Get rich from old electronics
Lin Xi, 26, lives in China and now pursues a special job: dismantling electronic components and putting them in frames. This work helped Lin earn 3 million yuan (about 10.3 billion dong) last year.
Customers bring Lin “unique” phones: the original iPhone designed by Steve Jobs, the original Sony “Pocket” discontinued, or the Motorola “Big Brother” manufactured in 1970s. Behind every phone is a meaningful story.
It could be the phone a man used to make the last call with his mother, or it could be an iPhone6, a memento of the couple’s 10 years of love… Lin’s customers want them to be dismantled and framed for longer storage.
A corner of Lin Xi’s studio. Photo: Toutiao
Lin Xi started this job 2 years ago, when she posted on the Internet a video of dismantling, designing and framing the iPhone 4. Lin Xi immediately received attention and attracted 200 orders and orders. The largest item is up to 5,000 yuan. It took her half a year to pay off this huge amount of orders.
The girl opened her first studio after just over a year of doing this unique work. Although it was only a small business project, she continuously encountered many problems. The hardest part is recruiting. People who understand design don’t understand digital products and people who understand digital products don’t know design. Personnel training is a matter of great expense and effort for Lin.
Put new clothes on old things
Lin Xi’s desk is always full of screwdrivers and tweezers for removing mobile phones, boxes for small parts, ultrasonic alcohol for cleaning machines, bottom plate glue…
Lin Xi’s desk. Photo: Toutiao
Her job is precisely combining and redesigning mobile phone components into works of art. Thanks to that, the old phone will have a new look. Not only phones, Lin also accepts to make computers, game consoles, electric toothbrushes, military medals… Since 2020, Lin Xi’s assembly business has been increasingly expanded.
After receiving an electronic device, Lin Xi will confirm with the customer the removable parts, and then clean and maintain the parts. Before framing, she will also delve into the history behind each model. Information such as launch date, chip type and R&D history will be noted next to the parts in the brief introduction. Lin Xi may take 5 to 15 days to research when receiving products that are too old, very little information on the Internet.
After completing the preparatory work is the design process. In the early stages of design, Lin Xi will take out a blank sheet of paper, set aside the mobile phone parts, and draw a sketch according to the shape and size of the parts. After the sketches are drawn, Lin Xi uploads the design drawings to the computer and confirms with the client whether other elements are needed.
Each of Lin Xi’s works contains a story of the owner of the item. Photo: Toutiao
Lin Xi is used to asking customers about the meaning behind the phone, and these stories will become the inspiration for her design works.
To get a disassembled electronic device does not come cheap. The fee to remove basic components such as phones and game consoles is 598 yuan, the design fee is 300 yuan. More complex products like SLR cameras are over 1,000 yuan.
“The most expensive price for a device used to be 2,000-3,000 yuan, now it has increased 10 times,” said Lin Xi.
Lin Xi is satisfied with her unique work. Photo: Toutiao
In addition to selling framed electronics, Lin Xi also sells courses that teach the process of creating these works for around 2,000 yuan. “If you’re just coming to learn technology, I’ll teach. But if you want to start a business like me, I don’t recommend it,” Lin said.
The job gives Lin Xi the exciting experience of working with many devices that have long since disappeared from the market such as pagers, early Motorola phones, or have celebrity clients. She diligently shares videos around this unique work on social networks and has up to 2 million followers on Lin’s account. This also helps her attract a large number of guests and prepare to open a second studio.
Source: Toutiao