How to Make a Hardwood Flash Drive Case

I love all things electronic!! As well as being functional, I want them to look and feel beautiful, too. I'll show you how to transform a plain, ordinary flash drive into a custom USB drive with a hardwood case.

Supplies and Equipment

• Length of hardwood 3½" x 5/8" x 1/8"
• Liquid wood adhesive
• Paste wax or finishing oil
• USB flash drive
• Bench Drill Press TBM
• Machine Vice MS 4
• Brad Point Drill Bits 
• Proxxon Disc Sander TSG 250/E

Instructions

1. Careful open an existing USB flash drive. Once it is exposed, handle only by the USB end, avoiding the delicate electronic connections.
   
2. Position the blank length of hardwood in the machine vice. Use a square to ensure that it is perpendicular in the vice.
   
3. Load the drill press with a 5/64" bit. Drill a row of holes centered in the end of the hardwood blank. Stop frequently to expel accumulated dust and shavings from the hole being drilled. Do not remove the blank from the machine vice, just slide the vice from the drill press with the blank still in it. Repeat with successively larger drill bits—3/32" → 1/8" → 9/64"—occasionally gently checking the fit of the USB flash drive.
   
4. Shape one end of the casing on the disc sander. Optionally, you can drill a hole in this shaped end for a key chain.
   
5. Sand surfaces and knock down the hard edges using the Delta sander with progressively finer grits of sandpaper—80 grit → 150 grit → 240 grit.
6. Glue the USB drive into the casing using liquid wood adhesive.
   
7. Polish with paste wax or finishing oil.
   
8. Now, go and back up your files!!
   

Carole

How to Make Small, Useful, Easy-to-Take-With-You Phone Stands

Seems like everyone is always on the go, and using their smartphones at the same time. You'll love these small, easy-to-take-with-you phone stands when you're on the go. One folds to pack in the tiniest of spaces. The other is there for you everyday as a key chain fob.

Supplies and Tools for the Folding Acrylic Stand

• 7" x 3" piece of acrylic (I used 1/16" thick, but you could use 1/8")
• Two ¾" hinges
• E6000 adhesive
• Pattern shown below
• Proxxon Table Saw FET
• Proxxon Scroll Saw DSH/E

Supplies and Tools for the Key Chain Fob Stand

• 3" x 1" piece of hard wood (I used bubinga)
• 1 eye screw
• 1 swivel latch or split ring
• Pattern shown below
• Proxxon Table Saw FET
• Professional Rotary Tool IBS/E and Drill Stand MB 200

Instructions for the Folding Acrylic Stand

Begin by covering one side of the acrylic with  painter's tape. Cut the acrylic in half to make two 3½" x 3" pieces.

On the painter's tape on one of the pieces spray repositionable adhesive. Put the two pieces of acrylic together forming a sandwich with the painter's tape in the center.

Cover one of the exposed sides of this sandwich with painter's tape. Spray the reverse side of the pattern with spray adhesive, and adhere to the painter's tape. Because you're cutting both sides at the same time, you'll end up with the right and left pieces for the stand—each an identical mirror image of the other.

3"H x 2 3/8"W

Following the pattern, cut the pieces on the scroll saw. If necessary, lightly sand any rough edges.

Position the hinges to be sure they are aligned. I taped mine to a teflon mat on top of my grid work surface. Use a dab of E6000 to glue the hinges in place, taking care not to get adhesive in the hinges. Carefully line up the second wing of the stand making sure the bottoms are level. Let the glue dry for 24 hours.

Instructions for the Key Chain Fob Stand

Adjust the blade height on the table saw and cut a 3" x 1" piece of hard wood. The blade should extend slightly above the height of the wood.

Set the longitudinal stop on the table saw so the blade cuts the leftmost side of the notch on the pattern below. Set the blade  height only to the top of the 5/8" high notch.

Make the first cut.  Using the scale on the longitudinal stop, move the stop 1/8" to the left. Make the second cut. Continue alternately moving the stop and making a cut until the notch is ½" wide. (If you have a case on your device you may need to increase the width of this notch.)

Setting the longitudinal stop

 If necessary, sand any rough edges. On the end of the stand, mark the center for the eye screw.

Select a drill bit the same size as the eye screw, and use the professional rotary tool and drill stand to drill a pilot hole.

Add the screw eye and swivel (or split ring) to complete the stand.

Now, you're ready to be on the go with your smart devices.

Carole