Make Your Own Duct Tape/Faceplate Hybrid Wallet

by Danielk

11K3015

Intro: Make Your Own Duct Tape/Faceplate Hybrid Wallet

This is a step-by-step Instructable on how to make your very own Lightswitch Faceplate wallet. I tried to be as detailed and professional quality with this as I could. Look below for my final product.

STEP 1: Needed Items

These are the items needed for this project.

Spray paint(I use multiple colors of Krylon Fusion because it turns out better for me)
Duct tape of your color choice(I chose purple this time-round)
Two Faceplates(I chose a blank and a Light Switch Panel)

Not shown because optional:
Masking Tape
Second color of spray paint
Xacto

STEP 2: Painting

If your plates are not brand new, you should wash them and wipe them down with rubbing alcohol before painting. Any dirt of grime will make the paint funky.

Spray the plates with light coats so it doesnt take long to dry. Take your time.

STEP 3: Optional Detail Painting

I like to be even more different than myself so I decided to mask off a design(In this case, my logo and my smiley) with masking tape.

Once masked, spray your second color over the masking.

Let it dry for a while, then slowly peel off the layers of masking, one at a time.

STEP 4: Beginning the Construction

We will now begin to put the wallet together.

#1 Cut(Cut, don't tear) a piece of duct tape to span the gap solidly. You need a gap of about 1/4" for all of that mullah you will be stuffing in it. Apply the piece across the gap.

#2 Flip the wallet over.

#3 Apply a piece of tape the same size to the back.

#4 Cut and place a piece of tape the length of the wallet face up at the lower edge of the wallet.

#5 Cover it with a longer piece about 1/4" lower

#6 Fold the extra tape down so no sticky side is showing from the first piece.

#7 Flip the wallet over. Cut the corners in a square like shown. Cut perpendicular to the tape at the gap. this keeps it from bunching up.

#8 Fold the flaps up on all sides. The gap is now neatly folded.

#9 This is what it should look like. We could leave it here, but what about the cards you have? go on to the next step for that.

STEP 5: The Pocket

This step shows how to make the pocket for all of your fancy cards.

I am using a Walmart giftcard for reference.

Measure your card(eyeball it) and make a piece of tape slightly longer than the card. Make another piece to cover that piece and repeat the process of making the money fold. You should end up with something like the second picture.

STEP 6: Fill It!

Fill it with your money, ID, gift cards, and any personal Memoranda.

You are done! Pat yourself on the back for making such a neat and trick Wallet!

Thanks for reading and please comment on my first-ever Instructable.

15 Comments

jetsmiley123 15 years ago

I tried this, and the black got all messed up from the tape, it didn't rip or tear the tape, it just reacted, it looks like the plastic underneath melted and started to bubble, ill have pics soon

Danielk 15 years ago

That's no good. What type of paint did you use?

jetsmiley123 15 years ago

attached are pictures of what happened, the first one is what the problem I encountered when peeling the tape off. the second one is what the paint i used it, it is Krylon indoor/outdoor metal/wood/wicker/more and the same but in black, their both gloss.

Danielk 15 years ago

did you let it dry first? sometimes paint is finicky. let it dry for like a day before spraying again.

jetsmiley123 15 years ago

OK, that sounds good, I just sprayed, about an hour apart, mainly because the can says that it drys in 10 minutes or less, but they like to lie. do you think i can peel the paint off, or should i sand it, or should i just buy new plates?

Danielk 15 years ago

at 44cents a pop, i would just go for new ones. until then, rock the messed up one. trust me, NO ONE will notice the paint lines when you rock it.

shylock 15 years ago

"Now I want you to go into that bag and find my wallet." "Which one is it?" "It's the one made out of duct tape that says, "Bad Mother F**ker."

MattandJora 15 years ago

haha, now im gonna do that not even kidding

gotodefcon62 15 years ago

haha dude that is awesome.great idea.i think i'll go to the hardware store and try to one-up you with something a little more durable or smaller.something like that...but props for sure

GorillazMiko 16 years ago

That's cool! It looks really nice in the end. Nice job! Maybe I'll actually decorate my lightswitch plate thing...

Danielk 16 years ago

Thanks! I think everyone should tap into their creative side and do something different. I saw someone a while back make one from wall outlet covers. I thought to myself, I could do that...but better. haha

Neodudeman 16 years ago

I would be afraid of it breaking in half in my pocket when I slouch in a seat. Do you get that feeling?

Danielk 16 years ago

They last a few months before breaking. At first you are afraid but after a while, you realize that they are much tougher than you think. I pulled my old one from my pocket to transfer the contents from the old to the new wallet and noticed it was "flexible". It cracked right in half. I don't remember sitting down since the last time I removed it from my pocket, but apparently I did.