I requested a new monitor in the office because the one I had was developing a cluster of vertical lines running through it. I actually got what I asked for, an LG DualUp display that is essentially like having two, 1440p monitors stacked on top of one another without the bezel. It was essentially perfect but I needed a way to free up desktop space when the laptop was docked.
I noticed on a coworker’s desk that he put his laptop in a holder that held the laptop vertically. I thought that this would be perfect, especially if I combined it with a 60% mechanical keyboard and cordless mouse. I didn’t want to buy such a stand, after all, I do have the power of 3D printing. So, I searched the internet for 3D printable options.
Found this Vertical Laptop Holder that claims to be “Unbreakable.” It truly is Self-Adjusting as the weight of the laptop draws in the vertical arms of the holder to gently close on the laptop.
Assembly is easy, the cross members snap into the A-frame portion on the underside of the structure. Then I added little rubber feet to the cross pieces where the laptop’s back rests to reduce the chances of any sort of abrasions from causing wear on the laptop. It may be unnecessary but it sure makes me feel better.
I printed this off with PLA, ABS and PETG. They all seem to turn out well enough and all work as expected. The PLA is probably the least flexible but most certainly the easiest to print.
I have now used this stand for several weeks and I am very happy with the contraption. It does what it needs to do and has essentially melted into my desktop for which I don’t even think about it anymore.
Final Thoughts
This is a great design that makes for a cleaner work space. It allows me to use an external keyboard and mouse with the laptop and tuck the computer out of the way. I also like the fact that when I’m in the office, I am able to move around the keyboard and mouse to whatever is comfortable in relation to the monitors. It’s a nice update to my work environment that was inexpensive, easy to execute and a sustainable change.
I am second guessing the keyboard tho now… maybe I’m not a 60%, mechanical, blue-switch keyboard kind of guy. I am missing some buttons that the Framework has that I very much want… like Print Screen… but that is a whole different conversation.
3D printers, access to CAD and the various repositories of solutions to problems out there are excellent for making quality of life improvements to everyday life. This is yet another example of where my 3D printer has solved yet another problem.
References
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4912496
LG DualUp Monitor Plus USB-C Dock Station
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