How to make a (relatively) simple converter for iPhone 5 cases

I know that the hype about the iPhone 5 has covered the amazingness of the equally good 5th generation iPod Touch. It presents iPod Touch owners a huge dilemma because wherever you turn, only iPhone cases available. So, how do you fix this?

First, you'll need a simple, cheap iPhone case. Those which are acrylic or plastic or some hard, but slightly bendable material. I am using acrylic for mine. It's to be made into the converter. You would also need a second case which you want to use. I am using the iPhone 5 Cleave case. Can't really remember which company made it though. It's an aluminum bumper case. BTW, make sure your case which you need to cut is approximately 1.5 mm thin. Too thick and it won't work, since the iPhone 5 is slightly, but not very much, thicker than the iPod Touch.

Next, tools. A saw or some jagged cutting tool. A junior hacksaw would do. You would need some gardening shears AKA wire cutters. Also, a file, recommended a metal file, for faster filing. Finally, a regular knife for trimming off the edges of your converter, in case of any edges jutting out. I have a Leatherman, so I don't need so many things.

First, cut off both sides of your case. The sides which hold on to your iPhone. Tip: Don't cut both sides at once. Do it one by one. Slow maybe, but it helps.

Step 2, not necessary but recommended. Use your file to file off the excess acrylic sticking out of the main piece.

By now you should have a flat piece of plastic/acrylic/hard, bendy material. Trim it off to fit the case you want to use. You don't have to make it 100% flush if you are using a bumper, like me, because it would help support the bumper as well as make it fit your iPod Touch. Mine makes a "clack" sound when I snap it into place.

When you are done, you should get a 5.9 by 12.1 cm piece of plastic/acrylic/hard, bendy material. +/- 0.2 cm. You now have a converter that will work with almost any iPhone case and you can now buy whatever fanciful case you like. For iPhone cases where there are designated buttons or holes for both the volume buttons and the "silencer" , with something in between, simply cut that "something" away. Either that or do something to remove it, because that piece of "add material name here" will most likely press onto the volume up button, blowing your eardrums when you listen to music(metaphorically).


Pic from www.technologytell.com

Just in case you want to know more about the Cleave case, by Deff, a japanese company, Wikipedia it(it should be there) or take a look at this:


Mine's a knockoff, which is why the design is a little different, but the thing that attracted me to mine is the huge hole at the side, so I don't have to go sawing off the metal strip in between the volume buttons and the "silencer", forgot the name for that, sorry.

I may post a vid if I can cobble together my pictures and stuff, since it's the first time I am doing this, but no guarantees. Will post vid on the overall look of my converter and case. Really cool.

Will also post instructions on making a "holographic" screen based on the principle of the Pepper's Ghost for 4-inch devices. I have the video, but it takes ages to upload. The idea is based on a Japanese/South Korean professor's creation of a semi-3D screen for the 3rd generation iPod Touch and below. It also works on a similar principle, but he used 3 semi-silvered mirrors while I used 1 piece of acrylic. Cheaper to make and less likely to shatter.

Nice! Very nice!

Edit: I just realized you have exactly the same type of ruler that I have

Gah, too fed up of trying to find the perfect case for my iPod, since next to no one sells one for the iPod, only the iPhone. So I disfigured an iPhone case to fit another iPhone case and then fitted my iPod inside. Originally used ice-cream sticks to be the converter, but I just could not find the correct black spraypaint so I did this. A leap of logic.

Okay, got the introductory video done up, will be on Facebook, sorry to those without a Facebook account, since I don't want to double upload a file 317 MB huge on a relatively slow 1MB/S Internet connection. Now uploading. If the Internet is fast, it will take 20 minutes, or I may be done 24 hours from now, or worse. Bad video quality by the way, since 1) my camcorder died and 2) it's filmed on my 4th generation iPod Touch, (technically my brother's) and it's camera is crappy.

Why facebook and not youtube?

1 mb/s is slow? Thats more than thrice what I get.

I want it to be in my timeline. It's easier to access, since I rarely use my YouTube account. But, it is a good idea. Yeah, I'll do it, if my speed of 17KB/s goes any higher to the 1MB/s my service provider promised me.

So, yeah, it is a slow Internet connection. I was promised 1MB/s but it only came for the download speed, not the upload speed. Been complaining for the past half year, but nothing changed.