Palmetto 60% - Group Buy Starts 5/8/21 @ 11am EST

Carolina Mech + Van Dusen Mfg.

Palmetto 60%

Designed and manufactured in South Carolina, USA

The goal of this project is to produce a high-end board entirely locally.


Palmetto 60% Group Buy starts on 5/8/21 at 11 AM EST:
75 Units
First Come, First Served
Sale starts at 11am EST on 5/8/21


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Photo Album


Silver Powder Coat and Blue Cerakote Protos

Background:
As you all know, most of the high-end keyboards produced in this hobby are made overseas (with some notable exceptions). After working on GMK Classic Blue in 2019, I realized a school friend actually owned a local CNC machine shop. I met with Van Dusen Mfg. and we began to design a keyboard together. We have been working the past several months securing a supply chain that consists of as many local businesses as possible--this goes beyond just having the cases CNC'd locally. We are also working with local shipping companies for shipping boxes and custom foam. Currently we’re evaluating regional finishing shops for cerakote, powder coat, and anodizing. All of the people we are working with are within easy driving distance!


Palmetto weight - hand brushed + blued for protos, most likely will be sandblasted in GB

Palmetto 60:
The Palmetto is a 60% unibody mounted with an o-ring gasket, featuring a thick brass weight and USB-C daughterboard. The typical tray mount screw holes are not present, but there is a center post to prevent shorting out from flex. The only screws on the board are on the weight and the daughterboard. There are large holes in the case the large brass weight fits into; once the weight is removed, this allows you to push out the PCB easily, similar to the TGR/Singa Unikorn. The name Palmetto comes from the Palmetto Tree, which is the state tree of South Carolina.


Internal render note: the zig zag on the daughterboard cable channel is designed to pinch the cable in place, if it gets loose, the o-ring will not work properly

Finishing:
Local Cerakote and Powder Coat Vendors are currently being assessed. Local anodizing will also be tested. Colors will most likely be limited to a handful of options in order to make the buy go as smoothly as possible.


Butt shot

Specs:
Typing Angle: 8 degrees
Front Height: 20 mm
Weight: 3.7 lb / 1.68 kg (unbuilt)
O-Ring Mount
Hineybush H60 PCB + USB-C Daughterboard

Plates:
Aluminum Full/Half
Carbon Fiber Full/Half
FR4 Full/Half (outsourced to save costs)


Carbon Fiber and FR4 Half Plates

Layout:


Kit includes: unibody case, brass weight, full aluminum plate, Hineybush H60 PCB, JST Cable, USB-C Daughterboard, bumpons, screws, o-ring.

Price TBD ($400-475?) - Made in USA. Working on making this as affordable as possible.

More Photos here: https://imgur.com/a/yNpL2xv

Round 1 Group Buy will be 50 units, most likely raffled, Q1 2021.

Cell phone sound test - Carbon Fiber Half Plate, Milky Gateron Blacks, Leopold PBT

Fulfilment will be through CarolinaMech.com

Turnaround time: 4-6 months (hopefully less).

Thanks to hineybush, Hoodrow Thrillson, basecataz, Lewis Flude and many others for their feedback and advice.

IC Feedback Form

Join the Carolina Mech Discord

Palmetto 60% Group Buy starts on 5/8/21 at 11 AM EST:
75 Units
First Come, First Served
Sale starts at 11am EST on 5/8/21