GMK Interview is going to happen next month/collecting questions

[Makami]

Hello folks,

being German myself MassDrop has asked me to have an interview with GMK.

I'm going to ask for questions that people might have at the known places until the end of this month and then it should finally happen. The interview itself is going to be published at Massdrop some time later.

Questions that occured so far:

History and misc:

    How the Cherry molds ended up in their hands?

    Some highlights from previous custom jobs they did like the Skidata keyboards. Maybe something we're not aware of yet

    How big is the staff involved in the mk division?

    How many keycaps are produced during a month/year?

Uniqey mks:

    Are we going to see more than fullsize, plans for tkl, 1800, 60%, 65%, maybe a modular mk someday, a numpad ...

    What do they think about the Gateron "Hype"?

    Any plans for plate mount QMX Clips? Maybe as a replacement switch top?

    Plans for programability, at least dip switches for more freedom of users?

Keycaps:

    Considerations regarding their MOQ and policy for creation of new molds?

    Maybe getting a full list of all the molds they have.

    Color formulation - Recent keycap releases and a few to be released have been noted to use a color reformulation. Can GMK talk to any of this? Specifically whether they are using a new formula or have plans to expand the color selection for custom keycaps?

    Keycap profiles - Does GMK have plans for sculpted or other profiles like the popular SA? Could Topre profiles be in the future?

    People that use Topre boards would like to know if they may offer support for Topre mounted key caps?

    Double-shot and Pad Printing - Some clarity in why GMK chooses double shot or pad printing when running a production set would help new designers stepping in to create new cap designs. What key legends support both? What key legends require one vs the other?

    Legend Modifiers - Some enthusiasts appreciate legends as their preference to text modifiers while some prefer novelty graphics. What influence will we have on GMK to make legend modifiers available in the future?

    Quality Management - Some in the community have noted scratched key caps, light bleed, and legend rub out from pad printing as a few of the issues that come from key cap production. What influence has this feedback had in GMK's production runs? What are the critical quality checks GMK puts into the production process to manage against these issues?

    Production Schedules - Some vendors provide a view into schedule for production which helps customers understand delivery schedules. Being able to see this information would significantly help group buys and drop participants to know when a order was received and when it is scheduled for production.

    What is the general estimate for a MOQ set from manufacture to shipment for key caps from GMK? Would GMK offer a way for customers to see a schedule for key cap production runs?

    How did the horrible Triumph Adler Massdrop clamshell debacle happen and what will they do to ensure it never happens again? https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/3hrkw9/my_first_triumph_adler_set_was_poorly_packaged/?

    I'd like to know if they could ever make sets that are compatible with alps/mathias switches. Keycaps are the factor that is holding me back from getting a board with alps stem switches and I love me some thick, cherry profile keycaps.

    PBT dyesubs.or doubleshots?

    Ttriple shot feasibility for sets like upcoming Cyrillic?

    Aftermarket possiblity, if they have any leftover keys, and or sets and how one would obtain them? (I know they have replaced defective keys on certain group buys, including hyperfuse, so I assume they make more than just the ordered amount)

    Do you have plans to offer (some of) the Uniquey keycap options as readily available sets?

    Are you working on other layouts (ISO-UK, US International, ...)? Mac legends?

    Plans to define some golden standard sets: WOB, BOW, beige. These sets could be sold on their webshop, and replacements too.

    When will they sell uniqey in uk layout, maybe in only a couple of available colours for the set.


If you have any other question, just let me know, i'm going to ask.

Ty for reading and have a nice day!

[ideus]

People that use Topre boards would like to know if they may offer support for Topre mounted key caps.

[Makami]

Being a Topre lover myself, i'm going to add that.

[Giorgio]

You made a very interesting list of questions, all are worthwhile, especially the one about the available molds.

I would ask the to define some golden standard sets: WOB, BOW, beige. These sets could be sold on their webshop, and replacements too.

When will they sell uniqey in uk layout, maybe in only a couple of available colours for the set.

[Makami]

I'm going to add your questions, i'll update the list once, maybe twice a day.
Most of the questions are from an older MD thread and made up by me and other members there to be fair.

[Giorgio]

I'm going to add your questions, i'll update the list once, maybe twice a day.
Most of the questions are from an older MD thread and made up by me and other members there to be fair.

thanks :-)

An interesting quote about the "catalog":

Basically... if you have seen it on a Cherry keyboard they likely still have it. If you have never seen it... you can ask but they probably don't. Though I have gotten them to find things that no one has probably asked for since the mid 80's. They do have a lot of weird stuff actually. If they don't have it, they don't have it. They are not taking custom doubleshot orders and may never. If you want something new and/or different on a key, you can have it pad printed only.

They do have a catalog, but it's a big paper book they got from Cherry that was from the 80's and they have not gotten around to digitizing it or having anything available for customer.

[switchnollie]

Seeing if they'd be doing dyesub PBT sets would be interesting.

[digi]

    I'd like to know if they could ever make sets that are compatible with alps/mathias switches. Keycaps are the factor that is holding me back from getting a board with alps stem switches and I love me some thick, cherry profile keycaps.

+1!

[ideus]

I'd like to know about triple shot feasibility for sets like upcoming Cyrillic.

[Makami]

That's a good one for me personaly, having Hiragana on my mind.

[ideus]

That's a good one for me personaly, having Hiragana on my mind.

Oh! I'd love to have one set like that.

[Makami]

That's a good one for me personaly, having Hiragana on my mind.

Oh! I'd love to have one set like that.

I have started fooling around a bit lately for the first time.

[Jedi]

Thanks Makami for going to GMK with the question list.  Looks pretty well covered.  Forgive me if this was previously covered, what will be the forum used for posting the results?

Nice cap sent by the way.  May have to go to IC with that one

[Makami]

Thanks Makami for going to GMK with the question list.  Looks pretty well covered.  Forgive me if this was previously covered, what will be the forum used for posting the results?

Nice cap sent by the way.  May have to go to IC with that one

It's going to be posted at Massdrop, they've asked me if i would do the interview for them.
But i'm aware that some folks don't like MD at all for their own personal reasons, which is fine for me.
I might go and check if it would be fine to publish at other places, too, after a certain period of time, if wanted.
Would only be fair for me to do it this way, it's about get (questions/interest) and give (the result), even though i believe we're one community, no matter where we like to stay most sharing the same nice hobby!

About the keycaps, i just did this to relax a bit and for fooling around, not sure if i would like to go through the process of a gb myself.

[Giorgio]

If it's not a trade secret, I'm quite intersted to see a picture of the molds used for the doubleshot process, and if they use steel, or copper.

I don't need to see their mold, a generic one used for a similar double shot process would be quite interesting.

[Makami]

Hello Giorgio,

i'm going to ask for pictures to include anyway, pure text reading is a little bit boring.

Have a nice sunday

[Giorgio]

Hello Giorgio,

i'm going to ask for pictures to include anyway, pure text reading is a little bit boring.

Have a nice sunday

Thanks wish you the same!

[Giorgio]

Any update? :-)
thanks 

[Makami]

Hi,

sorry for being late, it seems "everything" related to mks having trouble with delays. Someone involved is having a vacation (hopefully a good one).
I'll tell when i know more, and it's still going to happen.

Cheers

[Giorgio]

Hi,

sorry for being late, it seems "everything" related to mks having trouble with delays. Someone involved is having a vacation (hopefully a good one).
I'll tell when i know more, and it's still going to happen.

Cheers

Ah OK, she'll be back the tenth of October.

Happy to know that this interview will happen. It will be epic.

[Makami]

Hi,

sorry for being late, it seems "everything" related to mks having trouble with delays. Someone involved is having a vacation (hopefully a good one).
I'll tell when i know more, and it's still going to happen.

Cheers

Ah OK, she'll be back the tenth of October.

Happy to know that this interview will happen. It will be epic.

The she is a he, a male as far as i know, otherwise it would be a perfect disguise 
Epic = preasure incoming.

Have a pleasing new week, we're happy to have a holiday tomorrow, loong weekend.