Sometimes you don't want everyone to know you are carrying around your iPad. No one will notice that you are carrying a book, especially if it is a 1970s ex-library copy of "New Zealand in Colour." With a hobby knife, a paper clip, and a bit of patience, you will be able to recycle the very thing you are replacing into a case for its replacement. That could have been said simpler but you get the idea.
Remove these ads by
Signing UpStep 1: Find the right sized book
Take your iPad to a second-hand book shop or thrift store and find a book that is the right size. I found the best size was when you set the iPad on the pages of the book, there is about 20mm (3/4") to 25mm (1") all around it. Too small is a problem because the paper won't be strong enough to hold the iPad in and too big is fine, if you like carrying alot of size and weight you don't need. The perfect thickness is when the pages of the closed book are the same or slightly thicker than the iPad. I also chose a book with lots of photos because the pages were thicker which meant stronger and less to cut.
On second thought, why not breath new life into that old Masters thesis as a personalized iPad case? You're probably not going to read it again are you?
On second thought, why not breath new life into that old Masters thesis as a personalized iPad case? You're probably not going to read it again are you?
Visit Our Store »
Go Pro Today »
Now that I am a user here also, I hope to be able to share some projects here too. ;)
Am in New Zealand so would be happy to pay ya for the postage. Hey, did you just have another Earthquake? A 5.5?
I'm not on Twitter. Are you on Facebook?
Send me a private message on Instructables with your address and I'll send the photos.
XD haha
Actually... fitting one's tablet and smartphone into the same book might not be such a silly idea. Hidden in a boring book in the bookshelf, no thief would ever find them. I'll have to try it whenever I get both/either device (currently have laptop and iPAQ HW6965).
Me : "Reading."
a few couple comments,
I used a glue stick to glue pages together individually just 3 sides say 1" wide along perimeter.
this made the pages a littl rippley but not bad . make sure you smooth them out . close book often so pages are lined up .
i cut with exacto knife then the drum sander which worked great .
2 problems
I made a small half circle cut out in the center by the binding with the drum sander to aid in removing the i pad .
this worked great but this area was not glued so when sanding it bulged this area making it thicker . should have possibly cut out with knife first or glued along binding .
also i ran out of glue sticks using white liquid (elmerrs ) seemed more ripply in that part .
Next project the magnet .
I like the idea of the half circle to get the iPad out. I might add that to mine.
You can get rid of the bulging with (small) taps from a (small) hammer, then clean up any uneven-ness with the sander.
Did the glue would make the whole thing thicker? I originally thought about doing some glueing, but mine worked without (probably because of the thicker photo paper).
Thanks for the comment.. Magnet progress photos?
If you write a new Instructable, I'm happy to put a link from here to it.
1. I don't know if the rounded corners to the opening are especially necessary-- but I guess they don't add too much difficulty.
2. To keep the pages stacked properly during cutting, perhaps a person could use some combination of ratchet claps and some metal with a straight edge.
3. A sharp blade will make short work of the cutting. The depth of the cut could be restricted either by inserting some barrier below the bottom page of the cut.
4. I suppose if a person wanted to keep their iPad plugged in while in the book, that would require some additional engineering to accommodate the plug-- (perhaps that was addressed already).
It will be awesome !!
Thnx a lot for this idea