iPhone X real wood wrap

[jmgregory1]

I got my new iPhone X yesterday and created the world's first real wood wrap for it. This is not vinyl printed to look like wood, nor is it what every other company offering laser cut wood veneer backers is doing. This is real wood (American Black Cherry in this example), peeled at just .008" / .2032mm that ends up being just .010" / .25mm thick with the pressure sensitive adhesive back on it.

I realize it's not going to stop the glass from cracking if dropped, but it will make it far less likely to drop, given the wood has a great hand feel and an added grip that the glass and stainless steel don't offer. It will also help minimize scratching to both the back glass and sides.

And because it's so thin, it doesn't alter the way the phone feels or fits into your pockets. Now I just need to decide whether I want to get into business making and selling them, or simply offer the concept up to a larger case or wrap manufacturer.

What does everyone here think of the product?

 

[Newtons Apple]

CNC? Looks quite nice.

 

[Gryzor]

Interesting, nice work. Not keen on adhesive keeping it in place though, and it doesn't have enough thickness to flatten the camera hump when lying on its back. Something like that which was more like the shape and size of the Apple cases, offering a bit more protection, and stained would be pretty cool. I'd consider buying one made from wenge wood or dark ebony for sure if the price was right.

 

[1096bimu]

I saw a product made of real wood with Kevlar inlays to allow it to be flexible and covers top+bottom.
I might get one of those but I already have the Apple silicone case, we’ll see.

 

[44267547]

It's definitely unique on its own and interesting. But certainly not something for me.

 

[jmgregory1]

CNC? Looks quite nice.

This one was plotter cut - the beauty of a super-thin wood is that it can be cut as if it were paper.

 

[TechNismo]

Stop killing trees! We need them in order for us and other living things to survive. Still looks cool though!

 

[Gathomblipoob]

Stop killing trees! We need them in order for us and other living things to survive. Still looks cool though!

Still gotta wipe your butt, though.

 

[jmgregory1]

Interesting, nice work. Not keen on adhesive keeping it in place though, and it doesn't have enough thickness to flatten the camera hump when lying on its back. Something like that which was more like the shape and size of the Apple cases, offering a bit more protection, and stained would be pretty cool. I'd consider buying one made from wenge wood or dark ebony for sure if the price was right.

Thanks! No adhesive will be permanent when applied to glass or metal and I've used this product for years with no negative side effects. When the wood gets worn or I want a change, I simply peel it off and apply a new wrap, which is super easy because the wood doesn't stretch like typical vinyl wraps do. And bubbles are easy to smooth out from beneath the wood too.

The camera bump is definitely Apple's biggest to date. The initial camera bump was almost a perfect height for the wood wrap, but as they've increased in size, you'd need a pretty substantial case to create a flat back, if that's what you're trying to achieve.

I think the benefit of something like this wood wrap is that it doesn't add any bulk to the iPhone, maintaining the feel in your hand, but does provide some protection from impact and scratching. And you can certainly stain the wood just like any typical piece of wood. It's a nice mix of a very natural material (wood) with a high-tech glass and metal device.

 

[mattopotamus]

That is really impressive. You could easily start selling them. I am sure it is time consuming though.

 

[jmgregory1]

Stop killing trees! We need them in order for us and other living things to survive. Still looks cool though!

Managing forests is what we need to continue to do. In North America, the amount of forest land has actually increased over the past few years, which not a lot of people realize.

 

[TheBearman]

Still gotta wipe your butt, though.

What, you don't know how to use the three seashells?

 

[BugeyeSTI]

What, you don't know how to use the three seashells?

Lol! Love Demolition man..

 

[Gathomblipoob]

What, you don't know how to use the three seashells?

I tried, but I got fined repeatedly for swearing.

 

[jmgregory1]

An updated version I just made, that is stained with a hand-rubbed pine-oil finish. It's a far better look with the black face of the iPhone, imho.

 

[slpro]

An updated version I just made, that is stained with a hand-rubbed pine-oil finish. It's a far better look with the black face of the iPhone, imho. View attachment 737627 View attachment 737628 View attachment 737629

I would definitely would buy one! Great job!

 

[jmgregory1]

I would definitely would buy one! Great job!

Obrigado! Parece ainda melhor em pessoa.

 

[hawkeye_a]

Looks good. Have you considered making the back thicker to compensate for the camera bump?

Also, how does the wood stand up to the heat from the phone?

 

[jmgregory1]

Looks good. Have you considered making the back thicker to compensate for the camera bump?

Also, how does the wood stand up to the heat from the phone?

Making the wood thicker then eliminates its ability to wrap around the sides - especially now that the camera hump is so exaggerated. I'm one of those people that thinks Apple should just make the body that much thicker, to eliminate the camera bump, or at least go back to the much thinner rings they used to use - which would then also provide more room for a larger battery.

No issues with the heat that I've ever experienced. I've sold this wood for wraps on candles - which were tested burning straight for 24 hours with no negative effects on the adhesive or the wood.

The only thing you'd see with an unfinished wood version of a wrap, is that it takes on the oils and dirt from your hands and gets darker over time. The cherry I've been using highlights this change, as it will get really dark brown just from exposure to the environment. With pre-finished versions, it will get a bit darker from dirt and oil, but it's a patina that most people think looks better than when new.

I've wrapped all sorts of devices, including my Apple BT keyboard (wood surrounding each key) and the Trackpad, which works great even with the wood on the trackpad surface. The things I like wood wrapped the best are the Airport Expresses and Time Capsule I have, as they sit out now and blend in on wood tables and shelves, where before they stood out like sore thumbs with their stark white plastic boxes.