I have had this interesting piece of psychedelic looking vinyl for some time. Today I finally found a use case for it. I turned a regular keyboard into a way more fun and exciting one.
I shared my general process and supplies in the video if anyone wants to try! It's a super affordable way to make your space feel more like yours.
I'd also love to see anyone else creations!
Update: 10-16-2026
Some women like flowers, some women like jewelry, but you know he loves you when he buys you CNC cut metal keys for your keyboard! I am obsessed with the the see-thorough edges that let the led light shine through. My keyboard is starting to feel like a cyberpunk festival. Where psychedelic meets industrial is sort of my vibe. Artists like
Samuel Farrand and BrizBazaar have been inspirations to me for some time.
Anyways, update photo time!
I love it so much! It's some sort of aluminum/steel alloy and they came in a cool little carbon fiber box. A cool surprise I did not expect, was a new tool. I'm not sure what it's called so I guess i'll refer to it as a 'key-grabber'. π
Here is the new kit details in photos:
Additionally, I wanted to let everyone know that the vinyl is holding up well despite my best efforts to power through a HTB module. (Post incoming LOL) Sides staying down, no peeling, vinyl staying put!
Top comments (35)
anna, this is such a refreshing and creative post! the idea of using affordable vinyl to customize stock gear is a brilliant hack. as someone who builds everything on a $150 phone, i deeply appreciate creative, low-cost ways to make our tools feel personal and inspiring.
tagging this with #mentalhealth and #craft is spot on. our physical workspace directly impacts our mental state and coding flow, and a personalized setup is a great, tangible way to combat burnout and make the work feel like yours.
quick question on the durability: how does the vinyl hold up to daily typing friction and the natural oils from hands? have you noticed any peeling at the edges yet, or is it holding up perfectly?
love the psychedelic vibe! keep creating and sharing these awesome projects. π―β¨οΈ
Thank you! I recently lost my job and I needed a distraction. Ive seen the super amazing metal keyboards before and thats probably a goal one day. But I felt like I had to do something different and this was an excellent distraction.
It hasn't existed for more than a day, and the application was rough and messy. However, because my keys cover most of the areas where the imperfections are, it comes out cleaner looking.
I also had a concern about the vinyl peeling up, but I think the downward motion of repeated key pressing should generally help keep things in place for the time being.
However, they also make heat-activated vinyls that are great for difficult contours. That is also an option. I could have used a blow drier to help lock the glue in place. But I didnt feel like making noise or getting out of my chair at that moment. You could give that a try if you have concerns!
Thanks for your comment!! β¨οΈ
anna, thank you for sharing that. i'm really sorry to hear about the job loss, but i absolutely love that you channeled that energy into a creative, hands-on project. sometimes the best way to reset is to build something just for the joy of it.
thatβs a great point about the downward motion of typing helping to keep the vinyl seated, and the heat-activated vinyl tip is super helpful for anyone wanting to try this!
wishing you the very best with your job search and your future builds. keep creating! β¨οΈπ―
Thank you! If you ever try this I would love to see what you do with it. Be sure to tag me!
I will likely be more present on dev and generally available to do more interesting things until I find my next job. Going to use this time to learn new skills.
Healing by making messes with vinyl. πππ
"healing by making messes" is the absolute best kind of therapy. i love that mindset.
if i ever try a vinyl hack, i will definitely tag you! wishing you the absolute best on this upskilling journey. take all the time you need, and keep creating! β¨οΈπ―
Thank you! β¨οΈ
I usually leave things as they are - stock. But some customizations (like this one) completely blows my mind.
What switches does that keyboard have? π
Hybrid Mechanical, it looks like. This is a steelseries apex 5.
Looks like it has blue switches. Must be loud as hell. I had Logitech Pro X TLK - great keyboard BTW - with blue switches...
Gosh it was SO damn loud. Sometimes it'd even derail my train of thought π
Yes they are blue π
Very nice! I am thinking of buying myself a new keyboard, even though the one I have right now is a mechanical keyboard.
Good stuff :)
Super cool keyboard! I want this! π
Thanks! I kind of want to make another one. Its been a few days. I was also thinking about my mouse. I think its best to decorate surfaces that are not going to be touched, if using vinyl. They say vinyl stickers are tough and rugged, but so are we ππ€£π Ill have to do a "wear and tare update".... maybe.
Wow! Creating a custom mouse is a good idea. Looking forward to seeing how the mouse turns out! π±οΈ
Im not sure if im actually gonna do that one or not yet. We'll see! Haha
This is soo cool omg.. the fact that you are into art and tech even makes you cooler!! I really love the droplet looking design falling from the numpad π€©
You are too kind! And yes, tech and art are top tier β¨οΈ haha, thank you @maame-codes
Bit of the wall this moring just let me the comemts ok x
Looks cool! πΈ
Thanks!
Making the keyboard you already own feel personal is a lovely project. A later wear-and-tear update would be useful too, especially a comparison between the vinyl near frequently used keys and the untouched edges.
Cool!
It would have taken me millions of years to complete! ππ₯°
There was a few sighs during the process. ππ€£
Wow! Your keyboard looks absolutely awesome. The design is so bright it almost hurts my eyes π
I might have to get a new mousepad now, something dark. I like the keyboard, but that rainbow against the marble mousepad is definitely off putting LOL.
Donβt forget to post a photo after you replace it! π
If I do, I'll likely update this post!
π₯ποΈπ€
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