In a world of rapidly advancing technology, there’s an abundance of old, broken devices that hold no real value. But what if you could give these forgotten gadgets a completely different purpose? One of the ways I do it is by turning them into fashionable DIY keychains.
DIY Keychain Charms Are Cool, Unique, and Completely Free
Keychain charms offer a fantastic opportunity to express your hobbies and interests. They’re great conversation starters. So, what better way to personalize your every-day carry than with a piece of cool technology that you have a personal connection with? For instance, I love mechanical keyboards, so I upcycled a broken Cherry MX Brown switch into a little fidget toy keychain charm. I even added an “End” keycap for an extra personal touch.
Keyboard switches make for thoughtful, personalized gifts. You could use your or your partner’s initials to make a meaningful anniversary present. Frankly, any piece of old tech makes for a super unique little gift once fashioned into a keychain charm. I gave an old Intel CPU keychain charm to my cousin, and he absolutely loved it. Perhaps this is the geek in me talking, but these one-of-a-kind accessories are so much cooler than a random keychain charm you bought in a store. The best part? These charms are completely free and only take around five minutes to make.
A hidden benefit of turning old tech into keychain charms is that you’re actually helping the environment. You’re essentially recycling the old gadget by turning it into a usable “cosmetic,” so it won’t end up in a landfill for at least a few more years. Of course, this is best to do with old or broken items that no longer have any practical use.
How to Turn Old Tech Into Keychains
Upcycling old tech into keychain charms is shockingly easy. You just need a few tools and materials that you probably already have at home:
- Nose pliers
- Drill
- Needle file
- Old electronics
- Jump rings
- Keychain loops
You’ll also need something to make holes with for the jump rings. A Dremel or drill with a micro drill bit is ideal because you can drill clean holes into any material. If you don’t have one (like me), there are alternatives.
If you’re working with plastic, you can use a soldering iron or screwdriver heated with a lighter to melt a hole in the plastic. For the latter, simply heat the tip of a thin Phillips screwdriver for 20–30 seconds with a lighter. Next, gently press against the plastic where you wish to make a hole. The heat will melt the plastic around the screwdriver tip, stopping when the tip cools. Repeat this process until you create a through-hole.
If it’s a material that doesn’t melt, such as a PCB (Printed Circuit Board), you can use a punch tool to make a hole. If you don’t have that, either, try the screwdriver and hammer method. Put the PCB against a hard surface, such as a cutting board. Make a small mark with your Phillips screwdriver where you want the hole, then gently tap the screwdriver with your hammer until you create a small hole. Use the screwdriver to expand the hole, then use a round needle file to expand and shape the hole while also rounding off the edges.
Depending on what you’re using to make the charm, you might want to do some additional preparation. For instance, keyboard switches have two pins on the bottom that get attached or soldered to the keyboard. These pins are quite sharp and can poke you when they’re in your pocket, so you’ll definitely want to get rid of them. You can rip them out or snap them off with your nose pliers. If there’s any material left, you can easily sand it off with a file. Some CPUs also have lots of pins, which you can quickly remove with a soldering iron.
Once you have the hole, the rest of the process is quick and straightforward. Take an old jump ring or keychain loop and use your pliers to open it up. I like to use two pairs of pliers because it’s easier, but it can be done with just one. Slide the open jump ring or loop through the hole you drilled into the device, then close it shut with your pliers. To make the ring extra secure, gently push the two edges against each other with your pliers.
Best Items to Turn Into Keychain Charms & Where to Find Them
There are plenty of places to source old tech for your keychain charms. You can often find broken or discarded devices for free or at low prices at your local tech repair shop, thrift store, flea markets, and garage sales. Better yet, many of us have at least one or two old gadgets lying around, so checking your drawer is another good idea. If you still can’t find anything interesting, try online platforms like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist. Try making a post asking for donations of old broken tech and explain how you’re planning to upcycle it.
Another good idea is to source it from your working devices. For instance, if you have a mouse that double-clicks, you could try repairing it by upgrading the old switches to fancier microswitches from AliExpress. Then, simply use the old switches for the keychain. They even have holes already, so all you have to do is snap off the pins and add a jump ring to create an adorable little fidget charm.
As for which items make for good keychain charms, the sky is your limit. I obviously love keyboard and mouse switches, but old CPUs are also very cool and small enough. Bonus points if it’s an iconic model like an old Intel Pentium 4 or Core2Duo. It’s worth noting that the IHS (integrated heatspreader) might be too thick to drill a hole and push a jump ring through, so consider delididng it first. You can take it a step further by exposing the colorful CPU die, but it’s a laborious process.
A stick of RAM also makes a cool keychain charm, although it is relatively large. You could also desolder the memory chips themselves and just use them. You could also split open headphones, earbuds, or a phone and use something cool-looking from there. Just carefully remove and recycle the battery first. If you’re willing to use a saw, consider hacking off pieces of an old motherboard or graphics card (or even the GPU chip itself) and use the pieces to make charms.
Master the Craft and Make Money
Once you’ve mastered the art of transforming old tech into keychain charms, consider capitalizing on your hobby by selling them. They cost next to nothing and only take a few minutes to make, but you could easily sell them for a few bucks to local tech geeks. Snap a few good photos of each item you make and post them on Etsy and Facebook. Don’t forget to attend local craft fairs, too. It’s a fun little side gig that gives you the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals.
