Wouldn’t that require a new PCB as well?
Oh yeah… duh
Hey if that faraday60 pcb ever comes out to work, then there might be a cool collab that could happen of fully custom norbauer boards. But that is a real pipe dream if I have ever heard of one.
1 Like
I own 2 soon to be 3 or 4
excited to see this finally happening. the custom plate is going to be the biggest game changer in topre for as long as i’ve been around- not just because there’s finally the opportunity to improve the out-of-box typing experience of the hhkb layout, but also because you can expand it to other topre products long-term to create a “softer” typing experience with them as well. (and you can maybe even go as far as create a totally-custom hi-pro plate for the hi-pro guys)
one question for you @norbauer - iirc on the leaked heavy grail product page, there was mention of a POM plate being offered separately. will this still be a thing at some point? i understand manufacturing a POM product like the hhkb plate will be super expensive, but i’ve been experimenting quite a bit with using various tapes to reduce scratchiness/wobble/noise and i’d love to see how a POM plate handles with PTFE-taped sliders.
I didn’t fully appreciate just how insane this project was on the first read.
I’m in.
5 Likes
Alas, the shrinkage rate turns out to be drastically different for ABS and POM, so I couldn’t use the same injection mold for both materials like I had originally hoped. And having just shelled out, depending on how you calculate it, between $20k and $30k to make the ABS mold, I’m not keen to buy a second for this same large and intricate part. 
I do have some other wild ideas in the works that might address many of the issues you’ve mentioned, but I prefer not to get to ahead of myself in talking about them until I have some sense that they’ll actually be better than what’s out there already. Suffice it to say: I have a roster of research 2020 projects of escalating levels of levels of scale and scope, and the Heavy Grail is just one rung on a very tall ladder. 
3 Likes
If that isn’t a teaser, I don’t know what is.
4 Likes
WOW! 
I can’t wait to see what color/finishes are selected
Your best work yet I think. Hoping to make this my first Norbauer case.
EDIT: I’d like to humbly request black with black switch plate
I only have 5 norbauer cases. 5 just doesn’t sit right with me. 6 sounds better… not good, but better.
All of these teasers make me feel like a kid again and it’s a month before Christmas. Can’t wait to see what NorbaClaus is gonna bring us.
3 Likes
why not just include a custom pcb or build around a new custom pcb? on top of the machining cost a pcb would only add a fraction of the cost. wouldnt that be overall easier?
Not for a Topre board, no.
you can just make one… it’s not the most complex thing. there is even right now a replacment PCB out for HHKB iirc
Funny I have 5 Norbauer cases too and I dislike odd numbers. This will help my situation.
Looks beautiful. I’ve been looking for another HHKB-like board, but I’ll be more than happy to be stuck with my Pro 2 and this case.
Hopefully this doesn’t come out in June, though. 
Dang this looks so awesome I even registered on KeebTalk!
Do hope this will run a bit later or at least has multiple rounds because budgeting is hard 
1 Like
So no USB ports?
Well, there is one, but not three.
2 Likes