USB Hub Inside Altiods Tin

This Instructable will teach you how to mount an USB hub inside an Altoids tin.

Step 1: Gather Materials

For this Instructable you will need:
an Altoids tin(obviously)
an USB hub
Scissors
small piece of card board
a drill
Dremel (optional)

Step 2: Drilling/ Cutting the Holes

Cut the holes depending on where the ports are on your hub. On mine there was two groups of two (see pic). I drilled a few holes in the side and started cutting with scissors. Then I smoothed out the rough corners with a Dremel but I'm sure sand paper would work also.

Step 3: Installing Cardboard and Hub

After you have cut your holes glue in a piece of card board cut to the size of the Altoid tin. I used hot glue but anything will work. The reason you glue in the card board because the circuits on the bottom of the hub overload when it touches the tin. Also if you haven't taken your hub out of the case yet do that now but be careful because when I took off my cover I snapped off a resistor and had to solder it back on. Once you have glued in the card board you can glue in the hub. Make sure the ports are sticking out a little so plugs can stick into them. One way to test this before you glue it is stick a plug into all of them. Also if you want to have the hub plugged in while the tin is closed then drill a hole in the side for the cord.

Step 4: Try It Out

Try out your new hub and bring it to work or school and look at peoples faces when they see you plugging in an Altoids tin into your laptop. Thanks for reading my Instructable hope you are satisfied.

Comments

[JoQuez24]

Nice a great gift 4 whom I'm giving it 2

[sean_sylvester1]

dude you butchered that tin, try a dremmel, plus that cardboard will probably burn.

[jj2001]

cool

[Superninjacamper941]

Thanks!

[iApple guy]

Where did you get that USB hub, where can I buy it, and how much is it

[Superninjacamper941]

I just found that hub around my house but here are some links to where you could find one.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=usb+hub&_sacat=See-All-Categories

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwcanoniccom-20&index=blended&link_code=qs&field-keywords=usb%20hub

Cheers!

[iApple guy]

Ok

[account3r2]

The two main places I shop are amazon and ebay...

[thing 2]

cool i like it!

[Sk8erCk4Life]

could you just put the amount of holes you need for the USB hubs and put them in and solder each color to its color and solder them and add like a twenty five foot cord with at least 4 wires on it and then solder them and add another male USB and do the same and solder them to.

[Superninjacamper941]

Could you please explain what you are trying to do and your question. What are the colors? thanks

[Sk8erCk4Life]

I was saying put the amount of holes you need for the hubs and wire that correctly together and at a twenty-five foot cord coming from the altoind can then hooked up to a male USB.Does that answer your question. If it doesn't i'll add a pic if my camera still works.

[Superninjacamper941]

kind of why do you need the 25 foot long cable?

[Sk8erCk4Life]

Where I can use it just about anywhere

[Superninjacamper941]

Cool sounds good

[lilpunk1302]

Although I probably have no right to comment as I don't have a Dremel and don;t know how hard it is to use one, Similar projects seem to look better around the edges, is there a specific reason why your edges look so rough? Either way, great idea.

[Superninjacamper941]

I could have made the edges a lot more smooth but I was crunched for time and I don't really care if my edges are rough. But thanks