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USB Compact Flash Reader....in an altoids tin.

USB Compact Flash Reader....in an altoids tin.

Yeah I know the Altoids tin has been turned into everything but a camode at this point, but this is my first "project" that I've attempted. I was looking around on here and I saw the NES controller mod and it sparked my motivation to do this. The entire thing took about 45 minutes.

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Step 1The first thing I did was take apart the compact flash reader.

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12 comments

Dec 9, 2010. 2:16 PMbabamoto says:

What was the source of that card reader board, Michael? trying to dupe the elegance of your build and all i can find are these mini keychain readers, which frankly are not cool

May 21, 2009. 5:37 PMSilversleeves says:

Great idea! I usually keep unfinished clove ciggies in my empty Altoids tin. Question: as Altoids tins are magnetic -- I just checked one with a kitchen magnet -- wouldn't there be a little cumulative RF going on with the hot electronics from the card-reader? Kind of shortens the life of the components, don't it? Okay, so maybe it Isn't such a great idea. Nice to see someone "thinking outside the tin," though. BZT

Jun 20, 2008. 11:00 AMDerin says:

you did this at oregon

Apr 12, 2008. 3:55 PMstruckbyanarrow says:

i know whit im gunna make get and altoids tin and on each side make a ps2 controller plug thingy with one wire going up to plug into the ps2, 5 people can play!

Mar 5, 2008. 6:11 PMpyroboy212 says:

it would be cool trieing to make a 3 or 4 port usb hub.
cool idea!! ^_

Jan 21, 2008. 2:12 PMultrauber says:

you should make an upgrade so that it can read the more common sd card

Sep 8, 2007. 8:58 AMBenedictine says:

I like this! All I've got to do is get some Altoids but I don't like peppermints, anyone want some?

Sep 3, 2006. 5:29 AMmrbob1000 says:

i like that idea plus its cool lookin you should have a led inside so when its running it lookes like its got neon glow inside of it

Aug 26, 2006. 1:49 PMaiden120000 says:

britan isn't that great

Jun 23, 2006. 6:25 PMIan01 says:

Is that a SanDisk ImageMate?

Apr 22, 2006. 4:49 PMgigman says:

It would be really cool if you could put the usb cable insde the tin to make it alot more portalbe or make it retractable

May 2, 2006. 5:15 PMMichaelMcNair (author) says:

That would have mad eit much cooler, however the card reader that I used would just fit in the case. With a smaller reader it might work. Great idea. If you get it to work let me know.