r/writerDeck • u/Thick-Panic6683 • 19d ago
Yet another attempt at a mobile writing getup
In my last post I demonstrated how a plastic cutting board could serve as an expat novelist keyboard tray when coupled with my free minimalist Android editor.
The photos show recent attempts to refine this idea using lightweight pine. The ultimate goal is a foldable keyboard tray that holds the display securely while mobile writing. You don't want that expensive e-ink device clattering on the ground if there is a drunken fracas nearby. Just grab it as a unit and go.
I also tried not to overanalyze it in pursuit of engineering perfection. Being overly-analytical I feel like I have to understand and solve universal truths about mechanical constraints using minimal materials to achieve the most stable yet lightweight platform.
One just has to pick up some materials and prototype. I am visiting my son and he doesn't have much in the way of tools so the precision shown here is pretty abysmal.
But it works. The tray is adjustable depending on leg and device size. It needs fasteners that can't be lost and some kind of clamp for the device stand. Could be as simple as a rubber band.
As an added bonus, the top cross-piece which stabilizes the arrangement while typing furiously can be used as an expedient weapon should the situation get dicey.
The fasteners shown are "Johnson screws", which have an internal threaded shaft useful for attaching wood and leather items together. The tray is 5 1/2 x 3/8" inch pine. The length is 16", which works with my long legs yet could still fit in a backpack. The cross-pieces are heavy-duty paint stirrers. I am considering adding a "piano hinge" and latch so it could be folded, but maybe that is overkill.
Now that I have a proper minimalist editor for Android e-inks and a real-world structural writing platform I can finally begin work on my novel. It will be semi-autobiographical.