Make IKEA Laptop Stand From Scratch!

As any long-term laptop user may believe a laptop stand maybe more important than the laptop itself.

Here I have created an IKEA laptop stand clone using fiberglass

**Disclaimer: This may/not be the best way to clone/create a laptop stand, but it is a cost-efficient and one-day todo

List of requirements:

1. A template, you may own a ready laptop stand to clone - I got IKEA one - or you may create a template out of foam

2. Aluminium foil, to put on the template

3. Any type of oil ( I got motor degreaser oil)

4. A fibreglass sheet

5. Epoxy resin + hardener

6. Paintbrush

7. Sandpaper x1 80 Grit x1 320 Grit

8. Coloring sprays, x1 coating spray, x1 color spray ( I got a black color spray )

9. Important: For safety, stiff gloves and mask

Most of the stuff can be found in a local store, paint store. The whole price may not exceed 3 $

After wearing the mask and gloves,

1. Over the template, layout the aluminum foil, and brush it with the oil. - This step is to prevent fiberglass from sticking onto the template. Use the paper tape to fix the foil from jiggling around

2. Get the fiberglass sheet over the template, make sure you have an extra 2cm over each end, so cutting the extra is better than having less than required.

3. Pick up a bowl/glass and pour in some amount of epoxy resin, then a couple of hardner drops. - Usually there is a standard ratio so stuff won't mess up, but here since I am not using a great amount of epoxy (1/3 of a standard tea cartoon cup) I put a couple of drops to harden the epoxy.

4. Using a stick to mix the epoxy with the hardner very well ( stear hard for about 20 seconds).

5. Now slowly and carefully pour the liquid over several places of the fiberglass on the template.

6. With the brush, try to cover a wider area with the epoxy smoothly.

7. Wait for about 10 seconds, and layout another layer of the fiberglass sheet and redo the epoxy mixture pouring process. [You may add 2-3 layers of fiberglass to have stiffer result]

-- Leave it to be dried for 2-3 hours. --

8. After drying out, softly take the stiffed fiber from the template, make sure no aluminum sticks

9. Get the 80Grit sandpaper, and softly brush the surfaces and angles, make them smooth. Then redo it for the 320Grit

Now layout some plastics on the table/ground around your new fancy shape

Coating

1. With the coating spray; start spraying the surface in vertical or horizontal movements, start your spray just before your hand entering the shape area and continue until it exits it from the other side

The reason to use coating spray is to have better absorption of our color with some homogeneity of distribution

2. Do the coating step for 2 or 3 coats and make sure you've covered the whole shape, leave 5 mins in between each coat

-- Leave it for 30 min --

Colouring

3. Get your color spray and just do the same you've done in the coating procedure but here between each spray face leave 30 mins gap

I found that my mechanical structure is not strong enough especially at the top angle,

Putting a laptop would make it vibrate a little,

So, -With help from a friend- using 3D printed bridges to fix both sides of the structure and reduce vibration as much as possible,

I put 3 bridging elements x2 sides and x1 middle and fixed them with super glue

That is it,

DIY IKEA laptop stand clone!