Introduction: Beer Can Usb Hub Hack

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About: A Northern Ireland based maker with a propensity to cause trouble and freshly constructed family.

can really be done to any object but this is the item I had the most of lying around so it was a natural choice for me really its a break through and it allows a huge number of usb hubs to be added say 4X 1to4 hubs in a can makes a 16 port hub in a tiny space

Step 1: Materials and Tools Needed

Ok the materials for the project are as follows:

-A beer can (or whatever you want really
-a little plastic box about the siz of the hub including circuit board(if its a hub with lights)
-A simple USB hub I used one from a mousepad and it has UV leds so I made a solution for lighting

Tools:

-a craft/stanley kinfe (either will do but make sure it's sharp, very sharp
-a sheet of paper ( for lighting again ignore for hubs with no lighting
-a ruler or straight edge (no real measuring but this is needed for clean cutting)
-glue (I used superglue but a hot glue gun is a far better option)

Step 2: First Extract That Circuit Board

So you need to get just the electronics part from the hub so open the plastic casing (this was easier said than done in my case) as the soft backing was glued over the part that hold the hub circuit

Step 3: If You Aren't Using Lights Skip This Step

Get your small plastic container (I used the retail box from those mini highlighters that smell like food and stuff). Cut a flap out of the end of the box that doesn't open it should be the tiniest bit smaller than the length from the outside edge of the first port to the outside edge of the last and about the height of the ports the plastic was kinda frosted so it helped with the light.

Insert the board into the opening end of the box and push the ports out through your flap you made, you'll notice that there are little flaps on the ports that stick out so pull the board back until the flap is stuck behind them (this is just handy way to get them out a bit for easy access and holds them and the board out straight) now take two safety pins and push them through the plastic box right behind the board stopping the board from moving back. Push the pin end right up so the clipping side is against the box then bend the pins down against your box.

Step 4: Now Make the Cut

Your cut will either be the distance between the outside edge of the first and last pins or the lenght of your box.

Measure your cut on the ruler and use a safety pin to mark the cut, then set the can in your lap (between your legs) put the ruler down the mark for the cut and make a few light slices with the knife to make it easier to follow use a pint to make a start and finish at the ends of the cut mark. Now put the tip of the knife into the hole made by the pin and carefully push the Knife in and down the cut and repeat this movement in a sawing motion but don't cut when pulling the knife back out until you have gotten to the bottom of the cut. If your using the box you'll need to put little nicks going to one side at the top and botton of the cut

Step 5: Putting the Hub Into the Cut

Right if you are using lights you slowly push the corner edge of your box through the slit and as you do so those nicks you made lengthen so do this slowly so that the can does the work for you. once he box is in you may wish to glue it in place (lickily mine was just wider than the diameter of a beer can so it wasn't needed).

If you are putting the board directly inside the can you need to push one end of the board through the middle of the slit at an angle and then pull it round and into place so the ports are all in the slit...

If it's sitting at an angle (as in your ports aren't flat on the can you need to put something into the can to push the board straight ( your options are either a big pin from the outside or a small bit of card or foam just whatever fits but the latter need the top taken off to work.

Are you done?

If you want a really cool look try cutting individual holes for the ports but it will take a lot of beer drinking to get right.