11 Creative and Awesome DIY USB Flash Drives
Whether you’re deep in the corporate world or just another creative winging it, you’ve probably come across a USB flash drive that’s so creatively unusual that you couldn’t help but ask, “where did you get that?”
Unfortunately, most of those who own a cool flash drive will always answer along the lines of “it was a gift” or “they sold out.”
Luckily, you are in good company today because here, we’ll show you how to DIY cool USB flash drives from scratch. So, find your favorite among the 11 creative, awesome DIY USB flash drives below, and try building it.
1. Lego USB Drive
There are two types of adults: those who outgrew legos and those who’ll trade the world for any lego accessory that comes their way. If you are in the second category, this is just your DIY USB flash drive.
Plus, it’s an adult’s take on legos, and it also makes an excellent gift for that lego fanatic who seems to own nearly every lego set you can think of. And it’s surprisingly easy to build, too, as shown in this detailedInstructables guide.
2. Steampunk USB Flash Drive
The steampunk aesthetic is fast catching on, and there’s no better way to hop onto this olde-worlde trend than with this steampunk USB flash drive. Its imaginative, retro meets modern, instantly recognizable design will have your peers asking where you got it from, and when they do, point them towards thisInstructable.
3. Cassette Flash Drive
USB flash drives are like today’s cassettes, except you could do more than create mixtapes. And if you spent your childhood bumping to mixtapes from a cassette, build yourself a DIY cassette flash drive to pay homage to the good old days that are now long gone. Besides, it’s an excellent way to bring the old and the new together. Check out thisInstructables guideto hack this project.
Also, if you have old floppy disks in your clutter box, don’t throw them away because you cancreate useful things using those dusty old floppies.
4. Real Thumb Drives
Imagine a flash drive housed in your thumb? Before you take to the hills screaming in horror, we are not talking about your literal thumb. We are referring to a cast-mold thumb that you, too, can build at home to house your unadventurous-looking plastic USB.
And you don’t need to be an expert because it’s effortless to make. You only need to make the mold using epoxy (or any molding material you fancy); place your thumb until the casting is set, and follow this well-elaboratedInstructables guideto complete the setup.
5. Antler Drive
Oh, deer! The only right exclamation you should use and one you’ll get to enjoy using when you build this DIY antler drive. It’s so unique and creative that it will knock the antlers off anyone who sees it.
The best part? You won’t be taking down an el or a moose because they naturally shed their antlers off, and you can easily find them for sale on sites like eBay, Etsy, Amazon, and many of your favorite retail shopping platforms. Besides an antler piece and a flash drive, you will also need a drill, a hand saw, and some epoxy to follow thisInstructables guideand build one.
6. USB Flash Drive Bracelet
If you are always losing your thumb drives, you should consider turning it into a bracelet and have it wrapped around your wrist at all times. It’s not just unique; it looks like an actual bracelet so much that no one would even suspect you are walking around wearing a flash drive.
Additionally, it’s exceptionally straightforward to make. You only need to fold and glue a piece of cardboard matching your wrist’s circumference, cut one end open, insert your flash drive, and then thread and superglue some yarn around the flexible cardboard as shown in thisInstructable. Feel free to use any yarn colors you fancy.
Also, why notcustomize your ordinary watch into a statement pieceto match your creative bracelet?
7. Nosey USB Sheep
Want a cute take on a USB flash drive’s casing? This nosey sheep casing fits the description. It makes a cute gift for that techy animal lover in your life, and you don’t necessarily have to use a sheep. Any small stuffed animal you may have will also do as long as you follow thisInstructables guidefor instructions on how to make it.
8. Mobile Phone USB
Remember the buttoned-era phone? It was a pretty interesting phase of life, and if you still own one of your buttoned phones, there’s no better way to remind the world around you of how far technology has come than by turning it into a flash drive case. Check out thisInstructablefor a step-by-step guide on implementing the idea. Besides this one, there are so many moreDIY projects you can work on with old phones.
9. Soccer USB
If you’re a huge fan of soccer (or football), you can build this soccer USB casing and show off your sportsmanship wherever you go.
You’ll need a single squishy ball, black and white acrylic paint (or your team’s jersey colors, and if you don’t have acrylic paint, a permanent marker will do), an old keychain, aluminum foil, some wire, and the step-by-step pointers in thisInstructableto build one.
The result? A squishy soccer USB drive you can easily attach to your laptop bag as an accessory and secure it.
10. Broken USB Cable Flash Drive
Tired of losing your thumb drives at the office? Build this broken USB cable flash drive by following thisInstructables guide, and you will never have to worry about losing your thumb drives again because everyone will assume it’s just a broken cable you are yet to throw away.
Plus, it’s unique; it’ll never mix up with your colleagues' USB flash drives if you work in a company where you’re all given identical flash drives. And if you have more old wires and cables, don’t dispose of them; repurpose them! Here arecool DIY ideas using old cables and wires.
11. Eraser USB Flash Drive
Another excellent way to hide your USB flash drive in plain sight is to ditch its boring plastic casing for an eraser. Yes, a literal, pink eraser! No one would even think to check it out. Plus, it can still serve as an eraser; ensure you don’t use it too much because the USB parts will start showing. See thisInstructablefor the step-by-step DIY instructions.
Make Your Flash Drive Stand Out With These DIY Projects
USB flash drives often come housed in generic, bland plastic cases anyone can identify. So, if you want to keep yours safe while simultaneously adding some flair to it, any of these 11 creative DIY projects will make your flash drive stand out. You can always thank us later for these excellent ideas.
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