LAPTOP DESK FROM OLD CAMERA TRIPOD

Laptop desk from Camera Tripod. Works along side your bed, chair , whatever.

Step 1:

First, I found a nut that fits the camera tripod base. Then counter sunk, drilled into the other side of a piece of scrap so that it wouldn't pull through and had enough that the tripod screw could bite into it from bottom. I made the wood base smaller than the laptop to help in the cooling underneath. Carefully tighten the tripod base to the wood (hand tighten)

Comments

[hilldomain]

one way to get rid of the non slip pad and help it breathe better would be to just attach a ledge at the bottom so it wont slip off. This could be used as a palm rest as well since typing standing up you are left without support.

[sutlaf]

I built the same thing and here is why. Pay attention. This is important:


Scientists at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana analyzed the lifestyles of more than 17,000 men and women over about 13 years, and found that people who sit for most of the day are 54 percent more likely to die of heart attacks.

That’s right—I said 54 percent!

Masters immediately called the lead researcher at Pennington, a professor named Peter Katzmarzyk. Turns out, this wasn’t the first study to link sitting and heart disease. Similar research actually dates back to 1953, when British researchers found that (sitting) bus drivers were twice as likely to die of heart attacks as (standing) trolley operators.

Here’s the most surprising part: “We see it in people who smoke and people who don’t,” Katzmarzyk told Masters. “We see it in people who are regular exercisers and those who aren’t. Sitting is an independent risk factor.”

In other words, it doesn’t matter how much you exercise or how well you eat. If you sit most of the day, your risk of leaving this world clutching your chest—whether you’re a man or women—as much as doubles.

[spawnos3717]

....and those hemoroids are a pain in the arse!!..lol

[Crucio]

A fantastic idea. Perfect for those of us sysadmins who sit all day and want to be able to stand to break the monotony. :D

Thanks a lot!

(I wrote nearly the same comment to mikeasaurus who made nearly the same thing, but more recently.)

[Superlateral]

I know this thread might long be forgotten, but it's just what I have been looking for. I damaged my back last summer, and as a designer who spends hours at my computer both in the office and on building sites I have been looking to create just such a table myself. Is it for everyone? No, but to enable the few who are not suited to products marketed for the many is awesome and noble! Many thanks,

[bethmwl]

Awesome idea! Brings up more ideas for using a tripod base. Thanks!

[memekode]

This is a great solution for location shoots with my dslr tethered. Thanks for this simple but effective solution.

[Sandisk1duo]

a little bit pointless.... but i like it

[Odin]

Hardly Pointless,
Let's look at it from a commercial or serious hobby standpoint.
If you do any kind of serious outdoor portraiture or architectural photography I find it essential to have a laptop while shooting teathered to the camera.

1. Instant feedback regarding exposure, composition and white balance.
(try properly evaluating your image with the 2.5 or 3 inch screen on the camera even with a Hoodman)

2. Easier for the client (model or art director) to see the product while in production.

Having the laptop attached securely to tripod at the shoot is important. This design is both secure, affordable and can be tweaked to be modified for your particular computer.

[gilbert2048]

heck no this is extremely useful

[shooby]

pointless? come on, this is awesome. Very mobile, light, doesn't take up much space. This'd be great with casters as well, and if you clarified that it it can be made with a new tripod as well as an old one.

[Sandisk1duo]

you have to be standing in order to use it!

[shooby]

no you don't. You can be (which is pretty cool as well, and not pointless at all), but you could also put it in front or beside you. Maybe the author can post photos showing possible positions...

[Davidl3]

This is great. My laptop usually takes up most of the space on my desk next to the two other monitors on my desk.

[Owlbear]

great idea, my only concern is that you appear to have partially blocked the heat vent with the strap you used.

[memyselfand1]

Really good idea! It might also help keep the Desk Upon Which Nothing May Survive a bit more tidy.

[memyselfand1]

My laptop is perfectly designed for this , the usb ports are right where the strap goes across.

[Devildad]

Nice! Thanks. I like this idea. I think I will try this when I am camping. I plan to do some time lapse photography in the woods and need my laptop to store all the pics after about 8 to 12 hours of shooting.

[stone3408]

I do CAD mapping of crime scenes and we use this all the time. This is a great idea. The whole thing get more stable the higher you set it up as that changes the center of gravity. The weak point is the single bolt holding the laptop. Also poor quality tripods may not lock in enough to support the weight at an angle.

[ra_chet]

If you look in the picture, the legs are at minimal extension. This gives a height of 1.5 feet. ( for use by your couch) For taller applications, extend the legs and you can use by your bed , along side bar stool etc.

[etlerd]

Not at all, Alex. Why surf from your counter/table/desk when you can do it more comfortably from a comfy chair? I am a little worried about the stability of such a hack; it'd be pretty top heavy, at least with my 8 lb laptop.