5 Tech-Related Ways to Reuse an Altoids Tin

By Brett McKay (from The Art of Manliness) on June 19, 2011

iPod Case
Take an Altoids tin, add a little foam or other padding like felt, cut a hole in it, and wha-la-- you've got yourself a sturdy iPod Nano or Shuffle carrying case. The case will protect the iPod from scratches and other damage, deter would-be thieves, and keep your headphones and iPod together in one place. And you don't even have to take your iPod out to listen to it; the headphones go through the hole. People will wonder if you're listening to your mints.

[Image from Michael Dougan]

ipod case3.jpg

Mini Speakers
If you want to pump up the jams on your phone, iPod, or computer, make a couple of mini speakers out of some Altoids tins. The playing cards make them pretty good looking, too.

Full instructions @ ReadyMade
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USB Charger
The MintyBoost! USB charger is one of the most popular DIY Altoids projects out there. And with good reason. It's a lightweight, pocket-sized life saver: it can add hours of power to any device that uses a USB connection--cameras, cell phones, mp3 players, etc. They're also fairly simple to make and are thus a good project for the DIY beginner who's looking to dip his toes into soldering and electronics.

Full Instructions @Instructables

Headphones Amplifier
Your computer or mp3 player might be a top-quality device, but the manufacturer likely didn't spend much time or money on its headphone driver circuit. Which is why, even if you buy premium headphones, the sound quality still isn't the best it could be. Enter the headphone amplifier. An amplifier helps your headphones reach their sound quality potential. They can cost big bucks to buy, but you can make one yourself, out of what else....a tin of mints.

Full Instructions @Tangentsoft

iPod Docking Station
Buying an iPod docking station can run you $20-$40. Or you can make one yourself for the price of an Altoids tin and some duct tape. The docking station keeps your iPod upright so you have a secure place to charge it, and it lets you see what music is playing and watch video.

Full Instructions @ Instructables

ipod dock.jpg

So tell us, what will you make with an Altoids tin?

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Founded in January 2008, The Art of Manliness is a blog focused on reviving the lost art of manliness. With over 2 million monthly page views, The Art of Manliness represents a new kind of magazine for men, one that focuses on helping men become better citizens, fathers, husbands, friends, and simply all around better men. Husband and wife team, Brett and Kate McKay head up the up the blog. They live in Tulsa, OK.

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