Monday, December 30, 2013

How to Make Your Own Rustic Wooden Breadboard Ipad Nook or Tablet Stand

Recently I was infatuated with a rustic tablet stand found on Pinterest. I didn't quite like the examples so I decided to make my own. I have a few friends and family with their own tablets so I thought it would make an awesome Christmas present! I was right and everyone loved them!!! They are so great for when you pull up a recipe on your tablet and don't want it laying flat on your counter top getting messed up. What's even better is they fold up and can be hung on a hook or tucked into a drawer when you don't need them.

Here are three of the stands I personalized

I ordered everything except the wood for the kickstand in the back online. 

What you need to get started:
  • Wooden bread board ( I got mine from and online web restaurant supplier for $6 a piece) 
  • Scrabble rack (I got 10 for under $5 on Amazon)
  • Small wooden board that is 1/2" thick and 1 1/2" wide (Mine was from Lowes in the hardwood section. You can get them in whatever wood is closest to your board)
  • Wood glue
  • Easel Hinges ( I got mine for 60 cents on a woodworking website. They have little prongs that are on both sides.)
  • Electric table saw
  • Mallet
  • Matching wood stain
  • Optional: Electric burn tool or paint


How to put it together:

  1. Get your piece of wood ready and cut it to 6 1/4" at a 15 degree angle at the bottom. 
  2. Mark the back of your board 7" up and place the closed hinge below that line. 
  3. Take your wood glue and put a few small drops on either side of the hinge. 
  4. Make sure your hinge and wood back is lined up on the board. Put the board on a flat surface like a good table with a flat piece of wood on it. Stone surfaces will make the board split when you tap the wood piece into place. 
  5. Take another small piece of wood (could be the remnant of the piece you cut from) and place it above the wood piece. You should be looking at bottom to top: Table, Bread board, hinge, wooden kickstand, extra board. Make sure the extra board covers the hinge portion evenly.
  6. With a mallet hit the stack where the hinge is 2-3 good times to make sure the hinge grips into the breadboard and kickstand. If it doesn't take some more glue and put it in the holes the hinge makes and press everything back into place, then flip the whole thing over with the breadboard facing up.
  7. If you want to stain your scrabble rack and kickstand wait until the glue dries first (I would wait at least 6 hours). Lightly brush on your stain to the scrabble rack and back board on the top, bottom, front and back. After it dries check and reapply if needed. 
  8. If you want to paint your board wait until hinge glue is dried. Paint all of your pieces, board, scrabble rack, and kickstand. For an antique white look: paint all over in an off white, let dry, go back and rub wood stain on the edges lightly and let dry. *Make sure there isn't any oil covering the breadboard. Some cutting boards come with a thin layer to treat the wood. If yours does then you will need to sand the board before you can start painting. 
  9. Glue your scrabble rack on to your bread board by applying a thin layer of glue to the back of the rack and evenly placing it an inch above the bottom. Wipe away any excess glue from the sides of the rack if needed.
  10. If you want to personalize the stand you can paint initials or burn them in with a burn tool. When using a burn tool I suggest sketching out your design first in pencil then burning over it. After you're finished go back with a good eraser. *Always be cautious when using a burn tool. Never leave the tool unattended when on and never allow small children around it. It reaches several hundred degrees Fahrenheit and causes serious instant burns when it contacts the skin (trust me I know!)
You're all done!! Now go and put that stand to work!