Cassette Tape Wallet

Intro: Cassette Tape Wallet

Now that everything is up and running (my pics uploaded and "boxed")...

Here's my wallet that I've planned, designed and created.

I've had this collection of tapes sitting around for quite some time now and have been trying to figure out what to do with them. Now I've figured out what to do with a few.

Almost forgot the Warnings: Hot stuff... Do NOT touch. Fumes..... Do NOT breathe in. Sharp objects.... Have an adult help you.

STEP 1: Materials Needed

You'll need:
1. Soldering iron
2. Hot glue gun
3. Cassette tape
4. Cassette tape case
5. 1 film canister (lid too)
6. Small Screwdriver
7. Electrical wire
8. One LED lead (leg)
9. A copper BB (or a bead of solder)
10. Scissors
11. Lamination sheet
12. Laminator
13. Wax paper and regular paper
14. Money
15. Credit/shopping cards
16. Wire cutters
17. Pliers

In the first picture, you can see the prototype :P

STEP 2: Card Holder

1. Take your cassette tape apart by removing the five screws holding it together.
2. Remove all the junk from inside.
3. Use the wire cutters to remove the plastic inside (see pictures)
4. Next, we will use the soldering iron to smooth out the cut away plastic (do in well vented area)
5. Once you've completely gutted the inside, place the pieces back together (without the screws). At least 4 cards should be able to fit inside without it popping open again.

6. Use pliers to hold the tape upright and together.
7. Cut off 3 pieces of wire, each about .75" long.
8. Use the soldering iron against a nail (hold the nail with pliers) to melt holes in the top of the tape case. These holes will be the hinges.
9. Insert each piece of wire into the case and loop them into the other side.
10. Use hot glue to hold them in place.

You should now be able to open and close the tape case on its "hinges.

STEP 3: The Bill Holder

Next we will focus on the main holder.

1. Open up the Cassette Tape Case and separate the sides by unhinging them.
2. Use the wire cutters to remove the two plastic pillars on the left side of the case.
3. Cut the film canister in half and remove the bottom.
4. Trim the canister down to 1.25" wide. Keep the full height.
5. Place it on the left side of the case and use the soldering iron to melt them together on the sides. Keep a slight pressure on the top of the canister in the middle.
6. Melt some hot glue onto the areas you melted together.

STEP 4: The Change Holder

1. Now take the film canister cap (must be like the one in the picture) and cut it almost in half.
2. Take the larger of the two sides and position it at the top left of the left side of the case.
3. Trim a small amount off the bottom of the lid (otherwise the case won't close all the way).
4. Take the LED lead and use the hot iron on it while holding it (with pliers) in the place you want the pivot to be at.
5. Do the same with the case and push half of the lead through.
6. Bend the lead over on both sides. Glue the one on the outside of the case.

7. Use the soldering iron to make a divot in the case where the "latch" will be.
8. Place the copper BB in the divot. Place the soldering iron on top of the BB and hold it there until the BB starts to melt into the case. Once the BB is sunk a bit, swing the lid over the top of the BB (watch out, it's still hot) and push it down to melt a "latch" hole.

There you have it, the change holder.

STEP 5: The ID Window

Now for your ID...

1. Take a piece of paper and measure the inside of the right side of the case.
2. Next figure out where the ID will be and trace.
3. Cut out the ID trace (minus one side)
4. Measure out a piece of wax paper and wrap it snugly around the paper.
5. Place this into a lamination sheet and into the laminator.
6. Use the tracings to cut out the correct dimensions of the holder (cut away the plastic).
7. Cut off one side of the plastic and you should be able to remove the piece of paper with no problem. The wax paper will still be stuck and will stay.
8. Cut a groove into one side of the holder and insert your ID.
9. Now either glue or tape your holder to the inside right side of the case.

I was going to place in some SMD LEDs into the cassette tape and create a photo window section, but ran out of time.

This is my wallet and I'm proud of it :P

STEP 6: Finished Product

Here's the finished product (at least until I can upgrade it)....

See video below :)

Comments

[mijonju]

looks cool man.. but what if you fall?? itll crack~ any idea how you can anti that?

[FrenchCrawler]

Wear a hat and put it under it. If you fall on your head, your wallet will be the least of your worries :P

[Kaiven]

this is cool, i want to make it, but i don't have a cassette tape, led wire, metal bb, soldering iron, or money lol.

[Kaiven]

i guess i can only make the dollar part, without the canister... "remove two pillars on the left side" ... Wow, that was easy

[FrenchCrawler]

I removed everything from my prototype wallet and now use it to hold my spare 15 minute batteries.

[Kaiven]

yeah, i know. I saw you ytell someoe that elsewhere... not sure where, but pretty cool!

[Wiebel]

I think I'll adapt the "card holder" alone, in a slim line case. I like it very much, esp. the nice made hinge.

[FrenchCrawler]

Thanks. In my prototype, I used two LED leads as the hinges, but after a few opens/closes, they began to get flimsy and then broke. That's when I figured it'd be best to use wire seeing as how flexible it is (I used stranded wire, you could try solid but it'd probably be more likely to break).

[mintyhippo90]

this is a really cool idea, and from what i can tell its looks pretty sick, but im having a lost of trouble understanding whats going on from the pictures. they are all way too dark and out of focus. maybe try a more well lit room or diffused flash next time?

[FrenchCrawler]

Sorry bout the pictures, but they're the best I could do with my D'zign camera. Actually, my computer nook is the best lit place cause it has two small halogen lights overhead and I don't use the flash on my camera cause it takes too long to charge up (I did adjust the exposure setting for better pictures).

[krazy]

not bad but whats the led lead for if your not gonna make it light? not worth wasting an LED . still its pretty neat but i use my bank card too much to have to keep digging it out of the tape. but still a very cute idea..i like it

[FrenchCrawler]

You don't waste a LED, you don't need the entire lead only about .75"- The full length of a normal lead is 1" (usually you snip off the excess lead when you make a light. I don't toss out the excess leads, I toss them in a film canister for projects like this). You could add a light into the case on the left side, though it may be a tight fit. That's why I'm placing SMD LEDs into the cassette tape itself. Unfortunately, there isn't enough room for my smack lights to fit in the case. Thanks :)

[ranex]

asome wallet -like the ability to show id quikly

[FrenchCrawler]

Thanks... I messed it up the first time. I forgot that I had to place a piece of wax paper around the paper. So the lamination sheet stuck to the paper and I had to do it again :P