Make an iPod Speaker from a Hallmark Music Card

Step 3: Prep headphones

Cut headphone wires at the base of each headphone (L & R). You'll only need one of the two lines so pick the one you want to use and cut the other where they converge mid-way down the length of the chord.

Next, strip the wires. You may notice some fiber-like material interlaced with the leads themselves. Strip this stuff out with your utility knife or you will not be able to get a solid connection from your headphones to the speaker (thanks to Richard at my local Radio Shack on that one). Alternatively, you can use a soldering iron to burn this stuff away. I found this method much easier and a bit more effective.

Comments

[droski21]

hmmm... so do I cut before the wire splits or after? Thanks in advance =)

[dodo91]

im a genious! im use both side, and im ganna make the two sides, then stick the to my equilizer shirt! (a shirt that show a light up equalizer with music). i will be a walking dance party!! thnx man!!

[robotalamode]

cool

[i_is_for_impulsive]

where do you cut the wire?

[robotalamode]

doesnt really matter

[leggomylegoeggo]

I don't think it realy matters as long as you have access to both the positive and negative wires inside the bigger one.

[shenkmeister]

I don't quite get the second paragraph, at the beginning where it says, "Next, strip the wires." what part of the wire do i strip?, the parts at the ends?

[dodo91]

lolz u dont know what stripping a wire is.
ok. u see the plastic, covering the metal wires inside, we need to get it so on the end, just metal is showing, using ur nails (or sissors carefully) get that colored plastec off of all those small metal wires. only on the end. not all the way down. congrats, u just learned how to stripe a wire.

[pryrofreak119]

it didnt do any thing
ok heres the wire where do you cut it ----------<
here --------/< or here -------------</

[dodo91]

it says -------/< but i recomend getting 2 cards, cutting --------

[MylesMaverick]

I tried to do this with an old pair of airplane earphones (the ones you put in your ear) and then again with a dollar store earphones (again the ipod type that you put in your ear) and nothing happened. Do you have to use the Big Ol Clunky headphones from back in the day? cuz the wires in the new earphones is too small. Dang I was really looking forward to this! :o(

[ybahman]

The cables you're using probably have magnetic sheilding on them. You'll need to solder the connection so as to melt the shielding to make an electrical connection.

You also could sand the tips of the wire (where you will make the connection) down so the conductive metal will be showing, but then again you said they're small so that'd be tedious.

Another possibility is that you have the polarities switched. There're probably 3 wires out of the headphone connector. Try all different combos until one works. It doesn't really matter which ones you use since it will be mono eitherway.

[BenX10]

the wires were 2 small 2 connect well, spent a while for nothin, might Re-Try to connect it later when im really bored,..

[spidangular]

I did this and it's not much louder than a set up headphones with the volume up. you've got to be in absolute silence, or have the speaker resting on your shoulder to hear it. i found a headphone set at the dollar store, so hey, i got my dollar's worth of fun out of it.

[pipsniper]

if you want it to be louder, get some bigger speakers. May I suggest trying speakers from old steros or old computer speakers

[skatelong]

does the material stuff catch fire?

[alex_mccoy51]

no

[bassclarinet23]

So the original plug and one of the wires goes to the ipod and the other goes to the stereo?

[i_is_for_impulsive]

earbud wires are too small. you should either but headphones from a garage sale or get something from Radioshack. Ps the plug thing for an iPod is 1/8"

[sliceofpain]

i dont understand step 3

[Pyromaniak]

You can also use a lighter to burn the fiber off too.

[zach12]

could i use earbuds instead of headphones

[Lebanite]

I believe it would work the same because what you are looking for is the cord, so it wouldn't matter if you used headphones or earbuds, they use the same cord.

[zach12]

k thx

[Lebanite]

No Problem :)

[megold]

Cool and simple for a newb like me! If you have two cards, could you keep the stereo leads and create a matching set?

[schimmi]

yes