Make Your Own Digital Tablet Stand

Recently purchased a digital display tablet after years of swearing them off. I much prefer my iPad due to it's portability.
But some illustrations do need to be completed on Photoshop or another program. in my search for the perfect ergonomics and a suitable stand, it quickly became apparent that none really suited my style or were insanely overpriced.

Like always, I figured I could just make my own! Perusing hardware stores, I found plant pot support brackets. They looked like a done deal. Apart from some superfluous bits, I think i could make it work. I wouldn't be able to position the stand at various angles but it's a trade off I'm willing to live with.

We'll be using metal fatigue to snap off the sections we don't need. No need for an axle grinder!

• Pliers
• Metal hook stand
• Wood
• Screws
• Screwdriver
• Ruler
• Safety Glasses
• Saw (Jigsaw, circular saw, miter box)
• Metal file (optional)
• Wood Varnish (optional)
• Paint (optional)

Use the pliers to clamp down near where you want to break to occur. The longer your pliers, the more leverage and torque you can apply to bend the metal. Simply wriggle the bend over and over again. After a while, the metal will start feeling more pliable. Before you know it, it'll snap right off!
This method does introduce a bit of warp to the metal. Be wary of this. But if it does happen, simply use a hammer, the pliers and a bit of muscle to set things correctly again.

Before going any further, let's test out the stand. Lay out the bent supports to approximate the final application. It's a good idea to mark the wood as to where the supports would be screwed in. Mark where the supports' hole will fall on the wood. This will be important later.

Use the pliers to bend the smaller hooks onto themselves. This will add a bit of height to the stand and keep the metal from damaging your tablet. I also took a bastard* file and sanded down any burrs and sharp edges to a smooth finish. Don't want something at your desk to give you tetanus!

*That's the real name! I was flabbergasted too! They're usually a higher grit and eliminates a lot of material rapidly.

Cut down your wood to your desired dimensions. Mine were 34.3 cm width x 11.4 cm (13.5" W X 4.5" H). Yours will invariably differ from mine. That's why test fitting is essential. I rented a circular saw from Home Depot, as I don't own one presently. I'm kicking myself now that I swapped mine years ago. But I didn't have much use for it then so no big.
If you haven't already, drill pilot holes for screws. Grab your drill, a bit and a surface to safely drill on. I usually use some leftover wood so if I go too deep, any damage suffered won't be on precious laminate flooring.

Always choose a bit smaller than the diameter of the screws you intend to use. The hole will help prevent wood splitting. Don't drill all the way through, just halfway. It's an optional step. But, hey better to know than be sorry, I always say! (Trying to get this to catch on.)

If you have access to a well-ventilated room, or in my case, OUTSIDE; setup the supports and wood for painting. I chose to varnish my wood in two coats, using a foam brush, leaving about 1 hour between applications. It matches my similarly varnished desk.
For the supports, I laid them on a drop sheet. Spraying on a quick-drying primer, than a matte black spray paint. Due to the filing, the finish was ugly and industrial and I just wanted a more cohesive look. Again, this is optional and up to your taste.

Once everything is dry, I screwed in the supports, lining up the previously-drilled pilot holes to their respective places using my screwdriver. Chose to do this by hand as sometimes I find the electric drill can easily strip the screw. Also the angle was a bit too awkward for a bulky drill head.
And you're done! Enjoy your new stand and get to drawing!