Now here’s a challenge…..

[Philip Davies]

I’ve been challenged to make something out of these:



They are new, but obsolete, phone cases. There are 2 more crates. Each phone has a foam insert.


Ideally the project will make use of these, too.

The first thought was to trim the edges. Firstly, an office guillotine was tried, secondly scissors and thirdly, a Stanley knife. The guillotine was no good. The plastic is highly flexible, rubbery, and while it cuts easily enough, I haven’t found a method to cut neat rectangles. You can see how flexible the material is in the 2 nd picture, where a pink one is screwed up, held by a rubber band.

Any ideas?

[nova_robotics]

What material are they made out of? PET or TPU? Maybe polycarbonate? The boring answer would be try to grind them up for 3D printer filament. A fun answer would be mount them to a central hub and make either a savonius wind turbine or a pelton wheel.

[Philip Davies]

What material are they made out of? PET or TPU? Maybe polycarbonate? The boring answer would be try to grind them up for 3D printer filament. A fun answer would be mount them to a central hub and make either a savonius wind turbine or a pelton wheel.

Thanks for your responses. While I have a box of polycarbonate cases, I don’t know about plastics.

[nova_robotics]

If they're soft enough, they may work as a cleaner for your metal files.

Stack a few of them to make them thicker and use them as softeners for jacking your car. Or just normal softeners for rigging.

Softeners for lathe chuck jaws and vise jaws.

Vibration dampeners for tool legs (lathe, air compressor, grinders, etc.)

Use them as sacrificial backers for drilling.

Connect about 20 of them end to end and make a new gasket for your garage door.

Drill a bunch of 1/4" holes in one and use it as a secondary strainer to keep all of your wife's hair out of the shower drain.

Ghetto holders for bars of soap.

Melt a few of them together and make a sweet set of Crocs.

Put them under the feet of <insert heavy thing here> and use them as sliders to prevent ruining your shop floor.

If they're different materials like TPU/PET/PC, each has a different melting point. You may be able to use them as terrible tempilstiks for welding.

Use them as gasket material for junction boxes.

Use them as grippers for hard to open bottles.

That's it. That's all I got.

[Philip Davies]

Very good indeed! So far, only one of your suggestions is used, vibration dampening on buffing machine. The guys are expecting something artistic. Thanks again.

[Frank S]

Drill a couple holes in one end of several of them, make S hooks out of old wire clothes hangers then hang them from a broom handle or conduit to make swing targets for airsoft target practice.

[Philip Davies]

Drill a couple holes in one end of several of them, make S hooks out of old wire clothes hangers then hang them from a broom handle or conduit to make swing targets for airsoft target practice.

Ah. Hum. Regret that such would be rather frowned upon here!

[Frank S]

Ah. Hum. Regret that such would be rather frowned upon here!

It just goes to show that all members of all governments should be treated like nappies inspected regularly and changed often.

[Philip Davies]

It just goes to show that all members of all governments should be treated like nappies inspected regularly and changed often.

I was thinking more of my immediate neighbours, Frank. We have a 15 meter garden and they live 5 meters away! I am though allowed to have a low powered air gun.

[Frank S]

I was thinking more of my immediate neighbours, Frank. We have a 15 meter garden and they live 5 meters away! I am though allowed to have a low powered air gun.

So, change your neighbors too. it will keep the others from becoming too friendly always wanting to borrow the random tools or expecting you to make things for them for nothing.