Guides for designers, vendors and group buy runners having custom keyboard cases machined.https://keyboardcnc.com/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/two-tone-anodised-keyboard-case/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/two-tone-anodised-keyboard-case/A two tone anodised keyboard case can mean two parts or two colours on one part. Learn how masking and dual dyeing work, what goes wrong and what to ask a shop.Thu, 05 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-rotary-encoder-knob/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-rotary-encoder-knob/A keyboard rotary encoder knob is a small turned part with a flat bore, a set screw and a case hole to match. See what to specify so the knob fits and spins.Wed, 04 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-usb-c-cutout/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-usb-c-cutout/A keyboard case USB-C cutout must clear the cable boot, not just the socket. A checklist for size, position, wall depth, finish build-up and board mounts.Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-typing-angle/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-typing-angle/Keyboard case typing angle: compare a built-in wedge with feet, see what ergonomic sources say, work out wedge stock and put the right angle on the drawing.Mon, 02 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-hs-code-import-duty/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-hs-code-import-duty/No HS line names a keyboard case. See how the US schedule treats a case as a keyboard part, the lines that apply, the duty that follows and the invoice details.Sun, 01 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/e-white-keyboard-case-colour/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/e-white-keyboard-case-colour/E-white is an opaque coated white, not an anodised one, and whites show every shift. What moves the colour, how to set a measured target and compare lots.Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/de-minimis-keyboard-group-buy/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/de-minimis-keyboard-group-buy/US de minimis is suspended for every country. See what it means for keyboard group buys: entry rules, who files, the 22 Oct 2026 change and a checklist.Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/anodising-defects-keyboard-case/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/anodising-defects-keyboard-case/White spots, streaks, burn marks and blotchy dye on an anodised keyboard case each have a usual cause. Read the symptom, ask the shop and settle who pays.Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/zinc-alloy-vs-machined-aluminium-keyboard-case/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/zinc-alloy-vs-machined-aluminium-keyboard-case/Die cast zinc is cheap per part and costly to start, while machined aluminium is the reverse. Tooling, weight, finish and the volume where casting pays off.Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/wood-keyboard-case-and-hybrid-builds/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/wood-keyboard-case-and-hybrid-builds/A wood keyboard case moves with humidity and finishes differently from metal. Species, tolerances, grain risks and how to join wood to an aluminium base.Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/wireless-keyboard-case-design/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/wireless-keyboard-case-design/A metal case blocks Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz radio. How to plan antenna windows, battery pockets, charge ports and shipping rules for a wireless keyboard case.Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/tkl-vs-full-size-keyboard-case-cost/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/tkl-vs-full-size-keyboard-case-cost/How much more a TKL or full-size keyboard case costs than a 65 percent: plan area, block mass, machine travel, anodising racks and flatness risk compared.Sun, 25 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/titanium-keyboard-case-machining-cost/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/titanium-keyboard-case-machining-cost/A titanium keyboard case costs several times an aluminium one. Where the money goes in material and machining, which grade to ask for and what finishes work.Sat, 24 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/split-keyboard-case-machining/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/split-keyboard-case-machining/A split keyboard case is a matched pair, not two copies of one part. How mirroring, colour matching, ports and tenting affect machining cost and quality.Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/macropad-case-small-run-manufacturing/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/macropad-case-small-run-manufacturing/Macropad and numpad cases are small parts where setup cost dominates. Nesting, shared fixtures, variant planning and anodising batches make a small run viable.Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/machining-polycarbonate-keyboard-case/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/machining-polycarbonate-keyboard-case/Polycarbonate keyboard cases fail from stress, heat and the wrong coolant, not from the plastic itself. What to ask a shop about cutters, annealing and finish.Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/machining-a-65-percent-keyboard-case/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/machining-a-65-percent-keyboard-case/The 65 percent layout is the easiest keyboard case to machine and quote. Footprint, machine fit, arrow cluster, USB cutout and typing angle effects on cost.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-screw-inserts-and-tapped-holes/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-screw-inserts-and-tapped-holes/Direct threads, wire inserts and press-in inserts compared for a machined keyboard case: boss sizing, tap drills, anodising and how many rebuilds each survives.Mon, 19 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-laser-engraving/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-laser-engraving/Laser engraving puts logos, serials and legends on a keyboard case. What a fibre laser does on anodised aluminium and brass, and what artwork to send.Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-inspection-flatness-rock/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-inspection-flatness-rock/How to inspect a machined keyboard case when the run arrives: flatness, rock, fit and cosmetic checks, sampling, typical limits and what to write down.Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-foam-comparison/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-foam-comparison/Poron-type polyurethane, silicone and polyethylene foam behave differently in a keyboard case. Compression, thickness, cutting and sourcing for a group buy.Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-fixturing-six-sided-machining/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-fixturing-six-sided-machining/A keyboard case has six faces and a shop can only reach some of them per setup. How fixturing decides your price, your witness lines and your scrap rate.Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/diamond-cut-keyboard-case-edges/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/diamond-cut-keyboard-case-edges/A diamond cut chamfer gives a keyboard case a bright edge against a matte face. What the process adds to cost, where scrap comes from and how to specify it.Wed, 14 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/cnc-machined-keycaps-small-runs/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/cnc-machined-keycaps-small-runs/Machined metal keycaps are small parts with tight stem fits and visible finishes. Materials, stems, legends, weight and what a small run really costs.Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/bead-blasted-keyboard-case-before-anodising/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/bead-blasted-keyboard-case-before-anodising/Bead blasting gives an anodised keyboard case its matte satin surface. What media does, why consistency is hard, and how to specify a blast you can accept.Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/aluminium-plate-stock-keyboard-case/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/aluminium-plate-stock-keyboard-case/How a shop picks aluminium plate for a keyboard case: stock thickness steps, facing allowance, rolled or cast plate, stress relief and a worked sizing example.Sun, 11 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/acrylic-keyboard-case-cast-vs-extruded/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/acrylic-keyboard-case-cast-vs-extruded/An acrylic keyboard case is built from stacked sheet layers. How cast and extruded acrylic differ, why thickness varies and how to keep the edges clear.Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/7075-aluminium-keyboard-case/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/7075-aluminium-keyboard-case/7075 is stronger and harder than 6061 but no stiffer, and it anodises differently. Where a 7075 keyboard case earns its price and where it only adds cost.Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/aluminium-vs-polycarbonate-keyboard-case/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/aluminium-vs-polycarbonate-keyboard-case/Aluminium and polycarbonate are not the same part in a different material. Finishing options, tolerance risk and true cost compared for a keyboard case run.Sun, 27 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/in-house-vs-outsourced-anodising-for-shops/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/in-house-vs-outsourced-anodising-for-shops/Running anodising in house controls colour but ties up capital. Outsourcing frees capital but adds a dependency you do not control. The trade-off, plainly.Sun, 27 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/anodising-relationship-colour-repeatability/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/anodising-relationship-colour-repeatability/Most keyboard runs that go wrong go wrong at the finisher, not the machine. What to agree with your anodiser before you quote cosmetic work, and what to ask.Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/pricing-cosmetic-scrap-and-overage/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/pricing-cosmetic-scrap-and-overage/Anodised cosmetic parts cannot be reworked, so scrap comes out of somebody's margin. Deciding whose before the order is the cheapest conversation available.Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/quoting-a-keyboard-case-job/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/quoting-a-keyboard-case-job/A keyboard case is a cosmetic part with ordinary tolerances, the opposite of most work. Here is what to price that your normal estimating sheet will miss.Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/what-keyboard-designers-get-wrong/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/what-keyboard-designers-get-wrong/The same five problems arrive in nearly every first case model. Spotting them before you quote turns a risky job into an easy one and wins you the customer.Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/working-with-a-group-buy-customer/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/working-with-a-group-buy-customer/Your customer has taken money from three hundred people against a public date. Here is what that changes, and the four things that protect both of you.Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/6061-vs-6063-keyboard-case/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/6061-vs-6063-keyboard-case/The two alloys behind nearly every aluminium keyboard case compared on colour, stiffness, machining behaviour and price, with a clear rule for choosing one.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/aluminium-vs-brass-keyboard-case/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/aluminium-vs-brass-keyboard-case/Weight, sound, machining cost and finish behaviour compared across 6061, 6063, 7075, brass C360, copper C110 and stainless, with the trade-offs on each.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/anodising-keyboard-cases/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/anodising-keyboard-cases/Alloy, blast grit, dye lot and bath time all move anodised colour. What to specify, why top and bottom halves must run together and how to approve a sample.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/brass-keyboard-weight-guide/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/brass-keyboard-weight-guide/Why almost every premium board hides a second metal inside it, what each weight material costs to machine and finish, and how to keep it off your critical path.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/choosing-a-keyboard-case-manufacturer/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/choosing-a-keyboard-case-manufacturer/The questions that separate a shop that has made keyboard cases from one that has only machined aluminium, and the answers that should make you walk away.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/custom-cnc-keyboard-case-guide/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/custom-cnc-keyboard-case-guide/What happens between a finished CAD model and a box of anodised cases: files, prototypes, tolerances, colour approval, quantities and the dates that matter.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/e-coat-vs-anodising-keyboard/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/e-coat-vs-anodising-keyboard/Colour range, thickness, durability, cost and the effect on tight fits, set out so you can pick a finishing route before the drawing goes out for quotes.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/five-axis-vs-three-axis-keyboard-case/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/five-axis-vs-three-axis-keyboard-case/Five axis costs more per hour and can still make a case cheaper by collapsing setups. How to tell which side of that line your design sits on before you quote.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/gasket-mount-case-design/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/gasket-mount-case-design/Shelf depth, gasket compression, tab position and the finishing allowance that catches first time designers, written for the drawing not the forum thread.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-cad-package/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-cad-package/STEP files per part, a drawing that says what matters, the alloy, the finish, a colour reference and the date. What a complete RFQ package contains and why.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-colour-matching/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-colour-matching/Golden samples, batching, repeat colourways and what to do when a batch misses. The operational side of colour, written for people running a production run.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-cosmetic-standard/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-cosmetic-standard/How to define acceptable surface quality in words a shop can price and inspect against, with zones, viewing conditions and a sample that settles arguments.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-cost-drivers/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-cost-drivers/Why a keyboard case quote lands where it does: billet weight, setups, cycle time, anodising batches, cosmetic scrap and the tolerances you did not need.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-lead-time/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-lead-time/A realistic timeline from approved drawing to packed cases, where the weeks actually go, and which steps are most likely to slip past the date you published.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-moq/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-moq/Why fifty and two hundred cases can cost almost the same to finish, where the price curve actually bends and how to pick a target number before you open a buy.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-prototype/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-prototype/One machined and finished sample costs many times a production unit and is still the cheapest part of the job. What to check on it and what to do with it after.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-tolerances/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-case-tolerances/A blanket tight tolerance raises the price of every feature on a case. Here are the five or six dimensions worth tightening and the ones that can run loose.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-mounting-styles-machining/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-mounting-styles-machining/Tray, top, gasket, leaf spring and integrated plate mounts compared by setups, tolerance risk and scrap rate, so you can price a mount before you draw it.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-plate-material-guide/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/keyboard-plate-material-guide/Aluminium, brass, steel, POM, PC, FR4 and carbon fibre compared on sound, flex, machining cost and lead time, from the point of view of getting them made.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://keyboardcnc.com/blog/pvd-and-cerakote-keyboard-parts/https://keyboardcnc.com/blog/pvd-and-cerakote-keyboard-parts/PVD on weights, cerakote and powder coat on cases, and what each one adds to the price, the thickness and the number of vendors in your own supply chain.Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT