How to Get a Full House

Intro: How to Get a Full House

This is my first instructable and i cannot take all of the credit for this creation. I have seen it elsewhere online; however, i have made quite a few modifications and the wallet now functions better and lasts much longer (some of my friends have been using theirs daily for months now and they are still in perfect condition). Essentially this intructable is a wallet comprised entirely of old playing cards. The more expensive and thus thicker cards are preferable as they will last longer and will resist bending. The other major component of this wallet is tape..and lots of it. For the purpose of visability, i used brown packing tape for the pictures listed whereas on a normal wallet I would certainly use clear tape. Now lets begin shall we?

STEP 1: Begin Taping the Inside Cards Together

There are going to be two opposing sides where face cards are visible...this happens to be the interior of the two. The cards used are obviously personal preference. Because i had created so many of these for my friends, i created a rig to hold the cards better while i taped; however, this is not a necessity.

Lay three cards face up about 1/4 inch apart. Cut a strip of tape to hold them together.

Flip the three over using caution and tape the same spot on this side as well -- the doubling of tape will not only make the seam stronger, but also prevent your money from sticking to the pocket.

STEP 2: Cut Pockets

Now I use my other rig to cut three cards down by about an inch. I use a razor blade now but in the beginning scissors worked just fine (razor blade is just quicker, only difference). Use cards which you do not care about as they will not be seen.

Once they are cut, lay them face down onto the face up side of the cards from step 2.

STEP 3: Tape Pockets On

After the pockets are laid down across the three cards as pictured in the previous step, tape them with one stip of tape intitially across the center.

This next step is crucial in keeping the wallet together. Use a razor blade (scissors will get stuck and become a pain) to cut two strips of tape -- approximately 6 inches long by 1/4 inch wide. These will be used to reinforce the new seams and make sure your valuable cards do not slip out later.

Now that your strips are cut, begin wrapping them around the seam starting in the back and carefully going along the entire seam. Start low enough that the strip both starts and ends on the back side of the seam -- this will make the tape stick togher when the wallet is constantly opened and closed. You will want to do this two both of the seams.

STEP 4: Secure the Pockets

Now that the pockets are essentially attached, you will want to secure them in place. It would certainly be a shame to have an awesome attention-grabbing wallet only to lose your credit cards because of carelessness.

To do this step, cut 2-3 inch strips and wrap around all five edges (two sides and three bottoms).

STEP 5: Now Start the Outside

The inside is now done and it is time to begin the outside. This is the same process as step 2 so i will not explain it, only post pictures.

STEP 6: Joining the Inside and Outside

Now comes the meticulous part. Place the finished inside face down and place the outside face up on top of it -- the space in between becomes the pocket for storing money.

Once the layers are lined up, carefully pick up and use another 2-3 inch strip of tape to secure them together. Do this for all three bottom edges.

Adjusting if necessary, make sure the layers are still lined up and tape the edges together. The wallet is essentially finished; however, it will become tattered in no time if it is not reinforced better with the process from the next step.

STEP 7: Aesthetic and Functional Reinforcements

Begin by placing the wallet outside face up. Use a long enough strip to completely span from one edge of tape to the other. This piece is paramount as this and the following step are what protect delicate cards from wear and tear; it also keeps the outside clean looking.

I apologize in advance for how dark the next picture is. Nonetheless, cut a strip roughly 4 1/2 inches long. Start on the inside and place 3/4 of an inch on the bottom edge. Wrap completly around the front smoothing as you go. Hopefully there will be between 1/4 and 3/4 of an inch of tape left at the top. Carefully open the pocket and fold the tape against the backside of the outside layer.

STEP 8: Enjoy Your "New" Card Wallet!!!

The pockets are the perfect size for credit cards and driver's licenses and such. The main pocket also can expand enough to hold a fair amount of money if you ever feel so inclined; however, if you want need to carry that much money, just get a debit card.

I also posted pictures of the first wallet i made. As i mentioned in the introduction, i was only using brown tape for visibility, so please to not use brown tape but rather clear tape. I would also not suggest using the Ace of Spades for the outside -- yes, everybody wants it, but i personally find the writing to be gaudy and not necessary. I think that random cards work best to make the wallet feel authentic and original. Thank you all for following my very first instructable.

Comments

[swdriver]

I did this with see-through cards and it turned out pretty sweet. terramonkey did a really good job of it though. Excellent instructable j626no!

[Wafflicious]

I made one with those same cards lol i got them from target.

[kreationism]

yeah...i've wanted to try that but i didnt have any clear cards worth defiling.lol. that is a very nice wallet; however, may i suggest putting your larger bills facing the inside and a 1 or 5 on the outside, just a safety precaution. excellent job and thanks for the comment.

[trayo]

I love your instructable! I made a card wallet about a year ago, but never thought of leaving a comment. The one I made is pretty worn, but I made it out of dollar store cards which aren't very sturdy. I made a new wallet tonight out of Bicycle see through cards. It's not the actual card though, it's a display card that is attached to the front. This one should last me quite some time. Anyways here are some pictures.

[trayo]

Oh I also made a couple for some friends, and I believe they still have them. You know women though they keep the same wallet for very long. Also magnets are great for holding the cards.

[kreationism]

good job. my friend still uses his that i made for him when i posted this instructable. so thats 10 months now.

[ewoodward]

I love this idea. I've always been a gaming geek, and have been in the market for a new wallet lately, so this was so perfect. Of course, being an uber-geek, I took it to the next level and did 2 wallets, both with CCG cards.

The first was a traditional tri-fold wallet done with Magic: The Gathering cards, and the second was a bi-fold wallet done with Anachronism (the History Channel card game) cards.

Awesome.

BTW - I apologize for the pics... It's late, and my flash is dead.

[kreationism]

thats really cool. the magic cards work out perfectly as the sleeve parts are cut so they show the pic only. awesome! the second wallet is cool too, just a little difficult to understand (its late now too and im really tired and its dark.lol...i'll have a better look in a few days when my schedule clears up :-p ) but thank you so much for you comments. i LOVE when people comment my instructables with pictures of their accomplishments. great job.

[vanpaun]

AhHHHHHHH i didn't see thisand I posted my https://www.instructables.com/id/EALP8VAF0ZTLLC2/

[Sk8rDuck]

Oh no! Someone beat me to it! I made a card wallet a long time ago and i have been meaning to make an instructable on it since everyone loves it and its more unique than a duct tape wallet. Mine is a little different so maybe I will put mine up.

[ewilhelm]

You should definitely put it up. We love seeing variations.

[terramonkey]

I was inspired enough by your instructable to actually get out the scissors and tape and have a go at making a version of this wallet. This is the first thing on the instructable site i've actually made, so I thought i'd post a set of pictures to show the results. Its much sturdier than I expected it to be, and a friend has already asked me to make one for him. thanks for taking the time to share the idea!

[kreationism]

no, thank you. i feel so good right now that i was actually able to impact your life in even the most minor of ways. it is because of this feeling that i will continue to post instructables and help other people. ~jon ps: yea, this wallet is quite durable

[knewman]

Pretty wild stuff, I wish I had one of those. I'd keep money in it and stuff.

[yoko215]

Thats pretty cool. I think i'll try to make one. Good Job!

[stranoster]

Awesome. Just made an "Super-slim, cool-lookin, EMI-shielding wallet" so when I get sick of it I'll make yours!

[kreationism]

That does look pretty cool. Im sure to have more intructables posted in the near future so make sure to check them out too if you like this one. Thanks

[Calltaker]

That's a unique and sharp looking wallett. nicely done and well explained. ~C

[kreationism]

Thank you very much....as i said many of my friends still use theirs and they look as good as the day i gave it to them.