From your car to your desk

I am not sure if this blog is updated anymore, but it is / was great
here is a repost from By the airport blog teaching how to transform Old license plates in desk organizers.

For this project you will need: a license plate, a ruler, and a permanent marker.

In general a license plate is about 30 Cm wide. Using your ruler, measure across the width of the license plate at 13cm  and 18cm. This 5cm  space will be the base of the file. I put small marks at the top, centre  and bottom of  the plate so that I get a nice straight edge.

Place your ruler or other sturdy edge along the inside (what will be the base of the file) of one set of marks and make sure your ruler is lined up with the marks.

A license plate is easily bended. Using your ruler as a guide, bend one side of the plate about 45 degrees. We're only going to bend halfway so that there will be room to position your hand to bend the other side.

Next place your ruler along the inside of the second set of marks and use your fingers as shown above to hold the ruler and bend the other side about 45 degrees.

Now you have a "U" shape. To finish the file work the sides to a vertical position so that you create a little file. The bottom corners will have a nice rounded shape.

To get the right shape just  press down on the top of one side of the file against a hard surface and then rapidly bend the other side back and forth about 2cm in both directions. This helps to work the metal into the right shape. You could also use clamps to clamp the base of the file to a desk and then work the sides into the right form.

Ta da! This little file also works well to hold CDs.
(Alternately, you could bend the plates in half and use them as book ends.)