A DIY YouTuber helps a tech reviewer, Aaron, solve his problem of storing a massive collection of smartphones. Since no commercial smartphone storage solution exists, they design and build a custom shelving system using 3D printing and CNC milling. The system features individual clips to hold each phone upright and prevent scratches. The shelves are made of walnut and have a hidden LED lighting system that can be controlled via a web interface to highlight specific phones. The project takes 51 hours of milling, 20 hours of setup, and a significant amount of 3D printing to complete. The end result is a unique and visually stunning storage system that showcases Aaron's phone collection.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Aaron is a YouTube tech reviewer who has accumulated a large number of smartphones over 11 years.
2. Aaron has too many smartphones to store, and no commercial smartphone shelf is available.
3. The problem of storing the smartphones is to be solved using DIY methods.
4. The initial idea is to add dividers to a normal shelf to store the phones like books.
5. However, this method is less than optimal as it looks messy and can lead to scratches and damage to the phones.
6. A 3D printed clip with a flexible filament is designed to store the phones upright and separate from each other.
7. The clip is later modified to an elongated comma shape to fit inside a wooden channel.
8. The wooden channel is made from walnut and is cut using a CNC router.
9. The walnut wood is tough and takes about three hours to cut a single meter of shelf.
10. The shelves are attached to an MDF backing with routing channels for wires.
11. A selection system based on individually addressable LED strips is designed to light up the phones.
12. The system is programmed to run off a Raspberry Pi and can be controlled through a web page.
13. The system can hold a database of installed phones and light up a specific phone when requested.
14. The shelves are divided into three units, each with 32 phones per meter.
15. The project requires 18 meters of CNC milled parts, which takes about 51 hours to mill.
16. The project also requires a massive amount of 3D printed comma clips.
17. The shelves are installed on the wall, and the power system is supported by the middle shelf.
18. The system is powered by a 400-watt power supply.
19. The project is completed with the help of a friend, Lamar, who programmed the software for the selection system.
20. The final result is a one-of-a-kind smartphone shelf that showcases Aaron's collection beautifully.