Introduction: A Dual Ipod and Mobile Telephone Charger Base

By
About: I like to invent and modify things. When i was 13 i fixed my dad's old Lancia Fulvia motor. I builded my first mod PC in 1991 using a mobo builded in a VCR box. I am first using all my inventions. I love every…

Just days ago my instant coffe maker couldn't make coffees anymore so i demolished the body. I took all the useful parts like switch, cable, some motor parts. The plastic body was ready to throw it away when my wife gift me a touch pod 2nd gen. So i was looking forward for anything to use it as a charger unit and a an holding assistance. Initially i thought to make it something by the scratch using an old useless sony walkman but i had a lot of mods to do on it. After i tried an old mouse but on second thought i consider that i need a charge unit for the top most useful gadgetss in my house: The Ipod touch and my cell phone. But the mouse has limited space for both of them so then i called in mind the broke coffee maker. The top of it is alike a mouse but in 3 times more. So offers the ideal space to lay down safely the 2 connection gadgets. The only i needed is some time, some mood, and some very simple tools (the must have of them)

materials....
-Something analog to the top of my coffee cup, for a single Ipod is ideal an old mouse.
-carton cuter or any sharp cutter
- Some carton (about 2-3 mm)of thickness) to cover the bottom of the base unit.
-Some glue, or silicone, or hot glue.
-Scissors
-some pieces of packaging foam (optional)
- a Dremel tool and some of the drills
- 2 pieces of sand paper (one fine and one for the more harder)
-Some weight to make the unit havier and more stable (iron pieces of 30, 40, 50 gr)


SO lets Do It!

Step 1: Now We Work!

First of all we take some measurements to decide where to fit the cellphone and where the Ipod. The cellphone is smaller enough than the IPod touch, and also we need a place just to charge it and do nothing else (maybe some on speaker call but not often). Instead that the IPOD touch is more TOUCHED. So i need the base not only for charging but also for a safe place resting my device while i play some games, browsing my mails and the web. Instead to hold this slippery metal surface of IPODtouch (or Iphone).

I draw the basic lines (by using the small part in the pic) and after that, my Dremel does the job. I use the wheel for plastic cutter and i dare to make the first hole. Very carefully i cut the drawing area and some more of left and right edges. OK, now i use another tool to open the hole in the size i want. I work the Dremel in middle speed. (13-15)

Step 2: More Job to Do

After opening the hole in the size to fit in the IPod in any position (vertical and Horizontal) i try to make the hole in a size of giving support to the device. I select the Z formation. So i cut the hole as the schematic.
This cutting is the ideal for resting and charging the devices in any direction. Also it supports the device for gaming or browsing without any risk.
After i finished the cutting i fixed all the cuttings with a small sand paper a hard one for the tough things and shaping and a fine one for more details. After that we almost done now the hole looks like the image.
So now we are ready? Not yet. Because of the sleepery structure of Ipod (I wonder why) its very unsafe to leave it on this base without some support. The initial idea was to use it a supporting system using a spring (extreme complicate)
But the solution came very brilliant on my mind. Its very simple. I will as brakes some plastic foam from packaging staff. So i use that kinda of foam in ipod in base and in my mobile phone. I cut small pieces of it like 0,5cm x 1cm and i attach it to the back (chromium plate) of IPOD. I didn't use glue but small pieces of dual attach tape. So the chromium is clean and more safe to hold it. Also i cut verry small lines of this excellent material (foam) and i attached by glue in the edges of the touching spots of the hole in the charging unit. This brilliant trick provides tightness, stability, safety and more more safe fun with your IPOD TOUCH
For the charging cable u need an extra piece of foam (8cm x 2 cm LxH). Pull the cable through the hole you will make so the cable me supported by the foam. Make an U form of this foam and place it in the hole where the IPOD is gonna laying. Like the image below

Now we done? Almost !

Step 3: What More Needed?

We are very close in our purpose. The two holes are done. No further details for the cellphone because anyone has different. Mine is the absolute w200i by Sony. Has it all (mp3, extra memory up to 8GB, gets in the Internet (but the fees are exhausting) has small size and the keys are normal not like some samsung phones u need a Chinese long nail to use it.

Now we have to cut the carton to make a bottom for this base. The carton must be hard enough about 3 mm thick for well supporting of the unit. I don't remember where i got that carton but its easy to find it. I draw the perimeter of the unit in the carton leaving at the edges 2mm for better support. I cut this area using a well sharpened cutter. I did this step before anything else but its ok to do it at any time of the procedure.
Before glue the bottom cover, use for one more time the dremel to open the Jerry's hole. the hole of passing the cables through. I named jerry's hole because like the mouse hole.

We 've done? NO wait!

Step 4: Put Some Weight!!!

Before attach the cover in the base we need some weight to make the unit more stable, and solid.
We need some iron! I found some iron pieces in my local hardware shop. each one is 30, 40, 50 , 100gr. I put them in the cover attach them with duct tape. I don't know if u can find this kind of iron pieces. Ask your local hardware shop manager. But they look like small bars.

Now get all the cables through this hole and share them to each device. Now we ready to glue the bottom cover. Don't use instant glue but a shoe glue or hot silicone or better cold silicone. Get better results using the shoe glue.

We are ready? Yes but lets check.

check if ipod fits and is tight enough in the hole
the same for the cellular
Check if the pressure is very tight and your device has any risk
Check the functionality the stability and the reliability of the charging unit

Now lets check if the device is horizontally correct. I use the IPOD appl for that and the results are outstanding...
If all are ok then Pass the checks and enjoy your new charging unit.


****thank u for reading this instructable. Please don't forget to rate this work. I hope you find it this helpful for your next project.