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Custom Design - Triumph Aluminum Case

reddeaddorito said:
Hmm. Maybe put a thin rubber casing around the case. Make a little slot for the camera and flash. I feel like the back side is too bare, looks like an unfinished building or something. And maybe make a hole for the Motorola icon? Looks good, though.
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If you're really careful, maybe you could dip yours in that rubber crap that you use for tool handles... comes in different colors too!
:D
 
Rolo42 said:
Dropping it. I don't know if any case/skin would even matter in protecting it but the question is whether the aluminum would absorb more or transfer less energy (from hitting the floor) to the phone than silicone/rubber, plastic.
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The only thing that it's going to protect against is corner impacts, they don't use metal in car bumpers for a reason
 
steve galaxius said:
The only thing that it's going to protect against is corner impacts, they don't use metal in car bumpers for a reason
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and the corners of phones are the weak points... (ive accidentally destroyed multiple phones and the ones that broke were dropped on the corners)
 
steve galaxius said:
The only thing that it's going to protect against is corner impacts, they don't use metal in car bumpers for a reason
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I don't understand this. The plastic in car bumpers is purely aesthetic. The impact is designed to crumple the metal retainers inside/under the bumpers. If you had a collision with and without the plastic bumpers in a car crash, there would be no describable difference.

On the other hand for a phone, yes plastic will probably be better for drops IF it doesn't pop open and let the phone out. on the other hand my case would be better for issues say, that guy that slammed his phone in his car door, if this fell out of your car at speed, ran over, etc. (these would be a hoot to test). Also my buddie broke his when it fell out rock climbing. In that case, at high altitude I would go for my case over a plastic one. Again, refer to my earlier post where I break down the math.

I sent the files in to get an estimate. Once I get the estimate, I do math and start a kickstarter.
 
bobloadmire said:
I don't understand this. The plastic in car bumpers is purely aesthetic. The impact is designed to crumple the metal retainers inside/under the bumpers. If you had a collision with and without the plastic bumpers in a car crash, there would be no describable difference.
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While the car analogy is irrelevant toward our case, that's not really true about plastic bumpers. For decades now the polyurethane plastic bumpers have had eggcrate/honeycomb cells as part of their structure, acting as crumple zone and energy absorbing. So it's neither solid nor all air behind their surface.

There is something to be said about energy transfer. I have a Casio G shock camera that really is a camera fully encased in a rubber jacket inside a metal case, good for 7 foot drops on concrete. I guess we should think of it like Troy Aikman's head in his helmet when he gets pounded and gets a concussion, not only is the padding in his helmet going to help, the fluid in the cranium does the same isolation for the brain. I'd already decided if I got this case I would file or dremel a little off the inside of each side and put a thick rubber band around the phone's perimeter before sliding it in. Tightening the case screws should secure it in place. The homemade vinyl case I use now has awesome shock protection, I think it would pass a 6 foot drop test particularly on the coners, but you can't use the phone while it's in the case, and offers no structural protection from sitting on it or stepping on it, so... I'll post a picture of it later or in the morning.
 
thangfish said:
If you're really careful, maybe you could dip yours in that rubber crap that you use for tool handles... comes in different colors too!
:D
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Also comes in a spray can! I think it may not stick to metal well enough for this use, but who knows. You would be surprised how many times you have to dip it to get it as thick as the rubber handles on decent pliars. At least a dozen times, and the technique is a pain, including removing it from the can real slowly (like a minute) And seal that cap as tight as you like, a month later it's still all dried up.
 
batvette said:
While the car analogy is irrelevant toward our case, that's not really true about plastic bumpers. For decades now the polyurethane plastic bumpers have had eggcrate/honeycomb cells as part of their structure, acting as crumple zone and energy absorbing. So it's neither solid nor all air behind their surface.

There is something to be said about energy transfer. I have a Casio G shock camera that really is a camera fully encased in a rubber jacket inside a metal case, good for 7 foot drops on concrete. I guess we should think of it like Troy Aikman's head in his helmet when he gets pounded and gets a concussion, not only is the padding in his helmet going to help, the fluid in the cranium does the same isolation for the brain. I'd already decided if I got this case I would file or dremel a little off the inside of each side and put a thick rubber band around the phone's perimeter before sliding it in. Tightening the case screws should secure it in place. The homemade vinyl case I use now has awesome shock protection, I think it would pass a 6 foot drop test particularly on the coners, but you can't use the phone while it's in the case, and offers no structural protection from sitting on it or stepping on it, so... I'll post a picture of it later or in the morning.
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Hmm, i have a friend that does car restoration and insurance work and he is fairly famous in northern california for it, and thats what he told me about bumpers. From what he said, the crumple zone is all metal, then you put plastic bumpers and stuff over the outside to make it look nice. About the band, We will be putting some sort of felt/ rubber in there.

Again, it's all about acceleration, and there isn't a material in the world that you could put around a phone to increase it's acceleration when it impacts something. Sure plastic will be better in some cases, but aluminum is definitely still better than bare in all cases. Want to see the picture.
 
batvette said:
Also comes in a spray can! I think it may not stick to metal well enough for this use, but who knows. You would be surprised how many times you have to dip it to get it as thick as the rubber handles on decent pliars. At least a dozen times, and the technique is a pain, including removing it from the can real slowly (like a minute) And seal that cap as tight as you like, a month later it's still all dried up.
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Yeah, I know. Never was worth it, IMO.

Edit:
Hey look at me, I'm a senior member!
They'll give that to anybody, huh?
:D
 
Bumpers are indeed metal. Bumper covers are plastic and styrofoam.

The question for the aluminum is whether it can/will distribute the energy to the rest of the frame before any of it is transferred to the phone. I would think so since Al is a better conductor than plastic but whether it'd be enough or not...


For the kickstand, I was thinking a singular piece (like the flap on the back of a picture frame that sits on a table) with a captive thumbscrew that bolts into the centre square on the back.
 
Rolo42 said:
Bumpers are indeed metal. Bumper covers are plastic and styrofoam.

The question for the aluminum is whether it can/will distribute the energy to the rest of the frame before any of it is transferred to the phone. I would think so since Al is a better conductor than plastic but whether it'd be enough or not.
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Electrical conductivity is not the same as shock absorption, and aluminum is hard and heavy. If anything this is going to damage your phone more than help it.

Q5hgy.jpg


I got back and handled the case and it's pretty much awful on every single level. I get that it's an older version but even with the sides trimmed down and the headphone jack in the proper place, it's still a massive brick that does absolutely nothing to protect the phone. It makes it harder to type on, harder to carry around, and harder to use as an actual phone. It's also incredibly ugly and i'm amazed i'm the only person to say that so far.
 
steve galaxius said:
Electrical conductivity is not the same as shock absorption, and aluminum is hard and heavy. If anything this is going to damage your phone more than help it.

Q5hgy.jpg


I got back and handled the case and it's pretty much awful on every single level. I get that it's an older version but even with the sides trimmed down and the headphone jack in the proper place, it's still a massive brick that does absolutely nothing to protect the phone. It makes it harder to type on, harder to carry around, and harder to use as an actual phone. It's also incredibly ugly and i'm amazed i'm the only person to say that so far.
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Sorry if this is off topic but how did you get your dock to be reflective
 
steve galaxius said:
Electrical conductivity is not the same as shock absorption, and aluminum is hard and heavy. If anything this is going to damage your phone more than help it.

Q5hgy.jpg


I got back and handled the case and it's pretty much awful on every single level. I get that it's an older version but even with the sides trimmed down and the headphone jack in the proper place, it's still a massive brick that does absolutely nothing to protect the phone. It makes it harder to type on, harder to carry around, and harder to use as an actual phone. It's also incredibly ugly and i'm amazed i'm the only person to say that so far.
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I appreciate you making the prototype (again sorry about the old version) but your understanding of elastic collisions is poor. Not meant to insult but when dealing with acceleration intermediary mediums never decrease time during acceleration. I made a post with the mathematical proof a few pages back

Design wise I understand, the version you have is way too thick. I have been using the version 2 shapeways prototype and there are some minor issues I'm dealing with but overall its just the increase in size that is annoying, but that is the same with any case. I am fixing the other issues.

Guys they called me back for a second interview with the engineering team and said "you are a strong candidate for the position" so wish me luck!

Also the machinist is getting me a quote today.

edit: typos from my phone
 
bobloadmire said:
I appriviate make the prototype (again sorry about the old version) but you understanding of elastic collisions is poor. Not meant to insult but when dealing with acceleration intermediary mediums never decrease time during acceleration. I made a post with the mathmatical proof a few pages back

Design wise I understand, the version ypu have is way too thick. I have been using the version 2 shapeways prototype and there are some minor issues I'm dealing with but overall its just the increase in size that is annoying, but that is the same with any case.

Guys the called me back for a second interview with the engineering team and said "you are a strong candidate for the position" so wish me luck!

Also the machinist is getting me a quote today.
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Good Luck and hopefully the quote isn't too much.
 
steve galaxius said:
Electrical conductivity is not the same as shock absorption, and aluminum is hard and heavy. If anything this is going to damage your phone more than help it.
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I never said anything about electric energy. Aluminum is a better conductor of kinetic (and electric) energy than plastic.

My aluminum strut tower brace does a darn good job transferring energy from the outside wheel to the inside wheel in a hard corner. A plastic one would bend/break (absorb) rather than transfer energy.

You didn't prove anything with one formula as it isn't the only applicable one.
 
steve galaxius said:
Electrical conductivity is not the same as shock absorption, and aluminum is hard and heavy. If anything this is going to damage your phone more than help it.

Q5hgy.jpg


I got back and handled the case and it's pretty much awful on every single level. I get that it's an older version but even with the sides trimmed down and the headphone jack in the proper place, it's still a massive brick that does absolutely nothing to protect the phone. It makes it harder to type on, harder to carry around, and harder to use as an actual phone. It's also incredibly ugly and i'm amazed i'm the only person to say that so far.
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It all comes down to preference. Some people like it big and beefy and some prefer it on the thinner side. Personally I think that case you have in the pic looks pretty cool (albeit being version 1). I'd rock it.
 
thebryceee said:
It all comes down to preference. Some people like it big and beefy and some prefer it on the thinner side. Personally I think that case you have in the pic looks pretty cool (albeit being version 1). I'd rock it.
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Steve is right though, the tickness can be a huge hinderance to usability. It needs to be as thin as possible while remaining rigid. Hopefully my newest version has addressed that. Version 2 got too thin at some edges.
 
Just found this and it looks awesome. I definitely want one and will be checking this thread frequently with hopes of completion soon!
 
bobloadmire said:
Steve is right though, the tickness can be a huge hinderance to usability. It needs to be as thin as possible while remaining rigid. Hopefully my newest version has addressed that. Version 2 got too thin at some edges.
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I understand that, but he said it was ugly in every way

Edit: Sorry, reread it and he said incredibly ugly. I was just saying I think it doesn't look ugly.
 
....in the eye of the beholder, strictly preference.

"It" isn't ugly/nice; the viewer only thinks it is.

Or, for the scientific types: You put Schr
 
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