Flash drives often break and, as a rule, fail outer shell- frame. How to reanimate a drive so that it serves you for a long time? Read on to learn how to make a case for a flash drive with your own hands: instructions step by step.
Today we will look at several questions:
- how to properly disassemble flash drives of different designs;
- what tools will be needed for this;
- How to make a case for a flash drive.
In addition, we will tell you which materials at hand can be used to create a new case, and which ones are better not to use so as not to damage the media. At the end there will be small master classes on how to design this device in the form of a Lego cube and a lighter.
Flash drives are an integral part of life modern man. Of course, there are various other types of storage media. Computers and laptops have long been in use; in the end, some even use their smartphones for this. But despite this, these storage media do not lose their relevance: they can store large amounts of information, quickly and easily connect to various devices, do not take up much space. They are used to store photos, videos, films, music, and for many they are an indispensable thing at work, for transmitting reports, presentations and important documents.
Usually they are in a plastic “body”, sometimes in silicone - manufacturers like to make these types in funny shapes like fruits, cartoon characters and TV series. And much less often they are more impressive, for example, steel. Plastic storage media are easily damaged; they can split from an unexpected fall, bend at a break, or crack when caught under a heavy object.
What is the way out of this situation? Spend money on buying a new device, time to transfer information? Why, if you can just read this article and find out how to create your own original case for a flash drive. IN possible options you are limited only by the availability of materials and your imagination; the methods and types of homemade cases can be different: starting from a Lego cube or a piece of a block left after repair, and ending with an ordinary cork. Some craftsmen create real works of art in different styles and even sell them. Since there are many options, we will look at the basic principles - how to properly remove a flash drive from the old “body” and how not to damage it, what tools you may need and what items can be used to create a new design, and what materials should not be used.
Removing the Flash Drive
So, let's begin! First, just in case, transfer all the contents to another device. A flash drive can be:
- whole;
- collapsible.
If the former have a visible gap in the body, then the latter look monolithic. But both of them can be easily disassembled, the main thing is to know how.
Let's start with the “solid” type. Its connector is connected by a latch to the board, and this latch snaps into place, and disconnect it in the usual way impossible. We will need a thin, flat pen screwdriver. Using this tool we make a hole between the body and the latch. Carefully, so as not to damage anything, lightly pressing, swing up and down. Such holes need to be made in three or four places where the connection is made, now we can easily remove it.
Now let’s talk about how to remove the case from a “collapsible” flash drive. This type of drive is much simpler and its disassembly requires less effort: there is a small slot along the body that makes work easier. We will also need a thin feather screwdriver. Unlike monolithic type, there is no latch here, but there are latches that we need to open. We insert the screwdriver into the groove and use the same rocking method to open the case. The latches may break, but this will not cause any harm to the drive.
Making a case for a flash drive
Well, we have disassembled the flash drive, and now we move on to the main task - how to make a case for the flash drive? Your homemade version, as mentioned earlier, can have any form - the main thing is to maintain the functionality of the drive. Firstly, the item should be easy to connect to the computer, and secondly, the materials should not damage its components.
That is, protruding edges should not interfere with the connection to the USB port, since a part that is not fully inserted may not work, and collisions of components with hot glue, paint and other aggressive materials must be avoided. The new case must be sealed and prevent moisture from entering the board. The easiest way is to choose plastic. It is much more difficult to create a shell from wood or metal, but it will definitely last a long time and will retain its “sales appearance”.
One of the housing options is made of electrical tape
Making a flash drive body from a lighter
We will look at the simplest option, made from a regular lighter. Almost everyone has an old used lighter lying around somewhere at home, and sometimes they also have interesting design. We will need stationery knife, glue gun, a lighter of a suitable size, a screwdriver with a 3 mm drill. A lighter is suitable so that the flash drive without a case fits completely into it and only the USB port protrudes. You can use any glue suitable for plastic.
First you need to release the remaining gas from the lighter, then make two holes in the bottom. Next, use a knife to make a cut along the contour framed by the holes. We install the flash drive inside and glue it to the body, removing the remaining glue. Our new drive enclosure is ready. We now have an interesting and practical flash drive-lighter. As you can see, it is not at all difficult and does not take much time.
Flash drive - Lego cube
Another way to design a flash drive in an original way is to make it in the form of a Lego cube, which almost everyone has. We will need several Lego bricks, a pocket knife, pliers, glue suitable for plastic, polish and sandpaper. First, we select the appropriate size cubes for our flash drive. You can make a body from several cubes different sizes and flowers. We cut everything with a penknife internal partitions, now we break them out with pliers. We use the second same cube for the lid, cutting everything off to the top. We cut a hole in the end for the USB connector, adjust it, and install the device.
Using the remains of the brick, we fix the flash drive so that it lies parallel. We fill the empty space; for this you can use transparent silicone. So that there is no gap left between the base part and the lid, we rub the joint sandpaper, glue it together. After the glue has dried, remove the residue using sandpaper. Using polish we finish the job.
Your exclusive DIY flash drive is ready!
So, as you may have noticed, making a case for a flash drive is not that difficult. The main advantage of making it yourself is that it will be truly original. After all, before you begin to implement it, you turn on your imagination, select materials from those at hand and those that are more accessible to you, put them together and in the end you have an original and individual flash drive, which 100% will not go unnoticed. It will certainly highlight your individuality and creativity.
Hello my friends. Today we will not consider any diagrams of certain designs; the topic for today is the so-called homemade flash drive. Some, of course, may not believe that this is possible at home, and they are right to do so, since it is quite difficult and practically impossible to do at home without special equipment. But smart people long ago came up with a memory card for mobile phones. In stores you can easily find an adapter with which you can connect a memory card to a computer via a USB port. This adapter costs only $2.
The device works very simply - you just need to place the memory card in a certain place on the adapter, and the adapter itself is made in the form of a USB plug that just needs to be connected to the USB port of the PC. For our homemade flash drive you need to have just such an adapter with a memory card from mobile phone and another plug or corresponding plastic case for USB.
Then we place the adapter in the plug housing and close the lid and see what we got.
Now it looks like a cut-off USB plug, but no one will even suspect that there is a memory drive there! Now it's the turn of the schematics. There are 4 wires, we remove a small part of the insulation from the wires in advance and tin them. Next, we take a couple of brand new parts (it’s better to take damaged ones, but so that they look like new) and solder them together. There is no specific circuit here, solder whatever you want, the design just has to look like a circuit, of course it won’t work! You can use capacitors, resistors, polar and non-polar capacitors and a couple of transistors; as you know, some flash drives have a built-in LED indicator on the back; you can get a simulator of such an indicator so that our homemade flash drive looks believable and does not raise doubts.
To do this, an unpacking of the USB socket and plug is attached to the article; power is supplied through the side channels, which needs to be connected to our wires, then assembled the simplest scheme flashers for one LED, in this case we still have two more free wires to which we can attach a pre-made<блеф>memory storage circuit. So, let's sum it up - we got pretty good interesting design, when connected to the computer’s USB port, the LED will start blinking and it will give strangers the feeling that a flash drive is connected, but they will be more surprised when the computer notifies that a memory drive is connected to it! Yes, everyone will believe that you are a genius and will ask for a diagram like this simplest miracle flash drives. Try to make the connection diagram of the parts as confusing as possible, so that even the master does not suspect what is being deceived. Well, that’s all, you can see such interesting things in further articles, goodbye friends - Arthur Kasyan (AKA).
We welcome all beginners as well as experienced life hackers on this site!
We have an electronic magazine in which we write different interesting articles about useful gadgets and unusual concepts. We also look into the future or make the present more interesting, beautiful and useful. Read the next article of the electronic magazine.
Almost everyone has USB flash drives today. But despite all the diversity, the range of housings for such devices is quite limited. Why not make a case for the flash drive yourself? It's not as difficult as it seems, you just need to spend a little time. But you will become the owner of a unique thing.
So let's get started! Following the step-by-step instructions, we will make a case for our USB flash drive from bricks from children's construction set Lego.
This is what she will look like
Tools and materials
Penknife
Pliers
Several Lego bricks
Super glue
Sandpaper
Metal polish
Flash drive
Step 1: Body Base
Internal elements are broken
USB memory cards come in different sizes. We will be packaging a fairly large board. Therefore, we will need a Lego brick of 6×3 cylindrical seating elements (let’s agree to call them “dots”).
Using a penknife, you need to trim all the internal partitions of the brick, and then break them out using pliers.
We use two more low-profile bricks with dimensions of 4×2 and 2×2 “points” to create the lid. Also for the lid you will need a low-profile element 1x6 “dots” (for the lid you can use other combinations of construction parts, or you can simply take exactly the same brick as for the base of the body (6x3) and carefully cut off its upper part with a jigsaw parallel to the horizontal plane).
Using superglue, glue the lid elements together to create a part measuring 6x3 “dots”.
Step 2. Install the board
Board in case
At the end of the case we cut out a groove for the USB connector, and after a little adjustment using a penknife we install the device into the case.
Step 3. Mounting the board
Fill the body with silicone
We place brick scraps on the bottom of the case and ensure that the board is parallel to the horizontal plane and does not press through. We fill all the remaining space in the case with transparent silicone, sealing it to reduce the possibility of any movement of the flash card inside the case.
It is important to use transparent silicone, since the indicator LED will need to shine through it.
Step 4. Gluing and polishing
Cleaning the edges
Polishes of different abrasiveness
To ensure that there are no gaps between the lid and the body, take sandpaper, place it on a flat surface, and level the bottom plane of the lid on it.
After we have glued the lid to the body with superglue, using the same sandpaper we remove burrs and glue smudges from the side edges of the body.
Then we finally polish the body with polish.
Step 5. Completion
The case is ready
Compare your exclusive and mass consumer goods
Looks stylish!
But that's it creative possibilities for creating exclusive flash drives is not exhausted. On the contrary, there can be an infinite number of types of cases for them.
Look what other craftsmen have done.
Do you have an original flash drive? What ways of individualizing this mini-media do you know?
Meanwhile, the mini-magazine still contains some unread curiosities: a visionary video about the medicine of the future; gadgets - a landline cell phone and a bottle for tourists to disinfect water. and don't miss anything!
It always looks bright and unusual, especially if it is a flash drive in a wooden case. However, this will require a lot of time and effort, but believe me, the result will be worth it. In order to make an original flash with your own hands you will need: three boards, sharp knife, cutter, wood and metal drills, needle file, file, epoxy resin and super glue.
DIY case for a flash drive made of wood
First you need to cut three boards that will be larger in size than the board from the flash drive. One board should be made from a different type of wood from the other two - this will give the craft an interesting and stylish look.
In the end, this is exactly what your three blanks should look like.
Now you need to make a hole in the central plate into which you should attach the flash card. The hole should fit very well, and its edges can be coated with super glue.
Now you need to make a hard layer so that the flash drive does not break under significant physical activity. For example, it often happens that flash drives simply break out of their plastic cases, then what can we say about wooden ones.
A ruble coin is perfect for this and needs to be thoroughly cleaned with sandpaper. (Almost polish). Then using epoxy resin glue the metal blank to the wooden body. In advance, of course, using a drill and a file, we make a hole in the coin into which the USB connector will go.
You should end up with a “rough” flash drive like this, which will still require a lot of work. In the same way, following the above instructions, you should make a lid for your designer craft. Please note that after all the operations performed, the craft still does not look stylish.
In order for the author’s flash drive to acquire a truly “saleable appearance,” the workpiece must be carefully processed with a file. After this, the surface can be treated with varnish (or you can leave the natural wood covering intact) Agree that such a craft will be a truly original accessory. I bet that you will not find such a flash drive in anyone’s possession.
A peshka is a modern and very symbolic gift that everyone will appreciate. But the plastic cases of USB drives don’t look very presentable. If you want to make your gift pleasant not only from the point of view of the attention you give, but also aesthetically impressive, take the trouble and make a wooden case for the flash drive with your own hands.
Materials
To make a wooden case for a USB drive with your own hands, prepare:
- the flash drive itself;
- a block of wood of any species;
- wood glue;
- linseed oil or stain;
- hot glue;
- milling machine or hand tool for wood processing;
- saw;
- grinding machine;
- sandpaper.
Step 1. From the bar you have, cut a piece 6 - 7 mm thick. Section parameters in in this case were 55 x 55 mm.
Step 2. After cutting the block, sand it thoroughly for further work.
Step 3. Considering the parameters of the plastic case of the flash drive you have chosen, sketch out its prototype on paper. Attach it to the cut piece of wood, and then start making a groove for the internal filling of the flash drive. The depth of each groove should be 2.4 mm.
Step 4. Cut part of the block with shaped grooves into two parts of the flash drive body. Sand them down.
Step 5. Disassemble the plastic casing of the flash drive, leaving only its internal components and the port.
Step 6. Place the flash drive circuit in one of the wooden case blanks. Secure it in place in correct position using a drop of hot glue.
Step 7. Coat the wooden frame halves with wood glue. Clamp it and place it in a vise. Remove excess glue immediately.