Quality Duct Tape Wallet With (optional) Change Pouch

Another take on the duct tape wallet.As a Canadian I end up with lots of coins, so I needed a coin pouch. My build adds a change pouch and tries to use as little tape as possible.

Forgive the photos, the brightness got messed up on upload.

Materials required:
Duct tape
Plastic card for sizing
Scissors Razor (Cutting board to go with it)

Materials optional:
Ruler (if your picky like me)

I want to thank Dan who posted the current goto instructable on duct tape wallets, it was my first :)
www.instructables.com/id/quality-duct-tape-wallet/

Step 1: Main Money Pouch

The first step is create the main pouch that will hold your paper money. First you will need 4 pieces of tape approx 22cm long (8 1/2 inches). This will be trimmed at the end to around 20cm (8 inches). Lay them on top of each other, overlapping about a cm (1/4 inch). You can use the lines inthe fabric to help you line up your tape.

Then cut 4 more pieces of equal length. Lay the first on top, sticky side to sticky side, letting half the strip go over the edge. Lay the rest down, overlapping the top piece again by about 1cm (1/4 inch). The final piece should only cover half the bottom piece. CAREFUL laying the sticky side together, as it is very hard to separate the tape if you mess up.

Fold the exposed top and bottom pieces over. Now you have your duct tape cloth! Trim both sides to around 20cm (8 inches).

Finally, fold the cloth in half. Cut two pieces of tape a little bigger then the height of the wallet. These will be inside of the pouch. Place them on the outside, half hanging over, at the halfway mark of the wallet. Fold them in, and fold up the wallet. (Power tip: if you fold the wallet up before folding in the two inner pieces, you can see if they are too far down or up.)

Fold the two pieces sticking up down along the edge and trim the ends.

Step 2: Card Slots

In this step you will be making the card slots.

First fold down the tape on the left side as this will be covered up by the pouches. Trim the excess.

I like the cut the pieces I need first:

Cut three pieces a little longer then twice the length of a credit/debit card. (About 7 1.2 inches or 19cm

Optional: I like the card to stick out a bit more then what would usually stick out with the standard width of tape. So I trim about 1/4 inch (a little less then a cm) from the top.
Wrap the tape tight around 2 cards, sticky side out.

Cut three more pieces a little bit longer then a card. (3 1/2 inches, 9 cm)

Cut 2 pieces the length of the card and then cut them in half lengthwise making 4 pieces the length of a card. Cut the corners of 3 of these pieces.

Finally, cut three pieces about 5 1/2 inches (14 cm).

Lay the 3.5 inch tape about halfway down the wallet. Next, lay a roll in the middle of it. Fold half the tape on the bottom of the 3.5 piece up onto the roll, create the bottom of the pocket. Place two cards in to test the position.

Take the one piece without the corners cut and place it over the back line of the pouch. This helps the card slide in. Line it up with the top of the wallet. Use a card to over the top part of the pouch so your piece does not stick to it when your placing it.

Place a 5 1/2 inch piece over the pouch. Make sure it goes past the middle of the wallet and wraps around back. Place upside down first to find out the position. Line the top of the tape with the top of the pouch.

Make the next pouch by  sticking the bottom piece (3.5 inches) to the bottom of the loop. then place it under the first pouch about 1/4 inch down

Take a piece with the corners cut off and place it over the lip of the top pouch, ling the middle with the lip. The front part should go into the second pouch. Again this helps the cards go in.
(Note the cut corners make it easier to place the tape in the pouch. And make it look cool :) )

Lay another 5 1/2 inch piece like the first. Repeat the steps for the second pouch to make the third. If the bottom piece goes over the bottom of the wallet trim it Sometime I have to trim the corners more. Scissors work great at this..

Cut a piece a little bigger then the the height of the wallet. Place this piece going down the right have side of the card slots.

Finally, cut a piece about 5 1/2 inches (14cm) to wrap around the bottom. let to go over the left edge and trim with scissors.

Step 3: Large Card Pouch

Next we'll make the right side pouch that will rest under the coin pouch.

Cut 2 pieces a little bit longer then a card. (3 1/2 inches, 9 cm)
Cut 2 more pieces, 4 inches, 10 cm

Take the 2 long pieces and overlap them so that they are the same height as the wallet.

Next lay the shot pieces along the left end, hanging over the top/bottom by about half the tape. Trim the left side so it is even.

Fold the right side over the lip, then fold the top and bottom over on top of it.

Place the pouch on the wallet, open side down and left.

If at this point, you do not want a change pouch

Cut one piece 4 inches long, and 2 the width of the pouch. Wrap the 4 inch piece around the front of the pouch and the back of the wallet. place the 2 other pieces on the top and bottom of the pouch wrapping over to the front of the wallet and inside of the money pouch. Make sure to unstick the inside wrapping piece so you can attach the top of the pouch. Wrap the long piece on the left of the wallet down over the right hand side of the wallet and trim.

Cut  a piece the height of the pouch, cut it in half lengthwise, and cut the corners. Use it to wrap the lip of the pouch.

Your done!

Otherwise

Wrap the right side tape down to secure the pouch in place. Trim the bottom.

Step 4: Coin Pouch

We will basically be making a big credit card pouch

Cut one piece the length of the right pouch (3 1/2 inches 9 am)
Cut 2 pieces the length of the wallet (8 inches, 20 cm)

Again, overlap the long pieces to make them the height of the wallet.

Make a loop with the long pieces the width of the pouch (Wrap around a card)

Add the short piece on the bottom of the roll to create the bottom of the change pouch.

Place this pouch on top of the other. Start with the right side first to get the placement as it is easier to remove from the non sticky side of the tape.

Cut 2 pieces of tape 4 1/2 inches long (11.5 cm) (about an inch bigger the the pouch)

Place on on the top of the pouch line up the top of the tape with the top lip. wrap it inside the pouch and to the outside of the wallet.

Cut a piece 4 inches long (10 cm). Make a roll the width of the tape (slight less the 2 inches (5 cm). You can also make it roll around a card (short end) but I like it a bit smaller then that to make ti the width of the tape. Place this centre and on the bottom of the pouch

Place the second 4 1/2 piece on the bottom, line up with the top of the smaller pouch and wrapping inside the left pouch and to the outside of the wallet

Cut 2 pieces the length of the pouch (3 1/2 inch , 9 cm). Use one of them to cover up the bottom of the pouches.

Place the other beside the wallet. Mark with a pencil the lines for the middle and top pouch, allowing a bit to go over the coin pouch lip. This will be our lip cover and back cover for the little pouch. Do the same for the width. Cut the corners on these lines. It should resemble a superman symbol.

Place it over the top lip at it's widest point and fold over. Tuck the bottom inside the small pouch. (You could do this with two much simple pieces, but this looks better.)

Cut a 1/2 inch piece of tape (1.5 cm). Cut the corners off and place it on the lip of the small front pouch.

Step 5: Coin Pouch Flap

Final Step!

Cut 2 pieces the width of the pouch (3 1/2 inches, 9cm)

To ensure the flap comes down enough place one of these pieces face down in line the the small front pouch. Keeping it line, wrap it oer to the inside of the cash pocket. then peel it up off the front of the pouch. Place the second piece in line with the top of the flap, and have it go into the coin pouch.

Cut about an inch (2.5 cm, the height of the flap) of tape and cut it in half. Cut it in half again. Use two of these pieces to close the side of the flap

Cut a piece 2.5 inches, (6 cm). Centre it inside the pouch coming up and over the flap. Fold the end of the tape into a triangle.

Cut two more pieces about the length of a card. Place the tape inside the cash part of the wallet flush with the flap.Split the tape where the triangle starts fold the thinner flap into the pouch. Trim the remaining tape to the height of the triangle. Fold over the triangle. Repeat for the other side.

Tuck the triangle into the front pouch and your done!

If you want you can put some tape over the outside edges to clean up the back, but that is up to you!

Comments

[_kirasterling_]

This is a little bit confusing, can you clarify the instructions? I love the design and it is very beautiful and elegant!

[IkaJ1]

Typo:

"Next lay the shot pieces along..."

[minajung]

really good, but really confusing. still really good.

[mehlani]

:)

[mehlani]

Thanks Philmanj for this instructable and for the 85 pictures you put up! Must have took quite some time.

[mehlani]

Took me several hours to get it right because I took it slow. Instructions were a little confusing but once you match the step with the pictures you can figure it out. For anyone who says they don't get it...you just have to use common sense..ask yourself what that piece is for? Match the step with the pic. I agree the wallet is pretty thick. You can cut down on thickness by just modifying the instructions - make less card slots or just make big pockets like I did on one side. I made mine for extra cards but you can also make one for coins too without even needing a flap to keep coins inside..just make sure the pocket opening is placed exactly where wallet folds in half and your change will stay in wallet. Here is my finished wallet.

[btiu]

Best Duct Tape Wallet! I've also been using the coin pouch a lot of times now, so I've got to say it was a pretty nice touch. Also, it's really really tough. But the instructions may be confusing at times, so it took me longer than I expected to make one. If anyone wants to ask something, I'd be willing to help out. :)

[shnun]

Indeed, difficult instructions. Here when you say to cut an inch of tape and then cut in half - lengthwise or in half widthwise? Then cut it in half again - in which direction? The directions above this regarding the flap are very confusing.

The final wallet itself looks quite nice but it does make for a pretty thick wallet before any money is placed in it, due to the many many pieces of tape used. If there was a way to refine the design to reduce the quantity of tape it would be easier to put in one's pocket.

[shnun]

I agree with 2perpetual; the instructions need to be reviewed and refined to make them easier to follow. For example, you say to place the second pouch on top of the first pouch - but you don't say where to align the opening (on top or on the left). The superman piece was not described in a way that illustrates where to cut; we just looked at the picture and made that shape.

[teddyjames]

Hey thanks so much. I'm new to this site and already have projects for a year!! lol. But anywasy yours was the first thing I did since I had some duct tape laying around and I can say that mine turned out AWESOME!! I can't wait to show it off. Some of the instructions were a little confusing but once I read it a few times I understood them. Well thanks again!

[AssAss]

One part i am confused about is the part where you lay the 3.5 piece halfway down the wallet and "lay a roll in the middle of it." What does that mean?

[Djkkcad]

You take the 5.5 peice and wrap it around a card sticky side out and put it on top of a 3.5 peice.

[Djkkcad]

Sounds easy enough! Gonna try it now..... I'll tell you what I think after it's done!

[kcarlson3]

you messed up you wrote Tdone! instead of Done! xD

[jfong4]

erm can you pls have more detailed and simpler steps? im struggling even on the 1st step and its pissing me off

[noodles506]

in your last step it says cut 2 peices the width of the couch.

[ickmateu]

PADI Nice

[2perpetual]

The instruction are hard to follow...

[tsod]

good instruction, though i was lost some times. for closing the coin pouch i used metal & a magnet between the tape, works well

[carpfluff]

this wallet is fan-freaking-tastic!