Introduction: Lego Minifig USB Keychain
As Lego only sells USB Minifigs with "normal" bodies and I rather wanted one from the star wars universe, I decided to build my one on my own. This is now my attempt to share what I did.
disclaimer thingy: This is my first instructable, so if there are points that should be made better, feel free to point them out in the comments.
I am also aware that I probably should/could have made more pictures, but I simply forgot them during the last few steps or was to impatient ;).
disclaimer thingy: This is my first instructable, so if there are points that should be made better, feel free to point them out in the comments.
I am also aware that I probably should/could have made more pictures, but I simply forgot them during the last few steps or was to impatient ;).
Step 1: What You Need
Parts:
- Lego Minifig (don't need any legs, as we are going to use the cap of the USB stick)
- Nano USB stick (I used this one from pollin but you probably can use any one that has about these dimensions. I although can recommend this one, as the casing is easy to open : ) )
- Phone charm thingies (not shure what the correct term is, but you can check the pictures to see what I mean)
Tools:
- milling cutter (used to cave the torso)
- drill (used to drill holes in the head and the helmet
- saw (to shorten the metal part of the phone charm)
- super glue
You actually don't need 3 different tools. I used a dremel with different attachments for everything.
- Lego Minifig (don't need any legs, as we are going to use the cap of the USB stick)
- Nano USB stick (I used this one from pollin but you probably can use any one that has about these dimensions. I although can recommend this one, as the casing is easy to open : ) )
- Phone charm thingies (not shure what the correct term is, but you can check the pictures to see what I mean)
Tools:
- milling cutter (used to cave the torso)
- drill (used to drill holes in the head and the helmet
- saw (to shorten the metal part of the phone charm)
- super glue
You actually don't need 3 different tools. I used a dremel with different attachments for everything.
Step 2: The Stick
this step highly depends on the stick you are using. For some it is harder, and for some it is easier. In the end we need a stick without casing, so that it will fit into the minifig.
What I did:
Take the carpet knife and place it between the red and the black part of the casing. Then turn the knife, so that the upper part is pushed out of place. After it snapped out, just pull both parts off.
What I did:
Take the carpet knife and place it between the red and the black part of the casing. Then turn the knife, so that the upper part is pushed out of place. After it snapped out, just pull both parts off.
Step 3: The Body
There are two things that have to be done with the body:
first: cave it to make space for the stick
second: cut a piece of the head attachment off, to have space for the hanger
Before working on the torso you should remove the arms, so that they don't get damaged (and also so that the don't get glued to the torso later)
Caving:
Just carefully cut out the Pegs, that are supposed to make the legs sit tighter. depending on your stick, you also will have to make the whole internal space by thinning out the walls of the torso. If you have to do this, watch out to not accidently cut through. Using low driving speeds is also advisable, as it then is easier to not destroy something accidently and you don't melt the plastic.
cutting:
Here I simply used some kind of sanding attachment to remove the top of the head attachment. How much you have to remove, depends on the size of your metal hanger, so you maybe have to rework this later.
first: cave it to make space for the stick
second: cut a piece of the head attachment off, to have space for the hanger
Before working on the torso you should remove the arms, so that they don't get damaged (and also so that the don't get glued to the torso later)
Caving:
Just carefully cut out the Pegs, that are supposed to make the legs sit tighter. depending on your stick, you also will have to make the whole internal space by thinning out the walls of the torso. If you have to do this, watch out to not accidently cut through. Using low driving speeds is also advisable, as it then is easier to not destroy something accidently and you don't melt the plastic.
cutting:
Here I simply used some kind of sanding attachment to remove the top of the head attachment. How much you have to remove, depends on the size of your metal hanger, so you maybe have to rework this later.
Step 4: The Head and Helmet
The head will be housing the metal part of the hanger and therefore needs a hole, for the rest of the hanger. Luckily lego heads already have a stud and a partially hole at the top of their head. so simply drill that whole completely open. (you of course can't make the hole bigger than the metal part of your hanger).
If existing, now drill a hole into the head and be geared to the place where the stud of the head attaches to the inside (It's easier to drill the hole from the inside).
If existing, now drill a hole into the head and be geared to the place where the stud of the head attaches to the inside (It's easier to drill the hole from the inside).
Step 5: The Hanger
The metal part of the hanger probably is to big, to fit into the head as it is.
Take the string out of it first, so you just have the metal part. Now cut it into two pieces, so that the one where cap is only a few millimeters long and fits into the head. Then place the string back into it.
Take the string out of it first, so you just have the metal part. Now cut it into two pieces, so that the one where cap is only a few millimeters long and fits into the head. Then place the string back into it.
Step 6: The Assembly/gluing
Now all parts are prepared and the stick is ready to be put together. Before you start gluing, make shure the surfaces can be considered as clean, as the glue won't cling to it that well otherwise. You also should have some toothpicks to clean up excessive glue.
Lead the hanger through the head and (if existing) the helmet, but do not put them together yet. Now apply some super glue to the back of the head, as you don't want the glue to be visible through the visor and then place the head in the helmet (you maybe wan't to put the head on the torso temporarily, so that it is easier to align the head and the helmet. If you don't have any helmet, you of course aren't supposed to put glue on the outside of the head ;) )
Then apply glue to the head attachment on the torso and place the head onto the torso for the last time. Here you also have to watch out, that you align it correctly, as you only have one chance to do it right ;)
Now finally carefully apply glue to the top of the stick and (possibly) to the inside of the torso. Then place the stick into the torso and hold it in place for a few minutes, to ensure that it is sitting right.
When the glue has partially dried and you ensured that there isn't any glue, that would then block them, you can carefully place the arms on the fig again (you can also do this later, when the glue has completely dried)
Lead the hanger through the head and (if existing) the helmet, but do not put them together yet. Now apply some super glue to the back of the head, as you don't want the glue to be visible through the visor and then place the head in the helmet (you maybe wan't to put the head on the torso temporarily, so that it is easier to align the head and the helmet. If you don't have any helmet, you of course aren't supposed to put glue on the outside of the head ;) )
Then apply glue to the head attachment on the torso and place the head onto the torso for the last time. Here you also have to watch out, that you align it correctly, as you only have one chance to do it right ;)
Now finally carefully apply glue to the top of the stick and (possibly) to the inside of the torso. Then place the stick into the torso and hold it in place for a few minutes, to ensure that it is sitting right.
When the glue has partially dried and you ensured that there isn't any glue, that would then block them, you can carefully place the arms on the fig again (you can also do this later, when the glue has completely dried)
Step 7: Final
When that is done you just have to wait for as long it says on the package of the glue (was 48 hours for me) and your custom Lego minfig usb stick is finished! You now can attach it to your key chain and brag about your cool usb stick to your friends ;)