Yet another USB flash drive in leather flavour

Yawn. I know we are all bored with this customized USB flash drive frenzy, but I can't keep myself off contributing another one.

This idea came after covering my bicycle saddle with leather. I had lots of scrap leather left-over. Since I didn't like the looks of my USB flash drive, here we go.

For this instructable you need:

- an ugly USB flash drive
- some scrap leather to cover it
- scissorts
- impact glue
- X-Acto knife
- a ruler
- a ballpoint pen

There are not many hazards/risks with this job. Watch out what you are cutting with scissors, I know one story involving scissors where a joke ended up with death. Impact adhesives are mostly solvent based, so I advise you to do this job at a well ventilated area, or you may get high (unfortunately :-). But really, don't forget that these adhesives are carcinogenic, really.

First photo below shows the looks of my flash drive after the dress-up. The second photo is the original naked flash drive (ugllyyyy).

Step 1 Measure twice, cut once.

Decide on the leather pattern you want to clad your flash drive with. I decided to simply wrap it around, to give the drive a neat and warm look.

I calculated the necessary length of the strip to wrap around, and cut it using a ruler and a utility knife.

Comments

[prototype2213]

Nice Instructable Mr. thearchitect! Good job!

[MadMechanicMike]

let me be the first to say, apple sucks. but nice instructable.

[Siamsa]

Well... maybe MAcs suck, but UNIX rocks right? Ur not gonna tell me u like windows :) Also, i like this instuctable very much 5/5

[clemsonguy1125]

 im not a huge fan of macs but I like ipods

[quad64bit]

Wow! Quite mature :) Clearly a power user, I sure wish Apple was awesome like Microsoft... Sigh, maybe someday my Mac will be not suck enough get a nice virus, or better yet, run system-destroying virus softs 24/7. Or even better, enjoy all the power but none of the commercial apps or hardware support of Linux! *hope*

[junits15]

macs most certainly CAN get viruses, wanna know why it never happens? because the hackers know more people have windows so its more efficient for them if they make windows viruses. A couple years back there was a test done on linux macos and windows to see which was easiest to hack......the mac went down in under 1 hour. Windows took 2 or so weeks and linux took over a month. The moral? There is no protection measures in macs :)

[red-king]

 you don't need to be mature to be correct.

[robmeofmyboredom]

hey chill i have no viruses on my windows machine you just gotta know how to use it. Macs can absolutely get viruses theres just no reason for anyone to exploit them cause the market isnt as large... Then again im writing this two years after you and now macs are so hip and happenin that maybe a killer virus will come out after you guys. Man thatd be sweet.

[Thornburg]

I AM NOT A APPLE HATER My grandpa got a mac. He never uses it but somehow it broke down and would not turn on. Maybe no viruses but still a crappy computer.

[thearchitect]

Well, same happened to my non-mac computer, too... Shit happens... :-) K.

[MadMechanicMike]

oh yes. mac users always go back to the virus issue. it never fails. hey but have fun watching movies and listening to music while staying virus free. oh, damn dont forget about... wait thats...yeah thats just about all you can do right? sorry i was under the impression that mac users had something else going for them besides virus immunity. :P gotta love a great mac/pc argument.

[thearchitect]

Oh well, I knew this would start...

I have dual boot WinXP and Linux on both of my work machines. I used to have an iMac G5. I miss the iMac a lot for my photography work... Neither Windows nor Linux can do it like a mac does. But I need my Windows XP for working seamlessly with my colleagues. Hell no, I won't upgrade to Vista.

I have a humongous Sony laptop with a superb 17" 1920x1200 TFT laying there. Maybe I'll just find a OSX86 to see if it works OK as a mac-ish home computer...

[MadMechanicMike]

indeed. also that is a massive laptop. 17" 1920X1200 at least to me

[thearchitect]

Right... it is nearly 4 kgs!.. :-) A review here... I want to try OSX86, but lets see... Maybe I'll just sell it away...

[junits15]

macs aren't professional enough for me :) besides even though they have steam now they suck at gaming and there is only like 3 steamgames for them.

[skaterqwertyuiop]

 LOL, In the Instructable guidelines one of the examples for things not to do is "Yet another..."
Anyway, nice instructable.
I made my USB flash-drive into a butterfly knife (Check my profile for the slideshow, if anyone wants to see it)

[tevers94]

I was going to say the same thing with the "yet another...", i loved that

[foxtrot4697]

Linux

[junits15]

AHHHHHH I HATE MAC PC ARGUMENTS!!!!
They are retareded and a "great" way of showng just how mature you all are!


macs and PCs are both the same thing!  Personal computers!  No matter how you sclice it they all have a CPU a hard drive a graphics card a sound card and a display.  They both do simple and very complex computations, they can both be programmed and both of them can be destryed very easily with a few wrong clicks.  The reason that most mac enthusiastics think macs are better is because there is no such thing as a low-end mac they are all full of very powerful and expensive components.  Comparable PCs would cost just about the same and are even able to run Apple's operating system.  SO BE IT! (amen)

[MjPadfoot]

oh, and im a microsoft supporter. die hard. and i luv a good ol' pc/mac debate. PC RULES! do luv the idea though. kudos to u!

[thearchitect]

Thanks!.. I am a 90% PC user because of my work, school etc. However, I learned everything about computers at primary school back in the early 90s on Mac Classics. Maybe that's why I have this sympathy for Mac (and the rainbow mac sign).. :-) Cheers, K.

[robmeofmyboredom]

yeah i was wondering why it was the rainbow one haha. the olden time macs were sweet! those all in one candy colored units were in my music room back in elementary school whenever they first came out. I liked those ones cause they had a playful feel about them but now its more like a feel of trying to be hip and cool and i just think thats not cool

[jbyrns1993]

Apple rules big time! I have a 2.4 GHz MacBook with 250 GB internal HDD, and love it. I have iLife and iWork '09 and that makes school projects really easy. WINDOWS is for cheapo-depots (look it up on http://www.urbandictionary.com/ ). Its worth what it costs, about $230. And Macs have better features and support people. And Apple has retail stores! I bet Microsoft is too cheap to make retail stores, or maybe they are just plain dumb. I love my Mac. I love Apple. End of story. BTW: i love this instructable, I just wish leather was easier to come by.

[robmeofmyboredom]

if im not mistaken, microsoft is in the midst of making retail stores, and they dont actually need retail stores becuase microsoft makes software not hardware. Not to mention they let people like best buy and the now extinct :'( circuit city sell their products unlike apple. Windows is not for "cheapo-depots" its for people who dont want to pay an extra 500 dollars just for a brand name. If your actually at all good with computers a non apple product will serve you fine for a fraction of the price. Oh and i got better hardware in my laptop like a 320 7200rpm hard drive for less than you payed =p

[nadav]

MAC IS THE BEST -Nice Instructable btw

[Warlrosity]

YAY!

[chrisPS]

nice!!! though, maybe you could make one that the leather's is "straight" if you know what I mean (so many USB mods.... O_O)

[ebayebay1]

HERE IS THE SECRET TO GET 100 SQAURE FEET OF LEATHER FOR FREE GO TO ANY FORCLOSING FURNITURE STORE LIKE LA-Z-BOY AND ASK TO BUY THEIR LEATHER CATALOG. SOME MANAGERS MIGHT SAY TAKE IT OFF MY HANDS OR SOME MIGHT SAY FIVE BUCKS

[DonQuijote]

I like leather. but i like spinning gears much more..... together they woiuld be unbeatable.... this gave me an idea..... dismantle some old wristwatch, glue it on some usb stick. if the watch was an electric one, add some voltage regulation, and make it spin around only while it is plugged in the pc, mac or linuxbox. add a clear window to watch the ticking gears... some led illumination for dark ambients.... and of course, last but not least, the leather shell, for a firm grip. there you have a "pseudoclockwork aetheric data storage device with a slip-proof animal shell " {couldn't hold back to name it according to my own steampunk preferences} This idea will probably never get built by myself, but i'd love to watch some pictures if somebody else does it....

[helloworld1]

whate exactly is steam punk?

[thearchitect]

WOW, now that's an exciting idea... Not easy with quartz technology, though... Maybe an older electronic watch technology - Tissot had one running a watch at 400Hz (if I am not mistaken)...

[fernblatt]

I know I'm replying to an ancient post, *but* for those familiar with USB specs, pin one is +5 and pin four is device ground (negative.) It should be easy enough to pick up voltage if you don't have a completely sealed flash drive. Just don't take more than a half amp's worth - including what the drive needs. Retrofitting an old battery watch should be easy, and needs very little current. If one were going for a steampunk effect it should be *big,* though! I may have just gotten an idea of what to do with a dead iMic I have around here somewhere, being as it's about pocket-watch size.

The main thing is my actually going anywhere with such a project. lol

[robmeofmyboredom]

your right about pins 1 and 4 providing power and it is at 5 volts.

[bassclarinet23]

Nice job!

[radioactive_isotopes]

Awesome cover, this is definitely the best looking diy cover I've seen. I'm sure everyone knows PC is the best :P, but there's no denying that the apple logo looks soooo cool on that leather.

[stephenniall]

hey im gonna make one of these i have the same pen drive as u 4gb sandisk

[DuctTapeRules!]

It's amazing how a leather USB instructable can turn into a debate about Apple, then apples, then a HILARIOUS debate about pie, then jam. Oh, and nice USB!

[I3uckwheat]

lolololol ha ha i cant stop laughing lolololol

[thearchitect]

Oh right, I am watching in awe. :-) Thanks, K.

[James (pseudo-geek)]

gj, 5/5