PVC IPad Holder and Mount for Tent Camping
by replayreb in Outside > Camping
54388 Views, 376 Favorites, 0 Comments
PVC IPad Holder and Mount for Tent Camping
![1.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FHW/H41V/H4AGJV0L/FHWH41VH4AGJV0L.jpg&filename=1.jpg)
![2.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FCU/A962/H4AG5EOS/FCUA962H4AG5EOS.jpg&filename=2.jpg)
My wife and I recently went on a camping trip to the beach and I posted an instructable on how to ruggedize and bug-proof a small air conditioner here. I knew we would be taking our iPad with us to check email and watch movies but I didn't want to have to hold or prop the iPad up the entire time not to mention I didn't want it lying in the bottom of the tent getting sand all over it so I decided to make a cheap, adjustable mount that would be sturdy enough to support the iPad but also easily transported. The best bang for your buck when it comes to piecing together a relatively sturdy structure for practically nothing is PVC of course. PVC pipe and connectors are basically tinkertoys for big kids!
![3.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FXG/XMIB/H4AG9AY8/FXGXMIBH4AG9AY8.jpg&filename=3.jpg)
The pictures pretty much tell the tale. I wanted a leg on either side to support a long piece of PVC pipe going across the width of the tent with the iPad holder in the middle. I used 3/4" PVC pipe. This is a pup tent so I wanted it just high enough so that it was out of the way but also so that I could just raise my arms to reach the iPad controls and to adjust the tilt angle. I used PVC cement on only a few of the fittings; mainly just so I could see what piece went where when we arrived at the campsite.
![4.gif](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F17/EQBU/H4AGDV7K/F17EQBUH4AGDV7K.gif&filename=4.gif)
Here is the iPad holder portion of the mount. I wanted to cut a slot into the pipes at first but that proved to be too difficult and unnecessary. It was much easier to just draw a straight line on either side of the PVC and then run it along a bench grinder until the wheel reached the line. Make sure you wear long sleeves, a mask and eye protection when grinding PVC because that white PVC dust coming off the grinder goes everywhere and is probably not good for your lungs.
![6.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F83/XUEX/H4AGJV10/F83XUEXH4AGJV10.jpg&filename=6.jpg)
![7.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FGQ/Y40C/H4AGJV11/FGQY40CH4AGJV11.jpg&filename=7.jpg)
![8.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F1W/F1HG/H4AGJV13/F1WF1HGH4AGJV13.jpg&filename=8.jpg)
![IMG_0592.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F0V/LNUM/H4AGKW1W/F0VLNUMH4AGKW1W.jpg&filename=IMG_0592.jpg)
![imaingo2.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FE8/L6WA/H4AGE799/FE8L6WAH4AGE799.jpg&filename=imaingo2.jpg)
At first I was going to use a T-connector to attach the iPad holder portion to the cross mount but then decided that since I was going to have power at the campsite that I would just use a 4-way connector and fish the iPad charging cable through the mount itself. I used a USB extension cable to extend the charging cable all the way to the AC adapter. I decided that the iPad's built-in speaker probably wasn't going to be heard very well over the sound of the air conditioner so I also ran a headphone extension cable to some little amplified iPod speakers I brought along to also use on the beach. The portable amplified speakers are iMainGo 2's and I highly recommend them. That's them pictured on the left (the black one) hanging from our beach umbrella using a little keychain carabiner. They have a very rich, full sound that sounds better than any small stereo I ever heard and you can zip up your iPhone, iPod or MP3 player inside to protect it while playing music.
![9.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F71/EMMA/H4AG005P/F71EMMAH4AG005P.jpg&filename=9.jpg)
![1.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FGA/FOG1/H4AGJV18/FGAFOG1H4AGJV18.jpg&filename=1.jpg)
One last minute modification I did was to add a little cross support across the back to keep the sloping back of the tent off our heads while we were propped up on the pillows watching a movie.
![10.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FSA/N6BD/H4AGKV4Y/FSAN6BDH4AGKV4Y.jpg&filename=10.jpg)
![11.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F1U/RAE6/H4AG9AYN/F1URAE6H4AG9AYN.jpg&filename=11.jpg)
The whole thing breaks down very easily and fits nicely in a nylon camping chair bag.
![12.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F8I/RV88/H4I7VTOB/F8IRV88H4I7VTOB.jpg&filename=12.jpg)
Here we were one night watching an episode of "House". Thanks for looking!