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Macbook Pro Ghetto Laptop Stand

posted in Geek Talk on June 04, 2006

In geniune Hacksaw Buasky style, I have crafted a butt-ugly, DIY laptop stand utilizing scrap wood, two old & crappy bicycle break pads, a cheap 90mm PC case fan, and a spare Radio Shack, multi-voltage AC adapter to cool my $1800 computer. By changing the output DC voltage on the AC adapter, you can achieve varying levels of fan speed and noise. The average operating temperature has dropped from around 65º to 50º at the lowest voltage setting (very light breeze from the fan and just about silent).

ghetto macbook pro laptop stand, shot 1

Note the beehive pattern dispersal on the vent-holes. Highly essential. I used 1" and 1/2" wood-boring bits with my cordless drill for this. To attach the brake pads on the top, I drilled shallow 1/4" holes and then threaded the pads into them. The rest is pretty self-explanatory, I believe. Cut wood. Attach with wood screws. Best to keep it as ugly as possible.

ghetto macbook pro laptop stand, shot 2

This crappy 90mm case fan should cost about $3. Mine personally came as a bribe to shut up about the fact that the local computer store traded me a non-functional $19 wifi card for a $7 Vantec silent 80mm case fan. I think I'll order online from now on.

ghetto macbook pro laptop stand, shot 3

Note optimal airflow between case and ghetto stand.

Fantastic!

20 comments on this entry

Nate this is super cool! My giant iMac gets really hot too (especially when I'm running a ton of stuff and printing comics for MoCCA in hot and sweaty New York) but luckily it's on my desk in front of my window...which has my AC unit in it! I've been keeping the fan on, (without AC) and it does a similar job, just by blowing some cool air on it. Nice!

Alec 6/4/06
 

Ghetto-tastic and freakin' awesome. Love the combination of hi-tech/lo-tech.

Joseph 6/13/06
 

here is my ghetto stand

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdevore/115883348/

long live the ghetto sytlin

sam d 7/26/06
 

nice. i can't believe how many people find this page via google search for macbook stand and don't comment. yours takes the ghetto cake!

nate 7/26/06
 

I like your stand, a bit too crude 4 my taste, you might want to take a look at my crdboard sleev for my 17 mbp, in a similar spirit.
Cheers.
http://www.flickr.com/people/daci/

daci gutierrez 8/29/06
 

up until i got an ilap as a birthday gift my ghetto cooler was the sheet metal top from the case of an old dead vcr. it was huge, cheap, as even without a fan it made a wold of difference.

daniel Frankovitch 10/1/06
 

a better product
it is cool and simple than you
http://idock.com.cn

jiva 11/5/06
 

definitely cool and simple than me. but not nearly as ghetto or cheapass. i encourage making one of these with whatever is laying around you -- chunk o' wood + spare PC fan (or buy one for $2!) + spare AC adapter (c'mon, what geek doesn't have a dozen estranged wallworts laying around??) + a few screws = the same damn thing.

ok, no USB ports. if i was more of a clever and solder-happy cheapass, i could have put one in, and wired it into the fan. bah!

anyway, after all the trouble, i'm getting rid of my buggy, hot-as-hell, and poorly designed macbook pro and going back to using my tibook.

Nate 11/5/06
 

Just googled my way here - that's great! I like the bike-pads idea.

I just got myself some winter-break plans.
Thanks

badolina 12/9/06
 

Lol @ the story about the fan, effective mod anyhow

Sandertje 2/3/07
 

Not so ghetto with a 2000 $$$ +++ laptop

matt 3/26/07
 

@matt: actually it was a $1600 refurb (which i ended up selling because of all the problems the damn MBPs have..) -- but it's the STAND that's ghetto, sir ¢¢¢ ---

nate 3/26/07
 

very ugly. ugly might be next to something else that might be next to godliness or something like that.

so its a good job, well done!

wils 4/19/07
 

@wils: thank you! i agree. ugly as sin. wait, i think i cancelled out yr "ugly = next to godliness" with my "ugly as sin."

nate 6/19/07
 

LOL!

Is it compatible with the $3000 MacBook Pro?

;-)

Ted 5/7/08
 

the 17"? sure! just get a bigger piece of junkwood.

nate 5/7/08
 

OMG that is the ugliest thing I ever saw! I can't believe you attached that handsome MBP to some...some ply wood you found on the streets and a fan you ripped from an even nastier PC OMG!

But seriously that was a smart and creative idea. The construction looks solid with a huge amount of airflow. I 'd love to see you slap some Murphy's Oil and a wood stainer on that wood to bring out more of the color. Keep up the good work.

Carlton F. Gamble 2/19/09
 

Good, yes.

charlie 5/9/09
 

you're my hero and have inspired me....
http://twitter.com/Jtsternberg/status/22811761016

Justin 9/2/10
 

Great stuff! it makes me wanna make one...

juju 11/25/10
 
 

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