2,500 Keychains for UNI: Late Nights, a Big Mistake, and a Finished Order

This past month has been the biggest project B-Engraved has ever taken on: 2,500 custom laser-engraved keychains for UNI. As of October 5th, every last one is finished, and today, October 6th, I'm delivering them. Here's how it went, including the part I'd rather forget.

Starting with a mistake

Before a single keychain was engraved, I made an expensive error: I ordered the wrong blanks. When the shipment arrived, they were the wrong color and the wrong shape for the job. So I reordered the correct ones, and I'm now the proud owner of about 2,600 keychains I didn't need.

It stung, but it taught me a lesson I won't forget. On big orders, I now confirm every detail, including color, shape, and size, before anything gets purchased. And those extra keychains won't go to waste. Keep an eye on the shop for what I end up doing with them.

The first batch

[Photo: the first batch of engraved keychains]

Here's the first batch fresh off the laser. Getting the first run right is the most important part of a big order. I tested the placement, the engraving settings, and the layout on the bed until every piece came out consistent. Once that was dialed in, it became a matter of loading, engraving, unloading, and repeating.

[Photo: keychains laid out on the laser bed]

[Photo: finished keychains being sorted and packed]

Late nights and a full schedule

I won't pretend it was easy. I'm a full-time UNI student, and running 2,500 pieces through the laser meant a lot of late nights at the shop. There were evenings when I had to choose between studying and getting another batch done, and balancing both took real discipline. Some nights the laser was running while I had a textbook open next to it.

Worth it in the end

When the last keychain came off the laser on October 5th, it was one of the most rewarding moments I've had running this business. Seeing thousands of finished pieces boxed up and ready to go made every late night worth it. Being trusted with an order this size by my own university means a lot, and I'm grateful for the opportunity.

[Photo: the completed order, boxed and ready for delivery]

What's next

With the UNI order delivered, I'm getting back to work on new products and ZoneForge updates, so stay tuned. If you need custom engraving for your business, organization, or event, big or small, reach out at bronson@bengravedllc.com.

Thanks for following along!

— Bronson