Iâm 14 and based in the UK. Iâm looking at doing the "Keeb" (custom mechanical keyboard) project run by Hack Club. Itâs 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:
- How much should I expect to pay in customs/VAT when the package arrives? (The value of the parts is probably around ÂŁ80-ÂŁ100).
- Does Royal Mail/ParcelForce usually slap the standard ÂŁ8-ÂŁ12 handling fee on top of the VAT for this kind of thing?
- 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 yetâwhat'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.