Looking for help - keyboard supplier ....

[djquandt]

Hi Everyone,

I'm hoping ya'll will be able to help. I'm in the process of sourcing a keyboard and mouse set for a computer OEM and I'm struggling with it. On one hand, you've got the big players likely not interested. On the other, you've got suppliers with piles of keyboards but aren't capable of providing what we need.

So, it would be great if you all could point me in the right direction. We're searching for a wired USB keyboard that (if the price is right) has a quality key mechanism. We're looking for a supplier that can provide some custom colors to the keyboard itself as well. We're not interested in creating a new mold for the keyboard, but using something existing with a custom color.

I'd be happy to provide more details if any of this is interest. Volume is likely 200k per year.

Thanks,

Derrick

[pixel5]

If you're buying 200k per year, I think the big guys would definitely be interested. If you had a keyboard design, you could go straight to someone like Costar.

[N8N]

I guess the real question is what is your desired price point, and where are you located?  On the West Coast of the USA I'm thinking WASD, if they have the volume to meet your target and if you are willing to pay the premium for a full on mechanical board.

But yeah, if you are buying 200K a year that might even get the attention of e.g. Diatec (Filco), Noppoo, etc.

[pixel5]

Oh, and if you need custom keycaps, I would buy some/all of the keyboards without keycaps to save money and then order custom sets from Signature Plastics.

[CPTBadAss]

Maybe try directly contacting some of the larger vendors on the forum such as MechanicalKeyboards.com and seeing if they can help you link up with an OEM?

[N8N]

Oh, and if you need custom keycaps, I would buy some/all of the keyboards without keycaps to save money and then order custom sets from Signature Plastics.

Or WASD, or see if you can get some PBT dye subs from an Asian supplier (would be my choice, and really would set your keyboards ahead of the pack IMHO.)

[Kagusaki Wolf]

You can also buy Cherry MX keycaps if you decided to use Cherry switches.  They got both PBT and ABS and there are a lot of colors to choose from. 

[tp4tissue]

Also, when you order the keyboards, make sure you tell them.. I want to order 200k worth of ERGODOX por favor... i'm sure one of the Chinese guys must speak some spanish

[eth0s]

Also, when you order the keyboards, make sure you tell them.. I want to order 200k worth of ERGODOX por favor... i'm sure one of the Chinese guys must speak some spanish

Wow. wtf.  Pure Troll Post (PTP).  Time for a new acronym for tp4tissue:  PTP.  This post ^ was made solely for the purpose of amusing tp4tissue.  It offers no help.  No info.  It doesn't even address the OP's question.  In fact, it doesn't even make sense.  It's neither humorous, nor witty.   It's just another sad PTP.

@OP:  while tp4tissue is an @sshat and a troll, I'm not sure you deserve better, since your post does not seem real.  If you really represent a business that is looking to buy 200,000 keyboards every year, you could call Cherry on the phone, and they will design whatever you need.  You will get custom service.  Custom care.  Custom everything.  You might even get a kiss on the mouth from an ecstatic German man or woman of your choice.  Submit your info here for that kiss:  http://www.cherrycorp.com/english/c1quky1e.htm

Or if you wanted to be extremely cheap about it, you could go to alibaba.com and find a Chinese manufacturer to make you some knock-off Cherry keyboards for even less.

Go here to find out more:  http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?fsb=y&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=&SearchText=cherry+keyboard

Chinese keyboard manufacturers will bend over backwards if you place an order for 100 units.  Not 100K, but ONE HUNDRED (100), that's a 1 with two 0's.  So I think this whole post is totally fake. 

[ImperfectLink]

You should try HPE. I'll PM you their contact info.

[djquandt]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. This has been a big help. Even mentioning the brands of keyboard OEMs put me on the right track to contact them. Without working with, or even purchasing, computer hardware before this information is tough to find. 

The trouble with Alibaba is that yes, they will sell you 100 keyboards, but they very often don't have direct control over production. And if they do, their model selection is very limiting and overall they're not very helpful to what we're looking for.

Thanks everyone for the feedback.