[IC] Ares HHKB-like Custom Keyboard (GB Soon..)

[kenlee]

Hi everyone

I’m ken and I want to introduce my design hhkb-like custom keyboard









More pics here: https://imgur.com/a/gV8cz

This purple is lighter than i assigned and i have asked EVE to make it more darker/accurate in gb production.

The following pics of board is the first original design of Ares, so pls just take the dark gray color for reference. All specifications will be same with purple prototype(will add 4 indents for rubber feet on gb) 








More prototype pics: https://imgur.com/a/z3FNd

Case Specifications :
    • Anodized aluminum 6061 case
    • Top mounted plate
    • 9 degrees angle
    • Compatible with standard 60% pcb
    • Support ISO and ANSI
    • Polished and sand blast case

Color Optitions : all colors are matte finish
    • Black
    • Red
    • Army green
    • Silver white
    • Dark gray(same with prototype)
    • Dark purple(more darker than prototype)   

Plate Specifications :
   • Brass plate: Polished and hairline finish
   • Anodized aluminum plate: Red and Sliver

Pcb Specifications :
   • Bface 60% balck pcb
   • Fully Programmable by Bootmapper
   • Full Backlighting support and bottom RGB leds

Weight Specifications :
   • Brass with yan/positive engraving
   • Mixed with polished, sand blast and hairline finish

Price+pp fees
   • Alu case, Alu plate, brass weight $290
   • Alu case, brass plate, brass weight $300

   • + one bface underglow rgb pcb $25
   • + one extra Alu plate $15
   • + one extra brass plate $25

Every case will have a solid keyboard bag

shipping+pp fees
   • $40/one case by DHL to anyplace
   • and if you order 2+ cases, it will be shipped by EMS
   • If you are a chinese buyer, it will be shipped by SF Express (paid by receiver when receive)

Delivery time
   • It might be 4-5 months after placing order to factory

Any comments or ideas please feel free to tell, Thanks 

[Myan]

I can feel the author's intentions, this is definitely one of the most anticipated keyboard of the year!

I am looking forward to having a purple keyboard that can not wait to have it!

Awwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[wanewang]

Awweeee , I love you Ken!!!

No!!! Ken is mine!!!

Ares looks najssss

[ppg77889]

The third.

[VereChi]

Buy me an Ares papa!!

[PlayKeyboardTW]

I am in!

[spiritjeon]

leave one for me.

[wpnada]

Oh!!I love this one!!

[carsten1kimo]

I want this !! It's beautiful !!

[maybebabe]

Looks great!
Wait for more information.

[DarKou]

Looks really great!

Nice job guy 

[kmba]

Looks nice. What's the height on the front of the case?

[icyskyz]

That is a beautiful piece of work! Looking forward to the final product!
That anodizing looks fantastic man! 

Any other color options for the plate?

[oatmicro]

awww looks so nice   

[Unforgivable]

I loved the first sample sides.

The sides for the second picture looks similar to the recent LZ boards CLS, CLSM (He’s making his 60% version at the end of the year) so I would probably suggest going with the first prototype side style you made. (It looks amazing!)

But I totally understand if you go with the second design, since it’s to your liking. 

Will the bottom of the board also have indents for rubber feet?

Great choices on the colors. Red, Dark Purple and Dark Grey are amazing! Maybe Cyan can be another color option?

Edit: Have to say, your creation looks amazing!

[s3vv4]

I imagine the view from the back of the case will not be that pretty because of the cutout 

[pixelpusher]

The design is very nice.  I'm not a fan of the bottom though.  It just needs a tweak of some sort.  I think it's too much.  Maybe if the bottom cutout wasn't there, and only the top cutout/recess was there to accent the weight.  And the weight.  I am really never a fan of all caps, especially when the kerning is so high.  I assume this was done to fill the space, but it makes the letters look more like an acronym or something.  Maybe choose a different font with large Y values so you don't have to spread them out so much?  Oh well, you probably won't change it based on my feedback, but that's my two cents.

[kmba]

Sides like that have been done on numerous cases.. wouldn't worry about the design. Go with whatever you prefer as the creator.

[kenlee]

That is a beautiful piece of work! Looking forward to the final product!
That anodizing looks fantastic man! 

Any other color options for the plate?

I'll set the plate colors to two options and the reason is that i want to simplify the gb process. This's my first gb and more options might make the gb be more complicated.   

I'm sorry about it But i'm willing to open the swap of plate color "silver" if a sufficient proportion prefer some specific color. 

[kenlee]

I loved the first sample sides.

The sides for the second picture looks similar to the recent LZ boards CLS, CLSM (He’s making his 60% version at the end of the year) so I would probably suggest going with the first prototype side style you made. (It looks amazing!)

But I totally understand if you go with the second design, since it’s to your liking. 

Will the bottom of the board also have indents for rubber feet?

Great choices on the colors. Red, Dark Purple and Dark Grey are amazing! Maybe Cyan can be another color option?

Edit: Have to say, your creation looks amazing!

1. The bottom of the board will have indents for rubber feet like the update Ares shows.

2. I'm open to the 4th color discussion here so fell free to leave your preferences here.

[kenlee]

I imagine the view from the back of the case will not be that pretty because of the cutout 

It definitely will be not so pretty compared to the original design when you face right to the back.

I make this change because i feel the sides appears a little simple and boring and  i think most time we can easily see the other places more than back 

[kenlee]

Looks nice. What's the height on the front of the case?

It's 23mm and i'm trying to lower it but i still suggest using a wrist rest. It definitely not a low profile case

[HardcoreDesk]

I think silver would be a good option for the 4th color choice, since it's definitely really popular, and that way you can have 2 "crazy" colors (red and purple) and two "normal" colors (grey and silver).

[Puddsy]

I think silver would be a good option for the 4th color choice, since it's definitely really popular, and that way you can have 2 "crazy" colors (red and purple) and two "normal" colors (grey and silver).

seconded

silver/black/grey/red/purple is a good lineup

[Sissy]

"Purple"
Well that is me sold.
I've been wanting to add a HHKB layout to my collection for awhile no.

[kenlee]

I think silver would be a good option for the 4th color choice, since it's definitely really popular, and that way you can have 2 "crazy" colors (red and purple) and two "normal" colors (grey and silver).

Same with my idea 

We have 3 dark colorways options so far, so tbh i'd like to choose the "light" color to the 4th option.

But according to my observations of several group buys's data it seems the sliver didn't take major percentage.

So I'm considering about the white-sliver to the 4th color option and the in fact white-sliver looks like white 

I think silver would be a good option for the 4th color choice, since it's definitely really popular, and that way you can have 2 "crazy" colors (red and purple) and two "normal" colors (grey and silver).

seconded

silver/black/grey/red/purple is a good lineup

I know there are still have fans for black color and if there are have sufficient people join or express their strong desires for this color i'd like to take it into consideration.   

[Trente]

This looks quite interesting, the bottom reminds about the KBP V60 Matias QC I have

[kenlee]

The design is very nice.  I'm not a fan of the bottom though.  It just needs a tweak of some sort.  I think it's too much.  Maybe if the bottom cutout wasn't there, and only the top cutout/recess was there to accent the weight.  And the weight.  I am really never a fan of all caps, especially when the kerning is so high.  I assume this was done to fill the space, but it makes the letters look more like an acronym or something.  Maybe choose a different font with large Y values so you don't have to spread them out so much?  Oh well, you probably won't change it based on my feedback, but that's my two cents.

No worries and thanks for your comments 

As a result of two cutouts design so the weight can't have big space on the bottom, and that's why i enlarge the letters to make the weight look like large but tbh it's not. If i smaller the letters then the weight will look like a data/name plate rather than weight.   

[kenlee]

This looks quite interesting, the bottom reminds about the KBP V60 Matias QC I have

Ya..after checking it's really somewhat similar to it by chance.

[ideus]

How come? There is no real six unit space asymmetric bottom row option? No way.

[kenlee]

How come? There is no real six unit space asymmetric bottom row option? No way.

It might come if i run 60% standard board but not in this GB, Sorry dude...  

[ferviditypow]

I wanna stick the battery to the bottom!!!

[m1raz]

Luckily got a chance to see this beautiful case in person, the anodizing finish is great and has a smooth touch feeling, especially love the the bottom weight, shiny!

[kivx]

My little universe is going to explode.

[kenlee]

I wanna stick the battery to the bottom!!!

No comment lol.........

My little universe is going to explode.

Just do it, pls....

Luckily got a chance to see this beautiful case in person, the anodizing finish is great and has a smooth touch feeling, especially love the the bottom weight, shiny!

Thanks, the prototype came out perfectly and I have faith the finish products will be same as well or even better.

[Vadurr]

I really dig this. I'd suggest holes for bumpons to stay put though :]

[odd]

Coumt me in for one for sure

[kmba]

Looks nice. What's the height on the front of the case?

?

[ayumi971235111]

look so amazing!!
can't wait to have one!!

[xondat]

Looks nice. What's the height on the front of the case?

?

Looks nice. What's the height on the front of the case?

It's 23mm and i'm trying to lower it but i still suggest using a wrist rest. It definitely not a low profile case

 

[ideus]

This is closer to an Apple M0110 keyboard than to a HHKB.

[avid]

I love the bottom part so much. It has a very rugged military feel to it. I hope there is a military green version available.

[xondat]

This is closer to an Apple M0110 keyboard than to a HHKB.

Show Image

...how on earth did you come to that conclusion?

[ideus]

This is closer to an Apple M0110 keyboard than to a HHKB.

Show Image

...how on earth did you come to that conclusion?

How on earth a symmetric bottom row can match the asymmetric one in the real thing?

[xondat]

This is closer to an Apple M0110 keyboard than to a HHKB.

Show Image

...how on earth did you come to that conclusion?

How on earth a symmetric bottom row can match the asymmetric one in the real thing?

If we're being that thorough, at least the HHKB is 15x5 whereas the M0110 is 14.5x5 (overall length & width).

[ideus]

This is closer to an Apple M0110 keyboard than to a HHKB.

Show Image

...how on earth did you come to that conclusion?

How on earth a symmetric bottom row can match the asymmetric one in the real thing?

If we're being that thorough, at least the HHKB is 15x5 whereas the M0110 is 14.5x5 (overall length & width).

Not that it were bad or anything, just that the layout is more similar to that old guy than to the HHKB. In my humble opinion, both have the cool factor.

[kmba]

Looks nice. What's the height on the front of the case?

?

Looks nice. What's the height on the front of the case?

It's 23mm and i'm trying to lower it but i still suggest using a wrist rest. It definitely not a low profile case

 

Oops I looked through the posts but missed the response. Thanks

[kenlee]

look so amazing!!
can't wait to have one!!

One? Didn't you say you are going to take 4 different colors boards

[foxlive]

This look amazing ! I'm in!! 

[pvd]

With a name like Ares, I think it should have a much more badass weight design. I wish the front corners of the case had a more aggressive angle, like the X60, rather than the curve they have know. Bottom of the board looks great though.