Tech & Gadgets
Uploaded by Martim SEND US YOUR BEST FIXES!
How to make a removeable Sugru bumper case for your phone
I have seen a few Sugru bumpers before, but none of them were removeable. This one is simple to make, much more protective than the corner bumpers and very easy to slip on and off of your phone! I made mine for my Nexus 4, but you can use this guide for basically any phone.
Kit
- About 40 grams of Sugru (depends on the size of your phone, an iPhone 4 would probably only need about 20–30)
- Your phone
- Cling film wrap
- Masking tape
- An x-acto knife or something similar
Step 1
The principal is pretty simple: we are going to use your phone as a mold for the bumper. However, we can't just apply the Sugru to your phone or it would just stick!
Step 2
Wrap your phone entirely with a cling film wrap and stick it with some masking tape to keep it from moving or peeling off while you're working. A single layer should be enough.
Step 3
Be sure to wrap the cling film tightly around the edges of your phone, otherwise you'll get ugly markings on the inside of your bumper like I did!
Step 4
Now comes the fun part: making your bumper!
It's probably best to make a long Sugru sausage that can span the perimeter of your phone instead of just adding on bits as go. This way, you can guarantee an even thickness throughout your bumper.
When shaping your Sugru, don't forget to be careful not to cover up proximity sensors and cameras (especially front-facing), and pay special attention if your phone has a small bezel too.
Don't worry about covering up buttons, microphones, speakers or charger port along the edge, we'll cut out holes for them later.
Once you're happy with the shape of your bumper, place it flat on a sheet of stretched cling film and let it cure for 24 hours (I know, it's hard to spend that much time away from your phone!).
Step 5
After the Sugru has cured, gently wiggle your new bumper off of your phone. It should be pretty strong, but be careful not to rip it apart anyway.
Once you've removed it, you can get your x-acto knife to make holes for any microphones, speakers and charging ports you might have on your phone. When making holes on your bumper, always remember to start small and grow circularly from there. In fact, it's probably safer to start making the holes with a needle or a thin rod or stick first. You don't want to make a gash by accident and severely weaken your bumper's integrity!
As for buttons, you may find that they may be easy enough to click as it is. If not, you can add a small speck of Sugru on the inside of the bumper where the buttons go, so that more presssure is applied on the button when you press it.
You can also use your knife to carefully trim off any excess Sugru from your bumper. If your phone has a thin bezel, you might want to cut off a bit from the sides so that your finger can comfortably reach every part of the screen.
