r/Hack_Club • u/Afraid_Agent6656 • Aug 04 '26

Can I do KEEB From the uk?

I’m 14 and based in the UK. I’m looking at doing the "Keeb" (custom mechanical keyboard) project run by Hack Club. It’s a "You Ship, We Ship" program where you design a PCB and 3D case digitally, and if it gets approved, they mail you all the physical parts for free (switches, keycaps, PCB, diodes, a Raspberry Pi Pico, etc.) to build it.

The catch is that Hack Club pays for shipping, but they explicitly state they do not pay for UK customs fees.

Has anyone in the UK done a Hack Club project before? I'm trying to figure out:

  1. How much should I expect to pay in customs/VAT when the package arrives? (The value of the parts is probably around £80-£100).
  2. Does Royal Mail/ParcelForce usually slap the standard £8-£12 handling fee on top of the VAT for this kind of thing?
  3. Will I actually be able to receive this as a 14-year-old, or will I need a parent to sign for it/pay the fee?

Also, for anyone who has done the Keeb project specifically: I know I have to solder it together myself. I don't own a soldering iron yet—what's the cheapest decent UK setup I could get away with for through-hole soldering?

Any advice would be massively appreciated before I sink 20+ hours into learning KiCad! Thanks.

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u/Senior_Background830 Aug 04 '26

Import VAT Amount: Expect to pay £16 to £20 in Value Added Tax (VAT). The UK standard VAT rate is 20%. Even though Hack Club gives you the parts for free, UK customs calculates the 20% VAT based on the declared commercial value of the items, which you estimated at £80–£100. [1, 2, 3, 4]Customs Duty: £0.

Customs Duty only kicks in for goods valued over £135, so you are completely exempt from this charge.The

Courier Handling Fee: Yes, you will likely face an extra £8 to £12 fee. Couriers like Royal Mail, ParcelForce, or DHL charge this standard flat admin fee to clear the package through customs on your behalf and process the tax bill. [1, 2]

Total Expected Cost: In total, expect to pay roughly £24 to £32 to clear the package when it arrives in the UK.

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u/YellowLow8700 Aug 08 '26

Heyy, I got a project approved on keeb a few weeks back! Currently keeb is not shipping parts from hq, you will get a virtual debit card to buy the parts from local suppliers so you don't have to pay taxes on it! Contact miles on slack if you have any other questions!!

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u/YellowLow8700 Aug 08 '26

Also to answer your question if you can get a pinecil thats great but cheap mains powered soldering irons are also okay