An extremely awesome iPhone mod in the works..

[cjm3113]

its going to be every messy until you get a good process down. have you laid up cf before?

id try some practice on as many sample items you can, be it aluminum locks, or plastic containers, etc

I'm hoping he has (or has some friends) if he is considering taking on this project. I remember the first couple times I laid, while it was effective..it definitely wasn't very pretty!

As for the expense, if you think about how many phones you could do with a yard roll, it is pretty cheap if you ask me. The labor would be far more expensive than the supplies.

 

[nickspohn]

Supplies would be cheap, as you said it's the labor though.


An iPhone back like this would be awesome. The person helping me is making these:

 

[cjm3113]

Thought this would be interesting.

And people could check these out

 

[nickspohn]

It's a case... Why use colorware when you could get a blue case? Or a red one?

I'm going to do my best and make this look like it came straight from Apple.

 

[cjm3113]

It's a case... Why use colorware when you could get a blue case? Or a red one?

I'm going to do my best and make this look like it came straight from Apple.

No I understand, just throwing those out there.

 

[Next Tuesday]

Okay, I got the idea a couple days ago. And instead of waiting for Apple to do something like this, I might as well take matters into my hands.


I'm going to swap out my iPhone back, and convert it into a carbon fiber back. It's going to be extremely difficult, but the look would be simply amazing. If it's a success, I might just start doing this as a service.


For those who are not familiar, this is carbon fiber and what it looks like. It's extremely thin, and extremely durable. Plus, it's nice and clean...

And it comes in many different colors / patterns so it's unique.

Wow, i love the laptop like that. Did u personally do that? When i purchase mine, thats what i want done.

 

[nickspohn]

Nah, someone else did it. That isn't real carbon fiber either, it's just a vinyl cover. Doing this would be MUCH easier on a macbook compared to the iPhone. The lid portion that is. The whole macbook would be a whole different level.


I think for my first project I'm going to get a texture just like that macbook.

 

[crazylegsmurphy]

I just wanted to add in my thoughts.

No offense sir, but I don't think you're going to do well with the overlay method for a few reasons.

1. Adding anymore bulk to the back case isn't going to look pretty, and I am sure the Carbon Fiber has some thickness to it.

2. Getting the Carbon Fiber "look" can be achieved through much cheaper and less permanent ways such as stickers.

3. Having a Carbon Fiber overlay probably won't protect it as much as one would like as it would have to be so thin anyway, and the plastic underneath would still take a beating if dropped.

4. How many people are going to be willing to send you their phones so you can layer on sheets of carbon fiber onto an already smooth surface? I personally wouldn't pay for that at least until my one year warranty is over.

Personally, when I first read this I was hoping for a full replacement back. I have had issues with the little cracks and so having a carbon fiber, or metal replacement back would be the bees knees in my opinion. The problem is as someone mentioned above, this isn't exactly stuff you can pull off in mass quantities in your basement.

Great idea, but I think taking the "easy" solution isn't going to do much good. Offer a proper solution, or don't waste your own time is what I say.

 

[cjm3113]

I just wanted to add in my thoughts.

No offense sir, but I don't think you're going to do well with the overlay method for a few reasons.

1. Adding anymore bulk to the back case isn't going to look pretty, and I am sure the Carbon Fiber has some thickness to it.

2. Getting the Carbon Fiber "look" can be achieved through much cheaper and less permanent ways such as stickers.

3. Having a Carbon Fiber overlay probably won't protect it as much as one would like as it would have to be so thin anyway, and the plastic underneath would still take a beating if dropped.

4. How many people are going to be willing to send you their phones so you can layer on sheets of carbon fiber onto an already smooth surface? I personally wouldn't pay for that at least until my one year warranty is over.

Personally, when I first read this I was hoping for a full replacement back. I have had issues with the little cracks and so having a carbon fiber, or metal replacement back would be the bees knees in my opinion. The problem is as someone mentioned above, this isn't exactly stuff you can pull off in mass quantities in your basement.

Great idea, but I think taking the "easy" solution isn't going to do much good. Offer a proper solution, or don't waste your own time is what I say.

Just top lay devil's advocate.

1. Most people have their iPhone in a case. If they had a carbon fiber back, they (theoretically) would not need the case any longer. The phone in itself is not very thick, and I think plenty of people would trade a case for a carbon fiber back.

2. The look - yes, the strength - no.

3. We use a lot of carbon fiber on our race car, it is pretty amazing stuff. It does not take much thickness to make a very strong piece.

4. You win.

5. I do agree though, a carbon fiber back would be much better than an overlay.

 

[nickspohn]

1. Adding anymore bulk to the back case isn't going to look pretty, and I am sure the Carbon Fiber has some thickness to it.

2. Getting the Carbon Fiber "look" can be achieved through much cheaper and less permanent ways such as stickers.

3. Having a Carbon Fiber overlay probably won't protect it as much as one would like as it would have to be so thin anyway, and the plastic underneath would still take a beating if dropped.

4. How many people are going to be willing to send you their phones so you can layer on sheets of carbon fiber onto an already smooth surface? I personally wouldn't pay for that at least until my one year warranty is over.

Personally, when I first read this I was hoping for a full replacement back. I have had issues with the little cracks and so having a carbon fiber, or metal replacement back would be the bees knees in my opinion. The problem is as someone mentioned above, this isn't exactly stuff you can pull off in mass quantities in your basement.

Great idea, but I think taking the "easy" solution isn't going to do much good. Offer a proper solution, or don't waste your own time is what I say.

I understand what you are saying. But, if it's just the back i'm covering, i could easily get iPhone backs and do them, then ship those. People don't have to send me their iPhone. I could one day get a mold going with the back that is 100% carbon fiber. I have the access to that kind of stuff.

1) Carbon fiber is extremely thin... the epoxy is thicker than the fiber itself.

2) Who wants a sticker?

3) It would be very tough compared to the plastic back it has now.

4) Look above.

Can't hurt to try any of this.

 

[dukebound85]

Just top lay devil's advocate.

1. Most people have their iPhone in a case. If they had a carbon fiber back, they (theoretically) would not need the case any longer. The phone in itself is not very thick, and I think plenty of people would trade a case for a carbon fiber back.

2. The look - yes, the strength - no.

3. We use a lot of carbon fiber on our race car, it is pretty amazing stuff. It does not take much thickness to make a very strong piece.

4. You win.

5. I do agree though, a carbon fiber back would be much better than an overlay.

for point 3: the increase in thickness will be very noticiable

I understand what you are saying. But, if it's just the back i'm covering, i could easily get iPhone backs and do them, then ship those. People don't have to send me their iPhone. I could one day get a mold going with the back that is 100% carbon fiber. I have the access to that kind of stuff.

1) Carbon fiber is extremely thin... the epoxy is thicker than the fiber itself.

its not that thin. the epoxy isnt thicker lol as its just a liquid but will make the final setup thicker for sure once set

either way, its not that thin, we are talking probably just over 1mm and less than 2mm of thickness being added. while sounds small, its more than youd think i would imagine on the back of an iphone

 

[nickspohn]

not for an overlay. and if i make the whole thing carbon fiber it will be about the same size. just have to determine if that will interfere with the signal.


i know people who can make me a mold.

 

[dukebound85]

not for an overlay. and if i make the whole thing carbon fiber it will be about the same size. just have to determine if that will interfere with the signal.


i know people who can make me a mold.

you going to have the cf go all the way to the glass on the front? if not, you will have some weird thickness gradients going on. if so, better be waaaay careful as im sure you realize to not get the epoxy on the screen

as for testing, do you have an old cell phone you can plug the sim into? then try and lay the back of the old phone up. just an idea. only downside to that idea is that usually on other phones, the antenna is protruding so to speak

 

[cjm3113]

for point 3: the increase in thickness will be very noticiable

The thickness would all depend on the carbon fiber he uses. He could use 0.004m thick pieces for all we know.

In all seriousness though, my current case (Incipio) adds much more than 1mm or 2mm to the thickness of my phone. I would gladly trade that for a 1mm or 2mm of carbon fiber (in a perfect world where it worked out as nicely as planned.

 

[nickspohn]

No, its just going to be on the back of the phone. If i use the overlay, i could sand down the back of a stock iPhone cover, which would give me room to work with, and look and feel the same.


If i make the mold, I can adjust accordingly.

 

[masi]

carbon fiber, but as a case

I would certainly be interested in seeing this idea in action. I have purchased two carbon fiber cases from dro concepts and have enjoyed them completely. Its on another macrumors thread, this thread.

I will be posting pictures tomorrow or tonight.

 

[Stingd21]

Not to resurrect an old thread, because I HATE when people do that, but did this go anywhere? I am really interested in what the outcome was, or could have been?

Dustin