Introduction: How to Make Laptop Feet Legs Replacements Without 3D Printer

By Francisco Dominguez
About: I'm an Electrical Engineer and I have build some robots and microcontroller based systems. I also like building things that fly like planes, rockets and more. I started with 14 years old controlling an arm wit…

In this intructable you'll learn how to make yourself laptop feet legs easy and quickly.

Nowadays we use a lot our laptop, that can result on a brocken laptop feet leg. Sometimes the manufacturer doesn't have replacement and it's not in warranty. Finding the exact one you need is a challenge either online or near home.

So before buying a new cover for your laptop (sometimes not possible as it's outdated already), you may think: how to fix it without much hassle? You also maybe prefer to fix your things at home without even using a 3D printer...

This instructable helps you with that issue, even for other devices with a similiar design, or if you need to create some foldable legs for your next craft!

The pictures show the original legs on the cover.

Supplies

You will need simple tools and material that you have at home like:

  • a 3mm thick piece of plastic, at least 2 cm by 10 cm size.
  • a precision knife.
  • a self-healing cutting mat.
  • small hot glue gun and some hot glue.
  • a metal ruller is optional but a good help.

Step 1: Prepare the Pieces, the First Cut, the Outer Shape

My first suggestion is to make at least two pieces of them: on that way you can have a backup one, and not doing everything again another day.

To start, cut the plastic on top of the self-healing cutting mat with the precision knife, I suggest you this order of procedure:

  1. use the original laptop leg as a guide to mark the cuts on the plastic, use the precission knife for it.
  2. pay attention to the dimensions, specially the two pins that go at the side.
  3. It's better to leave some material than cutting too short: you can always cut more latter, but it won't be easy to add back material.
  4. Then cut the outer shape so you have its final dimension. Check with the original leg.

Step 2: Mind (and Cut) the Gap

Now we need to cut the gap between the central body and the sides with the pivot, let's call it the "gap". We'll cut the pins also that will go inside the cover's holes to fit the leg with the cover:

  1. put the original leg on top of the plate that we cut in the previous step.
  2. start cutting the pins, leave some material, later (not yet) you'll adjust until they enter into the holes.
  3. then mark the gaps using still the original leg on top.
  4. Retire the original leg and cut deeply bit by bit the material. Let the cutting tool to do its work.
  5. At this point the new leg is almost finished, try to place it at its position at the botton of the cover.

See the video attached: the legs are weak and bend, so we'll reinforce the legs.

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Step 3: Reinforcement for the Legs

The legs will bend at this point with the weight of the laptop and hands, so it's better to reinforce the legs with some material. But the fix shouldn't avoid the regular movement, so the remaining sticks let over from operations in step 1 will help:

  1. scratch the surface of the legs and the sticks that will glue together, so there is more surface to stick them together. See pictures.
  2. Then use hot glue to stick each stick along the legs, at the side that goes outside the laptop.
  3. Remove the excess of hotglue when cold, and add some between the main plate and the sticks. See pictures.
  4. Once done test again the legs with the laptop's cover to see how the legs are stiffer.

See the video attached how the legs are now stiffer.

Thanks for reading and please share your experience or comments.

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