Outcome

0.1 Intention

I am trying to solve the problem of my inconveniently located laptop when I am using an external monitor

I am motivated by frustration with lack of desk space and a desire for more efficiency

I would like to build a holder that has easy access to ports, cable holders, good ventilation, and is compact and out of the way

0.2 Research & Context

This holder would be somewhere in between a docking station and a vertical laptop stand. That said, it will not have any electrical components, and will hang next to my desk instead of taking up precious space by sitting on it

Other options either don’t save space on my desk or don’t provide easy access to ports

0.3 Aesthetic Inspiration

Bedside book holders inspired my hanging holder idea, and I modeled the cable holders off of other work I found:

0.4 Sketches

I made a number of sketches before I got started:

  0.5 Process & Procedure 

This included... 

A) Sketches (see above)

B) A cardboard prototype

C) 3d printed prototypes of the cable holders

D) Cad Modeling

E) Laser-cutting the body

F) Sanding the sharp edges

G) Bending the body

E) Some clean up work

F) Printing some supports

G) Glueing the supports to the body (Note: epoxy is shown in the image, but this never dried and I ended up using super glue)

I) Post-processing and attaching the cable holders

H) Printing the revised cable holders

1.0 Reflection

I ended up making some major changes to accommodate the timeline for this project. I had originally planned to make the body of my holder out of wood, but living hinges take practice to perfect so I opted to bend acrylic instead (which I have more experience with). This led me to bend the hook for the bed instead of 3d printing that part because it was more simple, so the cable holders became independent parts. Also, my cardboard prototype revealed that having the cable holders on the other side would be more convenient, so I changed that around as well.

Also, while executing this plan I decided to add the side supports for strength because the acrylic seemed too brittle. A version of these was in my original design, but they were removed from the plan when I switch to acrylic only to be added back in later. Moreover, attachment also was a challenge because the original epoxy I glued them with never dried, so had to re-glue with superglue. This was another unexpected challenge.

Thus, I adapted my plan both before and during execution. Some things went perfectly (for example the slot size on the cable holders), and others were harder, but I am happy to say that I am more comfortable with the technologies that I used that I was before I began this project.

2.0 Renderings (this was about the best resolution my computer could handle):

3.0 Images

4.0 Final Presentation:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1t1pXICliAICPhOP0dcQgaFBvDsckzb1D_oETQY7GxuY/edit?usp=sharing