Okay so this is my first blog and hack, I'm only 15 and had limited tools. I got my inspiration going to school. I saw a man with white headphones, usually indicating an iPod. However when he went to change a song, he had a CD player. I have seen non-Pod people do this before. Many people in New York who take the train (I'm sure other places too) know that there has been an increase in iPod theft. Many people have the iPods stolen because it is clear they have one on them and of course they are a bit pricey. So I had an old CD player and thought maybe I could reverse what that guy did. As soon as I got home from school I found the retired CD player and and got some tools. As I went along some of my plans changed though, as you will see.

STEP 1: Get an iPod and an old CD Player. I would make sure that the CD player is thick enough so your iPod can fit in it. I had one from 2000, so not too thick, not too thin. I got lucky with both my 3rd generation iPod and the CD Player. Hopefully you will too.



STEP 2: Tool Time! What I have here is just stuff to open the case and cut some wires and ribbons. What was the heart and soul of this project was a wire cutter. Yes, something used to cut wires. Amazingly they can shred off plastic like crazy. No access to power tools and the unability to use saws led me to this.



STEP 3: Gut!! Take everything out, I mean everything. Sand down or dremel off little support things on the bottom as i had. Just make sure the screw posts dont get damaged because you want to put this back together. Getting rid of most of the cables is good too.



STEP 4: Cut!! Yes, after gut, you must cut. Like I said, I cut the CD tray out with a wire cutter out of neccessity. Not too pretty, but it works. If you use a Dremel be sure to measure the area you want to cut. This is just to make it look neat. Something obviously not achieved by mine.


Everything gutted out and cut out, bottom is flat as you can probably see. Had to sand a lot to get it flat. And Yes the edges are very rough looking. I did smooth them out with a needle file though as to not scratch the iPod when its in the CD Player.



STEP 5:. Headphone jack- I used a needle file to make the old headphone jack larger. You could use once again a Dremel, or a drill. Just make it large enough so you can slide in the iPod headphone jack.



Final Pictures:





Authors Final Comments: I had fun doin this, it did take a while though. I would say about and hour or two. I like the results though. I started to paint the front of the CD Player because it was stained and just discolored. I'm going to finish it soon though and get it glossy and all nice. I'm sure you could also store valuables in here if needed a safe place to put something. Because face the facts, CD Players are old and dead. Something that would defenitly never be stolen is an iPod in a cassette player. I would do this, but no cassette player, if someone does do this I would like to know how it comes out. Tell me what you think about my little after school project.