Making an Acoustic Phone Amplifier

There are so many ways you can listen to music these days, and mobile phones have taken a big chunk of that market in the last few years. However, phones don't really have the volume to fill a room with sound. That's what we're fixing in today's installment, when we're making an acoustic phone amplifier!
Make sure you watch until the end, as there is a small announcement which could be especially relevant if you're an instagram user.
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---------------------------
Images:
2007Computex e21Forum-MartinCooper by Rico Shen
CC BY-SA 3.0
commons.wikime...
abandoned toy by photocapy
CC BY-SA 2.0
www.flickr.com...
Music:
Nicolai Heidlas - On and On
CC-BY-4.0
Nicolai Heidlas - Golden Ocean
CC-BY-4.0
In Zanzibar by J. W. Myers
Public Domain

[@Tony-375]

I like how 99% of people watching this won't have any machines, or supplies to create this project.

[@ConcernedCalcium]

Tony 375 off and by hand is the way to go

[@exzelcic]

Tony 375 exactly

[@ConcernedCalcium]

Martin Tolentino There needs to be a re-shooting of the vid, a DIY edition, or a PDF for those unsure.

[@exzelcic]

A skeleton With High Standards they should. Cuz nobody just owns a machine

[@ConcernedCalcium]

Martin Tolentino Unless you're a service that allows random people to use your machines. It's weird, but handy.

[@TheGremlinsParadise]

Wow it actually amplified more then i would thought it did.. Great did, and a beautiful please of Mastercraft

[@frankstrawnation]

*than

[@richardmcginnis5344]

wood-hard wood is a great amplifier its why its used for most older music boxes because it resonates really well

[@jimmydiresta]

Clearly a coincidence and a good one. Great work as always!

[@SwitchAndLever]

+jimmydiresta cheers man! Still, a bit jealous of your horn, been looking for one like it for a while. Love your build, and that you kept the integrity of the old horn and didn't repaint it or something such.

[@ChrisFredriksson]

Really beautiful! While I wouldn't perhaps make one myself, I do believe thats a fine piece of art and its also useful! Awesome! =D

[@9Tensai9]

Man, you are a perfectionist. It starts pretty simple but then it becomes fairly complicated. Nice technique and all but sheesh... so much work details and effort... I love it. Pretty entertaining and satisfying

[@PollyBonanzas]

Man, I wish I had all the tools needed to create cool things like this. I've got a decent amount of handheld tools, but nothing like lathes, band saws, table saws, drill presses, and so on. I do have access to some of these things though. No lathe though. I'm glad I discovered this channel. I love shit like this. I've been working on making a bass guitar from a water damaged body I found. It's completely unpainted, and no strings or electronics installed. It does have a neck though, which appears to be in great shape. It also has the tuners and strap pegs which I'm going to replace. There is some rust that accumulated where the screw goes in on the bottom to hold in the strap peg. I'm not exactly sure what to do to clean it out though. I'm thinking of drilling a bigger hole and filling it back up so I can drill a new hole for the new screw. I procrastinate a lot though, so it's taking me quite a while to get this done.

[@SugarcreekForge]

Such a very cool project. I love your creativity and no stress approach. Very nice - thanks for posting!

[@SwitchAndLever]

Cheers!

[@crazyguy9709]

I have to say one of the best builds I've seen in a long time

[@EricLeePiano]

the level of detail you put into this project is amazing :)

[@valuepurposemission7517]

awesome choice of music to demo the amplified sound :) because you know ... nostalgia :)

[@seonjie]

ok , now i need to buy some cnc machine

[@SwitchAndLever]

+Seon wei jie based on this video I'm not sure why, I'm not using any CNC machines to make this amplifier.

[@AMalas]

then how the hell did you machine out the slot for your phone.. genuinely interested

[@SwitchAndLever]

+Anas Malas it's a drill press, with an endmill. You can clearly see me moving the piece by hand, no computers involved. That's what the C in CNC stands for, Computer Numerical Control.

[@SwitchAndLever]

+Switch & Lever sorry, by moving it by hand I meant moving it by turning the levers on the press. It may be a coordinate table, but there is no CNC.

[@AMalas]

Switch & Lever I know what a CNC is, I am an electrical engineer ;) Could you share more details about how a coordinate table works? Fairlt new to wood working and especially new to your fancy equipment... My guess is that is like a CNC but you input the G code manually?

[@terryfrageskides548]

very elegant and classically beautiful it has made a simply mobile phone into a work of art. totally awesome makes a visual impact.

[@BLOODjack143]

great gift for our grand parents if they want abit of the classic sound

[@1Hope4All]

Wow! I really appreciate your craftsmanship in this piece. Great work. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@cevim]

to be used until iPhones next model which probably will have a different spot for its speaker

[@cevim]

but perfect job! and I really wanted to make it myself for my Nexus

[@SwitchAndLever]

Sure, at which point you either re-mill the groove, or remake the wooden part altogether. I tend to use my phones for three-ish years at a time, I can live with remaking the wooden piece with that interval. Turk musun?

[@cevim]

evet :) türkçe bildiğini varsayarak devam edebilir miyim?

[@SwitchAndLever]

Maalesef, sadece biraz. Türkçe öğreniyorum, ama yavaş yavaş. Ankarada yaşadım kısa süreliğine. :)

[@cevim]

Switch & Lever Eğer bu cümleyi yardım almadan kurduysan, "biraz"dan fazla öğrenmişsin bence :)

[@monicaacinom9412]

I love this! A few years back they sold these at a store called Restoration Hardware for around $150. and they worked great. Sadly Restoration stopped carrying them and most people do not have these tools at home to make their own.

[@fleshtonegolem]

Technically it's a horn. An amplifier requires an electronic component driving the power output. The audio of the phone before the horn is pointed at the floor and then the audio coming out of the horn is far more direct. You filmed this beautifully. Wish you had a better example of the before and after audio.

[@farn0153]

Jesse Gunn yeah, but a horn is an analog amplifier

[@fleshtonegolem]

Farnømat analog amplifiers are also electronic. some are digital and some are analog (tubes) an amplifier increases a signal prior to leaving a speaker. It's a direct manipulation of the signals amplitude that makes it an "amplifier" this is an acoustic horn.

[@kcgunesq]

@@farn0153 Please explain how this horn can get more out (whatever unit you chose) than is put into it?

[@slasherae1842]

It's basically amplifying the sound of the phone so you can technically call it an amplifier

[@raykent3211]

@@kcgunesq the energy comes from the phone battery. This horn is a passive device and so cannot increase the output energy. It does two things, it makes a better impedance match to the air and focuses the sound in the direction it's pointing. It increases decibels for a listener in front by "stealing" them from a listener behind. It's principally a lens.

[@Saffreuge]

Aside of being a fancy piece of woodwork, this is also actually useful. You are a talented person, sir.

[@claterpult]

Cool idea and great use for an old bugle. just found you in the KZbin, you just got one more sub

[@paza65]

People keep talking about how most watching this will not have the tools necessary. So what!? This is super informative and interesting (and humorous) so maybe someone will get more interested in woodworking enough to buy some tools. Fantastic job!

[@Cronuz2]

So this is what hipsters do in their free time.

[@MortenSundal]

This is one of the best looking and best sounding versions I've seen. In the process of gathering the components to build one myself. I'm considering internal metal tubing, all the way to the phone speaker.

[@WoodworkingBarcelona]

You did a terrífic job Daniel! Upcycling that horn was a clever idea. It matches really well with walnut, no doubt. I'm glad you came back in business. Regards!

[@SwitchAndLever]

I'm back! If the computer hadn't broken down this video would have been out a month ago, but such is life. More videos to come, for sure!

[@WoodworkingBarcelona]

+Switch & Lever Yeah, man against the technology ;D Anyway, it worth the wait, no doubt!

[@VIDEOEPPO]

I saw this video last night, and went hunting for an autorickshaw horn for this make. But out there in the flea market , I saw some brass based items. A miniature table fan made out of brass. It works!!! and a good collection. See if you can give it a try. I will surely try this one of yours when I get the right stuff. Loved this video

[@InspireToMake]

Great project!!!

[@SwitchAndLever]

+Inspire To Make thank you!

[@justpeelintheonion8039]

+Switch & Lever Beautiful mate.

[@eyema88]

I love the simple but straightforward directions. Wood - Check, Sander - Check, Drill - Check, Now where on earth is my metal lathe???

[@closedupshop4172]

I HAVE TO MAKE THIS. I'm probably not gonna make it *as* detailed as yours but the amplifier is sooooo retro and cool!

[@RimWulf]

props for using old music keeping the theme

[@katzmosestools]

Awesome build! What kind fo table saw do you have?

[@stubee52]

That would make a difference how?

[@katzmosestools]

+stubee52 I want one. doesn't make a difference at all

[@stubee52]

Katz-Moses Woodworking Shop If it makes no difference then what is the point of your question?

[@katzmosestools]

+stubee52 come on guy! I like the digital angle feature on his table saw. I was interested in what model it was. The brand is clear but not the model number. I Googled it before asking but couldn't find an answer. What happened that made you into a person that finds the need to be an asshole for no reason? It's a legitimate question from one maker (and big fan) to another. There is no need for your hostility and general suckiness.

[@katzmosestools]

I am not building a french horn phone speaker at the moment. Its a great build and very clever. I am well aware of the nuances of building one. I'm an inventor and engineer. Does that matter? Not one bit. I am a professional woodworker in the market for a very nice table saw. I like his. I couldn't find more information. I asked. It was a beyond reasonable question. You responded by being a complete condescending knuckle dick. Everyone deserves the right to seek information, engage in the discussion and learn. I hope you find whatever it is that you're missing in your life that makes you lash out at others so viciously, even when unwarranted. I wish you happiness and peace of mind my friend. Have a great day, seriously.

[@onepercentile]

Very classy build. I'd want to hear a sound test of music that's full definition and not the oldies (even though I love the classics), just to hear the amplification capabilities. Even if not used it's a beautiful ornament in any home. Well done mate!

[@PracticalEngineeringChannel]

Very cool project. I don't think that's walnut though. Looks like mahogany.

[@SwitchAndLever]

It was marked walnut though (valnöt in Swedish, you can still see the sharpie mark on the wood in the video), in my experience mahogany isn't as deep in color as walnut is. I may be wrong though. Glad you liked it!

[@PracticalEngineeringChannel]

You're probably right if that's what it was marked. Either way, it's awesome.

[@SwitchAndLever]

+Practical Engineering could also have been mislabeled long ago when that piece was shelved. I have no idea how long it's been laying around just collecting dust. That makes me wonder if there is something like a quick, maybe chemical, test of determining species of wood. To the Google-mobile!

[@doubledarefan]

Wood Database may help. www.wood-database.com/

[@talonhaskins5333]

Absolutely beautiful choice of varnish and perfectly done. Good advice about the corners.

[@sirgalah561]

I like the fact it would look totally at home in a Steampunk themed setting... And as far as people saying they don't have all the devices to make the project.. Improvise!!! I'm going to give it a go, but do it all by hand.. It'll take a bit longer, yeah, but it looks like a fun build..

[@Elektronaut]

Who cases if someone else has build something similar? It looks very nice and the video is going into all the details of making it. love it

[@ellisonle1029]

That "the following day" part had me near the disslike button,nut I held back, I gave it a like.

[@SwitchAndLever]

+Ellison Le not a fan of Spongebob?

[@Aletaire]

It was just really terribly done lol. Great videos as always, but the voice... it didn't really work.

[@hunterbeaulaurier1614]

+Robert McEwen it was supposed to be bad...

[@sharkamov]

That was some _awesome_ steampunk phone-amp!!! 🏆 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

[@imin2cad]

Nice job, Iike the steampunk look of it as well

[@tonywhitburn]

Holly damn!!! It really gives the old vinyl feeling. I would buy it

[@jaredstarnes6668]

Fantastic! Great tip on the small piece of wood with tape for finishing.

[@SwitchAndLever]

As long as you don't want/need to finish the bottom it's definitely a quick way to get it done!

[@andywright2380]

Very well done. The nice thing about your design is that the horn can be recycled with a different wooden base for the iphone 7, 8, 9, etc

[@SwitchAndLever]

+Andy Wright yeah, it would be very easy to just make a new base. The only issue would be if, like the Samsung phones, the speaker sits in the back.

[@eylien5730]

Remember Safety THIRD made my day :D

[@rockdog2584]

Terrific idea and nicely done! I love that "retro" look to the whole thing.

[@enescakr4203]

it looks so classy. i loved it

[@SwitchAndLever]

Teşekkürler!

[@jean-marclabonte2844]

Greetings from the Great White North. Excellent build and great explanation. Luckily, I have access to all the tools and materials you have used and I am going to build one too. I just thinks it looks and sounds great. Thank you for posting the build. Take Care.

[@itsfontana]

You are SO talented. Best 17 min of my life.

[@SwitchAndLever]

Obrigado! Now that is what I would've used as "your best comment" during today's event! Haha! Thanks man!

[@koryjonathan2066]

I appreciate how you've detailed every single step and gave reasons to why every step is taken. However this project has to be simplified with tools that are available in the laymans house. Great project though.

[@SwitchAndLever]

If this was a tutorial I completely agree, but it's to be taken more as inspiration. This could easily be done with hand tools, but I'm going to use the tools I have available. If you want to learn how to use a saw, a chisel or a handplane properly there are plenty of channels out there to teach you 🙂

[@samuelboisvert65]

anyone else watch these videos and are like... who actually has these machines at home?

[@SwitchAndLever]

+Samuel Boisvert I make these videos and I don't even have these machines at home. In the end, if you get hung up on what you don't have instead of trying to explore alternative methods of doing things then of course complaining on KZbin is much easier than getting things done. My videos are not a recipe that you follow step by step, they do require a little bit of more cognitive effort than that.

[@samuelboisvert65]

Sorry you took offense to my comment. It wasn't meant to be offensive. Side note: I actually did like the video. More cognitive effort than that? Really? Dislike.

[@SwitchAndLever]

+Samuel Boisvert I'm glad you like the video, don't get me wrong. But the argument of not having the machines is more a sign of not actually wanting to do anything about it. If you actually wanted to you wouldn't complain about it, but rather try to figure things out. I'm not trying to be rude, but I'm not sugar coating things either. Dislike if you wish, that's your right, but my videos are not "How to make anything with duct tape and a paper clip" kind of videos, and even if they were I'm sure someone would complain that they don't have paper clips.

[@samuelboisvert65]

(btw, when I say these videos I'm talking about the general ''Making ____'' videos). I'm not complaining about your videos or any other. I was just saying that there a lot of cool things on youtube that many people aren't able to replicate easily. That's it. It wasn't even aimed towards you. My comment was just a question to see who could relate.

[@rollingtones1]

Samuel Boisvert Yes you know, I looked in my kitchen drawers and my closets, and I could not find any of these tools.

[@LyneisFilm]

That was a fun video. Great tools, great voice over and interesting design. Probably 20 man hours to build at $30 per hour. So $600 in manpower costs. But at 770,000 views a job well done.

[@NikLyons]

Everything is so perfect and crispy. Nice job!

[@ThePaulbusby]

great work and nice to see the return of more complex projects.

[@TheChipmunk2008]

that is an absolutely beautiful thing to see

[@JoeSmith-pd2hw]

I want one sooooooo bad... :C

[@bigblaze2532]

Great idea/project! Great recycling/upcycling of the old horn! Great job overall!

[@mangocrafters]

Wait... what? Safety third?

[@SwitchAndLever]

Indeed. There are far more important things than safety, like being aware of your surroundings for instance.

[@mangocrafters]

But being aware of your surrounding is a part of safety...

[@mangocrafters]

You are right

[@MaladyKayjo]

Mango safety never

[@incognitotorpedo42]

Safety third is overkill. In my shop, safety is fifth or sixth, depending on what I'm doing and how drunk I am.

[@swansong1851]

That's a cute passive amplifier. I want to build one for myself.

[@paleale62]

Dank je wel. You really made it look so simple, beautiful and functional. You seemed to enjoy yourself, and I enjoyed watching. Cheers, Alison K

[@Joshinator219]

if safety is 3rd, what is 1st and 2nd??

[@wiegershitpostcollective]

drugs and money

[@bjarneherrmann4566]

Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll

[@subrataraychaudhury6797]

Accident and hospitalization

[@featheryfemme]

Danger and carelessness.

[@tonywhitburn]

Subrata Ray Chaudhury you made my day xd

[@thomasarussellsr]

Nicely done. Functional art.

[@tSp289]

How to get money off hipsters: create an iphone accessory from walnut and brass. Nice work though. Makes me long for the days when I had an actual workshop and tools more specialised than a screwdriver.

[@vidskitkid]

Amazingly well done tutorial with many wonderful tips and techniques. And yes you seem to have access to a full machine shop but is was fun to watch and very instructive, thank you for making the effort and posting it for our enjoyment!

[@ayme5868]

Can i just buy it off u

[@SwitchAndLever]

That all depends on how much you're willing to pay. Since it's a bespoke item, and has taken quite some time to create, factoring in time, tax and a small profit it would end up being somewhere around $2000. Are you still interested?

[@ayme5868]

Switch & Lever How about a small loan of a million dollars

[@SwitchAndLever]

+Cre8able sure, I'll get right on that. Who do I make this imaginary and invisible check out to?

[@ayme5868]

Switch & Lever Bill Gates

[@mozdedo]

Cre8able

[@amiralozse1781]

so beautiful and well thought - a real peace of art!

[@jamess3417]

well thought. .....no

[@sayujraphael]

I thought safety was number one priority.

[@SwitchAndLever]

+Sayuj Raphael all the safety gear in the world won't help if you lose focus and have a poor grasp of your surroundings.

[@sayujraphael]

Happy to see that you read my comment and replied. You are really right about that. But what I meant was a reference to Crazy Russian Hacker,😊 Have good day! ,

[@sayujraphael]

Switch & Lever you make really good videos, just subscribed to you

[@SwitchAndLever]

+Sayuj Raphael welcome! Hope you enjoy your stay! :)

[@GootWaysecrettwinofGerardWay]

Sayuj Raphael OH MY GOD HAHAHAH

[@New777World]

Great work and finish but not many of us have thosands of dollars on equipment to work on!

[@rgetso]

Hang on ... let me put you on speaker phone. Diresta's version has that cool steampunk vibe made with minimal tools. This one, more of a spastic Grammy award look. I say both are cool and inspiring.

[@exogendesign4582]

damn, it came out really clean and nice,, looks so classic.

[@josepcb2882]

GENIAL.Saludos desde Barcelona Catalonia

[@tajhayes7841]

Awesome build man!!

[@justintai8725]

Brilliant job, ive made à make shift amp with plastic cups before

[@Khether0001]

man... I love this channel...!

[@AngelLuisTrinidad]

It has like a x6 amplification. Pretty good, nice job, it looks beautiful.

[@SwitchAndLever]

How did you figure out that it had that much amplification? Thanks!

[@AngelLuisTrinidad]

I did a complicated math analysis, but at the end, I just guess.

[@chrlsstotz8679]

This is really cool honestly

[@vanomaden]

Nice. Would have been nice to include the charger cable as well. If you want to measure the results use an audio measurement software like Smaart for example.

[@SwitchAndLever]

That would defeat the point of it being analogue though.

[@dann8260]

Love your safety third!!! Thanks for that :)

[@akarna69]

"Put the horn into the hole", that's what she said.. Hahaha!

[@agatron9237]

You are like Casey Niestat of diy projects! Nice video!

[@SwitchAndLever]

+DejaVu haha, I wish!

[@xXHacksAndTipsXx]

Man hope your channel gets bigger soon, you really have some interesting projects!

[@m.emrahozkaya9903]

This is excellent. I would have preferred cleaning the solder joints (both old and new) though.

[@SwitchAndLever]

+M.Emrah Ozkaya since I couldn't selectively only remove the dark garnish I would've had to polish up the entire horn. I really did not want to do that, that's why I kept it like it was. I quite like it though! :)

[@majidalamri5328]

First of all, it is very cool project. Secondly, it is surprising how people are complaining about the tools he used. Simply you can use any set of tools at your disposal I can do it even with a hand saw and a chiesel And if you can’t do it therefore you are watching the wrong channel guys.

[@billythehillychannel777]

help I can't stop watching these videos

[@SwitchAndLever]

Don't worry about it, just continue watching, there are plenty left to check out! Or just subscribe and come back and watch more another day! :D

[@Gsavell]

Awesome great piece of functional art.

[@douglasstewart4066]

Well, I just ordered a lathe, a CNC machine, a drill press, a sanding station and a bunch of end mills. I hope my niece likes her new amplifier.

[@SwitchAndLever]

If you ordered it to just make this, what a waste, if you’re making a sarcastic comment due to the use of tools without realizing everything I did can be done with hand tools then you’re just insulting your own intelligence.

[@stevecook6505]

AWESOME build ,Amazing look , Great quote... Safety Third!

[@DavidEricPrates]

Absolutely fantastic build!!

[@adisharr]

Cool project man, very nicely done! Quite a conversation piece!

[@valveman12]

Nicely done. A great project.

[@esquatzel]

Wow! Great job man! I appreciate your attention to detail. Fun video!

[@terrytewell5507]

RF Finally something I can afford! Sandpaper.

[@tomaszb.765]

Świetna robota i fantastyczny pomysł.

[@Garageworkshop]

Great project and execution! Never seen a protractor like that before, what is the name or the brand that makes them?

[@SwitchAndLever]

+Garage workshop no idea, it was just laying around the workshop. They're not uncommon in my experience, should be able to find them in a well stocked office supply store.

[@Garageworkshop]

Looked pretty interesting, I thought it was Starrett or some other special machinist protractor, not an office supply item. Thanks for answering.

[@Barefoot3us]

Daniel, I loved this video of your making the Acoustic Phone Amplifier. I like all your videos, but this one is fascinating . I may try to make one if I can find a flea market horn like you did. Thank you so much for sharing your talents in your videos. All my best, Jeff

[@SwitchAndLever]

You're ever so welcome, glad you liked it! Check out Jimmy DiResta's horn over at the Make channel for another take on the horn amplifier.

[@Barefoot3us]

Daniel, Thanks and I look forward to your future videos. Just curious do you have any schwag? Best, Jeff

[@SwitchAndLever]

Unfortunately no schwag as of now, but there are plans in the works for something in the coming months, so keep watching this space!

[@Punkwart]

Good Job! Looks great. in case you still need it: you could get a DB-Meter-App for Android/iOS

[@foreverlostinabook]

Oh man I wish I had the tools to make this! I love it.

[@brucegreaves3204]

Very good instructions, thank you for sharing 😊

[@fdort3971]

@SwitchAndLever thanks for the lesson! It's funny but I started watching to learn about the speaker idea but you actually solved 2 other issues for me! What is the name of the product you used to remove the soder please? I have a brass and glass jewellery box I need to repair for a friend. I'm trying to start my own woodworking business repurposing and refurbishing items to keep them out of the landfill. I have the main portion of a trombone with a pretty design on it. Unfortunately the slider was gone. It was going to be tossed and I grabbed it. Now I know what to do with it to give it a new lease on life!

[@chaitanyavedak2412]

This is absolutely and Loudly a Good Looking Amplifier.. .

[@silvansilva1340]

Simply Incredible ! Good job !

[@moonchildoforcamoon6272]

So jealous of your tools. I am slowly building up mine :) :)

[@ersadkaya4021]

It is looking amazing dude keep it up.

[@viking90706]

Best build on KZbin Switch ! are you Danish ?!

[@Kapten_R3]

He is Swedish, so am I

[@Kapten_R3]

You?

[@thankappanasari9142]

viking90706 ebickekit

[@thankappanasari9142]

viking90706