📱 Scrappy IPhone: Craft a Wooden Toy Phone From Parquet Strips

Who needs glass screens and batteries when you can craft your very own wooden iPhone from scrap wood? In this playful project, we’ll turn leftover parquet strips into a sleek, kid-safe wooden phone. With just a few basic tools and a bit of patience, you’ll have a DIY phone that doesn’t need charging—and is practically indestructible!

Whether you’re a CNC wizard or just getting started with hand tools, this step-by-step guide will make sure you get that sleek, round-edged finish with fun laser-engraved details that mimic a real smartphone.

• Scrap wood (parquet strips work great!)

• Wood glue

• Sandpaper (various grits)

• CNC machine or hand saw

• Router (for edges)

• Laser engraver (or markers for an alternative approach)

• Wood finish (kid-safe oil or wax)

First, grab those leftover parquet strips! Arrange them side by side and glue them together to form a solid block, making sure everything’s tight and even. Use clamps to keep the strips in place until the glue dries. You now have the “base” for your wooden iPhone!

Once the glue has dried, it’s time to sand down the surface. Use coarse-grit sandpaper to get the top and bottom perfectly smooth and even. Think of it as preparing your “screen”—no cracks allowed here!

Next, grab your CNC machine or a hand saw (whichever works for you) and cut the block to the desired iPhone size. A rough estimate of 5.5 x 2.5 inches works great, but feel free to adjust based on your wood. A little smaller makes it easier for the little ones to hold onto...

An iPhone isn’t an iPhone without those smooth, round corners! You can use a router to round the edges, or if you’re going old-school, sand them by hand. Keep sanding the entire surface for that ultra-smooth, splinter-free feel (grain 240 should do the trick).

Now for the fun part—customizing your wooden iPhone! Use a laser engraver to carve out the screen details, camera, and any buttons you’d like. Simply use a screenshot from your iPhone and converted into black and white. If you don’t have access to a laser engraver, you can draw or etch the designs by hand with markers.

To make your wooden phone durable for playtime, apply a kid-safe wood finish. Rub in some wood oil or wax to protect the surface and give it a nice sheen. Now your phone is ready for years of drop-proof, kid-friendly fun!

Voila! You’ve got yourself a one-of-a-kind wooden iPhone, perfect for imaginative play - an often used toy at our home to mimic us busy parents...

To please both kids, I made one from oak and another one from maple. The lighter the wood the nicer the contrast for the laser engraving.

Extra Tips for Kids or Beginners:

• If you’re working with kids, let them get creative with the engravings or decorations.

• No laser engraver? No problem! Use stickers, markers, or wood-burning tools to add designs.