Duck Duck iPod

Helpful iPod Templates

• PDF
• Measurements

Paper Cover How-To

Making Your Own iPod Cases Out Of Paper

An easy way to customize your iPod

By Stephanie Mallard

MATERIALS:

• Computer
• Scissors
• Color Inkjet or Laser Printer
• iPod
• Clear Packing Tape
• Paper / PhotoPaper / Transparency Film

In the days before printers, people had to draw everything by hand. Not many writings were absolutely perfect. Few people had enough money to afford a scribe, and drawings took a lot of time and work. If you had messy handwriting, you were out of luck. Then Gutenberg invented the printing press, and the everything changed. Books, magazines, and newspapers could be printed! Since then, the printer has come a long way. Things can be copied, faxed, and , of course, printed. Including iPod cases. Here's how...

Getting Started...

Download Google SketchUp onto your home computer. SketchUp is a great program that you can download. On it, you can draw three dimensional objects, such as a building or home objects. On the web, there is a store of items that other people have drawn. I have put the template for the iPod mini there, otherwise, you will have to measure and draw your iPod yourself. The great thing about SketchUp is that 1 inch on the drawing is 1 inch on the printout when you properly set the print options.

Choose Your Image...

1. Get on the web and copy an image that you like (To copy, right click)
2. Save it.(DO NOT save as a .gif file)
3. Go back to Google SketchUp
4. Drop down the File menu and click on Import(Import01.jpg)
5. Import the image that you just pulled from the web(Import02.jpg)

Put it on the Cover...

1. Click in the bottom left hand corner of the case outline and drag to the size you want
2. The image will repeat itself over the entire cover

Print It...

1. Drop down the File menu
2. Select print preview(Print01.jpg)
3. Make sure the image is to your liking
4. Drop down the File menu and hit Print
5. Make sure the “Fit to Page” and the “Use modes extents”checkboxes are deselected, and the “in the printout” and “in SketchUp” scales are both set to one (Print02.jpg)
6. print the document

And now for the Big Finish...

1. Cut the iPod case out
2. Cover the front and back of the paper with the clear packing tape
3. Wrap the paper around your iPod
4. Put another piece of tape where the two sides overlap
5. Slide in and out, make sure it fits

If you want to, cut the screen and clickwheel out as well. The tape in the holes reduces the risk of the whole thing tearing, but lowers the resolution of the screen and gets in the way of the clickwheel.

Some picture ideas:

Google Image Search for tessalations, these work really well. Pictures From Old Books, a compilation of high quality scans of very old books. And Historical Anatomies, scans of very old medical books. And of course your own photos of friends, family, and pets!

Some media ideas:

Photo paper work really well but you must cut the window for the clickwheel. HP Transparency Film HP C3834A works really well with the tessalations.

Links

• Duck® Duct Tapes
  

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