VHS Videotape Cassette Bookends

I was doing a retro 80s sort of thing in my office and need some bookends, so I looked around Scoutmob's Shoppe and Etsy. I happened to see someone selling VHS Cassette bookends and was about to buy em, when I realized ... "hey, I have boxes of VHS tapes", and my project was born. The processes was really simple so I took some photos, with the thought that I might share it here someday. I do not want to put the shops on those sites out of business, but then again probably the people buying there mostly are not the Maker type themselves. So here is my little Videotape thing. I hope you like it.

I had the VHS tapes for this project, but we need two VHS Cassette tapes, with covers ideally but it will still look pretty good with just the tape. For materials, besides the cassette, I had to buy some metal for the frame. I got this bracket for building a fence out of 2x4s at a hardware store. The bracket cost me $5.99. After that I used some clear packing tape and a small wood screws, just whatever I had laying around really. I think these things can be improvised really. For tools, I used all pretty standard things. I used a hacksaw, a powered screwdriver/drill a regular screwdriver, scissors, a file and a vice. Everything used is shown in the photos.

I put the "U" shaped bracket in a vice and using a hacksaw, just hacked it into two "L" shaped brackets. A flat piece of metal can be used as well though. If a flat piece of metal is used, just cut it into two pieces and put each in a vice and bend em into "L" shapes. After cutting the frame parts, file off any sharp edges. Next, make sure the "L" shaped brackets are straight (probably not if the material is cheap like what I used). In my case the two pieces were not straight enough to use. Use a vice or similar thing to bend it in small increments, taking it out to check between adjustments. In the photos you can see the progression from start/cut to straight.

If the Base "L" shaped brackets do not have holes for screws, drill 3 - 4 holes (at least) in the brackets. Next, stand the tapes up as you would like them to ultimately stand, with the brackets lined up next to them. Then, drill small holes in the plastic of the Cassette case that are smaller in diameter than the screws you will use; you can use the holes in the brackets as guides.

Screw in the screws

Figure out how you want the covers to be mounted on the tapes/brackets. Then, using scissors, cutout a small strip along the bottom of each cover where the bracket will need to protrude from the cover (see the photos, as this is hard for me to explain). I used a piece of tape to hold the paper cover on the tape, but glue would be good too. I did tape because I thought I might like to take off the paper covers sometimes too, and just have the bare cassette tapes as the bookends.

Well that is it really, you should have some pretty slick retro bookends. I put mine up and really nobody has noticed em :( I have had people come and take books from between em but never have had anyone mention them :( But, hey, everyone can't be a cool retro grouch like us right?

I hope you enjoy making your bookends.