After a long hiatus from LEGO I recently started to restock my collection of parts so I can create whatever it is that comes to mind. Soon after creating the Retro gamer adjustable mobile stand I acquired a tablet. Naturally I wanted to create an adjustable tablet cradle but I didn't have the parts to scale the design to accommodate for the size and weight of the tablet. Forward few years I got my hands of the 42008 Service truck. Using parts from this set (along with two pieces not in the set) I have created the motorised LEGO adjustable tablet cradle.

In the next steps you will find information on how to built this cradle yourself. Please do share on any modifications to the idea you have created, I would love to see other versions! If any help is needed do contact me!

Step 1: Build Information

Here are some images to help you get going. I have also created a 3D model using SR3D so that the model can be inspected in detail. There are two files attached here. One is the SR3D (.l3b) file, the other (.lbr) file can be opened in a viewer like LDView which can be installed along with SR3D using the all in one installer provided by the good folks of LDraw.org.

Note that the 3D model differs from the actual model in respect to the extra support added to the front legs of the cradle that can be seen with a note in the frontal photograph on the model.

This is the parts list generated by SR3D:

3 Technic Angle Connector #2 (180 degree)
20 Technic Axle Pin with Friction
12 Technic Beam 3 x 5 Bent 90
4 Technic Beam 3 x 3 x 0.5 Liftarm Bent 90
2 Technic Beam 3 x 3.8 x
7 Liftarm Bent 45 Double
6 Technic Beam 5 x 3 x 0.5 Liftarm Triangle Type 2
6 Technic Beam 15
48 Technic Pin with Friction
2 Technic Beam 3 x 5 Bent 90
16 Technic Pin Long with Friction and Slot
4 Technic Beam 2 Liftarm
3 Technic Axle 5
4 Technic Bush 1/2 Smooth with Axle Hole Reduced 4 Technic Bush with Two Flanges
3 Technic Axle 7
4 Technic Beam 7
2 Technic Beam 13
4 Technic Beam 5
4 Technic Beam 4 x 6 Liftarm Bent 6 Technic Axle 3
8 Wheel Rim 8 x 18 with Deep Center Groove
8 Tyre Small
4 Technic Beam 3 x 0.5 Liftarm
2 Technic Beam 5
7 Technic Bush 1/2 Smooth with Axle Hole Semi-Reduced
2 Plate 2 x 2 with Holes
1 Electric Power Functions Medium Motor Back
1 Electric Power Functions 4-way Ribbon Cable End
3 Technic Axle 2 Notched
2 Technic Gear 12 Tooth Bevel
1 Technic Power Functions Linear Actuator Piston
1 Technic Gear 20 Tooth Bevel 4 Technic Axle Pin
4 Technic Beam 2 x 4 Liftarm Bent 90
2 Technic Beam 7
1 Electric Power Functions 9V Battery Box Case

Step 2: Modifications / Ideas

This build can of course be modified to work with manually as the in the mobile cradle version. Ideally the manual version should use gear ratios to speed up the revolutions going in the linear actuator.

Another idea that a friend of mine mentioned was to use a friction gear for when the actuator reaches its higher and lower limits as to not have the gears skip until you switch off power to the motor.