Build your own laptop cooler thats completely powered by your laptop for less than $18 USD This is not a simple instructable and unless you have a good set of tools you should probably not attempt it because its decently time consuming due to the type of lightweight wood you will be working with... many people would rather just pay the extra 25 to 30 bucks and buy a pre made laptop cooler but for the people who like a challenge and a cheap build read on...

unfortunatly due to my A.D.D i didnt take very many pictures during the build so ill do my best to describe what i didnt take pictures of..

Items Needed:

Tools---
Power Drill.
Ratchet set.
Small clippers capable of cutting nails
Drill bits (sizes Vary)
Clamps or a very steady helping hand.
Hammer
Jigsaw
Soldering Gun (optional but recomended)
Electrical Tape or Heat Shring Rap. (or both)
Sand paper (optional)
Spray Paint (optional) - less than ($2)
Wood Glue (optional

Other Items-----
Small Nails ( I had these laying around )
Nuts and bolts... no longer than 2 inches long and preferably thin enought to put through a pc case fans grill holes ( I had these laying around )
PCI slot tower computer cooling fan (I used the MADDOG brand) - ($ 12.98)
USB Cable - (I used an extra so i didnt spend any money on this.)
Decently lage peice of Masonite (Compressed Cardboard) 1/4 inch thick (the reason im using this wood is because its extremly light yet its timeconsuming to work with because if your not careful you will split the wood easily) ($4.98) for my 6 by 6 piece.

Step 1: First Cut the Wood

Use a table saw to cut the approxamate shape of the box..

I made mine 16 inches Long by 12 high but you may choose diff depending on the size of your laptop.

Be smart and cut the long peices for the sides the same size at the length of the box but make sure to make the side for the hight of your box 1/2 inch longer because the wood is a quarter inch thick and you need to compansate for the extra length due to the side panels that run along the length of the box... if you dont understand now you will when you mess up and have to cut the pieces agian... ( i made this mistake.) make your box about 2 inches this so that you have room for your internal pci slot fan...

Step 2: Cut a Hole in the Top Peice

Now cut a hole in the top piece and add a fan grill to the underside of the board use bolts to hold it on...

Use a hole cutting drill bit

Step 3: Wire Your Fan Read Carefully

For a more detailed discription on this step there are instructables on this site that will show you how to do so...

its pretty simple.. just strip the red and black wire to the fan aswell as the round cable for the USB then find the red and black on it... Solder the black to black and red to red... BUT FIRST DRILL A HOLE IN ONE OF THE SIDE PANELS AND RUN THE WIRE THROUGH IT!!! then solder the wires together... look at the image for a better idea of where the wire should go through... (this will vary dependingon where your USB connections are on your laptop.

Step 4: Nail the Two Long Sides on to the Top Piece

as simple as it sounds this part was actually a little bit hard... i used some bent pieces of sheet metal and some clamps to do it myself.. but you might be able to do it with a pair of helping hands... good luck. Use the images for referance... also because of the thinness of the wood you have to use a drill to make the holes slightly smaller than what you will be nailing in... and make sure your nails are short enought that they wont crack the wood... this is dificult because the wood is thin so take your time... (you will most likely need to shorten your nails by clipping them... i did it as a precaution.)

Step 5: Nail the Back Piece On....

This part is difficult because you have to either use clamps and angles sheet metal to hold the back peice to the sides or devise another way to hold it in place while drilling your holes and then nailing the back piece to the sides that run longways...

(save the sides that run the hight way for last because you have to still mount the pci slot fan to one of the sides)

Step 6: Nail on the Hight Sides

Now your gonna nail on the side that has the usb cable run through it... if you want you can add a handle aswell to the side your about to nail on..

Next Flatten out the part of the usb fan grill that is bent and drill holes in both sides so that you can bolt it to the other side of the box.... you have to use a jigsaw to cut the square out of the side for the pci slot fan grill so the air will blow out of the box.... (your fan should already be wired to the other side and run throught the half completed box...)

Use the pictures below for referance..

The first picture specifies what area of the fan needs bent

Second picture is to show you how the square should be cut for the grill to blow air out.

The third shows the handle i made on the usb cable side

and the fourth is a diagram for help..

Step 7: The Final Product

Add paint to your box (prime first because this wood has a flakey texture if painted without priming and sanding) many layers is good so your box is better protected..

and this is what i got..