DIY Macbook stand 4141 Responses

Last post: 6 months ago | Thread started: Mar 25, 08, 12:33 a.m.

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• slappy

  I would like to build a timber Macbook Pro stand to save room on my desk and help keep the thing cool when I am using it as a desktop with external monitor/mouse/keyboard. I have put an illustration together below to demonstrate what I have in mind.

  My question is: will the optical drive accept disks properly when stood up on a stand like this or will it break the drive?

  

  Mar 25, 08, 12:33 a.m. – Permalink

• akrokdesign

  how will you open the laptop?

  

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  Dog-earMar 25, 08, 12:35 a.m. – Permalink

• ernexbcn

  laptops are meant to be open to work, that design is to keep the laptop closed, which is silly and not really useful.

  

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  Dog-earMar 25, 08, 12:37 a.m. – Permalink

• jfletcher

  using an external monitor etc.... it can be closed. I use mine like that sometimes...

  • good luck on that, you can fry your laptop doing that– ernexbcn1/7

    hopefully you guys turn off the display, otherwise is asking for trouble– ernexbcn2/7

    Uh guys, all Apple laptops have supported this feature since the Intel switch. I run mine closed. No problems.– yaphi3/7

    Me too. I have problems but not related to having it closed.– TResudek4/7

    All apple laptops supported this way before Intel came along. I run my 5 yr old PowerBook closed all the time– alexand5/7

    i have been running my titanium pb like this for well over 5 years. no probs– danthon6/7

    Hey how do you do this. My boss is going bananas trying to get the macbook to work with an external screen and not even the IT department could figured it out how to do it!– frannyc287/7

  

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  Dog-earMar 25, 08, 12:38 a.m. – Permalink

• slappy

  I dont need the laptop open as I have an external keyboard, mouse and monitor. The laptop doesnt need to be open to be in use.

  • I liked the graphic slappy– Meeklo

  

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  Dog-earMar 25, 08, 12:38 a.m. – Permalink

• akrokdesign

  mmm, i see. but how do you turn on the computer? mine goto sleep as soon I close it.

  • there are programs to avoid that, it's called "clamshell mode"– ernexbcn1/8

    http://docs.info.app…– ernexbcn2/8

    Its a built in function, it knows when you have an external monitor/keyboard/mou… plugged in to turn the laptop screen off and keen machine running– slappy3/8

    ...screen off and keep the machine running.– slappy4/8

    sweet.– akrokdesign5/8

    open it. wait for login screen. close it. click mouse. log in with it closed on external stuff.– meffid6/8

    or use the remote which came with macbook to wake it up– pango7/8

    you only need it to be connected to the charger at all times.– _salisae_8/8

  

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  Dog-earMar 25, 08, 12:40 a.m. – Permalink

• slappy

  Glad thats all sorted out, so anyone recon the super drive will operate in the above configuration?

  • why not flip it side waves. the imac has it.– akrokdesign1/3

    Good call! I'll check the part numbers to see if they are the same unit.– slappy2/3

    your welcome. :-D– akrokdesign3/3

  

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  Dog-earMar 25, 08, 12:48 a.m. – Permalink

• slappy

  Can someone with an Intel Imac jump into the system profiler and find out the superdrive model name/number, pretty please?

  • slappy 'n' lazy. lol.– akrokdesign1/4

    OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5630A– ernexbcn2/4

    you rock, thanks.– slappy3/4

    HL-DT-ST DVDRW GWA4080MA– ESKEMA4/4

  

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  Dog-earMar 25, 08, 12:58 a.m. – Permalink

• Raniator

  nice idea, but have you got a wall behind your desk? prop it up on that?

  

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  Dog-earMar 25, 08, 3:14 a.m. – Permalink

• blaw

  My concern with the design is that it could be a bit top-heavy. You made need to provide a wider footrprint and/or higher support.

  • *You may need to...– blaw

  

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  Dog-earMar 25, 08, 3:25 a.m. – Permalink

• slappy

  Yeah I will have to experiment with the foot print a bit. I may also need to connect the two legs together to make the whole thing more rigid. I will also probably need some felt or rubber foam to get a good fit. If I find a winning combo then I'll post up the plans :)

  • Optical drive works sideways and straight up in the air like the diagram, I'm set.– slappy1/2

    Definitely post plans, pics. Good luck.– blaw2/2

  

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  Dog-earMar 25, 08, 3:41 a.m. – Permalink

• ycats

  I have a simple little stand similar to the one you're making that I use with my MacBook Pro. The drive works fine vertically, and the laptop takes up way less space on my desk.

  

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  Dog-earApr 9, 08, 2:47 p.m. – Permalink

• skt

  Here is one i made for myself...

  

  • retro.– Jnr_Madison1/6

    touché– designer4rent2/6

    adjustable legs bitch!!– skt3/6

    cool enpugh space for a macbook air– moamoa4/6

    did you got that at urban outfitters?– Meeklo5/6

    no, i got it from google image search.– skt6/6

  

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  Dog-earApr 9, 08, 2:48 p.m. – Permalink

• Dancer

  Are hard dives meant to spin well and constantly at 90°?

  I would think not...?

  • 1 word, iMac– emecks1/6

    Your first mistake was thinking.– Jnr_Madison2/6

    hahaha– emecks3/6

    STOP PRESS:
    Propeller invented.– emecks4/6

    My PowerBook can't play DVDs on it's side. It skips loads... good luck man– alexand5/6

    Guess what storage media old gen ipods used ... hard drives..– Mojo6/6

  

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  Dog-earApr 9, 08, 2:50 p.m. – Permalink

• Corvo

  Won't it heat above normal if it's closed?

  

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  Dog-earApr 9, 08, 2:53 p.m. – Permalink

• pom

  It will heat about normal, since some heat on a MBP escapes via the keyboard, but clamshell mode is built into mbp when running an external monitor so i don't know.

  • above normal*– pom

  

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  Dog-earApr 9, 08, 2:55 p.m. – Permalink

• StratusGD

  To answer the original question, yes, the superdrive will still work.

  However, cooling is an issue. MBPs vent a significant amount of air near the monitor hinge. You're putting the vents at the bottom. Hot air rises, so even with the fans, you might have cooling issues since they'll be fighting against basic physics. Since you'll be operating with the laptop closed, you will want to have the vents working as efficiently as possible.

  If you're going to put the laptop vertical, I'd turn it 90° so the vents are at the side, not the bottom.

  • vertical? what if it falls, are you guys rich?– Meeklo1/4

    I know someone is not eating hamburger helper or drinking folgers coffee tonight– Meeklo2/4

    Science and StratusGD FTW!– mg333/4

    ...If you build/buy a sturdy enough stand, vertical will be fine.– StratusGD4/4

  

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  Dog-earApr 9, 08, 2:57 p.m. – Permalink

• Meeklo

  if you happen to have one of these at home, you could use it for your computer, and it will also allow you to have it open and well aired.

  

  

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  Dog-earApr 9, 08, 2:58 p.m. – Permalink

• Gucci

  why not let it sit in your stand at an angle. Much like a docked iPhone/iPod but lower. That might take care of some heating concerns, no?

  

  • cause its heavy?– Meeklo1/4

    doubt that'd be good for the drive– jkmohr2/4

    and it wouldn't fit in the iPhone dock– mimeartist3/4

    it won't,
    i tried ;-)– meisterschueler4/4

  

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  Dog-earApr 9, 08, 3:03 p.m. – Permalink

• mg33

  FYI on clamshell mode:

  The most recent Leopard update and subsequent graphics update causes issues with operating in clamshell mode with an external monitor. I'm a victim of this. Pre-update I could close it and wake it up no problem with bluetooth keyboard or mouse. After the update, it doesn't work, causes all kinds of problems, and the only way to restart after it's frozen is remove the batter and pop it back in.

  • eek– Gucci1/2

    I have latest update and bluetooth mouse with no such issues.– slappy2/2

  

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  Dog-earApr 9, 08, 3:03 p.m. – Permalink

• testpilot

  It should work just fine...

  http://www.powersupportusa.com/p…

  • isn't that just for "clearing the workspace"? Says nothing about having the machine running.– Corvo1/3

    No idea...but I know I use my Powerbook closed and with an external monitor.– testpilot2/3

    Never had any issues at all with heat or performance.– testpilot3/3

  

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  Dog-earApr 9, 08, 3:06 p.m. – Permalink