Scotty Allen, a former Google engineer, successfully machined an entire iPhone housing from a solid block of aluminum — a feat that took 11 month accomplish.
"This is the start of a revolution," explains Allen on his Strange Parts website. "Owning our phones shouldn't just mean being able to hold them in our hands. Not only should we be able to repair them, we should be able to modify them to look however we want, just like our cars and our PCs."
The project took approximately 20 hours of machine time per phone housing, using a $5,000 desktop CNC mill. While Allen spent between $5,000-$10,000 on materials during development, he said that anyone following his documented process could replicate the achievement for under $1,000. The custom housing enables modifications that were previously impossible, such as accommodating larger batteries or adding back beloved features like the headphone jack.
This customization approach doesn't compete with Apple's business model. Every modified iPhone still requires an authentic Apple logic board as there are no aftermarket versions available. Instead, the project gives new life to used or broken phones that might otherwise end up in electronic waste facilities.
Previously:
• Interview with Scotty Allen, host of the Strange Parts Youtube channel
