouts?
Also, I wasn't implying that we should anodize SS. I am aware of the limitations on that side.

[The_Beast]

Well, it sounds like he would be getting them raw from his machinist, and be looking into color (either anodizing or powder coating) from there. Sending it off to another person for the service.

So if anyone wanted color, and was willing to pay the extra cost, it shouldn't count against MOQ for people wanting raw SS. Also, you'd get the plate significantly earlier, not having to wait for powder coating or anodizing services.

Honestly, I'm fine with anything, and assuming powder coating isn't an absurd price, would pay for anyof them. If you guys want to do another SS run, I'll buy it.

You can't anodize SS and powder coating is a bad option since it's going to mess up the tolerance of the switch cutouts

I was under the impression that powder coating gave an even and predictable thickness.

If it's predictable, then can we not account for it in the size of the cutouts?
Also, I wasn't implying that we should anodize SS. I am aware of the limitations on that side.

Not everyone will want to powder coat there's, so subtracting the thickness of the powder coat, will leave you with loose switch cutouts for people that don't want to powder coat.

[jdcarpe]

It's really pretty easy to paint a steel plate. Just prep the surface (sanding), apply several thin coats of paint, and let dry.

[CalmB4tehPwn]

You're right, it would affect MOQ on that side, then. I'd be curious to see if there's enough interested in a powder coating option to warrant a GB, though. Also, since dyes tend to be different sizes, I wonder if the thickness would change by color for powder coating.

If all powder coats are created equal, however, I think we'd get enough people interested to put up a GB, if the price is reasonable.

[CalmB4tehPwn]

It's really pretty easy to paint a steel plate. Just prep the surface (sanding), apply several thin coats of paint, and let dry.

Can't get Aerosols through customs. Painting my own plate isn't much of an option for me here in Korea.

[The_Beast]

I'm thinking of using WFDs universal plate but modding it to allow ANSI125 and ANSI150 cutouts for the bottom. That should work with a ANSI125, ANSI150 phantom as well as a QFR or Filco board right?

[jdcarpe]

It's really pretty easy to paint a steel plate. Just prep the surface (sanding), apply several thin coats of paint, and let dry.

Can't get Aerosols through customs. Painting my own plate isn't much of an option for me here in Korea.

They don't sell spray paint in Korea? What kind of sick, twisted country is that??

[CalmB4tehPwn]

It's really pretty easy to paint a steel plate. Just prep the surface (sanding), apply several thin coats of paint, and let dry.

Can't get Aerosols through customs. Painting my own plate isn't much of an option for me here in Korea.

They don't sell spray paint in Korea? What kind of sick, twisted country is that??

It's not that they don't sell it. They probably do, but I don't speak Hongul, or read the language (which prevents me from really using the train), I am not authorized a car (and couldn't read the street signs if I were), and I don't have any friends, or know anybody in the area that could help me out. And even if I have a viable way to travel, I have no idea where to go to get high quality spray paint.

For all intents and purposed, I'm living on an island of a military post, with a tiny post exchange and no good options for spray paint.

[SpAmRaY]

It's really pretty easy to paint a steel plate. Just prep the surface (sanding), apply several thin coats of paint, and let dry.

Can't get Aerosols through customs. Painting my own plate isn't much of an option for me here in Korea.

They don't sell spray paint in Korea? What kind of sick, twisted country is that??

It's not that they don't sell it. They probably do, but I don't speak Hongul, or read the language (which prevents me from really using the train), I am not authorized a car (and couldn't read the street signs if I were), and I don't have any friends, or know anybody in the area that could help me out. And even if I have a viable way to travel, I have no idea where to go to get high quality spray paint.

For all intents and purposed, I'm living on an island of a military post, with a tiny post exchange and no good options for spray paint.

Surely someone here could talk to someone in korea to get you hooked up with some spray paint!!

[CalmB4tehPwn]

Surely someone here could talk to someone in korea to get you hooked up with some spray paint!!

And then how do I link up with them? Unless they're willing to drive or take a train and commute to the front gate, I have no way to get it from them. And even then they can't mail it to me, because the way APO works, it physically travels to California to be taken the rest of the way to Korea, even if the country of origin if from korea.

At this point I'm either spending more, or asking someone to spend more, in getting a plate to me than it would cost to get a board powder coated. The logistics ****ing suck, and it's not enough that I'm half of the world away from my wife and daughter, but I'm ****ing trapped here, too. Things like realizing that I can't even buy a can of spray paint without jumping through hoops and waiting days or weeks to figure out logistics just solidify in my mind the fact that I can't do this anymore. I can't live this life any more. I'm ****ing done with the Army. I just want to go home to my family, where I live 3 minutes from home depot.

And the electronics and computer shops off post don't even have mechanical keyboards! There's like three outside of post here, and they all carry cheap logitech knock-offs and ****. So what's the point of being in Korea if I can't even get cheap Mech boards?

[CalmB4tehPwn]

Sorry. I'm having a bad day.

Arya said "Dada" for the first time without being prompted. She pulled a picture of me off the fridge and stared at it, then said "dada"

I ****ing hate being here.

[Vintage]

Surely someone here could talk to someone in korea to get you hooked up with some spray paint!!

And then how do I link up with them? Unless they're willing to drive or take a train and commute to the front gate, I have no way to get it from them. And even then they can't mail it to me, because the way APO works, it physically travels to California to be taken the rest of the way to Korea, even if the country of origin if from korea.

At this point I'm either spending more, or asking someone to spend more, in getting a plate to me than it would cost to get a board powder coated. The logistics ****ing suck, and it's not enough that I'm half of the world away from my wife and daughter, but I'm ****ing trapped here, too. Things like realizing that I can't even buy a can of spray paint without jumping through hoops and waiting days or weeks to figure out logistics just solidify in my mind the fact that I can't do this anymore. I can't live this life any more. I'm ****ing done with the Army. I just want to go home to my family, where I live 3 minutes from home depot.

And the electronics and computer shops off post don't even have mechanical keyboards! There's like three outside of post here, and they all carry cheap logitech knock-offs and ****. So what's the point of being in Korea if I can't even get cheap Mech boards?

  thats rough...

Well I might be down for a powder coat plate because I bet it would look pretty sick and be really durable. But im not sure because I don't think I could justify spending over $45-$50 on a plate alone and I have a feeling that we would need a decent MOQ per color, meaning we would need to settle on 1 or 2 different finishes to be offered. I have a few colors in my mind that I would be down for, but I'm interested I'd want to get a price quote first before being certain.

[CalmB4tehPwn]

$50's about what I was hoping we could work out. I'd be willing to pay up to about $70 on it, though.

I'm not sure if MOQ for powder coating would be per color or not, but I'm sure we could find out. Let me see if I can get a handle on any powder coating services.

[argyakrivos]

IMHO, 70$ for a plate is A LOT! Even 50$ is a bit expensive

[gnubag]

US - $46.35 shipped

was from WFD second run which was not a GB.

[CalmB4tehPwn]

sorry, fat fingered that. Meant to say $60 was my tops.