iMacPad

Step 2 Mould a holder.

I used styrene sheet to make a 'plate' to hold the iPad.

When choosing what size to make the plate, remember you may wish to use it both portrait and landscape. I decided on a size of 150mm wide by 190mm tall. The extra height on the unit was to allow me to position the iMac stand higher up on the back, which in turn places the bottom of the iPad lower. Just play around till you get what looks right.

Styrene is easiest cut with a knife, run a score across the board a few times, then you can easily 'break' along that line.

I cut out two sections to give me the extra depth to glue it to the stand.
Ensure that you leave one piece long. We are going to bend this, then cut it down after.

1. Take a G clamp and a metal strip of some sort, a metal rule, or piece of scrap will work.
2. Clamp the metal strip where the final cut would have been made
3. Slowly heat the styrene with a hot air gun, use a lower temperature, and flex the styrene a little till it feels like it will bend.
4. If the styrene feels floppy, you have gone too far, you want it to be just malleable, any more and the styrene will go slightly brown. (if you do end up with some browning, you can sand it off later)
5. Bend the styrene over until you get a nice 45 degreeish angle. It doesn't have to be precise.
6. Place your iPad into the cradle, and measure how much of lip you want, then cut off the excess.

Once you have done the moulded section, glue this to the second piece for depth, I used epoxy resin, by glue gun glue will work also.