Introduction: The Ring Rest
This is a cushioned rest that can be attached to the back of an office phone. It makes it more comfortable to hold the phone with your shoulder while typing with two hands than the standard plastic ones sold on sites like Amazon.
Supplies
The major materials that you will need include:
Elastic- This will be used to make the adjustable band, I recommend using strips 1 inch wide.
Memory Foam- This will be used to make the cushions.
Fabric- This will be used to cover the cushions. Non-slick fabric is preferred.
Snaps and Snapping tool- Snaps will be placed on the elastic band for fastening the rest to the phone. Sewing Velcro to the straps is also good if you prefer.
Scissors- These are to cut the memory foam and fabric.
Hot glue: It is used to attach the fabric to the foam and the cushions to the base as well as forming the base. You may use tacky glue when working with the foam and fabric, however it can be messier if you are not careful.
Velcro- Use this if you don't want to use snaps
Wood or plastic- if you are not 3D printing
Step 1: Forming the Base
I 3D printed my base, however, if you prefer to carve or mold the base in some other manner, it is fine as long as the result is sturdy but not so hard that it is uncomfortable and not so rigid that it will break with pressure.
Due to the size of the printer I was 3D printing on, I had to print the base in two separate halves and hot glue them together. Each side of the base should be a wedge shape that is rounded on top (pictured). When both halves are printed, hot glue them together, add extra glue past the seam where the two pieces meet so that they do not break apart. I have included my model in this instructable, a 3D printer will fill in the space between the top of the curve and the phone if printed as it is.
The base should be flat in the center and curve upward to form a slight angle at the ends, You may experiment with the length and angle according to your needs. I modeled mine to be able to fit most standard phones, but it can be altered to the measurements of a specific phone and your shoulder if you so desire.
My base: Each half - 96mm long, 36mm wide, 10.16 mm thick at the center
Attachments
Step 2: Cushions
-You only need a small block of memory foam, so do not buy a very large amount. One 10 inch by 10 inch block is plenty.
Use your scissors to cut a 50mm wide strip off of the memory foam this will be used to form the large cushion for your shoulder. IT helps to compress the foam with your fingers so that it cuts cleanly, the bigger and heavier the scissors the easier it is. Once you have one long strip cut, start trimming it down according to your base. It should be the same length as the base, not too much shorter and not longer.
When you have the foam at the appropriate length, trim the sides so that the width is slightly narrower than the base's width, so that there is room to attach the straps. If you like, you may trim the foam so that there are no sharp corners. Also, you may also want your foam cut down to a certain thickness, it depends on how much cushion you need and how large your hand is. I have small hands, so mine is about one inch thick without the fabric.
Next, get your fabric and wrap it around your foam and then cut it so that there is a bit extra on the ends. Use hot glue (or tacky glue if you prefer) to glue the fabric to the foam.Fold the extra fabric at the end and glue it to the sides of the foam to form corners.You can fit the fabric around the shape of the foam if you do not want it to have a square shape. When it is dry glue the cushion, seam down, on to the curved side of the base.
Use this same process to form two smaller cushions for the bottom of the base. Do not make them thicker than than 1 -1.5 inches. Using foam cushions helps the rest to be used for different phones that may be different sizes or level of curve. Do not extend the cushions to the center of the base so that the center has room to flex slightly in order to make it easier to squeeze the rest close to phone.
Step 3: Straps
This is where you use your elastic, snaps, and snapping tool. You may use whatever size snaps you like and add as many as you like as long as they fit on the band. You may also use Velcro strips. I am including a link to an instructional video on installing snaps. If you have a pliar-shaped snap tool, you do not need a hammer. Do not use glue for the snaps.
One strap will be shorter, this is the strap where you place multiple studs for the other side of the snap to clip on to. Place the studs so that the posts face up towards you and hot glue the strap to one side of the rest. You will then cut a longer strap to reach around the phone and meet the short strap. Be sure that it is long enough to stretch all the way around your phone and to the opposite side of the rest. Place an open snap on the underside of the band, so that it attaches to the studs without having to twist the band. Glue the long strap on the opposite side of the rest from the short one.
