En Dash – Old Meets New

En Dash – Old Meets New





Hey Geeks, I feel like I should introduce myself as this is my first project. I am Would, Australia based graphic designer specialising in type design. I make fonts, and love frying my eyes from staring at a computer screen for too long. Let's get into the business end of this project:

This board is a revival of one of the much loved kustoms - the OTD 360C. Similar aesthetic, build and mounting style but i believe i have changed enough to take it well out of clone territory. While it does draw heavily from the original source I believe that the changes i have made are enough to make it my own. Shifting proportions and updating internals while offering more flexibility in layout. The plate has different mounting points but has all of the Korean flex/consistency cutouts as after all, people do crave the typing experience of a Kustom for a reason. More or less its designed to look and feel like a Kustom that has been given a breath of fresh air. The En Dash is built to fit Hiney's H88 PCB but will not be released with a plate that has as flexible layout choices.


Details

I do already have a prototype in hand. Sadly the quality of the manufacturing left a lot to be desired and I am not comfortable leaving the full run in their hands. I am waiting to hear back on a couple more quotes before i continue with another factory.

Layout: TKL with F13 – Please note this will be available as WKL ONLY to keep things a bit simpler for my sake as a first timer.
Made from Aluminium 6061/6063 (tbd based on final factory) and brass.
Brass will be sandblasted matte and left uncoated to patina – this is my preference when it comes to brass.
H88 Hiney PCB
Prototype has a fixed plate, GB version will have a plate that supports stepped caps, split r-shift and split backspace.
8 degree typing angle
Built weight: 2.5 – 2.8kg
Colours: TBD
Price: TBD
GB DATE: TBD






Heres The Rest of The Album




Latest Updates

31/08/2019
I feel the need to add this comment from later in the thread here.

Hello my friends. This thread has taken a bit of a different direction to what i had hoped. Thank you to those of you that have discussed the topic of whether or not this is clone with cooler heads, whether you are agree or not.

I would like to take a moment to lay out the differences because i think this project is being looked at in the wrong way. I also don't want to become "the clone guy". Perhaps it's my fault for explaining the origins of the project and made the connection too easy to make for those that can only put one thing in the context of another. Im not saying this design is pushing the boundaries of keyboard design: its a two piece, top mount TKL after all.

Mounting
Its a top mount TKL right? I urge you to take a look at any top mounted board you own. This is one of the more "set in stone" things in design in my opinion especially in a top mount. The way my design differs from the 360C is:

• extra mounting point to be a bit more consistent across the whole board
• Different screw placement that prioritises support around alphas and corners

What has this achieved? The prototype feels very good to type on. Flex is consistent and enjoyable. Is it different enough from the 360C? No less than any other top mount TKL in my opinion.




Plate Design
Do keep in ming this is the prototype plate, you'll just have to imagine the layout support. How is this different from the 360C?

• I'll start with an obvious one: its a different layout. F13 means modified flex cutouts around that top portion
• The flex cutouts look the same. Yes because they're flex cut outs at every opportunity

Side profile
How many times has this side profile been iterated on?



Does that make every two piece board with a flat back and a straight cut out a clone of the first one? Here is a comparison of 360C to En Dash. I would say the 360C is significantly more angular while the curve of the En Dash is more soft and sweeping.




Weight
Yep, it's a rectangle. Heres how my brick of brass is different:

• the inside is significantly bigger - Why? more surface area of brass inside to improve acoustics as well as provide a little more heft
• Mounts from the inside for a hidden assembly

I hope this is enough for you sticklers out there. I only ask that rather than getting stuck on the similarities, you look at the differences. A thin bezelled two piece design will look a certain way especially if it's a revival of an old design. If you think it is still too close you are welcome to not support the project.

29/08/2019
Added some additional specs to the description.

27/08/2019
First prototype is in hand – so why arent we in GB already?
WELL I have had some pretty significant issues with manufacturing quality across every piece of my prototype. I want to make sure i only put out something that lives up to this board's inspiration and my standards of what a high end TKL should be. I will not sacrifice the quality of this product and I am currently getting quotes from a few other factories.



Ask me any questions you may have about the project. I love chatting about design but I would prefer to keep all discussion about this design archived here for everyone to see — I am contactable here or on Discord at would#3131