How to Build a DIY Acrylic and Optical-Shaft Keyboard Stand

You get shafts, acrylic panels, some connectors — and that's basically it. It ships as a kit you have to assemble yourself, not something ready to use straight out of the box. How good it looks really depends on how much care you take while putting it together. The whole thing takes maybe 30 to 40 minutes if you're comfortable working with small hardware. Fair warning though: it won't look as perfect as something custom-machined, and if that bothers you, this probably isn't for you.

What You're Actually Getting

The frame uses standard 6 mm optical shafts paired with cast cylindrical connectors. The acrylic panels — both the base and side supports — are custom made for this. The connectors are where most of the cost goes, but there's a reason: they look cleaner and make assembly way less frustrating. Nothing here is hard to find, so if you want to source cheaper parts and build your own version, you totally can.

Here's the trade-off though: because these are off-the-shelf components, they're not going to have that flawless finish you'd get from custom CNC work. There will be small imperfections once it's all put together. You have to be okay with that. The photos here show 2 mm single-sided frosted acrylic, but the actual kit bumps that up to 4 mm double-sided frosted stuff. It also includes two small feet and upgrades the screws to stainless steel M4 socket-head bolts.

Prep Your Shafts, Then Get Ready for a Bit of a Learning Curve

Optical shafts come with manufacturing oil on them and debris stuck to the ends. Plus the edges are sharp. Before you touch anything else, wipe the oil off and use the sanding block they include — it's 120-grit — to smooth out those sharp ends. This protects your hands and your keyboard.

Assembly isn't exactly beginner territory. Budget 30 to 40 minutes, and honestly, don't do this if you've never worked with optical shafts before. Two things go wrong when people rush: the base ends up tilted, and the shafts start sliding around in their connectors. Neither of these is a design flaw — it's just that you have to take your time and pay attention while you're working.

Getting Your Keyboard Mounted and Dialing In the Angle

The frame handles keyboards from 60% size and bigger. We haven't formally tested the load limit, but a safe bet is around 3 kg. The test keyboards in these photos range from a 60HHKB all the way up to an 80% layout and some weird tall board, so we've definitely pushed it.

You can adjust the display angle pretty easily. Just raise or lower the connectors on the outer top corners to tilt the keyboard however you like. One thing to keep in mind if you're putting an expensive board on this: there's a real chance you'll bump or scratch it while adjusting things. That's on you.

Final Thoughts & Parts List

Two things determine how this turns out: how much time you spend making sure the frame is square, and whether you can live with something that obviously looks handmade. Everything you need is listed below.