Вы находитесь на странице: 1из 12

Home Sign Up!

Explore Community Submit


All Art Craft Food Games Green Home Kids Life Music Offbeat Outdoors Pets Ride Science Sports Tech

Laptop Bubble Stand


by randofo on May 11, 2009 Table of Contents intro: Laptop Bubble Stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 1: Go get stuff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 2: Prepare to cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 3: Cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 4: Poke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 5: Clamp, measure and bend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 6: Second bend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 7: Fix mistakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 8: Add laptop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 3 4 5 5 6 7 8 9 9

Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Make Magazine Special Offer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laptop-Bubble-Stand/

intro: Laptop Bubble Stand


Everyone is always making laptop stands that, albeit functional, are rather hideous to look at. This becomes less than ideal when you consider that typically, when the laptop is not on the stand, you have to look at it. I wanted to fix this problem by making a laptop stand that was sleek, stylish, inexpensive and kept my laptop cool. With this in mind, I arrived at wicked cool laptop stand that can be made for under $10. The best part is that not only is it cheap, but it's also dead easy to make. Main image courtesy of Sarah.

step 1: Go get stuff


You will need: A 16" x 16" sheet of 1/8" acrylic (this leaves a little room for margins/scrap) A heat gun A ruler Oven mitts Two table clamps A workbench Some plywood scrap A laser cutter (if you don't have a laser cutter, you can download the file in the next step and have a service like Ponoko cut it for you.)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laptop-Bubble-Stand/

step 2: Prepare to cut


Peel the protective material off both sides of your acrylic. Position it correctly in the laser cutter and close the lid. Download the file attached below and open it in Corel Draw.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laptop-Bubble-Stand/

File Downloads
laptopStand1.cdr (70 KB) [NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'laptopStand1.cdr']

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laptop-Bubble-Stand/

step 3: Cut
I am using a 75 Watt Epilog laser cutter with the following print settings: Cut type: Vector Power: 100 Speed: 20 Frequency: 5000 To start cutting my material, I simply hit the green button on the machine and then babysit the machine for twenty minutes while it does its thing.

step 4: Poke
Poke out all of the circles that haven't fallen out on their own. Since there are so many and some are quite small, you can hold the acrylic up to a source of light to determine which holes still need to be opened up. I find a very thin screwdriver or thumb tack works well for poking the circles out of the really small holes.

Image Notes 1. Hard to tell which holes weren't punched.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laptop-Bubble-Stand/

Image Notes 1. Easier to spot holes not punched.

step 5: Clamp, measure and bend


Place a piece of plywood over top of your acrylic. Clamp your acrylic and plywood sandwich to your work bench such that 1" of acrylic is sticking over the edge (and no plywood is). Measure carefully on both corners of your material to make certain that 1" is truly hanging over. Heat up the 1" strip of acrylic with your heat gun, by moving it back and forth along its surface until it visibly starts to droop. The acrylic is now very hot. Put on your oven mitts and bend the acrylic down towards the floor to a 90 degree angle and hold it in place until it starts to cool and maintain this shape on its own. Let go and wait a few more minutes for it to cool more.

Image Notes 1. Bend this down to a 90 degree angle after heating.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laptop-Bubble-Stand/

step 6: Second bend


The next bend is done the same way as the first, but this time you are measuring 4" from the table. The other thing to keep in mind is that there is now a 1" lip pointing up, so you will need a piece of plywood less than 10" long (as not to press down on the lip you just made when you clamp it).

Image Notes 1. Acrylic is hot. Don't do this. Wear protective mitts.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laptop-Bubble-Stand/

step 7: Fix mistakes


Bending acrylic by this method isn't always the most precise. Invariably, you are going to make a mistake or two, especially on the 1" fold. My 1" fold came out very crooked. To fix it, I just re-heated it and clamped it under even pressure two times. This got it to a reasonable state. If I did it a few more times, it would probably have been even better.

Image Notes 1. Mostly fixed.

Image Notes 1. Crooked.

Image Notes 1. Heat the 1" fold

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laptop-Bubble-Stand/

Image Notes 1. Clamp to reform with the correct shape.

step 8: Add laptop


Put your laptop on it and make certain that it works.

Image Notes 1. What a cool laptop stand!

Related Instructables

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laptop-Bubble-Stand/

Advertisements Make Magazine Special Offer

Comments
40 comments Add Comment

SeaLion says:

May 14, 2009. 9:53 AM REPLY "A 16" x 16" sheet of 1/8" acrylic (this leaves a little room for margins/scrap)" Not everyone has a macbook and not everyone's laptops are that size... But I'd love to have a laptop stand...especially this one...the holes should do a good job in ventilation!

jnine says:

May 14, 2009. 9:52 AM REPLY If you're using a drill or hole saw to cut out the circles, it helps to put masking tape over where you're going to cut. It keeps the edges clean and prevents scratching.

Ron Proctor says:

May 14, 2009. 9:35 AM REPLY When doing a bend like this, I like to clamp the smaller part and manipulate the bigger part. It's easier to keep it straight when you have a bigger piece to hold onto.

randofo says:
Good point. I was going to try that for the next one (and perhaps clamping both parts to ensure flat surfaces).

May 14, 2009. 9:39 AM REPLY

pavadrin says:

May 14, 2009. 5:28 AM REPLY can you cut the acrylic with hole saws and drill bits? i know this will take longer but i do not have access to a laser cutter and are unsure whom could cut this (i am in australia, on the forgotten side =] ) cheers

bikerbob2005 says:

May 14, 2009. 8:29 AM REPLY A brand new hole saw will work. The worst thing for the acrylic is heat build up, water works as a coolant. Also saws tend to tear/stretch acrylic so work slowly. I like to clamp the acrylic between thin wood to drill/saw keeps chipping to a minimum.

snigit says:
Hole saws of different sizes?? Would they work or leave crappy edges?

May 14, 2009. 6:59 AM REPLY

cptully says:

May 14, 2009. 7:43 AM REPLY They would work but leave rough, opaque edges. You can take care of that by "fire polishing" - use a propane torch to quickly heat the sawn edge. Expect to burn the plastic until you get the hang of it, so practice on some scrap.

snigit says:
or different sized hole saws??

May 14, 2009. 6:56 AM REPLY

padevries says:

May 14, 2009. 6:42 AM REPLY OK that is really cool. I am actually going to do the same thing to make a "shield" for my stereo equipment so my 1yr old cannot mess with the receiver. Thanks for showing me an easy way to bend the Acrylic. Now off to get the parts and protect my equipment. (and as soon as I find a shop that can cut the holes for me I will make the laptop stand... I wonder what it would look like in stainless steel?

Genepaquin says:

May 14, 2009. 4:57 AM REPLY Great Stand... Wouldn't it be more cost effective just to buy one online some where? How much would it cost to have someone with a Laser Cutter to just cutout the plastic sheet?

askjerry says:

May 14, 2009. 6:30 AM REPLY I usually charge $0.75 USD per minute of laser time... given the number of holes and such here... likely 30 minutes on my 35W Epilog...so that would be about $23 to $30 for the cutting time. Jerry

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laptop-Bubble-Stand/

cmyk says:
For those of us who don't have "sharks with freakin laser beams", could also just use a few different sized drill bits.

May 14, 2009. 6:19 AM REPLY

Holden_vy_s says:
A hole saw might work if you cannot access a laser cutter.

May 13, 2009. 2:18 AM REPLY

Looks cool though, does it slide around on the table when you put weight on the table? Does the overhang at the front of the laptop annoy you?

Vermin says:
A step will drill cut acrylic much more cleanly than a a hole saw.

May 14, 2009. 5:22 AM REPLY

alex-sharetskiy says:
a hole saw might scratch up the acrylic

May 13, 2009. 7:23 AM REPLY

Holden_vy_s says:

May 14, 2009. 4:57 AM REPLY Google it, theres a Youtube video where he uses a hole saw but puts it into reverse to melt into the plastic rather than cut into it.

alex-sharetskiy says:
but you would have uneven edges around the holes

May 14, 2009. 6:39 AM REPLY

tyep says:

May 13, 2009. 1:00 PM REPLY Hole saws and drill bits present a problem with splitting plexiglass. I've found Forstner bits and lubrication combined with low RPM's give the best holes

lucastro says:

May 14, 2009. 12:29 AM REPLY if you blunten your drill bits with a grinder (make the ends of the flutes vertical) then splitting won't be so much of a problem.. just take it easy as the drill goes through..

Honus says:
Well done! Very nice design and execution.

May 13, 2009. 6:29 PM REPLY

verence says:
Nice, simple (a good thing :-), elegant, Too bad, there isn't an affordable laser cutting service where I live.

May 13, 2009. 4:56 PM REPLY

hammer9876 says:

May 12, 2009. 11:43 PM REPLY Just for fun, how much is a new 75 Watt Epilog laser cutter? I took a quick look at your link and, hmmm, no prices. But currently there is a used 75 watt one for (gasp!) $14,995. Good grief! I think I will go look at the Instructables for the "hideous" laptop stands.

randofo says:

May 13, 2009. 12:30 AM REPLY The website I posted (Ponoko) will cut the file for you at a one-time fee. I'm guessing it would run you somewhere around $20 - $30. To buy a laser cutter is considerably more expensive.

bekathwia says:
put your cut file up so we can send it to ponoko! =]

May 13, 2009. 2:30 PM REPLY

randofo says:
I did! It was in the wrong step. Better now.

May 13, 2009. 4:33 PM REPLY

=SMART= says:
That is very cool !, dont have a laser cutter handy though..

May 13, 2009. 12:47 PM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laptop-Bubble-Stand/

baneat says:
pretty, and functional design too.

May 13, 2009. 8:56 AM REPLY

luvit says:
i like sticking my finger in the holes to see which hole turns my finger purple.

May 13, 2009. 12:49 AM REPLY

valamas says:
Hi, Would the acrylic be able to withstand a very heavy laptop?

May 12, 2009. 6:23 PM REPLY

Also, I would require the back "leg" to be as long as the base the laptop sits on. Almost a triangle with a small 15-25 degree angle at the top (like a high-heel shoe). Do you think the the unit would be unsteady with the acrylic material? thanks, love the bubbles.

randofo says:

May 12, 2009. 9:35 PM REPLY Using 1/8" acrylic was fine for my laptop, but if you are concerned about weight, you should be able to easily make this with 1/4" acrylic. If I tilt my laptop screen fully back, it becomes vertical when the whole laptop is tilted upwards at around 45 degrees. I can't speak for all laptops, but I am not sure the benefit of making a stand that is 15 - 15 degrees as, most likely, the screen will be angled forward. Making such a sharp angle with 1/8" acrylic seems slightly precarious, but might be a little better with 1/4" acrylic.

Weissensteinburg says:

May 12, 2009. 8:17 PM REPLY A steeper design would be great for a book stand, too. I love that the circles are both aesthetically pleasing and functional for heat dissipation.

fwjs28 says:
pure awesomeness....5/5

May 12, 2009. 6:53 PM REPLY

caitlinsdad says:

May 12, 2009. 6:13 PM REPLY Surely you have a metal brake there to bend parts. You could have just heated it up when clamped in place and use the brake to make a precise bend. Oh, I forgot, they won't let anyone near the shop tools...

nagutron says:

May 12, 2009. 6:07 PM REPLY This looks great. If someone doesn't want to use a laser cutter, the plan could probably be approximated quite easily with a sheet of plexi and an assortment of drill bits to drill out holes.

geekazoid says:
Very sleek. great 'structable.

May 12, 2009. 5:46 PM REPLY

scoochmaroo says:
I love it too! You need to add it to the InstructablesbyRandy store.

May 12, 2009. 5:36 PM REPLY

jessyratfink says:
Beautiful! I need one. :D

May 12, 2009. 5:34 PM REPLY

NikonDork says:
Simple and Elegant. God I wish I could afford a laser cutter.

May 12, 2009. 5:24 PM REPLY

Brennn10 says:
This is an awesome design. As the laptop heats up, the heat will have somewhere to escape. I love it!

May 12, 2009. 5:11 PM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laptop-Bubble-Stand/

Вам также может понравиться