Lazy LapTable

This Instructables is for anyone who describes themselves as lazy, a fanatic gamer or bingewatcher, and who has acces to a laser cutter. The LapTable can be made flat and used as a dining tray, but parts can be added to position it diagonally (1 part) or completely leveled with rounded cut-outs for your upper legs (2 parts). This way it wil sit and fit perfectly on your lap. It also contains cut out handles to carry the Table/Tray around the house.

Step 1 is lasercutting the parts of the LapTable. This took me about 30 minutes on a really fast lasercutter. I also added an illustration since this design was made as a birthday gift. This was laserengraved (by the same machine) and was also done really fast. The settings for the laser machine I used were as following:

- Cutting: RGB Red (#FF0000), line thickness 0,01 mm

- Engraving: Black (#000000)

If this is different from the machine you're using, you should edit the colors and/or thickness.

The next thing you do is assembling the parts that should be put together and not come off after that. These parts are the sides of the tray, so the parts without "teeth". For attaching these parts I first used wood glue, which had to dry for about 30 minutes to form a link firm enough to proceed with the process.

Then I drilled holes using a very tiny drill (3,5 mm) before adding the screws. This is necessary because the sides of the tray are only 6 mm, so otherwise they would probably split. Then I added the 4 mm screws (about 3 or 4 at a side). Luckily, nothing split. You could use smaller screws if you have them. The LapTable just has to be stiff and resistant for carrying heavier things just as your laptop, or a plate with your meal and drinks. You don't want those to fall off.

The additional parts, with the "teeth", might have to be sanded for a perfect fit. You shouldn't have to make a big effort inserting these parts in the holes in your tray. After all, the weight of your laptop or other stuff will hold the table down. Still, I found it better for the parts to still hang in there even if you lift the LapTable. I also sanded the whole table because some glue dried up pretty ugly, and the lasermachine scorched some edges.

Now, just buy some clearcoat and varnish the whole tray and additional parts. This gives your LapTable a smooth and nice-to-look-at finish, and also protects the engraved illustration and overall tray in case some drinks or food will spill. I put on 2 layers of matte clearcoat.

Now, you can insert the additional toothed parts in the cut-out holes, and either use your LapTable as a normal tray, as a laptop stand (1 part) or as an elevated LapTable (2 parts). Enjoy being lazy!