Introduction: Moleskine Kindle Keyboard Case
Hello! this should show you how to turn a moleskine sketchbook (an old, used one is best, so you don't waste a new one, as they can get pricey) into a case for your kindle 3rd generation (with a keyboard)
Step 1: Stuff You Will Need.
1. A moleskine sketchbook.
Any sketchbook this size will work, really, doesn't have to be a moleskine, but they do look nice, and have sturdier builds than others I have found. also doesn't have to be a sketchbook, but the thinner paper in notebooks will make this more awkward than it needs to be.
2. A sharp craft knife.
3. Sugru
Whatever colour you like, I used the charcoal/black stuff because it matches my charcoal kindle nicely.
4. Cling film/saran wrap
This will make sense, honest
5. Vaseline
This too.
6. PVA glue/ clear drying thick water based glue
I think it's called craft glue in the US?
7. Some kind of clamps (optional)
8. A bunch of pencils/straight things (also optional)
9. Spray mount or other tacky, non warping adhesive.
Any sketchbook this size will work, really, doesn't have to be a moleskine, but they do look nice, and have sturdier builds than others I have found. also doesn't have to be a sketchbook, but the thinner paper in notebooks will make this more awkward than it needs to be.
2. A sharp craft knife.
3. Sugru
Whatever colour you like, I used the charcoal/black stuff because it matches my charcoal kindle nicely.
4. Cling film/saran wrap
This will make sense, honest
5. Vaseline
This too.
6. PVA glue/ clear drying thick water based glue
I think it's called craft glue in the US?
7. Some kind of clamps (optional)
8. A bunch of pencils/straight things (also optional)
9. Spray mount or other tacky, non warping adhesive.
Step 2: OK, First Thing, Stick Your Pages Together
I find this makes it far easier in the long run, as the pages won't shift against each other while you're cutting
I used a can of Spray mount, but I have a suspicion the repositionable stuff would work better.
anyway, anything that will stick 2 pages together without warping them should work.
do this to allll of your pages, and move to the next step when it's dry.
I used a can of Spray mount, but I have a suspicion the repositionable stuff would work better.
anyway, anything that will stick 2 pages together without warping them should work.
do this to allll of your pages, and move to the next step when it's dry.
Step 3: Glue/seal the Outside of the Pages
This is where the glue, clamps, and flat things come into play.
You'll want a few layers on the outside here, spread it in with your fingers, make sure to clean the edges, and wait for it to dry before applying again.
so this about 4 times, I'd say? until it seems sturdy enough to hold.
I used the clamps and pencils to make sure it dried flat, and didn't curve too much.
You'll want a few layers on the outside here, spread it in with your fingers, make sure to clean the edges, and wait for it to dry before applying again.
so this about 4 times, I'd say? until it seems sturdy enough to hold.
I used the clamps and pencils to make sure it dried flat, and didn't curve too much.
Step 4: Mark Out the Outline of Your Kindle on the Top Page.
see! fits perfectly!
Notice on the second photo I marked out an area on the outside right of the kindle, and a smaller area on the bottom edge.
these are for the right hand page turn buttons, and the power switch respectively.
You could add a gap for the usb/charging cable, but I prefer to have it out of the case at home, so that's not a problem really.
Notice on the second photo I marked out an area on the outside right of the kindle, and a smaller area on the bottom edge.
these are for the right hand page turn buttons, and the power switch respectively.
You could add a gap for the usb/charging cable, but I prefer to have it out of the case at home, so that's not a problem really.
Step 5: Start Cutting!
I tend to get a bit lost in the process here, so I don't have a huge amount of photos.
But start just lightly cutting where you outlined your kindle in the last step, try and go straight down if possible, you can start angling inwards after a few mm.
once you think it's big enough, try sitting your kindle in the new hole, and keep cutting until it sits comfortably, if it never seems to fit, try cutting vertically downwards again, and abandon your curved walls, and remember to make sure your corners are steep enough, that seems to be where it gets stuck the most.
once it fits nicely, cut out the gap for the page forward/back buttons on the right, and the power switch on the bottom, as marked out in the previous step.
But start just lightly cutting where you outlined your kindle in the last step, try and go straight down if possible, you can start angling inwards after a few mm.
once you think it's big enough, try sitting your kindle in the new hole, and keep cutting until it sits comfortably, if it never seems to fit, try cutting vertically downwards again, and abandon your curved walls, and remember to make sure your corners are steep enough, that seems to be where it gets stuck the most.
once it fits nicely, cut out the gap for the page forward/back buttons on the right, and the power switch on the bottom, as marked out in the previous step.
Step 6: Glue/ Reinforce the Inside of the Case
same as step 3, but no clamps needed, put on the glue, spread it around, let it dry, add another coat.
Step 7: Now Wrap Your Kindle in Cling-film and Apply Vaseline.
Honestly, this is going somewhere
add the vaseline to the top and bottom edges of the well wrapped kindle.
add the vaseline to the top and bottom edges of the well wrapped kindle.
Step 8: Add a Sugru Holding Thing
This is what the cling film and vaseline were for.
I laid a base of sugru along the bottom edge, pressed it down, and then laid my wrapped kindle into the case.
Then I put a roll of sugru on top of it, and moulded it into a decent shape using another pencil.
Then I reinforced the top corners with sugru, and made a small tab of it on the top right to hold the kindle in.
the trouble with this one was making it thin enough for the kindle to be removable, but not so thin that it will break/not hold the kindle firmly enough.
Leave this ensemble at least overnight (preferably 24 hours) for the sugru to cure properly before attempting to remove your kindle.
this does unfortunately make it hard to read the kindle, but one day's sacrifice isn't a huge disaster.
I laid a base of sugru along the bottom edge, pressed it down, and then laid my wrapped kindle into the case.
Then I put a roll of sugru on top of it, and moulded it into a decent shape using another pencil.
Then I reinforced the top corners with sugru, and made a small tab of it on the top right to hold the kindle in.
the trouble with this one was making it thin enough for the kindle to be removable, but not so thin that it will break/not hold the kindle firmly enough.
Leave this ensemble at least overnight (preferably 24 hours) for the sugru to cure properly before attempting to remove your kindle.
this does unfortunately make it hard to read the kindle, but one day's sacrifice isn't a huge disaster.
Step 9: Neaten It Up However You Want, and You're Done!
Here are the photos of my finished kindle case.