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

Step 2: Cut Out Two Block's of Rubber

Bend the the Metal Mesh Document Holder so that the long sides lie flat, and flip it upside down so that the short edge sits on the desk. The weight of the laptop will hold the long side flat.

Cut the block of rubber into two pieces using a utility blade.
Using a glue gun, glue each piece to the corner of the Metal Document holder (Glue to the bended edge). This will prevent the laptop from slipping when sitting at an angle.

Step 3: Anti Slip Strips

Cut out three bands of the anti-slip liner (about 1.5 inches wide) using a ruler and utility blade.

Stick some strips of double sided tape to the liners and than stick the liner to the edges of the document holder. This will prevent any scratching to the laptop from the edges and hold the laptop in place, preventing it from slipping.

Step 4: Enjoy Your New Laptop Stand

Now place your laptop on your stylish new laptop stand and enjoy.

I think the angle is perfect for typing and the mesh of the document holder creates great circulation from every side. The metal makes it really sturdy and best of all it was simple to make, looks great and cost next to nothing.

Comments

[fibcoa7]

Very good, but since we don't all have blocks of rubber, I suggest using two erasers stacked on top of each other on either side to duplicate the effect. They're essentially the same thing and are pretty cheap at your local Staples.

[tasnim70]

thanks veryyyyyy
very goooood

[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!!!