Wooden Comfy Chair IPhone Dock

My phone works hard for me. It takes pictures, gets me pictures of what my friends are eating, twitterates, and sometimes even makes a phone call. So I figured that it deserved a nice comfy spot to sit in when it was on my desk. It was certainly better than just tossing it on a pile of tools like I usually did.

OK, let's make this thing! Here's what I used

 - 1/4" plywood (just a couple square feet)
 - 1/4" neodymium magnets
 - Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Glue
 - Gorilla Glue
 - stain
 - clamps
 - sandpaper
 - USB charging cable

The pieces were cut out with a laser cutter, but the same thing can be done by hand as well. 

Like I wrote in the last step, these pieces were cut with a laser cutter so it was quick and precise. Just use the attached files and you're good to go.

If you don't have a laser cutter, which you probably don't, you can use one at a local TechShop, or get them cut at Ponoko.

Barring that, you can always do it by hand as well. Yes, it will take a lot longer, but it's an option.

Now is the time for lots and lots of Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Glue and clamping. You can glue the pieces together a few pieces at a time or go for it all at once, it's your choice. 

In this chair, I used this arrangement for each half:

Left Side:
 - 2 arm pieces
 - 4 regular seat pieces
 - 1 notched seat
 - 1 notched seat w/ holes for magnets

Right Side:
 - middle piece (in 2 parts)
 - 2 notched seat pieces
 - 4 regular seat pieces
 - 2 arm pieces

With both sides glued up, it's time to add the magnets that hold it together. I used neodymium magnets that are 1/4" diameter and 1/8" thick. Since the pieces were 1/4" thick, I used two magnets for each hole so that it would be easier to keep the surface flat.

Inside each hole, I placed a drop of Gorilla Glue and pressed the pair of magnets in. Since Gorilla Glue expands, check in on it a few times in the first 10 minutes. If the expanded glue pushed the magnets out, push them back in and wipe off the excess.

With the pieces good to go, it's time to clean everything up and stain it. And by cleaning, I mean using sandpaper to get a smoother finish on the outside.

With that done, wipe up the whole thing and apply a couple coats of stain.

With the stain completely dry, add in the charging cable by pushing it into the track. It should fit in without much trouble at all.

With that in, let the magnets grab the pieces together and put your phone in!