OTD

From GeekHackWiki
Revision as of 23:09, 4 September 2019 by GhostJuggernaut (talk | contribs)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to: navigation, search


356L

Credit: notflipperdan420 [1]

The first in the OTD lineup is the 356L. Following in the footsteps of the DK Saver, it is one of the earliest Kustom keyboards to be made.

Made from German aluminum, the keyboard is a lot heavier than it looks, weighing in at approximately 1.5kg (3.3 Pounds) despite not being an angled case.

As the L in the name suggests, it is designed for use with Linear switches, but it's said that the 356L also goes well with MX Blues.

Being the oldest and first of the legendary OTD 356 series, it is one of the rarest and most sought after keyboards by collectors.


Groupbuy Date: March 13th, 2008

Layout: Winkey 87

Units Made: 60 (1 lost during shipping, so a total of 59 units).

Colors Available: Black

Matching Wrist Rest: Yes

Controller: Any controller from a USB type WK layout Cherry G80-3000 keyboard.

Types of Plates Available: Aluminum (Black)

Engraving: It's engraved as #/60 depending on which number you have on the backside of the case and on the plate above the arrow keys.

Connection Type: USB

356N

Credit: notflipperdan420 [2]

Following the 356L is the 356N. The 356N wasn't limited in quantity like the previous 356L, but had far fewer participants at around 30 units total.

This was said to be due to the group buy date of the 356N being too close to that of the 356L. Therefore, not many people joined due to financial reasons and that makes the 356N the rarest OTD excluding prototypes and special editions.

And yes, the naming scheme is pretty much the same. The 356L is designed for use with Linear switches in mind, while the 356N is designed for Non Click (aka tactile) switches in mind.

You might be wondering how a board can be designed for a particular switch.

The designer Eungsam was very meticulous and prototyped every one of his boards multiple times (with his own money) until the boards were "perfect" by his high standards. Then provided those boards to the OTD community at almost no profit.

He used the same PCB material as that of OG Cherry boards (CEM-3) instead of the usual FR4 to replicate the feeling of OG Cherry boards into the 356N. Cherry PCBs are over 1.5T in thickness while the 356N's PCB is a very thin 1.2T to help the PCB flex more and allow for a better typing feel.

Eungsam also thought out the case design so there is space deliberately left over in the bottom of the case. This helps increase pleasant pinging sounds made by tactile switches. The 356N is also the first OTD (or first Kustom) to use a rubber band in between the PCB and plate to produce a "bouncy" typing feel while helping to reduce unpleasant sounds.

The main difference difference between the 356N and the 356N MK2, is the anodizing. Both have a "hairline" anodizing where you can see lines running across. However, the 356N has the "hairline" running vertically as opposed to the 356N MK2's horizontal "hairline".

Groupbuy Date: June~July, 2008

Layout: Winkey 87

Units Made: +- 30 (2 Chrome, Rest is Silver)

Colors Available: Silver, Chrome

Matching Wrist Rest: Yes

Controller: Holtec 628A

Types of Plates Available: Aluminum (Red), Polycarbonate Half

Engraving: No

Connection Type: PS2

356CL

Credit: notflipperdan420 [3]

Here we are at the legendary 356CL. The holy grail. The grandfather of all modern day Kustoms. It's the board that set the standard.

To say it has impacted modern day Kustom design is an understatement. It's the first Kustom ever to utilize a brass weight insert, and first Kustom ever to have an angled case design.

You don't see many boards nowadays that don't have an angled case design and or a brass weight, right?

The 356CL wasn't born that easily. Even after countless prototypes, there were many issues.

Most notably, due to an problem with the aluminum used for the case, the ano left streaks (lines) on what would be the top half of many 356CLs. These top cases would later become 356CL DGE, but more detail on that in my next post.

Eungsam with his high standards, remade all the top cases due to this issue. That is why there is such a big color difference between the top and bottom half of most CLs.

Groupbuy Date: June 2009

Layout: Winkeyless 84

Units Made: Around 90 ~ 120 units. (Some say 60 Gunmetal 30 Black, some say 90 Gunmetal, 30 Black)

Colors Available: Gunmetal, Black

Matching Wrist Rest: Yes

Controller: Holtec 628A

Types of Plates Available: Aluminum (Red), Polycarbonate Half

Engraving: Yes

Connection Type: PS2

356CL DGE

356 Mini

356 Pad

356N MK2

Koala

356 Mini MK2

456GT

356.2

360C