Metal Binder 2.0

Well Hello hello there everyone ;D

Remember to go and vote for me in the Office Supply Contest everyone :D

This is 1337_Penguin [formerly 1337 2.0] here and I've made myself a binder based off of this instructable by cowscankill. After I saw his binder, that re-sparked my brain into making things again. Several years ago, I made myself a binder out of floppy disks to complement a floppy disk bag that I made that same year. Later in the year, even though I was happy with that binder, I was still in the mode in making things, so I tried to make myself a metal binder. In the end, it turned into a total FAIL.

During last school year, my binder started to fall apart only halfway though the year. I was unhappy with myself that I wasn't taking care of the binder, but it just seemed that it was just the covers that were messed up, the clip was still good. So, instead of making something to fix that, I just used a semi-new binder ;D

Always, to return to the main topic, after I saw cowscankill binder, I wanted to make myself my own, soo here is how I made my metal binder. . 2.0! 

*Note: I was going to enter this into the Back-To-School Contest, but alas, I was just too slow on the draw, so I'm guessing that I can enter this into the Office Supply Contest because I know that binders are in offices.* :D

UPDATE: It's been several weeks since I've been using the binder in school and if some of you were thinking that I might have gotten in trouble in school, but I haven't. . . yet :3
Well, because I didn't use any locking nuts or epoxy, several of the bolts were coming off. To fix this, instead of going and buy some locking nuts, I decided to get some JB weld and go and use that to lock the bolts in place. This worked and all, but after I finished, it kinda seemed that the binder got heavier. Well, I was guessing that would happen.

UPDATE2: Well, I've been using the binder everyday and like last time, I haven't gotten in trouble for it yet. Because I was thinking that the binder was getting a little. . "Plain", so I decided to apply some stickers that I got from J!NX and I'm hoping that they don't come off anytime soon :D *Go and see how I applied the stickers*

Step 1: Materials

Well, the material list is similar to the other binder, but I used some things that changed the overall binder and how it looks.

- Sheet metal [duh]

- Metal Cutting Shears 

- 1 1/2" metal hinges x 12 total [I got 2 per pack so I got 6 packs]

- #8-32 x 1" screws [I got these at Home Depot, but the drill bit that I used was 5/32" drill bit. I was so confused .__.]

-#8-32 nuts [Again, from Home Depot]

- 5/32" drill bit

- Sandpaper

-Center punch 

- Dremel
  - Cutting tool
  - Sandpaper roll thingy

- Power Drill

- Wire brushes

- and a Working Binder Clip

* Hack saw

Comments

[carlo$]

very nice, 3 hinges per side is enough.

[MrL33TPenguin]

Thanks, I'll try and remember that next time, but I'm thinking that four hinges per side would be better than just three hinges.

[tokymaru]

or you can use a section of piano hinge, one piece up the entire length of the binder.

[MrL33TPenguin]

I'm actually thinking of making a new binder using a section piano hinge like you said, but the sheet metal is gonna be thicker and things like that :3

[Ghost Wolf]

Got a front view of it?
Great project like it better, the hinges wont rip off like plastic

[MrL33TPenguin]

Ok then. . and I got one. I'm thinking that I'll get some better pictures up because I'm trying to find a good place to take the picture.

[Ghost Wolf]

I was thinking about a steam punk binder when I saw your project. =P

[Ghost Wolf]

Or the binder could a look like this guitar

[MrL33TPenguin]

Oooh, I would love to do that to my guitar sometime. .

[Ghost Wolf]

I'll glad you like it :)

[taz2020]

looks cool but prob wont make cuz of all th fights at my school haha so they may not le it in

[cowscankill]

I was going to do another version of my original... but it seems you beat me to it before the contest even ended....

[NostalgicStone]

I like the way you think, sir.
Fantastic Job!

[MrL33TPenguin]

Thanks! :D

[max_allan]

Instead of buying and cutting all those nuts and bolts you might like to consider "pop rivets". You can buy a rivet gun for only a few units of currency and then rivets cost even less currency per pack. You put the rivet shaft in the gun, the rivet head through what you're trying to join and squeeze the handles on the gun till the rivet pops off the shaft.
Of course if you change things in your build you need to drill them out and re-rivet.
I reckon it could save a lot of time and money on this project. Especially if you break as many dremel blades as I do!
Depending on the rivet type and sheet metal thickness you could make them less obvious by bevelling the edges of the hole, then grinding/filing the rivet head flat. I think that would only work on thicker sheet though.

[MrL33TPenguin]

Thanks for the comment but. .

I do know that I could have used a rivet gun and a come of rivets to make the binder. The reason why I wanted to use nuts and bolts because cowscankill already made a binder doing that and secondly, I personally prefer the way I did mine and how it looks that how it would look with the rivets. Even though I do agree with you on the part about breaking all the dremel blades, I used a hacksaw for at least half of the project because I couldn't find my Dremel, but it was a learning experience overall. :D

[RedMeanie]

Absolutely! Simple, Straight Forward and Very Useful. I love Metal Writing Stuff. Ive always used the Aluminum Clipboards and stuff, but binders absolute perfection.

It would be nice to make one that when closed would be like a box but when you unlatched it to open it the thing laid out nice. Maybe if the edges were bent up making like a 1" lip completely around each side and they were slightly offset like your upper and lower teeth they would make a pretty secure and protective spot for valuable paper based knowledge that one may have laying around in their spirals full of "Cool Ideas!"