DIY: Ikea Mikael desk + Dremel = iPhone dock

[kerph32]

After watching in envy as my roommate's iPhone sat peacefully on his desk in the Apple branded dock, I decided to try and one-up him. Granted, I don't have the nice functionality of simply sliding the phone straight into the dock (I still have to plug the cord in before sliding the iPhone into its resting place). But, I like how this turned out and decided to share the process for any other aspiring woodworkers out there.

Good idea to have a dustbuster handy to take care of the ensuing sawdust

Didn't start out pretty..

Some high-RPM sanding helped. You'll see some paper-like material inside the desk - can be removed or just shoved further inside, out of the way

Used the foam from the over-the-top packaging job that Apple included with the recall-replacement USB power converters

There you have it - hope this is useful to some of you out there.

Mike

 

[Applepi]

Kudos for creativity

 

[mescalito]

It's beautiful!

 

[mcmanus7]

hope you wore a mask while dremeling haha... trust me you'll be coughing up that dust for a week if you didn't... good stuff though!

 

[tremlock]

looks cool, nice job

 

[Hot Snowboarder]

You should cover/seal the inside of the cut you made. With some plastic or something.. it'll make it look pro as well as protect the desk.


Maybe you can use that edging they melt onto the sides of MDF?

 

[superstrikertwo]

The iDesk!

 

[Resist]

How is it you have 5 app icons horizontally? My iPhone only does 4.

 

[Pimptastic]

How is it you have 5 app icons horizontally? My iPhone only does 4.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/651000/

 

[rdowns]

I like the idea but it looks unfinished. Mounting a dock or at least a dock insert would give it a more finished look.

 

[Private Dirt]

I like! Im going to have to use this idea.

 

[TenPoundMonkey]

I like the idea but it looks unfinished. Mounting a dock or at least a dock insert would give it a more finished look.

glue a dock insert into it would make it real slick. nice work.

 

[kerph32]

Kudos for creativity

It's beautiful!

looks cool, nice job

I like! Im going to have to use this idea.

Thanks!

hope you wore a mask while dremeling haha... trust me you'll be coughing up that dust for a week if you didn't... good stuff though!

I actually did neglect to wear one, but so far so good on the coughing

You should cover/seal the inside of the cut you made. With some plastic or something.. it'll make it look pro as well as protect the desk.


Maybe you can use that edging they melt onto the sides of MDF?

I like the idea but it looks unfinished. Mounting a dock or at least a dock insert would give it a more finished look.

Good ideas - I agree the edges could use refining, especially with that little booboo I made at the very end (little notch in front of the phone)... I needed to grab the flashlight and left the Dremel in the hole while reaching. Not the best idea.
I'm not sure where a dock or insert would fit - nearly impossible to get it inside the desk between the layers, and definitely not on top of the desk - I want the phone to slide down inside like it is now

 

[Private Dirt]

Ya dude.. i like it the way it is. So what if you have to plug it in and then work the cord back into the hole... thats minor! I am totally going to do this... need to go get a dremel..

 

[gadgetdad]

What? No duct tape?

 

[OttawaGuy]

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/portable-media/diy-minimalist-ipod-dock-158406.php

The dock insert would finish it off.

 

[Private Dirt]

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/portable-media/diy-minimalist-ipod-dock-158406.php

The dock insert would finish it off.

Looks like shiite! Maybe if the dock was the same color as the desk it would work... maybe

 

[thebassoonist]

Very cool and creative!

...And I am a huge fan of the Dremel.

 

[Marky_Mark]

Bugger me backwards, that's a lot of icons. It makes me go cross-eyed

 

[kerph32]

Ya dude.. i like it the way it is. So what if you have to plug it in and then work the cord back into the hole... thats minor! I am totally going to do this... need to go get a dremel..

Awesome, post pics when you're done

Very cool and creative!

...And I am a huge fan of the Dremel.

Thanks - the Dremel has been one of my best Woots

Bugger me backwards, that's a lot of icons. It makes me go cross-eyed

It took some getting used to, but it's really nice to not have to go past the first page of apps 90% of the time