Charging & Storage Side Table
by gingerrbread.girl in Workshop > 3D Printing
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Charging & Storage Side Table
![IMG_3743.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FBM/OMMK/KC4SVRI3/FBMOMMKKC4SVRI3.jpg&filename=IMG_3743.jpeg)
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![IMG_3744.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FQ6/75YY/KC4SVRI5/FQ675YYKC4SVRI5.jpg&filename=IMG_3744.jpeg)
I wanted to achieve a neat charging solution that also made it easy to keep tidy and be able to use devices whilst they are charging.
Ikea Lack tables are ideal for modification as they use a hollow torsion box construction, cheap, sturdy, easy to get hold of and come in multiple colours to match decor.
The coloured elements are all held in place with a friction fit and minimal adhesive only where absolutely necessary. This makes it easy to switch colours and change the look with only a couple of hours of printing
Supplies
- Ikea Lack table
- 3d printed parts (Download here)
- 3x charger pocket grommet parts (green lozenge-shapes to left of picture)
- 1x charger pocket template (white lozenge-shape at top left of picture. The one pictured is the wrong size as I couldn't find the new one for the photo!)
- Qi segment (circular element in photo)
- USB pocket/charger support (large white element in photo)
- 2 halves wire strain relief
- Tools
- 60mm hole saw
- 16mm drill bit
- 3mm drill bit (if magnets more than 1mm thick)
- Screwdriver/screwdriver bit for screws listed in miscellaneous
- Electronics
- USB charger (Anker PowerPort 5 used in build)
- Power cable for USB charger
- Qi charger unit (transmission)
- Short USB to USB micro cable
- Miscellaneous
- 4x cable ties
- 3mm diameter circular magnets (1-3mm thick)
- Superglue
- Hot glue (or other adhesive to hold down the Qi coil
- 4-7 SHORT wood screws
- 2x M2 screws (4-5mm length)
- Masking tape/painters tape
- Marker pen
- Wire cutters (or similar to cut cable ties)
- Sharp knife/cutting implement suitable for cutting through table top/bottom (must be able to predictably control cutting so it is no deeper than 47mm from outer surface
- Combination square
Step 1: Marking Out
![IMG_3716.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FP1/5P2V/KC4SVRRS/FP15P2VKC4SVRRS.jpg&filename=IMG_3716.jpeg)
![IMG_3717.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FET/UURM/KC4SVRRT/FETUURMKC4SVRRT.jpg&filename=IMG_3717.jpeg)
Masking tape is very useful for making out sections without risk of permanently marking the table top
Mark centre for the Qi charging unit. In this build it is 80mm from each edge.
To ensure that the lozenge section is visually in line I extended a line through the centre of the circle and some careful lining up with a combination square. The photo demonstrates what each part of the template indicates.
Qi section was opened up with the 60mm hole saw
The lozenge section I cut using a sharp Stanley knife. The upper and lower surfaces are 3mm thick MDF-type material.
Step 2: Power Cord Exit
![IMG_3736.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F51/Q1C4/KC4SVRGX/F51Q1C4KC4SVRGX.jpg&filename=IMG_3736.jpeg)
Simply a 16mm hole in the side
Step 3: Marking Out Underside
![IMG_3713.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FF0/LFEC/KC4SVRS1/FF0LFECKC4SVRS1.jpg&filename=IMG_3713.jpeg)
![IMG_3712.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FFQ/031Z/KC4SVRS5/FFQ031ZKC4SVRS5.jpg&filename=IMG_3712.jpeg)
The pocket section of the large white printed part is intentionally larger than the lozenge opening above so there is no requirement to exactly line up elements. I drilled holes around the perimeter to make it easier to cut. Again I used a Stanley knife because it is really important not to cut through or damage the table top.
Step 4: Qi Section
![IMG_3729.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FHX/Q4EG/KC4SVR80/FHXQ4EGKC4SVR80.jpg&filename=IMG_3729.jpeg)
![IMG_3730.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F8X/Q5IZ/KC4SVRAK/F8XQ5IZKC4SVRAK.jpg&filename=IMG_3730.jpeg)
The Qi charging module was stuck to the printed part using hot glue. The PCB is held in place with 2x M2 screws. The wire was then trailed through to the larger hole. The section can then be pressed into place. No adhesive needed
Step 5: USB Block Installation
![IMG_3737.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FZL/XPBY/KC4SVRH0/FZLXPBYKC4SVRH0.jpg&filename=IMG_3737.jpeg)
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![IMG_3754.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FSB/018L/KC4SW075/FSB018LKC4SW075.jpg&filename=IMG_3754.jpeg)
USB charging block is held in place with 2 cable ties
Qi module is plugged in and secured with another cable tie
Power cable for the USB charging block is threaded through the hole in the side of the table. This was made easier by using a rod to poke a hole through the paper filling.
USB section is now installed and screwed down. It's quite fiddly to make sure neither of the wires get pinched but this is obviously important.
The printed part has more holes than are necessary. The hole at the top, centre on the last picture should not be used as it was suddenly very obvious that there's a 240v wire right underneath!
Step 6: Power Cable Strain Relief
![IMG_3740.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FUZ/AHFX/KC4SVRHA/FUZAHFXKC4SVRHA.jpg&filename=IMG_3740.jpeg)
The 2 halves are held in place around the wire using a cable tie. It is a tight friction fit so no adhesive necessary
Step 7: Pocket Cover
![IMG_3731.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FBF/HXRM/KC4SVRAL/FBFHXRMKC4SVRAL.jpg&filename=IMG_3731.jpeg)
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The thin border that surrounds the cover needs to have the fillets/chamfers on the surface that will point upwards. There are also slight cut outs on the underside to seat the magnets.
Cut out from the table surface is inserted from the underside. As this is not very pretty there is a printed cover which also keeps the section in place. The cover has a chamfer which meets up with the chamfer on the border.
Magnets - 3mm diameter and 1mm thick are held in place with a small amount of superglue. One magnet was used for each of the holes on the lid and 2 magnets for each hole on the outer section. This is enough magnetic pull to lightly hold the cover in place and not be pulled out by any cables through the finger hole.
The outer frame of the grommet is held in place with a friction fit.
Quick and relatively easy project for an effective storage and charging solution.