Introduction: New Life for Old Cell Phones: Magnetic Personal Photo or Message Frame

By www.jefferyweatherford.com
These days we all have old, damaged or non-working cell phones. This quick & low-cost Instructable reuses these old phones and creates a great mini photo or message frame. These make a great gift for anyone or are a fun way to display photos of family or pets.

This Instructable features flip style phones watch for my upcoming Instructable that will feature uni-body phones

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

For this quick & low cost Instructable you will need the following materials:
  • Old Flip Cell Phone
  • Images for Screen (Use anything that you like, Pictures, Magazines, Stickers...HINT: Use your computer and printer to scale photos to correct size or create sayings and slogans to display)
  • Glue Stick to Apply Image
  • Super Glue (I prefer Gel Super Glue)
  • Craft Knife
  • Scissors
  • Magnet Sheets or other style magnet
  • Double Face Foam Tape or another type adhesive or tape to attach magnets to back of phone or epoxy (I don't recommend using regular super glue because it becomes brittle and the phones tend to fall off)

Step 2: Remove Battery & Dispose of Properly

  • Remove the back and remove battery
  • Dispose of battery properly
  • Replace the back cover & flip phone over.

Step 3: Remove Screen Cover

  • Carefully lift up the plastic screen cover and remove it
  • Use care not to scratch or break screen cover
  • Save the cover to put back on later.

Step 4: Select an Image and Trim to Fit

  • Measure your phones screen area
  • Find your Image
  • Re-size it to fit if its not the correct size using your computer and printer
  • Using a glue stick apply image to screen area

(Here I am using an Instructables sticker for my image, so I don't need to glue my image to the screen.)

Step 5: Replace the Screen Cover

  • Using small dots of glue replace the screen cover over your image.

Step 6: Cut Magnet and Apply Adhesive Tape

  • Cut your magnet to size
  • Apply double face foam mounting tape to the entire back of magnet

Step 7: Affix Magnet to Back of Phone

  • Remove tape backing
  • Affix magnet to back of phone

Step 8: Secure Magnet

  • Firmly press magnet in place

Step 9: Enjoy Your Project

Some suggestions
  • Personalize several phones with images of family members, friends, roomates or use printed names instead of photos to organize messages for each person creating a organized group message center
  • Give them for a gift
  • Take them to the office and stick on your metal filing cabinet for a little cheer
  • Replace photo with cute phrases or text message acronyms