Hi, and welcome to my instructables about a simple laptop stand I made from scrap plywood. I do a lot of work on my laptop and after hours of drawing or typing I find my neck really starts to ache due to my bad posture. Rather than using a pile of books or buying a stand I decided to design and make one.

Design Brief

I wanted to make something that was cheap/free easy to transport and looks good. I've also not got a great deal of time at the moment because uni work is building up so the design also had to be easy and quick to realise.

Step 1: You Will Need

At the moment I am very privileged to have access to an amazing workshop at uni. As such I use tools that get the job done as quickly and easily as possible. However, you could make this project with more basic tools i.e. a jigsaw rather than a bandsaw; sand paper and rasps rather than belt sander etc.

Tools

Scissors
Bandsaw or Jigsaw
Disc sander
Belt sander
Orbital sander
Gentleman's saw
Square file

Materials

Spray adhesive/PVA glue
Plywood roughly A3 paper size (420 x 297mm x 18mm)

Step 2: The Design

Having a look around online at the stands already being made helped me decide how I would make my own. I decided to go with a simple interlocking cross made up of two pieces of plywood. I liked the idea the cross can be taken apart and put in my backpack for easy transportation.

I drew the design on Rhinoceros 3D to work out the dimensions and angles and from this model I was able to produce a template. I have attached the template should anyone want to make it themselves.

Step 3: Material

I managed to find a decent bit of 18mm plywood in the scrap bin at uni. To use the template from the previous step you should make sure your material is also 18mm thick. If you plan on using something different and would like me to adjust the template for that thickness leave me a comment.

Step 4: Transfer Template

Roughly cut out an 'A' and a 'B' piece and stick them to the plywood.

Step 5: Cut Out

For this step I used the bandsaw however you could use a jigsaw if you don't have access to a bandsaw. To round the corners nicely I used the disc sander.

Step 6: Mark Up

Now that that the pieces are cut out it is possible to line up the other 'A' and 'B' piece to trace on the cuts to be made. With the interlocking cuts marked on both sides a line can be drawn on the top face to connect the two cuts.

Step 7: Cuts for Interlocking

Referencing the marks cut out the two gaps to achieve the interlocking. I found using a gentleman's saw and a rasp to be the easiest way. I also found that it was a case of trying to fit the pieces together and then filling a bit more until it fitted nicely.

Step 8: Sanding

Although in the 3D model I made the feet of the stand stood flat this was not the case in real life. As such I had to use the belt sander to flatten the feet. I also used the orbital sander and sand paper to neaten everything up.

Step 9: Finishing

The final step was just to give the stand a coat of wax.

Step 10: Done

And there you have it, a simple, inexpensive, easily transportable, elegant laptop stand. I hope you have enjoyed this instructable. No more sore necks :)

If you have enjoyed this instructable please consider voting for it in the trash to treasure contest, thanks.

Happy making!