类型: IC
作者: mustardgreens
发布时间: 2020-12-06
18:12:11
更新时间: 2022-08-16 14:20:09
原链接:
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=110038.0
INGOT 66
for Leopold FC660C
Please fill our
Feedback Form!
❖ Introduction
I have been a
fan of Topre since I first discovered it. The FC660C has
always been a staple, but the thin plastic housing leaves
much to be desired with very few options available in the
aftermarket.
This is the Ingot66: our premium
no-expense spared brass case for Leopold FC660C. Inspired by
the shape of the gold bar, we decided to bring some new
elegance to the Topre world.
We focused on a super
minimalistic design which lets the keyboard speak for
itself. If you’ve ever opened up a FC660C, you’ll know that
one of the board’s signature features is its controller.
Whether you are using the stock controller or a modded one,
this case is made to show it off. To us, nothing beats
Topre, so we wanted to make a case that could stand up to
the quality of the FC660C internals.
So today we bring
you the following prototypes.
These are not renders: they’re real photos we took of
real keyboards.
We came to geekhack first because I still believe this is
the heart of the keyboard community. Looking forward to
hearing what you think and what you want to see from us
going forward.
Quick Specs
Solid Brass PNPKEY
Ingot66 FC660C Case
6 deg typing angle
Solid
brass top - brushed sodium di-chromate passivated surface
Solid brass bottom - Dual stage ultra fine blast medium,
sodium di-chromate passivated surface
Acrylic display
window with dip-switch cutout (also will include other
windows for hasu/no cutout)
Dimensions: 353mm
(length) x 137mm (width) x 30mm (back height)
TOTAL
ASSEMBLED WEIGHT: 4.495kg
Max 50 units
Aluminum/Brass
PNPKEY Ingot66 FC660C Case
6 deg typing angle
6063 aluminum top - Dual stage ultra fine blast medium,
Anodized, Colors TBD
Solid brass bottom - Dual stage
ultra fine blast medium, sodium di-chromate passivated
surface
Acrylic display window with dip-switch cutout
(also will include other windows for hasu/no cutout)
Dimensions: 353mm (length) x 137mm (width) x 30mm (back
height)
TOTAL ASSEMBLED WEIGHT: 2.864kg
Max ~100
units
Who We Are
A bit about who
we are: My name is Matt Pankhurst and I work in a law office
in Toronto, Canada. I spend my life typing, and to me
nothing beats Topre. Though I’ve been on geekhack and
involved in the Canadian mech scene since 2017, I wanted to
earn your trust with this project, and do it with integrity.
So I partnered up with Jeffrey Pang a former
webdev/programmer and current product designer who is
most known as the creator of
Luftverk, which produces the world’s most bespoke CNC Titanium
yoyos. For the past six years Jeff has worked in the
manufacturing/product development industry and is a the
mastermind who brought our vision to life. He engineered the
housing from inner pockets to the bezel, and managed to fit
in the top mounted controller with a window while keeping
the entire package slim and easy to assemble.
Our
company logo started as somewhat of a joke, as our last
names Pang and Pank Keyboards. Jeff noticed the abbreviation
PNP, a common transistor type from when he worked on
electronics. We decided to shorten up the name up to pnpkey
combining the transistor prongs to a keycap, representing
the intersection between technical engineering and artistic
design.
How we got to where we are today
I contacted Jeff about the idea in January 2020, but
we started really working on it in July. After collaborating
ideas and making a rough CAD drawing, the prototypes began
production in late September. The most time consuming part
was going back and forth with the manufacturer to figure out
how to optimize the tool paths and finishing processes in
attempts to increase quality. Due to the high material cost
of brass, we tried our best to keep it reasonable but we
didnt want to compromise our initial vision of a very
premium product with no corners cut. We are offering two
versions, a full brass one and a more affordable aluminum
top, brass bottom one.
Solid Brass Version - The Technical Details
This was our uncompromised vision of what the Ingot66
was to be - a full brass case that tapered outwards like a
gold bar. We knew it would be prohibitively expensive
regardless of how we designed it due to the materials
involved. The case features an ultra-fine blasted texture
and a sodium di-chromate passivated surface.
The Dual stage Fine Blast Medium, Sodium Di-chromate
Passivated Finish
The finish we requested was a blast
medium Jeff uses on his yoyos - but because this housing is
CNC milled and not turned on a lathe, the machining marks
are a lot larger and deeper. When we discussed this with the
manufacturer, they said it would not be possible to use such
a fine medium on a milled product. But we knew the larger
grit blast would produce a rough cheap feeling, much like
you see on the mass produced aluminum anodized cases and
parts. For this finish to be possible, each surface is
mirror-polished to remove the machining marks, and then
blasted. This of course raises the price, but the results
speak for themselves. This is why we refer to it as a Dual
Stage finish, as there is this process of polishing first
that no one will ever see.
The problem we all know
about brass is how it tends to tarnish over time. Going back
and forth from the manufacturer, they recommended a
passivation of the surface, using sodium di-chromate. This
decreases the likelihood of the brass surface tarnishing,
making the surface inert so that it will not react with
oxygen. If you want more info about brass passivation, here
is a great article we found online that describes the
process we use: Chromate Conversion Coatings:
http://copperalliance.org.uk/uploads/2018/03/117-section-5-how-to-make-it-in-brass.pdf
The base plate features a brushed finish, which
follows a very similar process as above. The sodium
di-chromate passivation process is applied to the insides
and out, insuring the case stays tarnish free for a long
time. We decided on a brushed finish for the brass version,
since it offers a level of contrast between the top and the
bottom pieces.
The Engraving
We decided to go
against the cheaper method of a simple laser engraving and
went all out with a 0.5mm emboss. This was one of those
things that Jeff wanted to get perfect - but didnt know
would be an issue until it was time to get the prototype
done. We wanted our logo featuring the 6 Ingot bars to be
machined into the surface. This was something that we
realized would not be possible since a mill machine has a
spinning cutting head. This means you can not cut small
areas with 90 degrees like our logo has. The solution came
when we contacted a few companies and realized that this
kind of logo is actually done by laser engraving the same
spot, over and over and over again. The engraving you see
above takes more than half an hour to do, and the laser goes
over the same spot 150+ times. The manufacturer asked if we
were sure we wanted to do it this way, since it increases
our costs, but as an uncompromised luxury product we wanted
to stay true to our vision.
The Insides - A focus on ease of assembly
The inside of this case was designed to be assembled
as user friendly as possible, as we knew we would be selling
a DIY case. I threw Jeff in the deep end by asking to design
the FC660C case that is normally a plastic snap together
clam shell design. Because metal doesnt flex and cant just
snap together, this meant we couldnt just copy the existing
design of the original housing and it also meant there are
no mounting holes for the plate much like other custom
keyboards that are available. We also suspect this might be
why there is so little aftermarket support for FC660C
cases.
Another huge design issue with the original plastic
case, is that the controller is mounted to the bottom while
the plate/keys are mounted to the top with a plethora
of tiny wires connecting the two. We both saw this as an
accident waiting to happen, especially with our 1.66kg brass
bottom. We wanted to decrease the chance that a customer
would damage the delicate wires during installation.
Our
solution was to top mount everything. Both the plate and
controller is directly bolted to the case top, lowering the
chance that someone could tear the wires. Six M3x10mm screws
secure the plate to the top via the edge slots that normally
locate the plate to the plastic housing. Two M3x8mm screws
secure the controller, aligning it with the USB outlet.
Nothing is mounted to the bottom plate - allowing the user
to take their time installing it as a separate piece.
The window was another huge challenge. This was an
idea that Jeff thought of after disassembling the FC660C. I
mentioned that users often swap out with custom controllers,
a somewhat unique thing about Leopold keyboards. The acrylic
window is secured by four M2.5x4mm low clearance screws,
usually used to mount hard drives into laptops. This offered
the clearance we needed to include the window but not
contact any PCB components on the inside.
We also opted
out of more permanent options such as glue, or press fit as
we wanted this piece to be replaceable by the customer if it
got scratched up, or even cut their own color/designs.
Since laser cutting is such a common thing, we can offer to
release the vector file and let you create your own. Our kit
includes a cut out for the stock 4 dip switches, and we are
also planning to include another one either without a hole,
or with a smaller one for Hasu controllers depending on user
response.
Aluminum & Brass Version
Everything said about the full brass version above is
the same as the Aluminum version. The design is exactly the
same, but the top housing is machined out of 6063 aluminum
and the bottom is brass with the same passivated blasted
finish mentioned above. Pictured here is our black anodized
version, the top housing saves a lot on the price due to
material costs. This version is still very heavy due to the
fact the entire bottom is still a solid piece of brass. We
originally aimed to use 6061 but the manufacturer
recommended the more expensive 6063. After anodizing it,
they realized that the anodizing on 6063 is much more
consistent for our final release.
Comparison to a regular FC660C
Not only does the typing experience feel vastly
different, but after using our housing, it makes the stock
keyboard feel like a toy. The photos show the size
difference but does not show how heavy even the aluminum
version is compared to the plastic housing. Here pictured is
our third prototype in “Coffee Brown”. We want suggestions
for colors as well, but black is for sure.
Details of the construction
These help illustrate the components involved with
the assembly process that was explained earlier for the
brass version. Again pictured here is the coffee version.
3D Printed Prototype
Before
spending the money on the prototypes, we got a 3d prints
done to verify the shape and feel. Luckily we did, as
changes were needed regarding the screw holes and how the
plate mounted. This is a crucial step in proof of concept
before initial prototypes, and saved time and money by
avoiding machining twice.
FAQ
Vendors? International shipping?
For fulfilment of a group buy, we will setup a
website with a cart that calculates the shipping costs. Due
to the weight of these keyboard cases, International
shipping is pricy but will still be offered. Currently that
is the only way we will be selling these. We may plan on
releasing some after the GB but not at this lowered price
point. At this price point, venders would probably not be
possible because wed just barely break even or lose
money.
Why should we trust you?
We have showed to the best of our abilities the work,
hours and money already dumped into this project. We didnt
want to take chances on renders as we both felt it was too
risky to not know what a product would actually turn out
like, especially one that is this expensive.
Jeffrey
has shipped thousands of products to customers in the past 5
years, and has been involved with over +50 retail stores for
his yoyo business. We have been friends for over 10 years,
and our main purpose of this project was to develop
something I truly thought should exist for the FC660C - much
like a thank you to one of my favourite keyboards. Although
there will likely be things that can happen that is out of
our control, we are both willing to be transparent to
everyone involved. Our pricing is decided with the
recommendation of Jeffrey - to be able to cover the few
units that are damaged, or defective and also send out
whatever replacement parts are needed if a customer
experiences issues. This is the same way he runs Luftverk -
and also makes sure that both we and the customers are happy
with the results without compromises.
When?
If all goes well and we get enough interest in this
project, we plan to launch a GB in late January. If it takes
more time for the GB to happen then we are willing to
extend. Because we already past the prototype stage it
should be a lot quicker to put into production and get to
customers. A very generous estimate would be around 5
months, so if the GB ends in February, it would be shipping
by July. This could change though but we can keep customers
notified and updated as things get completed.
Other Concerns?
Our biggest concern was brought to us by the
manufacturers. They mentioned that the brass can very easily
be marked, or develop surface scratches by incorrect
handling or transportation. We want to make every single
unit perfect, but of course some defects might occur that is
out of our control. This is why we have built into our price
that a few units will get damaged or does not meet our
strict QC. We spoke to the manufacturer to try and find a
solution and already developed a foam transportation box for
each one when it goes between processes like being
transported from machining to polishing to blasting to
passivation. We are both very much perfectionists, and with
our combined knowledge we are confident we can deliver
without putting anyone in a bad position.
Price point after the group buy?
As mentioned above, the GB price is at a discount as
a thank-you for early support and trusting us with this
project. We are undecided but if we decide to release a few
afterwards on our website, it will be at a greater price
point than what we can offer now. If someone misses out on
the GB and wants in after, again we would have to charge the
greater price to be fair to our early supporters.
Are there ways to make this cheaper?
We asked this same question to the shop we are
working with, since we really didnt know what to expect with
such large pieces of brass. The biggest thing is just the
sheer amount of brass that is used. Brass is very expensive
which is why when you see other keyboards, they have a small
little weight inset into aluminum. Even for the aluminum
version the base is a 1.66kg chunk of brass, after having
the window machined away. Why the cost increased after the
prototype was mostly due to us not wanting to compromise our
outlandish vision of an endgame FC660C case. Other costs
that we didnt want to compromise is stuff like the fine
blast finish - we have to polish it first to achieve this.
Things like the depth of the logo on the back takes a lot of
time as mentioned earlier. Even things like using 6063 vs
6061 again adds to the pricing. And lastly we build in the
costs of the ones we expect to be defective from factory so
customers are happy with the board they receive. We think
this is a fair price point for this product - and what we
can safely do it for in case we do end up with a high defect
rate. If there isnt enough demand we simply wont do it.
What keycaps are used in your photos?
Featured here were a mixture of GMK WOB, GMK Zhuyin
(by HoodrowThrillson/OneCreativeMind), and stock FC660C
caps.
Estimated Pricing
Depending
on interest here is our estimation on pricing:
$550-650
for the Aluminum/Brass version
$850-950 for the
Solid Brass version
Overall MOQ: Probably around 60
units, combined Aluminum/Brass & Solid Brass
editions.
If you are interested in supporting a GB, or just want to
give us feedback please help us by filling this
Google Form!
Thanks if you’ve read this far!