Windshield Cell Phone Mount

Windshield mounted cell phone holders are commercially available devices. However, these devices can be expensive, and it can be very difficult to find one that will fit to uncommon models of phone. Here we have provided a creative, simple, and cheap DIY method to make your own cell phone holder that will work with any style of smart phone or MP3 player! All of the materials necessary to complete this project can be purchased at a general store such as CVS or Walmart for around $5. Many of the materials may also be items you already have around your house, which would make this device even cheaper to build.

• Foam Core
• Suction cup (3)
• Hot Glue (hot melt)
• Drinking Straw
• Wood Dowel (that will fit inside the straw)
• Tape Razor/Exacto Knife
• Pen (optional)
• Straight Edge (optional)
• Cardboard or extra foam core board as backing when cutting

1. Print out the pattern page attached to the materials list as a PDF file. Make sure the scaling settings for your printer will allow the entire page to be printed without cutting off any part of the page. Reduce the scaling if necessary to make the page print completely.

2. Tape the pattern down onto the foam core board to hold it in place while cutting. Tape down the pattern with the side of the foam core board you want visible in the finished device facing up.

1. Use an Exacto Knife to carefully cut out the outer shapes along the dotted lines of the pattern while taking care to not injure yourself.
2. Cut out the holes for the pivot points to hold the pivoting phone holding board of the cell phone holder. These holes can be left a little smaller than the diameter of the dowel.

3. It is optional to trim off the back corner of the top board of the holder as shown in the labeled figure above. This can be done to help the top joint of the holder fit together better, but is completely optional. The holder will work fine without this step.

1. If the suctions cups have metal hooks on them, remove them.
2. Use a dime sized amount of hot glue on the back bump part of the two suction cups to bind them to the Window Mounting Board Board as shown in the photographs. These should be placed 1 inch in from the side and the top as shown in the picture. Do not get glue on any other part of the suction cup.
3. Attach the one suction cup to the phone mounting board as shown in the photographs. Place it exactly in the center of the board as shown.
4. After the suction cups are attached, place more hot glue around the attachment point so that the glued portion is close to about 1 inch in diameter and is completely connected between the suction cup and the foam board as shown in the photograph.

1. Cut the straw to the the longest dimension of the phone mounting board using the Exacto Knife.

2. Glue the straw to the top edge of phone mounting board and secure with a bead of hot glue between the straw and the top edge of the board as shown in the photograph.

1. First, attach the sides to the back piece using a thin bead of glue placed along the inside edges of the end piece as shown in the picture.
2. Stick the end pieces down to the bead of glue.
3. Apply another bead of glue along the inside seam as shown in the pictures to strengthen the connection.
4. Repeat these steps to attach the other end piece.
5. Hold the top board in place as shown in the picture. Then place a bead of glue along the underside of the top board along the window mounting board as shown in the picture to hold it in place.

6. Hold the top board in place as shown in the last photo above. Secure this with glue, taking care not to get glue within a ¼ inch from the holes cut in the end two boards. This means that only a dot of glue should be placed between the top board and the end boards. Most of the glue should be between the top board and the window mounting board.

1. Mark the wood dowel to width of the phone holder.

2. Cut the dowel to this length with the Exacto Knife.

3. Slide the wood dowel through one end board, then through the straw mounted on the top edge of the phone mounting board, and then through the other end board. At this point, the phone mounting board should be hanging from the wood dowel between the two end boards as shown in the pictures above.

4. Place a small amount of glue on the outer end of each dowel to hold the dowel in place.

5. Stick phone to the suction cup on the phone holder board by gently pressing the phone onto the suction cup.

6. Stick the entire phone holder to the inside of your car windshield by gently pressing the device to the windshield.

7. It is very possible that the suction cups will hold the device very tightly to the windshield. Always take care while attaching and removing the device to not break any of the glued joints on the holder.

In conclusion, once this project has been successfully assembled, you will have a very useful in car cell phone holder that is universal to nearly any model of cell phone available today. This device can easily be moved between different vehicles, and can be used to temporarily install multiple devices within your vehicle. Final finishing design touches including painting or decorating could be done to satisfy your individual taste. Now you have a useful device to allow the utilization of electronic devices inside your car. If nothing else, always remember safety is first. Do not adjust the holder or any attached device while you are driving. We hope this product serves a useful purpose for you.