How to Make a DIY laptop stand for your home office

First things first: let’s determine the desired size and height of your laptop stand. Go a little larger than your closed laptop – both in length and in width – this way, the external keyboard will easily fit underneath and the epoxy design will be visible on either side of the laptop. The stand’s height is vital, too: the best laptop stands for desks raise the screen so your eye level is 2.,5–5 cm (1–2 in) below the top of the screen. Draw both the platform and the two sides of the stand on the wood using a pencil and ruler. Now for this step’s the creative part of this step, draw a freehand sketch of your ornamental epoxy resin design.

Before you start carving, put on some protective gear: goggles, a dust mask and ear protectors. Using two Multi-Vise (2500) clamps, clamp secure the wooden board to your workbench so it won’t slip or slide. Prep your Dremel Multi-Tool by attaching the Flexible Shaft (225). Next, insert a 7.2 mm High Speed Cutter (134) into it. Now start carving out the outline of your design, creating clear-cut, clean lines. Switch to the wheel-shaped Structured Tooth Tungsten Carbide Cutter (9936), a tough robust accessory that’s perfect for removing all the wood in the middle, creating a nice  groove for the epoxy resin. 

Epoxy resin consists of two components: resin and hardener. You’ll need to mix these two components in the correct mixing ratio – you’ll find the best ratio for your epoxy on the packet. In a well-ventilated room and with nitrile gloves, goggles, a respirator and a plastic apron on, Dremel’s Maker measures out her epoxy components using scales and a measuring jug. She uses a resin:hardener ratio of 10:6 or 250 grams of resin and 150 grams of hardener. Add some powdered colour pigment (without this, epoxy is transparent) and stir mix for 2 minutes using a stirrer.

For this exciting step, play it safe by masking the edges of your design with tape first, to prevent the resin from running over its sides. This way, you’re sure to achieve clean epoxy lines, giving your DIY laptop stand a polished, professional appearance. Place the wooden board onto a bin liner or plastic sheet and use a spirit level to make sure the board is perfectly horizontal. Now slowly and carefully pour the mixed epoxy resin into the indentationgrooves, going right up to the edges so the resin is flush with the wood.

Little air bubbles can spoil the epoxy artwork on your homemade laptop stand. Luckily, there’s a sure-fire way to remove them. All you need is a Dremel VersaFlame (2200-4). Immediately after pouring the resin, move the torch over the surface of your epoxy resin layer and the heat will make the bubbles pop. It doesn’t take long – a few waves with the VersaFflame are enough. Just keep going until all the bubbles are gone. A word of warning: keep a distance of 10–15 cm or you may burn the tape. Now let the epoxy dry. After 24 hours, it’s dry to the touch, but wait 72 hours before the next step.

Clamp the board to the workbench as described in step 2 and remove the tape. Switch toPut on your previous set of safety gear: eye and ear protection and a dust mask. For a smooth and shiny finish, you’ll need to sand the surface in stages, using multiple grits. Maker Bibi uses a sander and starts off with an 80-grit sanding disc on the epoxy part only – the paper being too coarse to use on wood. Continue sanding both epoxy and wood with 120-, 240- and 400-grit paper, wiping away any dust with a soft cloth in between the each sanding stages. All in all, a good 10–15 minutes of sanding will give you the desired finish.

Re-draw the pencil lines onto the wood as you will have sanded them away in the previous step. Now undo the clamps and raise the wooden board onto a layer of spare wood to protect your workbench from the cutting action that is to follow. Re-attach the clamps and plug in a mini circular saw. While still wearing the protective gear from step 6, cut out the three parts of the laptop stand – the platform and the two sides. Finish this step by giving the cut edges a quick sanding by hand with sandpaper. Excellent, it’s now time to put together your homemade laptop stand.

Assembling your laptop stand is easy – here’s how. Glue the two side parts to the underside of the platform using wood glue. Add clamps to keep thingshold them in place and allow the glue to dry for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place the angle brackets – two for each side – in place and mark the position of the screws onto the wood using a pencil. Pre-drill the holes for the angle brackets with a drill, then attach the angle brackets by using 16- mm screws and a screwdriver. This two-step approach, using both glue and screws, will beis the best if you wantway to ensure a nice and sturdy laptop stand for your desk or table.

In this final step, our Maker treats the wooden parts of the laptop stand with wood oil. The oil adds a lustrous finish that seals and protects the wood, keeping water or other spills out and enhancing the wood’s natural allure. Apply a liberal amount and rub it in vigorously using a clean cloth, such as a clean tea towel. Leave the oil for 30 minutes, then wipe away the excess oil with a clean, dry cloth. Leave to dry according to the instructions on the oil’s packaging; usually 24 hours. Then repeat if necessary until you get the amount of sheen you’re after. Your laptop stand is now ready!