(Android) IPhone Stand

iPhone Stand usually means: a stand for an iPhone.

Time to make a stand in the form of an iPhone. And by the way, for an HTC Legend Android phone! So it should be called: Android iPhone Stand --are you still with me?

This instructable is meant as a joke to (kindly) mock the iPhone owners. But you could of course make an iPhone iPhone Stand!

Choosing a proper shell is crucial.

- The borders should cover each of the phone sides (except the front).
- It should not be too transparent, otherwise you'll need more finish work.
- It should include a mockup picture of the screen.

iPhone 4 is thinner than 3, but 3 does not have a flat back, so the stability will not be very good. So I chose iPhone 4.

Tools:
- a Dremel jigsaw; or a hand jigsaw; or (even better) a laser cutter!
- drill
- files (flat and half-moon profiles)
- cutter, metal ruler, cutting mat, sand paper
- cutting pliers
- clamps

Materials:
- acrylic sheet, approx 2mm thick
- wood, approx 5mm thick
- some cardboard
- (masking) tape
- adhesive transparent protective film
- 5-minutes transparent epoxy glue (*)
- optional: paint, color silver (spray)

(*) Cyanolit glue may also work, but may alter the ink of the picture. Testing is recommended.

With cardboard, get an 8mm thickness.

Make an opening for your phone. Adjust the opening so that your phone fits well, with a reasonably straight angle so that it will not fall back.

Well, now we have a sort of phone stand. But that's not yet how we want it, so let's go on!

Measure the size of the iPhone glass.
Stick masking tape on the acrylic plate (both sides).
Draw the edges on the masking tape.

Mark the lines with the cutter (3 passes) on each side.
Lock the plate into a large vise. Be careful that the vise leaves no marks.
Bend the plate slowly but firmly. It should break along the cutter marks.

Sand the edges.

Mark the rounded corners. Cut them with cutting pliers. Sand round.

Cover the acrylic plate with masking tape.

Using the cardboard stand, align the opening so that it lines up as wanted with the iPhone icons, and mark its size and position on the tape-covered acrylic plate.

Make a hole.

With the jigsaw, cut along the line. File.

Remove the protection film off the acrylic.

Wash the plate carefully, and stick the adhesive film on the upper side, for protection.

Using masking tape, stick the picture on a plastic sheet, so that it won't stick to the table.

Now this is the tricky, non-forgiving step, requiring quick operation:

Mix a good deal of epoxy glue. Better too much than not enough.

Spread the epoxy on lower side of acrylic plate. Align and glue to picture. Eliminate air bubbles (push them to the border).

Clamp together (beware making no marks on the acrylic). Check alignment. Tighten moderately.

Let fully cure.

Cut off excess paper, not too closely.

Eliminate excess paper, using sandpaper. Sand in the direction that presses the picture against the plate, otherwise the picture could separate from the plate.

With files, similarly eliminate excess paper in the opening.

Using the acrylic plate, mark its shape on the wood. With the jigsaw, cut it to size, and cut off the opening, like in step 5.

Align and tighten wood and acrylic together with masking tape. Sand and file the wood.

Optionally, if the shell is transparent, paint the wood sides silver.

Stick the wood to the lower side of the acrylic plate (i.e. on the back of the photo).

Remove the protective film.

Admire your faux iPhone with a big hole!

Put the shell.

Shamelessly, dock the Android on the iPhone!

Ideas for improvements:
- backlight
- micro-usb connector

Thanks for reading. Now, make and show yours! (Blackberry, anyone?)