Hey there, fellow craft enthusiasts! Robert Kline, here, your guide in the world of handmade creativity. Today, we’re diving into a fun and practical project: building a collapsible tablet stand.
This project is perfect for those who love to watch videos on their tablets, follow recipes in the kitchen, or even just want a handy way to prop up their tablet for video calls. Inspired by a great design from Cairdy Crafts, we’ll be crafting a stand that’s not only functional but also easily folds down for storage.
Let’s roll up our sleeves and get crafting!
Gathering Your Tools and Materials
Before we begin, let’s assemble our crafting arsenal. Here’s what you’ll need:
Materials:
- Square Dowel: The backbone of our stand, providing sturdiness. The exact length needed will depend on the size of your tablet.
- Round Dowel: Acts as hinges, allowing the stand to collapse. Choose a diameter that fits snugly in the holes you’ll drill in the square dowel.
- Cardstock: Used to create triangular braces for added strength.
- Hot Glue Sticks
- Sandpaper
Tools:
- Junior Hacksaw: For cutting the dowels to size.
- Hand Drill: To create the holes for the round dowel hinges.
- Drill Bits: Choose the size that matches your round dowel diameter.
- Hot Glue Gun: Our trusty adhesive companion.
- Pencil and Ruler: For precise measuring and marking.
Step 1: Measure Twice, Cut Once
Using your ruler and pencil, carefully measure and mark the square dowel pieces according to the dimensions you desire for your stand. Remember, accuracy is key for a smoothly functioning final product.
Pro Tip: When cutting the dowel, ensure the ends are as close to a perfect right angle as possible. This will make for more stable joints. Use sandpaper to smooth out any rough edges after cutting.
Step 2: Drilling the Hinge Holes
Now, let’s create the hinge points.
- Mark the spots on your square dowel pieces where you’ll drill the holes for the round dowel. Refer to the design you’re following for the precise placement.
- Secure the dowel piece firmly to your work surface using a clamp or vise. This will prevent unwanted movement while drilling.
- Using the appropriately sized drill bit, carefully drill holes through the marked spots. Start slowly to ensure the drill bit is centered, then increase speed once you’ve established a clean start.
Step 3: Constructing the Frame
With our hinge points prepped, it’s time to assemble the frame:
- Lay out the square dowel pieces according to the design, using hot glue to join them at the corners.
- Reinforce each corner joint by gluing a triangular piece of cardstock over it. This will add significant strength to the stand.
- Repeat this process for the back of each corner, ensuring both sides have the added cardstock support.
Step 4: Connecting the Frames
Following your chosen design, continue assembling the remaining frames, using hot glue and cardstock reinforcements for each joint.
Pro Tip: Use a piece of scrap wood as a spacer to ensure parallel placement of dowel pieces when needed.
Step 5: Inserting the Hinges
Now for the part that brings it all together:
- Align the drilled holes of your connected frames.
- Carefully thread the round dowel through the corresponding holes, creating the hinge. A bit of twisting back and forth can help guide it through.
Step 6: Adding Stoppers
To prevent the stand from collapsing completely, we’ll add stoppers:
- Cut small pieces of square dowel to act as stoppers.
- Position the stand at your desired angle and hot glue a stopper behind the frame piece to maintain that angle. Repeat on the other side for balance.
Step 7: Finishing Touches
Congratulations! Your collapsible tablet stand is complete. You can choose to personalize it with paint or decorations, but avoid painting over the hinge areas to ensure smooth movement.
Conclusion
And there you have it! A handmade tablet stand, crafted with your own two hands. Not only is it a practical addition to your workspace or bedside table, but it’s also a testament to your crafting abilities.
Feeling inspired? Head over to Robert Kline Art for more DIY project ideas and unleash your inner maker! We have a curated collection of handcrafted gifts for every occasion. Don’t forget to share photos of your creations in the comments below – we can’t wait to see what you make!