Who Knew..

Ok so last Saturday or was it Sunday I posted how I made the iPad case on Instructables..  and now I got over 6000 hits.  It is nice to cut through the static..

Do you want to build a iPad Case your self?

If you want to build a case to fit your iPad you can follow the link below.... However if you want me to build you a custom one just email me-

Blackdogcarving@yahoo.com


How to build your own iPad case. - More DIY How To Projects

Fake Wood?

I know a lot of us look down on fiber wood or wood pulp ground up and spit out into planks or sheets..
I got some leftover "fake" wood flooring and decided to put it to the test.. So far it has been great as a background for the train table.  I also used it under my carving table to level it.  Then whenI thought that was all I could use it for I put a few wood screws through it and made a paint drying board.  Thats when it hit me.  It's may be green on the inside but it works hard just like real wood.

Step 6 Embossing the Cover

I learned this trick in art school.. We had all kinds of ways to fake embossing, from glueing a extra sheet of paper on top to pushing the image in with a spoon.. This leather is so soft it pushes in with the cap from a ball point. I am sure it will look better over time with more pushing and adjustments. But it looks really nice now. There are times I surprise my self.

Go To Blackdog Carvings Web Page

Step 5 The Coat

I got a leather coat from good will, and it feels soft and butter like.. That and the walnut, makes me wonder why I use anything else. It takes a long time to strip all the seams and get a useable panel but it glues down fine. I think good will is going to be my source for stuff.. It beats buying it new.. I think my next experiment will be a dress jacket. A plaid or tweed, they were on sale for 12$ each and it is a nice wool.

To Black Dogs Web Page

Step 5 Starting on the Cover

A great place to pick up thin plywood is your local hobby store. I got some aircraft grade plywood for 7$ I know it seems a little pricy considering I got my walnut for 3$ but it is the thickness I need and the size that will work for the front and the back.

I cut holes in the cover for the speakers. It doesn't muffle the sound much.. I think it works out nicely

To Blackdogs Web Page

Step 4 My New, Best Bit

I got a .25 round nose bit and it cuts Great. It is leaving a soft wave pattern at the bottom of the cut. This will look great with the finish. This is where the blank being too thin is starting to cut through around the center block. It's all working out fine though. The Pirate fabric goes with the theme of the case

To the Web Page

Step 3 Now The Next Bit.

I hogged out the rest with a .25 or 1/4 fishtail bit. I have a downward twist bit.. It is not the best to remove large amounts of wood.. Until I come up with a bit more cash I will have to work with what I have... This walnut cuts like cholate or frozen butter.. I like milling it. This is lots of fun. I will have to get some more walnut for future projects.

To Blackdogs Web Page

Step 2

It got a little thiner than I wanted it but this should look nice.. I started with milling the top flat with my 1/2 quad bit. I don't think I needed to do this but it will put less stress on the smaller bits for the next steps. I like the pattern it put into the surface.

Back to Web Page

The Start Of A NEW PROJECT!

Weather is nice and I got a lot of scrap wood... It is time to start Cutting. I am going to make a new case for my iBook. I know that new electronic computer changes names faster than a High School band but I think iBook will be the name that will stick

This blank is Walnut (I think) and Cherry. The Walnut could be something more exotic because I got it from the scrap bin.

Back to Blackdog Carving Home Site

Back to the Background

Cutting and glueing complete on the first part shows a small flaw in the design.. It is a little difficult to play in the table with all 4 sides on.. So I think I will remove one side to make play easer.. Sometimes design has to be sacrificed for playability.

The Train Table Gets A Up Date...

After I finished painting the train table I realized that it wasn't a table. It was just a board on the ground..
It also needed background scenery.. For those of you who do not know I made a poster a couple years back and thought that would make a great background.

Step one was cutting the old leftover flooring to match the profiles of the poster. It is a great help to have the original files.

The inside of wood flooring is green. Green wood who would have thunk it... Hehe

iPad.. Thoughts and Ideas

Ok I got a iPad.. I am changing it's name to iTab. Ha there I feel much better. I am using it for a portfolio. and it is a lot easer than hauling around 70 lb. of wood.. Now I come to my second issue. Electronics are fragile and I am none to gentle with such things. I need a case however they are a little pricey and without working with a case I don't know if they will work well for me.

So I decided to make one for my self. Now that I have a Cnc I doubt I will buy anything again.

The bamboo ring is out of my leftover flooring and took only a afternoon to cut out. The cover took longer..