Introduction: Duct Tape Cell Phone Tripod Case

You can do almost everything with your cell phone, everything that is except mount it to a tripod.  With cell phones having 5MP cameras, it's natural to want to ditch the regular digital camera, but how do we overcome the tripod problem?

The Duct Tape Cell Phone Tripod Case!

What's You'll Need
1. Cell Phone
2. Duct Tape
3. Invisible Tape
4. Tape Measure
5. Pen
6. Utility Knife
7. Tripod Mount from an Old Camera

Step 1: Measure Phone & Create Duct Tape Cloth

Measure the cell phone and create duct tape cloth that is about 2.5” larger than the phone and will wrap around the phone with excess.  Determining the amount necessary to wrap around the phone will require you to measure the entire circumferece of the phone.  This can be done with the measuring tape.  Some people may want to use string to achieve the circumference measurement.

For those unfamiliar (and unfortunate enough to have not found) the wonderful world of duct tape cloth/fabric, let's start by discussing what that is!  Those familiar with making duct tape cloth/fabric can gloss through this step.

Duct tape fabric is a 2-ply layering of duct tape, sticky sides together, the following is geared toward this specific project (in terms of dimensions) but can be followed for other instructables for which duct tape cloth is needed. 

Just ensure that other projects do not have their own methods (such as adhering the duct tape to paper, aluminum foil, or other material to provide a more sturdy fabric).

Ply 1 of Duct Tape Fabric (Bottom Ply):

Using the cell phone measurements from the previous step, tear strips of duct tape somewhat larger than the exact measurement + 2.5" of the the long side of the phone, in the neighborhood of 1"-2" larger (this doesn't need to be exact, as the excess will be cut off). 

Lay the first strip of tape down, sticky side up, and tear off another piece of roughly the same size. 

Overlap the second piece on top of the first piece by it's long side, still sticky side up, by 1/4" and continue until you have achieved a size as big as or greater than the circumfrance of the phone + 2.5". 

Ply 2 of Duct Tape Fabric (Top Ply):

Using Ply 1 as a guide, overlay the strips with duct tape of similar length (as pictured) and continue with the 1/4" overlap until all of Ply 1 is covered.

Finishing Duct Tape Fabric for Use:

Trim duct tape cloth using the utility knife to remove excess tape and square up the shape of the cloth, providing straight edges to work with.

Step 2: Align and Burrito Wrap the Phone in Duct Tape Cloth

Place phone on duct tape cloth and form a mostly tight “burrito” wrap around the phone, leaving enough room to keep the camera lens exposed. Use invisible tape to maintain the tension of the duct tape cloth on the phone. Along the long thin edge of the phone, use the pen to mark the midpoint of the phone on the duct tape cloth.

Step 3: Cut and Add the Tripod Mount (optional - Add Control Window)

Remove the phone from the “burrito” tube, and use the utility knife to cut a square around this hole, sufficient to place the closed recess of the tripod mount through the hole from the outside. Place tape on the inside to hold the tripod mount in place.

IMPORTANT STEP FOR THOSE WITHOUT A CAMERA BUTTON

If your phone does not have an external camera (shutter) button, you will also need to cut out an area to access the touch screen at this point. Each phone is different, so you will need to use the same method to mark the button (aligning the phone and the case) to create an open strip in the duct tape fabric. Just bring up your phone's camera application and figure out the best placement. Once cut out, since this is very likely a much bigger opening, you will need to cover the edges in the same half width strip of duct tape manner as used to to cover the ends of the tube in the next few steps.

Step 4: Seal the Burrito Tube & Cover the Tripod Mount on the Outside

Use a strip of tape longer than the length of the “burrito” tube, close the seam being held in place with invisible tape. Using another strip of tape longer than the length of the “burrito” tube, cover the tripod mount from the outside, the same way that you just closed the seam.

Using the pen, mark the hole where the tripod screw will connect into the camera mount.  CAREFULLY use the utility knife to remove the tape from the area that was just marked with the pen, making every effort to avoid cutting or shaving the threads inside the camera mount with the utility knife.

Using a half width strip of tape, cover the edges of the end of the “burrito” tube that is to remain open. This will create a nice finished edge, and prevent the tape from separating and the edge from wanting to roll over.

Step 5: Close the Tube to Form a Pouch - Fold & Remove One Triangle

Return the phone to the tube and fold in one of the short sides of the end that will be closed, just as you would start to fold wrapping paper for a present. This should create two triangles and one short side. Cut one of the triangles so that it is flush with the end of the phone, stopping at the crease of the short side. Cut up along the corner through the end of the tube so that the triangle is removed.

Step 6: Close the Tube to Form a Pouch - Fold & Cut the Second Triangle to Remove

Fold the remaining triangle across and start a cut flush with the edge of the phone so that it creates a flap, fold up and finish the cut back to the crease of the short side. Cut up along the corner through the end of the tube so that the rest of this triangle is removed, leaving two flaps. At this point you should have a small flap on the width of the phone, and a tall flap on the depth of the phone.

Step 7: Close the Tube to Form a Pouch - Seal Up the Edges

Fold over the small flap on the width, and cover with the tall flap on the depth of the phone. Cover with duct tape to seal the end.

Step 8: Add Camera Phone Button Access

Remove the phone from the case and align the phone so that it is facing in the same direction that it would be in the case. Mark the location of the external camera (shutter) button on the case. Using the utility knife, cut out an adequate space to access the button.

Step 9: Cell Phone Tripod Case Complete!

Your case is complete, and your cell phone is now ready to go where no cell phone has ever dared to go before!

HORRAY!