geek chique: how to make cuff links
DISCLAIMER
...just to make sure…
never ever intend to put these cuff links into network-hardware like NICs, switches or whatever ever!... It’s gonna destroy your precious hardware for sure!
(I guess, I didn’t try it…^_^ )
The other day, I had this a weddingparty I was invited to…
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The invitation said ‘black tie’ so that meant I had to get there in my tuxedo (we say ‘smoking’ overhere)
But, when I got dressed for the party I couldn’t find my cuff links... I searched all over the place but to no avail. Sooooo, in the end I decided to make some of my own. After quickly inspecting how I could make these items (which I only use at most once a year) I decided to make some quick with materials every geek should have laying around… I guess… so, this is what I made and how I did it:
First of all:
the problem:
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no cuff links… that’s pretty obvious…
materials needed:
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Your regular network hardware tools… some UTP-plugs, some twisted pair-wire, some crimping pliers and that’s about it…
the actual how to
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When you stripped the cable, fold one pair of the twisted-pair-cable and try, just by looking, to make up how big you want to make the loop that’s going to go through your shirt. My advice, don’t make the loop too big to make sure the cuff link, when finished, is going to sit pretty tight on your shirt…
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When you decided how big you want to make the loop, cut the wire accordingly. Of course, we could make these cuff links with only one wire, but we’re geeks and we like some redundancy eh? Next to that, this way we have a choice in getting some colour to our cuff links…
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Then you untwist the wire a little so you can put it in the plug.
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After you’re done, make sure both loops are about the same length…
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and after that, you can finish it off by crimping your cuff links with your pliers….
...making the counterpart
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start with quite a long piece of wire…
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...fold it once…
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....fold it twice and actually attach it to the other parts we just made… Here I show you with some arrows how I folded the counterpart, to make sure the cuff links stay in the shirt (I tried some different methods here, this proofed succesful but if there are people with better ideas, please drop them in the comments).
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...and we’re done!
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...all dressed up and a perfect subtle way to show your geekiness on weddingparties and the like… (imho of course)
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...once again, the finished product…
DIY trackback
boingboing.net
digg.com
MAKE:blog
del.icio.us
gizmodo.com
oh dear… ;-)
Oh, and I gave away these cuff links…
Message from Mark's family this site has been made static. This means that it will be no longer possible to comment on his ideas and projects, but that we all can continue to cherish his creativity.you can find all of my projects overhere
And again… what can I say! Definitely, you are insane. I think this is the most-geek-style clothing accessory ever. 8-]
Geek chic ! Too cool !
Да все вы уебаны
I’m not sure… does “уебаны” mean something like “fucked up”?
You HAD to use twisted pair – isn’t the standard UTP? Of course, I don’t think they originally understood that Universal meant “for cufflinks”.
@4 …euhm… you think I know? ;-)
Next to BoingBoing, this is also posted on dump.iof.ru (not sure what kind of site that is), so I guess this commenter came here following a link there...
@5 I’m not sure what you mean but UTP = unshielded twisted pair, just your regular network cable…
That’s nice… if you are into the hobo look.
Nice – and now also on digg.com (beside BoingGoing).
BTW: I got 2 TokenRing-connectors left ;-)
And if I want some goldplated firewire-cufflinks, can I mailorder them here Mark???
I like them. :)
Steve
www.networking-forum.com
гыы, Сирожа жжот!
GENIUS! PURE GENIUS! I know what I’ll be wearing to my next formal event. Thanks for the tut.
you should sell these. here’s the pitch:
“Want to make a big impression at DefCon or your next computer conference? Ethernet Connector Cufflinks are the most-geek-style clothing accessory ever? Try them out at your next computer convention. Maybe you might get lucky. How can you go wrong with a little convention booty? Is it nerdy? Yes. Is it geek chic at its finest? Absolutely. Let the crimping begin!”
Very nice and so McGuyver of you.
You know, this would be so much cooler with BNC connectors…
Mark your totaly crazy and thats what we like about you :) And nice load with 5000 unique visitors in 45 minutes!!
One of the dumbest things ever IMO.
Definitely geek, but not chic. Try little gold-plated memory cards… Or better yet, find some real cufflinks.
Neat. Next time grab two rack screws and two rack clips for a different look.
Уебаны means FUCKIN’ crazy
XD
alright, the digg-story (with 549 diggs in 14 hours) got buried. I wrote a little about that on the blog-post for this project…
Anyways, no need to digg this, it gets buried right away…
Wow, does being rude make some of you feel better about yourselves? I think they’re very clever.
The real kicker would be to keep the single pair of wires per cufflink, but instead of jamming them into positions 1 & 8, connect pin 1 to pin 3 and pin 2 to pin 6. Then each cufflink would be a working loopback plug. You know, just in case you needed to check some cabling runs or suspicious ethernet adapters at the event.
That’s some nice geek fashion there. Personally, I’d make them a little more stand out.
чото п
в натури уебаны пендостана
смотрите в следующей серии – как сделать стильный галстук из кока-коловой баклашки
ну нормально
You just made a DDS loopback plug!
Nice. Reminds me of the time I used a very ancient RAM stick as a tie bar. (Just superglue a very large paperclip to the back, basically).
Doesn’t work so hot with the newer ones, sadly- they’re wider and shorter, it looks tacky.
You should have gone old-school, and used male and female BNC connectors attached to each end of a bit of co-ax. Run the cable through the holes in the shirt cuff, then link the cable to itself.
Accessorize with a belt braided from three longer pieces of coax with mail and female BNCs on each end.
Yes indeed, that sudden formal event always leaves you wondering where you put your cuff-links last time you used them – two or three years ago…. The last time I needed the tux, I could have really used a pair of these!
2BaseT (BNC) or gold plated RJ-45s would shine nicely. Clear RJ-45s are more low key. Need to enhance the color of the wire to make it look metalic. Um, strip it first? If it is silver colored, copper color might distract. Cuff Links are usually chrome or silver, or gold.
Great project it inspired me, thanks
I like your style – this innovation is really cheeky and geeky, but COOL! Instead it pointing out, what about making it to be flat? It will really come alive and ungeeky :)
Is very ugly, i think that can be better.
I shit myself.
Very cool! Totally awesome.
I gotta make me some of that!
To all the jerkS! You guys suck! These are cool! Would go nice with my motherboard tie.
I think angling the jacks to lay flat on the shirt cuff might make for a better look, and you might try coating them with some chrome or gold gloss paint. Maybe a Classic Battlestar Galactica Cylon paint job. The clear seems just a tad washed out from the pics.
So with some experimentation… you could have multiple styles to choose from.
Also, I think a black female connector would be cool. Maybe you could hook up at the party? LOL
Great Idea Dude! I’ll be making me a few pair!
Que buena idea, ja!.
Nice guestbook ;) Good luck! qq5tt1ww4rr2ee3
Completely genius idea. I will be trying that at home
Me perdi algo?
Aff yer heid, my man! Keep up the good work.
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That is cool. I will have to try that at the next computer security confrence. I have a link about making up bnc connectors maybe I will try it with them. LOL
This is cool. I wish that I had found this before the phreaknic con. I would have made some…
For next time, you could try doing something with USB sticks, no only functional, but oh so stylish!
I love this! I’ll be making a pair for my husband ASAP. For those once-a-year events, why spend so much money on something so easy to make??? Thanks for the totally cute idea!
This even insults my sense of taste, and that’s saying a lot. I can also think of zero times in the past 11 years of networking where I’ve needed any sort of loopback plug for ethernet or DS1.
>This even insults my sense of taste, and that’s saying a lot
well, that says a whole lot, anonymous bryan, as we all know you’re our reference in taste!
>I can also think of zero times in the past 11 years of networking where I’ve needed any sort of loopback plug for ethernet or DS1.
Well, than it’s a good thing these aren’t loopback plugs, right? *^_^*
this is such a cool idea! I’ll definately make some for my dad! He’s gona love them.
I only wish girls wore toxidos:(
Hellospi – this is just a testing, don’t worry about it
I am a girl and I collect and wear cufflinks. The only challenge is to find blouses to match them.
These cufflinks are great!
just made myself some, you are a life saver!!
These are awesome! I was looking for a way to make geeky cufflinks but ended up getting some of the keyboard ones at www.acornstudios.ca . Yours are more fun though
Haha that’s great!
wow!! gosh u are just soooo insane…. now thats a perfect Geeky accessory :)
Ridiculious
A geek will never be invited in a black tie party.
And a black tie party requires STUDS on the shirt front.
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So these new buy from store cat-5e cables now come with velcro straps, and I only bought because I had to move for a job before I could fully “move”.
Anyways, my girlfriend loves to use the 6 foot cross-over as a belt, just wrap around X number of times and strap down ;)
Cuff link Boxes and Jewelry Boxes made from High quality wood. A Great gift to present on any occasion.
You know what I fund a HUGE turn-on. Geeks. Their intelligence (as shown in your making of these cufflinks) puts them in a higher league than the rest of the men , they’re usually very creative which leads to them beind interesting and spontaneous and I just love the geeks. That’s why I married a geek… and they make the best husbands too. I would adore a man who attends a wedding as my partner wearing those cufflinks!! Hooray for geeks;)
i hate this who wants to go around in something like this its completely stupid if you get a better thing out to make ill write you again but for right now you suck bad
Ha Ha Nice Idea…
Some thing different…
Another Source if Cufflinks is http://www.supercuffs.com/
We got unique groomsmen gifts and cufflinks from groomsmen.com. Another good place for cufflinks is cufflinksdepot.com – unless of course you are a diy’er and can make those cat5 into a pair!
This is gay…
maybe if you color them gold or something they might work.
but just like that they are just gay…
YOu could have just used staples…
Very nice! Any ideas on what to do with an old stick of 64MB RAM? A keychain is the first thing that comes to mind, but that seems so obvious…
I love this idea but i think the back might look better and stay better if you made it RJ 10 to and RJ 45 in the front. then you can use 2 twisted pairs connecting them directly or make interlocking loops
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I can also think of zero times in the past 11 years of networking where I’ve needed any sort of loopback plug for ethernet or DS1.
Thanks you
Grande. Merci.