OT: iPhone 5 CASE Project

Ben Lang · Oct 10, 2012

Here is a project I have been working on lately.

http://applemagazine.com/sexy-and-durable-impkt-iphone-5-case/1654

It beats the day to day parts that I run that I never know what they go to. Thought I'd share.

Ben

proturn · Oct 10, 2012

Good looking case! I too have been machining my own case for the I4 chasis. Good to know there is another machinine shop out there that is sick of the cheap covers that have been spoon fed to us. No pictures yet because I have not had time to finish it.

dstryr · Oct 10, 2012

Case looks great. I'd try and find a better way to hide the screws IMO.

chip_maker · Oct 10, 2012

Nice looking case. The article says the machine you make them on cost 750 large. What kinda machine is it?

Ben Lang · Oct 10, 2012

chip_maker said:
Nice looking case. The article says the machine you make them on cost 750 large. What kinda machine is it?

It's a Mori Seiki NH-5000DCG/6 pallet pool, 240 tools, probing, 14k rpm, full 4th. Got a whole shop full of em. I am pretty lucky to work in such a great environment.

ewlsey · Oct 10, 2012

I'm not sure I understand the logic of putting an aluminum case on a phone that has an aluminum case.

hesstool · Oct 10, 2012

dstryr said:
Case looks great. I'd try and find a better way to hide the screws IMO.

Easier said than done as there is not much room to work with.

I had a customer approach me two years ago wanting a "sexy" case made from Titanium for the iPhone4. After telling him how it was going to be stupid expensive he said money wasn't an issue and we agreed to continue the project with 50% payment upfront. I made a prototype a couple days later and he was pretty happy with it. Come to find out the case fully surrounds the antenna and interferes with reception, a fact he confirmed with Apple engineers. I never heard from the guy after that... The one I made had a clam shell type hinge and was fastened by two small SHCS's. Had to use some pretty itty-bitty endmills... :willy_nilly:

Good work, Ben.

proturn · Oct 10, 2012

ewlsey said:
I'm not sure I understand the logic of putting an aluminum case on a phone that has an aluminum case.

The case is meant to protect the screen in the likely event of a drop onto a hard suface. If the phone falls on the corner of the I-Phone, the screen will crack and the phone is junk. Oh...and the cases look trick!

Mr.M · Oct 10, 2012

We made some iPhone 4 cases earlier this year as giveaways looking similar to that. The downside is that you did lose 1/2 to a full bar of reception

Ben Lang · Oct 10, 2012

proturn said:
The case is meant to protect the screen in the likely event of a drop onto a hard suface. If the phone falls on the corner of the I-Phone, the screen will crack and the phone is junk. Oh...and the cases look trick!

There is a relief in the corner of the case.

There is also relief in the antenna areas depth wise. It doesn't touch the phone in those areas. That is why it receives signal because it's not obstructed. That is why the iPhone 4/4s doesn't work so well with aluminum cases.

Radar987 · Oct 10, 2012

1. Nice looking case.
2. Nice dents in the tool changer door.

Tonytn36 · Oct 10, 2012

IMHO, the screws add to the appeal of the design. Nice going Ben.

Mark Rand · Oct 10, 2012

I was wondering about the wireless and phone reception.

With thoughtful design and the addition of a few milled slots and pieces of Kevlar (or similar) in the right places, it might be possible to have no effect on the radio reception.

Polaraligned · Oct 10, 2012

Looks good.

My concern would be impact protection/shock absorption as I get now with my rubber case.

Mr.M · Oct 10, 2012

The ones we made had rubber grommets in the corners to keep the phone from the case

bjorn toulouse · Oct 10, 2012

Tonytn36 said:
IMHO, the screws add to the appeal of the design. Nice going Ben.

Pretty cool case.
As to the screws, have you considered brass plated straight slot screws?
Might appeal to the steam punks.

Rex

NAST555 · Oct 11, 2012

Good job! I saw in the vid that it looks like you leave the toolpath marks on the inside of the case? If I was you I would definatly leave them there! Looks cool

Philabuster · Oct 11, 2012

Ben Lang said:
There is a relief in the corner of the case. View attachment 60660

There is also relief in the antenna areas depth wise. It doesn't touch the phone in those areas. That is why it receives signal because it's not obstructed. That is why the iPhone 4/4s doesn't work so well with aluminum cases.

Nice product and video looks good too.

I liked the fact you are pricing these at ~ $100 and then mentioned the machine cost is $750k.

Makes the product's price seem like peanuts and you are giving these away. 99% of people have no clue what it takes to make stuff.

You destructively tested the empty case and it looks strong, but have you tested the case with the phone inside in real world conditions? I am not talking about smashing the phone in a hydraulic press, but normal abuse such as dropping on concrete at 3 meters, 6 meters, and whatever type of abuse case is designed to protect the phone against in normal uses.

david n · Oct 11, 2012

Is there any type of buffer between the case and the phone? Some type of a pad or soft lining?

Ben Lang · Oct 11, 2012

Radar987 said:
1. Nice looking case.
2. Nice dents in the tool changer door.

1. Thanks.
2. The dents in the toolchanger door could be it's own thread.

OT: iPhone 5 CASE Project

Plastic

Stainless

Diamond

Stainless

Plastic

Diamond

Stainless

Stainless

Cast Iron

Plastic

Hot Rolled

Diamond

Diamond

Hot Rolled

Cast Iron

Titanium

Stainless

Diamond

Diamond

Plastic

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