Shiny New E-Book Gizmo: The Amazon Kindle


View Full Version : Just how lazy can you get? Reader bedstand!


LaughingVulcan
04-22-2007, 10:33 AM
Just how lazy can you get? Well, if you work at it a little ( ;) ) you can get this lazy:

http://laughingvulcan.org/img_0026.jpg

After reading about others accessories here, I decided that what I needed was something to help hold the Reader during my reading before bed. Yes, I could just hold it in one hand, but it always felt a little awkward.

So I went out and bought a student desk lamp on a flex-arm that was on sale at Wal-Mart, and took off the lamp end. I then found that the cheap arm I bought wouldn't hyper-extend past 45 degrees on the lower part of the arm. So a loosening of one screw and a little muscle got it to hyper-extend. Only then I found out that the base of the thing isn't heavy enough to support the arm hyper-extended with any weight attached to the upper arm. (Which is probably why it was deliberately made not to hyper-extend. ;) )

Oh, well. Fortunately, we had a bunch of round weights in storage. Again fortunately, the base has a sleeve to accept the piston on the bottom of the arm. Soooo, one ten pound weight 'threaded' onto the base, and no stability problems. The weight is the silver part on the base in this pic:

http://laughingvulcan.org/img_0025.jpg

I also just happened to have a Fellowes brand book holder around (which I used to use with my Tablet PC.) Two small holes drilled in it, and two nuts and bolts attached through where the lamp used to connect via pop rivets, and I was in business!

The only question left was how to secure the top part of the reader. As a temporary solution, I'm using four zip ties looped around. They actually stay when the reader isn't attached (to my surprise!) I simply put the booklight I always use on the Fellowes base. Lo and behold, a bedtime Reader stand is born!

http://laughingvulcan.org/img_0024.jpg

It isn't quite "finished" yet. I'm thinking about cutting down the sides of the book reader stand to the Reader's dimensions, and setting up the zip ties so that they're permanently mounted (or some other system of holding the reader at the top.) But, it actually is more comfortable to use to turn pages than the pictures suggest just the way it is.

No "remote control" yet - that would be the ultimate is lazy evening reading to have some type of iPod page forward/back control and not have to lift an arm. But I'm very satisfied with it the way it is. And, an unintentional side benefit, it allows me to teach our cat to read!

http://laughingvulcan.org/img_0027.jpg

NatCh
04-22-2007, 12:37 PM
Okay, that's about the most effort I've seen put into being lazy in ... well, in a very long time anyway. :laugh4:

That's pretty awesome, LV -- you forgot to tot up how much you put into materials for us lazy but enterprising copy-cats out here. :smiley2:

HarryT
04-22-2007, 12:54 PM
Couldn't you train the cat to turn the page for you? :grin:

diabloNL
04-22-2007, 01:13 PM
To make a remote can't be to difficult. I'm even thinking of modding my Reader so it has buttons on the right side as well to flip pages. The only thing that hold me back is that there is a chance Sony will do something with the joystick in future upgrades.

RWood
04-22-2007, 01:13 PM
Reading cats, ok. But once they master the door knob principle its all over for us humans (and vulcans.) :D

astra
04-23-2007, 06:15 AM
It ia amazing what sloth is capable of! :thumbsup:

Aprilbeginnings
04-23-2007, 11:01 AM
ALL I am going to say is OMG.......................... LMAO.....Well to each his own I guess.

yvanleterrible
04-24-2007, 08:30 AM
What happens when the itch grabs you to turn on the other side? :laugh4: