My wife has requested a charging station for our personal electronics. I’ve been thinking about this for a while, but now she has requested it as a Mother’s Day gift, (though it doesn’t have to be finished by then.)
What we have in mind is a sort of ‘place’ that the electronics can live on as well as be charged as needed. We have two laptops, two iphones, an ipod, an ipad and my Nook. a nice add on would be a place to keep earbuds and memory sticks.
I haven’t found anything that grabs my interest on Google images. Right now I’m picturing a stand to hold two laptops vertically with ‘something’ between them for the other devices between them, everything being held together as a unit.
I’ll have to run the preliminary design past the wife, but in the meantime I’m thinking, thinking, thinking…
[EDIT] See posts below about design changes.
[EDIT] The finished project is posted here. [link]
-- Ni faru ion el ligno!
8 comments so far
jimintx
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939 posts in 3042 days
#1 posted 05-02-2016 02:56 PM
I’m actually useless on this, and don’t have any good input. In our place, we tend to have a place for each item. That place is either selected, or has evolved, because it makes that device most convenient. A central station would be counter to the individual device usage and convenience approach. I am going to be interested to see what ideas this topic generates.
-- Jim, Houston, TX
Dave Rutan
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2022 posts in 3646 days
#2 posted 05-02-2016 04:26 PM
When life was simple we had just a desktop computer and three flip phones. We charged our phones from a charger in the kitchen taking turns. Now things are complicated and the electronics more or less live in a basket on an end table in the living room.
-- Ni faru ion el ligno!
Mean_Dean
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7057 posts in 4605 days
#3 posted 05-02-2016 11:51 PM
A few thoughts for your project:
Make it a raised station, with drawers or doors for the lower portion. The laptops/phones/ipads, etc go on top, and the drawers/doors hide all the wires and connectors.
Include in the lower portion a power strip with lots of USB connectors for charging everything.
Have slots in the back for all the wires, to keep them out of view.
Include vent holes in the top, where the laptops will sit. I understand that, when the laptops get hot, the heat can cause glue joints to fail.
Make it bigger, and include more USB and electrical outlets, than you think you need. That way, when you add future devices, you don’t have to build another station.
That’s all I can think of for now. I’ll definitely follow along, to see how it turns out!
-- Dean -- "Don't give up the ship -- fight her 'till she sinks!" Capt James Lawrence USN
Dave Rutan
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2022 posts in 3646 days
#4 posted 05-04-2016 01:31 PM
Not sure if this crude drawing will help, but here’s where the design is at. I’m planning on using 1/2 inch thick wood except for the top which will be 3/4. It should end up measuring 16×16x6 inches, maybe a bit less to allow for grabbing out the laptops. The laptop bays are open on two sides, so it shouldn’t look too claustrophobic or closed it.
Our laptops don’t produce heat while charging, only while in use, so I’m not concerned about ventilation here. I’m more concerned whether it will stay put while putting the laptops in to charge. Hmm. Rubber feet…
-- Ni faru ion el ligno!
Dave Rutan
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2022 posts in 3646 days
#5 posted 05-06-2016 10:55 AM
Final change. The slots on top are gone. The top surface is to be a shallow tray for the iphones and ipod. I may actually start this project today.
-- Ni faru ion el ligno!
Mean_Dean
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7057 posts in 4605 days
#6 posted 05-07-2016 12:11 AM
Looking forward to seeing what you’ve come up with, Dave!
-- Dean -- "Don't give up the ship -- fight her 'till she sinks!" Capt James Lawrence USN
Dave Rutan
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2022 posts in 3646 days
#7 posted 05-11-2016 06:59 PM
Here’s a peak at where I’m at as of today. This is not even glued yet. It’s being held together for the picture by shallow dadoes.
-- Ni faru ion el ligno!
Dave Rutan
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2022 posts in 3646 days
#8 posted 05-17-2016 12:34 PM
The finished project is posted here. [link]
-- Ni faru ion el ligno!
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