Classy Wood Phone Case With Sugru Hinge and Latch

Want to make an awesome wooden case for your phone? With some scrap plywood and some Sugru, you can have a sweet case that will protect your favorite cellular device.

Materials:

Some left over thin plywood (I used 3/16 prefinished cabinet ply)

Hot glue gun (hot melt works better IMO)

Scroll or jig saw, could also be done with a small hand saw or dremel

A clamp

A drill and some bits

And last but not least some Sugru! (I used three packets)

Step 1: Get Your Buildy Things Gathered

Select your materials. I chose a nice piece of left over cabinet plywood. If your scant on some check with a local cabinet shop. They will usually have a bin full of scraps they will give you if you ask nicely or offer to sweep the floors.

Step 2:

Trace your phone onto the plywood. I am making this for my HTC One M8.

I first cut out the face plate. I sketched the edges of my screen being careful to not obstruct the controls.

Here is a fun trick with a scroll saw. For cutting out interiors first drill a hole in your part. Then feed the blade through the hole. Now tighten the blade in place and cut away.

When you are done cutting, remove your blade and you have your face plate.

Don't worry about making the perfect cut, take some sand paper and a file to it for the final shaping.

While your at the saw, cut the side pieces for your case. Keep in mind the buttons and head phone jack locations.

Step 3: Drilling and Slotting for Rear Camera/flash

On the back plate you will need to make holes for your camera/s and flash.

I measured them on the phone and marked them to my plate already roughed out.

I then clamped some scrap cut offs to the piece to be drilled.

This keeps the wood from splintering when the drill breaks through.

Step 4: Check Fit and Glue

Set everything up and test fit your phone. If all goes well you can start gluing.

Glue only the back plate and sides together! The face plate will be added later.

A small seam on the inside corners hold everything together nicely and keep the outside of the case clean and neat.

A bit of glue can be added for additional padding inside the case.

Step 5: Prepping for Sugru

We are getting ready to attach the face plate. Sugru will make up the hinge and latching system.

First I used a micro saw blade on my dremel to cut the speaker slot, but this could be done with a series of drilled holes.

Then I scored the sides of the case where the sugru will be placed to give it something to hold onto. a band saw works great for this, but any saw will do.

As an extra measure I roughed up the scored areas with sandpaper.