After some lenses arrived at the fablab (special thanks to iMoox) it was time to finally build my own google cardboard. Since the new cardboard seems to be a little bit big for the ipone 6s i decided to go for the first version, and when i'm already at a classic version of the cardboard, i can also make a real old version, thanks to access to laser cutter and 3D-printer at the fablab Aachen :-)

Anyways: This is just a wooden box instead of the cartoon version. For this you need apart from the smart phone and the lenses a bunch of laser cutted wood (100cm*10cm*3mm & 50cm*10cm*2mm, i used lime wood because it looks great, especially if stained with Aqua Clou cherry tree stain). Some small hinges and a lock disassembled from a wood box, a 1 cm diameter lime rod a little piece of conductive adhesive film (or just aluminium foil) complete the list. 3D printed parts for design elements and a small piece of conductive textile completes the list.

Step 1: Laser Cutting and Assemby

The attaches svg file is made for the iphone 6s, other phones need some sort of resizing. As design elements my two favourite fonts are used: Bodoni Ornaments ITC TT and Soft Ornaments Three which have to be installed to use this svg. The image is a part of an photo of a copperplate engraving from Aachen.

The parts are lasercutted from 3mm wood, abart from the upper 3 pieces with round eye holes, which are made from 2mm wood. These 3 pieces are first glued together with the lenses in the middle layer - one of this pieces have slightly bigger holes, the lenses shouldn't fit into the other two, which are used on front and back to hold the lenses in place.

The piece in the lower middle with the sort-of rectanguler eye holes is the opposite end of the inner box, which is comleted with the parts on the right side of this piece, while the parts in the middle are used as a surronding box (apart from the small nose part, ehich has to be inserted inside the inner box). The position of inside and outside box is determined with the smartphone inside.

... See it as a big puzzle, and maybe some of the pictures on the next pages might also help :-)

At the end when all parts are put together the edges are sanded and rounded.

Step 2: Staining and Hinges

The rod is mounted in the hole at the side and cutted at the right length. Everything is than stained and thereafter hinges at the bottom and the lock at the top is mounted.

Step 3: Switch

One importand thing i forgot is the button for switching within the cardboard app. This is done with the small T-formed wood piece with conductive material (copper, aluminium foil) on top, which goes around the egde at the screen and might be enlarged with a piece of conductive textile which also prevents scratches on the surface :-)

The cut out at the inner part of the cardboard is missing (alingment of inner and outer part) and needs to be cutted out manually. 5 small pieces glued together work as guide for the T-part.

Some 3D-printed capitels (not my design) are used as a nicer slide switch with the conductive foil wrapped around.

Step 4: Final Decorations

Other 3D printed capitells with a 1cm hole are used as decorations for the rod, a ball concludes the lower end. They are colored golden to match the color of the hinges and lock.

Enjoy your virtual worlds in style