USB female connector free!

I decided while making a Xbox USB adapter that I didn't want to waste my money on a USB extension cable that I would eventually cut apart for the USB female port. So I looked up some information on USB and spent many minutes staring into the different ports on my computer, and decided that it theoretically I would be able to make a USB male into a USB female.

WARNING:
I am not responsible for any damage or injuries to you, your stuff, or anything else that might happen from this instructable. This shouldn't be dangerous but if your that dumb, now you can't sue me!

ALSO VERY IMPORTANT
It was brought to my attention that if this was plugged in upside down, it would short stuff out and that's bad! So don't do that!

Thanks for the tip maltfalc!

Step 1: Cut Stuff Up!!

I used the USB cable from my old iPod but I expect it should work fine with any other cable.

Materials
-USB Cable
-Small Flat Head Screw Driver
-Scissors/ Knife
-Ultra thin pen or other small poking instrument

First, cut the cable off for whatever length you need (It will be easier to work with).
On the Apple cable there is a small crack where the two halves of the case are glued together all the way around the connector, jam the screw driver in carefully and pry the halves apart to reveal the metal inner case.

Step 2: Break Into the Metal Case

Then, you need to get the metal casing off of the wires. The case has two little metal arms where it joins to the cable, they are kind of "strangling" the wire. Use the screw driver to bend these out flat away from the wire. Then on either side there is a little flap over the side with a hole in it that holds the top and bottom together. Stick the screwdriver under the flaps and pry them back carefully. Now the top and bottom of the case should separate.

Step 3: Poke Them Out

Now you should be left with the little white wafer thing that is normally inside the metal case, now exposed. On one side there should be four little metal connector strips and on the other, four holes, one under each connector. The connectors are sunk into the wafer thing so that they don't touch anything. What we need is for those connectors to be sticking out of the wafer so they can make a connection. This is very easy because of the holes on the bottom, all you need to do is take the tip of the ultrathin pen and use it to poke the connectors out using the little holes.

Some connectors do not have the holes on the bottom. Some of your options are:
-Layering some solder onto the connectors to make them taller
-Prying them up with a small screwdriver
-Cutting some of the plastic off the top and putting tape or other things on the bottom to keep friction
-Drilling a hole from the back and poking

Be creative!

Step 4: Now You're Done!!! / Wanna Know How It Works?

Hurray!!
Now hopefully as long as you didn't push the connectors out too far it will fit in the USB male as a female would.

***Obvious alert!! When you put it in make sure the connectors are facing each other or it won't work!!***

This works because when they are flipped over all the cables match up. Doesn't make sense? Try this simple demonstration:
Get two small pieces of paper, or your fingers, and draw four circles in a row. Label the far left one Data+ the middle left one Power+ the middle right one Power- and the far right one Data-.(I know this isn't the correct layout so don't tell me!!) Do the same on the other piece of paper / set of fingers. Now you have your two USB cables they are both male. Put them end to end and realize, very angrily that they don't match up and be angry at the guy who told you this would work on the Internet. BUT WAIT!! That's not how they are! Flip one of the sets of connectors over and realize very happily that they match up and should therefore, work.

Woo Hoo! You tricked the man!!!

This has worked very fine in my projects *but* should anything go wrong, it is not my fault. ;-)