PDA

View Full Version : wood cases for tablets and I Phones ??



Clarence Martin
03-05-2015, 10:19 PM
Anyone make something like that ?

Jamie Buxton
03-06-2015, 12:42 AM
I noodled at it for a while. Eventually decided the market would expect wood that's not much thicker than the plastic and metal cases which are already out there. Solid wood would not be strong enough. I think you'd really have to do it with molded plywood. You can lay up pretty sturdy thin molded plywood using standard sliced veneer (1/42" thick) and a vacuum press. I think you might have to line the case with something soft; you certainly wouldn't want the case to scratch the tablet or phone. So I thought I could figure out how to build them. The challenge is to sell them. You'd have to price them as a luxury good. Your own web site probably doesn't get found by enough customers. Maybe Etsy? Ebay? Tough.

Tom Scott
03-06-2015, 1:43 PM
It is being done - and in solid wood, mostly with CNC...http://grovemade.com/collections/case

Alan Lightstone
03-07-2015, 12:27 AM
I have bought several of these over the years. They always look good. They always break.

The last one from the most common manufacturer broke after 10 days. Last one I'll purchase.

Pity, I love the concept, but the wood is just too thin to last on all the ones I've seen.

Matt Day
03-07-2015, 6:07 AM
Unfortunately i think the best we'll see is the plastic cases with a wood print on it. $5 at 5 below. The graphic fades pretty quickly from use, at least the cheap ones do.

Mark Blatter
03-07-2015, 10:35 AM
I looked at some online by a company using beetle killed pine trees. They us the name badbeetle.com. Here is a link, but I have not tried the products.

http://badbeetle.com/iphone-back.html

Jamie Buxton
03-07-2015, 10:46 AM
I looked at some online by a company using beetle killed pine trees. They us the name badbeetle.com. Here is a link, but I have not tried the products.

http://badbeetle.com/iphone-back.html

Phew! $69 for a new back for your iphone, and no prices given for the other products. Like I said, luxury-goods pricing. Maybe that can work....

Keith Outten
03-07-2015, 12:05 PM
These are frequently purchased from various vendors by the folks in our Engravers Forum. Johnson Plastics (a SawMIll Creek Sponsor) and Conde Systems self them at very affordable prices in lots of material types including wood.
.

Steve Wilde
03-07-2015, 1:05 PM
If you'd like a wooden case look at root cases. I have had two of their phone cases, although well made, the wood is just too thin to last, and they always break. I do however have one of their iPad cases that I have used for 5 years now. I'm a pilot by day, so that case has been traveling for 5 years, and it's still holding strong! I would buy another in a heart beat. Check them out.