Peel 'n' Stick Disc Storage

User-Contributed Project

User-Contributed Project

This project guide is not managed by MAKE staff.

Turn any smooth surface into a CD file.

  • Add Note x

These stick-on CD/DVD hubs are marketed to publishers who want to include an optical disc in a book, card, folder, or other printed matter. They cost pennies apiece and, with the aid of the attached print-and-cut template, are easily arranged in a hexagonal grid on any smooth surface you might want to use for disc storage. Discs stored this way are easy to browse at a glance, without flipping pages, and don't take up space on a table or shelf.

Sections
Files
Tools
  • Cloth, damp or paper towel
Tools (continued)
Relevant parts
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Add Note Edit Step 1 — Plan layout  ¶ 

  • Choose a surface.

    • My home-office door is almost never closed and the back was not in great shape to begin with. I was therefore not too concerned about messing up the finish, but you may want to be more careful.

    • The surface needs to be smooth enough for the hubs to stick. Besides a door, a mirror or a piece of cardboard or masonite hung on the wall would work.

  • Draw a plan.

    • I used Adobe Illustrator to figure out how many discs I could fit on the door and how I wanted to lay them out, but InkScape, SketchUp, or plain old pen and paper would also work just fine.

    • A full-size CD is 120 mm across with a 15 mm hole. The template allows for 15 mm of clearance between CDs, as well, which puts them 135 mm apart on-center.

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Add Note Edit Step 2 — Print and cut template  ¶ 

  • Print template at full size on heavy paper.

  • Cut out along dotted lines.

    • I used a swing-arm paper cutter, but a pair of scissors or an art knife and straightedge would work just as well.

  • Punch holes.

    • If you cut the template edges accurately, a US-style single-hole punch centered on each short edge should put a hole in just the right place.

    • The holes do not have to be precisely positioned, so it's OK if you miss the black circle by a little bit.

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Add Note Edit Step 3 — Lay out grid  ¶ 

  • Use an erasable marker to do your layout work. You may want to perform a discrete test, first, to verify its erasability. I used a wet-erase overhead projection marker.

  • Measure and mark centerline and position of first CD.

    • I measured and marked the center of the door at the top edge, and right above the knob, and connected those two marks with a line.

    • Then I measured 16 cm down from the top edge, along the line, and made a witness mark to position the center of the top CD.

  • Iterate template over surface and mark grid locations.

    • Start with your witness mark, and work along the centerline first.

    • Once you've got the center column of discs positioned, finish out toward the edges.

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Add Note Edit Step 4 — Affix hubs  ¶ 

  • Peel the adhesive off the back of each hub, center it over one of your grid marks, and stick it in place.

  • Once all the hubs are attached, erase any remaining layout marks, e.g. with a damp cloth.

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Add Note Edit Step 5 — Use it  ¶ 

  • Click your discs onto the hubs, and you're done!

It remains to be seen how well the adhesive on the hubs will hold up over time. If this were a door that were frequently opened and closed, I might be a bit more concerned about the hubs eventually working loose and falling off. Stay tuned for updates.

For more information, check out the Office category page.

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