The Office Supply-Closet Laptop Stand

I wanted to make a laptop stand from parts and tools one could find in the supply closet of your typical office. Office supplies that are expected to be disposable. No nuts or bolts, no plywood, hot glue guns or Hinkley T-9 Flange Valves (part #K2391861F).

I travel for work, and can spend up to two weeks at my destination. While there, it's never worth trying to track down a laptop stand in the office. Especially if I'm at a client site, and don't want to be difficult.

Step 1 The Design Criteria

There are more than a handful of instructables on laptop stands. Each one perfect for their time and place in this universe. I, however, have a long and bossy list of "must have" features. Most of these features are actually things the stand should NOT DO.

Design criteria:
- Sturdy enough to never wobble.
- No pieces or parts sticking out from a basic, simple shape.
- Easy to construct in an office on a small desk
- All tools and materials should be standard in most business offices. **
- All materials should of the 1-time-use variety, or at minimum, so cheap nobody cares.
- Easily stored
- Smaller footprint than the base of laptop
- Ventilated to keep the laptop cool
- Should not obstruct any fans, or any part of any edge of the laptop (port-friendly)
- Front edge of laptop should be as close to the desk as possible
- Based on Dell Latitude D620

** I used electrical tape in the construction of this stand. This is not something you'll find in every corporate office supply closet. I happened to have some with me. Address labels would work VERY well for this, especially if you're starting with a white binder.

Comments

[Harmodius]

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 (or use labels to adhere) these to the underside of the surface that contacts the bottom of the notebook computer. They will prevent gravity from coaxing a slippery computer off the stand. Here's a low-resolution photo of the bent clip.

[theblasto]

Hey, I think that's perfect! It seems like that would make a good "quick line-up" guide when you set the laptop down. Extra thought on paperclip: The bottom (horizontal) side of the paperclip could be put between the two flaps (taped to bottom of the top flap), before they're adhered together. Although taping them on to the outside, would them easier to replace.