Simple Metallic Laptop Stand

Make a quick and simple laptop stand that will keep your laptop cool for under $10. After looking for a laptop stand for my new macbook pro I decided to create one myself out of a metallic document holder I bought for $6. It keeps the computer off the surface, gives excellent air circulation and elevates it to a comfortable typing angle and it even matches my laptop.

Step 1 Materials you'll need

Here are the materials you'll need:

1 Metal Mesh Document Holder (I bought mine at Staples for $6, it comes in black or sliver)
1 Roll of Anti-slip shelf liner (bought it at the dollar store)
1 Small block of rubber - This corner piece came in the packaging of my air-conditioner to protect the corners. You can probably find something similar at the hardware or dollar store such as a rubber sandpaper block; just cut the sandpaper sides off.
Glue gun
Double sided tape
Utility blade
Ruler

Comments

[chunkyblamm]

Heres mine, not the best photos though. I took them with my MacBook. Thanks for the ible, this sure beats propping my laptop up on a few dvds. I may trick mine out a lil so if I do, I'll submit those pics too.

[uche07]

wow incredible

[chris99]

Great job chunkyblamm, hope it serves you as well as it has me.

[BEAR2247]

JUST A NOTE TO ADD AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE DESIGN.

IF YOU FIND THE DOCUMENT HOLDER TO LONG FOR YOUR DESK APPLICATION AND SPACE AS I DID AND YOU DON'T WANT THE RUBBER STOPS STICKING OUT IN FRONT.  YOU CAN CAREFULLY CUT THE FRONT END, AS DESCRIBED, INSTEAD OF BENDING UNDER, ABOUT 3/4" TO 1" LONGER THAN NEEDED AND PLACE 3/4" OF THIS EDGE BETWEEN TWO PIECES OF WOOD IN BENCH VISE. CAREFULLY BEND THE EDGE UP SO THAT THE EDGE TURNS UP IN FRONT OF THE FRONT EDGE OF THE LAPTOP AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE. YES, I KNOW THAT THIS WILL LEAVE A SHARP EDGE RIGHT WHERE YOUR WRISTS ARE, BUT I DO HAVE A SOLUTION FOR THAT TOO. GO TO THE LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE AND FOR A FEW DOLLARS YOU CAN BUY A (2) PACK OF PLASTIC CAR DOOR PROTECTORS, IN CHROME OR BLACK, CUT ONE TO THE WIDTH OF THE LAPTOP HOLDER AND GENTLY FORCE IT OVER THE SHARP EDGE, THIS WILL GIVE YOU A CLEAN LOOK AND PROTECT YOUR WRISTS. 

NOTE: THIS WAS A GREAT IDEA YOU HAD AND ALSO GIVES YOU AIR CIRCULATION FOR YOU LAPTOP FANS, GOOD JOB AND IDEA.

BEAR2247 

[The Arbiter]

Thanks for this.  I have looked at building a stand with a dock device and this is the best/ simple/ easiest to build design so far.  Very good instructable!

[Namlem]

Better yet: add a fan to it!

[gwaposai17]

Can I use styrofoam for the corners?

[Kasm279]

yeah, but it wont look as good

[jdtwelve12]

Nice Instructable! I just acquired a wire mesh cube from Walmart for $10 for a very similar project I working on. Great use of additional materials too.

[rvdawe]

You can also use that thick rubber insulation that has a glued backing that is used on your house doors. You can get some pretty thick density stuff.

[Azn Zero]

Dude that nice! i might make one myself for my laptop

[Harmodius]

If you don't have "two blocks of rubber," bend two paperclips – the larger ones are much better – over the edge of a table so the "trombone" is bent to a right angle. Tape these to the underside of the front edge so they project upwards. They will prevent gravity from coaxing a slippery computer off the stand.

[Chrisxc924]

hey this is really cool looking but looks a little thin, like both ends hang off and it looks cool but I'm wondering if it is hard to type on at all? keep it up this looks cool!

[corvett]

Think you could use rubber feet, like for the bottoms of chair legs or something, instead of the rubber blocks? they're also relatively cheap, but they may be more of a pain to install, unless you just forego the screw. I love the idea. I'm making one.

[wezdog1]

gr8 idea which I need too but you have a mac. but hey i suppose they have cooling problems and get extremely hot

[ghostmanonthird]

very cool bro, i've been looking to making something and this will definitely be the one the only thing that i can i say i don't like about it is that the rubber blocks hide the multi-drive, its not that big of a thing but it is a slight inconvenience having to lift up your laptop (i got a MBP too!) every time to insert/eject a disc thats not steering me away tho, great job

[pear-i]

Awesome idea! The mesh on the bottom is great -- I managed to screw those old desktop fans onto the bottom for extra circulation. As for power I just stripped the USB and got the red / black power cables and connected to the red/black ones on the 3 pin fan connector. (The Yellow on the fan is for stats, and the Green/White on the USB is for data) Works great!

[actswaddell]

I like this a lot! Even I can make it. Good Job!!!

[Wyzird05]

Great instructable! I'm looking into adding a USB hub to the bottom.

[amakerguy]

very nice and simple. I like it.

[mondaymonkey]

I'm writing a instructable out combining this simple instructable with LED tube lighting and a couple fans mounted on the bottom of the rack. The LED's and Fan will be run by USB power... cuz I figure my computer will be on power when I use this rack

[chunkyblamm]

I ended up putting rubber across the whole bottom as a wrist support. Not done with it yet, but ill put pictures up when i am

[cooltoni]

chris99, awesome instructable! Great photos and documentation. Well done!

[svenson]

Just did this with a stand from office max for my macbook, it works great! My macbook isn't heavy enough to actually hold thestand flat though but that works out perfect for me.

[mrsayao]

this is a great one... those anti-skid/slip sheets are so great! I wonder if you can just put the holder in a vice and bend it so that it will stop the laptop from sliding instead... I used to just place my laptop on a shallow baking pan to act as a huge heat sink lol

[albertip]

I just use a cake cooling rack from 2-dollar shop. Works perfect for me. Zero-work DIY laptop stand. :-)

[tango_down]

first laptop stand i've seen that looks good withou the laptop on it. very cool +1 for you

[Kensai]

I've gone the other way, setting the the stand up like its meant to (using a cheap Rubbermaid black mesh one), putting stops on the document shelf and then using it to stand the laptop up vertically (gotta open the screen completely up. I'm using a wireless keyboard/mouse set when I do that, and this gets the screen up closer to head height. Works great since I've found myself needing to work at a cramped kitchen table waaay too frequently and I need a 10-key pad and really want an ergonomic board and real mouse.

[MovieMadMan]

This is pretty frigen sweet!

[chris99]

Thanks for all the complements guys! Glad you guys like it. I have been using it for a couple of days now and it works like a charm, especially if you're sitting on a couch or bed you can place it next to you and its still got good air flow.

[Yerboogieman]

congratulations for being on Lifehacker

[Spike002]

lol so I just got a laptop for christmas, and i never really considered getting a stand, but this is so cheap I just might do it. But you know, I was thinking, Sometimes (like now) I just lie in bed with it, and it gets pretty hot, but a stand like that would then hurt my legs. Do you tihnk it would work instead of having it like you do, turn it upside-down, and put the rubber pieces in between the two flat parts of the holder to give it whatever angle you want, then you can still put the anti-slip on top? I guess maybe it might not get AS much airflow, but still better, and you can now rest it on your legs comfortably.

[jossdw]

My laptop over heated so I used a hot plate stand and have never looked back. I have a stainless steel one that folds down and provides 2 cm for air flow with no port obstructions - I think the air flow is more important than the heat sink characteristics. Cheers

[Virta]

I've been planning on making one out of plexiglass with a fan but this seems so much easier and better :)

[StrangeRover]

The right-front rubber stop blocks the CD slot. I find that the rubbermaid non-skid stuff keeps my MBP in place without the front stops. cheers s

[conceptualstratagem]

Nice work, it looks very ergonomic.+

[Brennn10]

What a great design!

[GorillazMiko]

Wow, great job! This could really come in handy, I love it, it looks awesome and everything. Great job, I love your Mac. :D

[gmjhowe]

Simple, i like it cos its basically ready made! Plus it will allow great air flow.

[LinuxH4x0r]

Cool! I might build this for my macbook. +1