RAM Module Key Fob

Intro: RAM Module Key Fob

In this instructable, I will show you how to, in less than twenty minutes, make a key fob out of an old RAM module. A key fob is one of those thingys that you get on a rental car saying the car model, make, name, plate number, etc.

This instructable is an entry for the pocket sized contest, so you know what to do if you like it(or even if you don't like it, you can proceed as if you had liked it).

This is also my very first instructable and would like some feedback on it. (Thanks)

DISCLAIMER:
Your safety is YOUR priority. use caution when handling sharp objects.

STEP 1: Your Supplies and Tools

Supplies & Tools:

Supplies:
An old piece of Random Access Memory
A keyring(preferably unused, but a used one is ok)

Tools:
Cutting Mat
Hobby Knife
Sandpaper 100 Grit*(a small patch is fine)(not shown in picture)
Drill wit a 1/8" bit(not always needed)

*Grit: the number of grains of sand in one square inch of paper(approx.). This means that the higher the number printed on the back of your piece of sandpaper, the finer the grains of sand will be.

STEP 2: Preparation

In the following step I will show how to set up your workspace so as to be the most efficient possible.

To set up your workspace, you should consider the following:
How close do you want the sharp blade of the knife to our arm when not using it.
And how much elbow room you want to allot yourself.

Here is how I set my workspace up...

the knives on the side away from where my elbow will hit them and get cut(ouchyy!),
the ring that wont come in until later up and out of the way,
the sandpaper back and center so its easy to get at when I am ready to use it

STEP 3: Scoring and Preping the Module

The first step is to score the RAM module with the hobby knife so the cutting process is much easier.

Shown in the picture is the score line(which goes all the way around the module), and helps keep your cutting in line.

(you can see the score line in the side of the module in the light of the laser pointer...)

STEP 4: Cutting

Continue to cut the module until the module is half its original thickness.

Slide the Hobby Knife both ways(it goes faster by scraping and clearing the particles that you are removing).

STEP 5: Separation

Separate/break the intended section of the module off from the rest of the module.
You may now set the unwanted section aside for further uses...

Once the board, that the little black thingys are mounted on, is thin enough, it should snap easily in your fingers. The result of the snap is shown in the pictures below.

STEP 6: Sanding

Sand all the edges of the wanted piece of RAM module. Yes ALL of them(you don't want them making holes in your pocket now, do you?) until they are nicely rounded(not sharp).

Yes even those little notches in in the side that hold the module in to your computer...

STEP 7: Affixing the Key Ring

Now we get to affix the keyring to the ram module.

Inspect your piece of RAM for a small hole in a corner.

Put your keyring through the hole in the corner...

If you find none(which should be determinable very quickly(there are after all only four corners to check)) it is now time to go find the drill and 1/8" bit...{go hunting now if applicable}.

Otherwise proceed to step eight.

I went on to step eight because my module came with a hole pre-drilled into it.

STEP 8: You're Almost DONE

You're almost done now...

Attach the wanted set of keys to the ring...

YOU'RE DONE!!!!!

As this is an entry for the pocket contest, please rate... ;-)

Comments

[eggplanthunter]

remember, just don't breathe in any of the dust from the PCB and the components! PCB dust doesn't play nicely with your lungs _

[santy22]

PCB dust - Don't breathe this!

[zack247]

lol does it blend?

[ndinitz]

Yeah Maybe but i haven't tried with any of mine...

[brunoip]

I made one, but with a motherboard

[ndinitz]

nice i like it a lot ~N

[dante900]

very cool project will try one

[p0g068]

dude! nice instructable it was really clear and easy to follow whit a pinch of humor! i will make a FOB and impress the girls!

[shadleyhax]

haha, 'sandpaper not shown' awesome. I have tons of fudged up, simms n dimms. thumbs up mate ;)

[jetsmiley123]

I found this Instructable to be very, condescending

[ReCreate]

Don't go ripping out your 2GB DDR2 Ram Sticks people! lol it would be neat if you could store information on it, like a flash drive, but you would need a battery since these are Volatile memory and would lose data at a power outage.

[SinAmos]

That last memory translation is 64 bits of porn.

[Marble of Doom]

I'd plug that in my computer just to see what would happen!

[Junk_Wizard]

probably not much... It could potentially crash, or even fry your computer.. The likely thing is that it will just give you a message on boot up saing that one of your ram slots is buggered. then you'll press the "any" key and it will boot normaly...

[r21187]

have happen me one time <_< one $%&$( sell me one that supose was good .... i wasnt ... that fry my computer

[mbudde]

Awesome. I just found a bunch of old RAM, so I'll have to do this.

[ndinitz]

Make a bunch for your friends as well. Or even better, save them for birthdays and or special occasions.

[mbudde]

Thats a great idea, seeing as some of my friends are also computer geeks like me!

[r21187]

that mean that they already have one i am a geek i this is like a basic "tool" for us we work whit computers of course we use computers as clothes but hey nice try i sure all news geeks still dont know how make one even when is as a hell obvius make one so is a frist staters guide pretty nice

[randofo]

I learned not too long ago that you can also cut circuit boards pretty effectively using a guillotine-style paper cutter or even a pair of scissors.