Don’t throw out your old computer parts just yet. It appears that you can do more with your old PC boards than you think. So, the next time you have an old circuit board, don’t toss it in the trash. Instead, try getting a little creative and start a DIY project to turn your old boards into something new.
1. Create a Clock Out of It
If you’re looking to replace your boring desk clock, there’s nothing more original than creating one made out of old circuit boards. Plus, making a PC board clock is actually easier to do than you think. To start, you need a quartz clock hands and movement set, as well as batteries. You’ll also need a drill to make a hole in your PC board, but you can borrow one from a friend or your local hardware store. A marker will also help you mark the hole for the drill, in addition to the hours on your new clock.
2. Turn it into Jewelry
You can cut up your circuit board and turn it into beautiful jewelry to wear. After all, what else symbolizes a geek badge more than a reduced motherboard that you can wear as earrings or a necklace.
In order to turn your old PC boards into earrings, you’ll first need to purchase jump rings and earring hooks online. Next, choose your best retired circuit boards and cut them to your desired size. Next, use a strong gear to attach them to your hooks and sand them down to avoid any damage to your ears.
3. Create a Circuit Board Mouse Pad
Always keep a piece of your old computer nearby by turning your old circuit board into a mouse pad. Not only does this mouse pad look cool but it is also easy to make. All you need is two pieces of vinyl. Then, simply slip the circuit board in between the vinyl sheet to create a durable and aesthetically appealing mouse pad.
4. Use it as a Journal Cover
Journaling can be a fun hobby and is regularly practiced by successful people. Whether it be to boost productivity or keep track of your life, there are plenty of reasons to want to try journalism.
However, if you’re looking to make your journal appear more unique, you can use old PC boards to get that factor of authenticity. All you have to do is get two old circuit boards and bind them to the papers in your journal. The end result is a cool journal that your friends will end up getting jealous over.
5. Make it into a Phone Stand
Creating a PC board phone stand may very well be one of the most functional types of product you can make with an old PC board. All you need are two pieces of PC board, you can either cut one in half or use two different ones. However, the two boards should be a little smaller than the size of your phone. To create the hinge, you can use a regular door hinge and use strong glue as an adhesive.
6. Make it Into a Guitar Pick
If you’re looking to upgrade your guitar pick, why not take your old PC boards and make them into new picks for your guitar? At least this way you can reuse your boards and have less to toss out, not to mention, you can also save money this way too.
Creating picks out of your old PC boards doesn’t take up too much time, and you can end up with nearly a dozen free picks out of a single circuit board. All you need to start on this project is a sharp blade and sandpaper. The sharp blade will be used for cutting out your pick and the sandpaper can be used to sand down your new pick to avoid is cutting your strings.
There are so many new and cool things you can make from your old computer parts. Why throw out your e-waste when you can recycle it into something else? From jewelry to phone stands, finding a functional DIY project that you can use your PC boards to make is easy. Just remember, these are only a few ideas to help you get started. Let your creativity lead the way. You never know what you might create with your old computer boards.
Abby Drexler is a contributing writer and media specialist for PNC Inc. She often produces content for a variety of tech blogs.
