Mount Hack for Laptop
January 27, 2010 9:56 AM Subscribe
Help me figure out how to install my laptop on the wall of my kitchen cheaply.
I just procured an old laptop that is for specific use in my kitchen (Cue the angels singing - sorry, it's been kind of a dream of mine for a while)! It needs to be off of counter tops (precious real estate) and cannot be mounted under cabinets.
The only commercial solutions that I can find are prohibitively expensive (i.e. more than I paid for the laptop) and overkill from an engineering standpoint.
The laptop is an IBM Thinkpad X41. Small and light, about 3 pounds.
Help me figure out an elegant hack that will extend the laptop at most 24 inches from the wall, that can swing in a 45 degree angle. I am handy with tools and can recruit reinforcements if necessary. I just want a solution that will cost at most around $75.
Thanks in advance - You guys are really wonderful!
I just procured an old laptop that is for specific use in my kitchen (Cue the angels singing - sorry, it's been kind of a dream of mine for a while)! It needs to be off of counter tops (precious real estate) and cannot be mounted under cabinets.
The only commercial solutions that I can find are prohibitively expensive (i.e. more than I paid for the laptop) and overkill from an engineering standpoint.
The laptop is an IBM Thinkpad X41. Small and light, about 3 pounds.
Help me figure out an elegant hack that will extend the laptop at most 24 inches from the wall, that can swing in a 45 degree angle. I am handy with tools and can recruit reinforcements if necessary. I just want a solution that will cost at most around $75.
Thanks in advance - You guys are really wonderful!
Get a cheap TV platform wall mount (the old kind for a small CRT TV - here's an example).
posted by torquemaniac at 10:40 AM on January 27, 2010
posted by torquemaniac at 10:40 AM on January 27, 2010
Not precisely what you asked for, but relevant. Or you could just buy an iPad... :p
posted by AugieAugustus at 10:40 AM on January 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by AugieAugustus at 10:40 AM on January 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
This was right behind your post in my RSS feed:
Turn a Laptop with a Broken Hinge into an All-in-One Desktop Computer - Laptops - Lifehacker
Probably can use the same technique to mount it on the wall.
Here's a previous Lifehacker post on turning a laptop into a wall mounted computer...
Turn an Old Laptop into a Wall-Mounted Computer - Laptops - Lifehacker
Good luck, and have fun...
posted by crenquis at 10:45 AM on January 27, 2010 [2 favorites]
Turn a Laptop with a Broken Hinge into an All-in-One Desktop Computer - Laptops - Lifehacker
Probably can use the same technique to mount it on the wall.
Here's a previous Lifehacker post on turning a laptop into a wall mounted computer...
Turn an Old Laptop into a Wall-Mounted Computer - Laptops - Lifehacker
Good luck, and have fun...
posted by crenquis at 10:45 AM on January 27, 2010 [2 favorites]
Think I was misreading your request... Sounds like you are just looking for a "swing-arm" on which to mount your laptop.
posted by crenquis at 10:47 AM on January 27, 2010
posted by crenquis at 10:47 AM on January 27, 2010
I don't know if you could do it cheaper than this one at Ikea.
posted by misha at 10:57 AM on January 27, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by misha at 10:57 AM on January 27, 2010 [2 favorites]
I think torquemaniac's definitely got the idea here. (I was trying to think how build something from scratch.) You could adapt one of the TV mounts he's linked to. You might need to rig up or find something to use as a holder for the laptop, then screw that to the mount.
posted by nangar at 10:58 AM on January 27, 2010
posted by nangar at 10:58 AM on January 27, 2010
Sorry, I see you want to spend less than $75 and that is 79.99, but it seems the easiest to me.
posted by misha at 10:58 AM on January 27, 2010
posted by misha at 10:58 AM on January 27, 2010
Try this DIY mount:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Kitchen-PC-with-laptop-twist/
posted by iam2bz2p at 11:26 AM on January 27, 2010
http://www.instructables.com/id/Kitchen-PC-with-laptop-twist/
posted by iam2bz2p at 11:26 AM on January 27, 2010
I'm going to agree with the others; I use a swing arm monitor/ TV stand for this very purpose. The nice things is, mine was designed for CRT equipment so it has a large flat base, perfect for a laptop, it is more than strong enough, and I was able to pick it up second hand because no-one is using CRT much anymore.
You may want to check second hand computer places and office re-suppliers, I'd be willing to bet that if you can find one, you can probably get it for next to nothing.
posted by quin at 3:08 PM on January 27, 2010
You may want to check second hand computer places and office re-suppliers, I'd be willing to bet that if you can find one, you can probably get it for next to nothing.
posted by quin at 3:08 PM on January 27, 2010
Response by poster: Torquemaniac hit it right on the head - Thank you! Exactly what I needed and at the right price.
posted by inquisitrix at 3:24 PM on January 27, 2010
posted by inquisitrix at 3:24 PM on January 27, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
I can imagine what you might by "swing in a 45 degree angle," but I'm not sure. You want to fold the assembly against the wall when you're not using it? Hinges, some cabinet hardware?
posted by nangar at 10:34 AM on January 27, 2010