Laptop Charging Stations

Materials: 2×4 Ikea Expedits, power strips (5+), casters (optional), Expedit Doors, zip ties. Tools: power drill, Forstner bits, staple gun, countersink bit, 3/4″ screws.

Description:
1) Assemble Expedit as directed.

2) Take apart 2 power strips and drill through the power strip and the shelf in a location where the screw will not come in contact with the electrical pieces of the power strip. Use those as templates for the other shelves.

3) Reassemble the power strips.

4) Place the power strips.

5) Drill through the bottom of the shelves using a countersink bit. Screw your 3/4″ screws through the shelf into the base of the power strip.

6) Continue until all four power strips are installed.

7) Assemble and install the Expedit doors *backwards* so that you are seeing a flat panel on the front of the Expedit and the door is on the back.

8) Drill a hole between the two door units big enough for a plug to fit through.

9) Using a small Forstner bit, drill a notch into the bottom left shelf so that the plug can go directly into the cube that is covered with a door.

10) Drill a similar hole in the bottom right shelf, bit enough to allow three power cords to go into that cavity.

11) Staple a row of zip ties down the center of the Expedit. You may need to lightly hammer the staples into the zip ties to get them flush.

12) Line up the cords along the zip ties and secure them.

13) Put the bottom left cord through the shelf and the hole drilled between the two door cavities.

14) Plug all of those plugs into a power strip in the bottom right door cavity.

15) Drill a hole through the bottom of the door for the cord of the power strip to get out to an outlet.

16) Trim the zip ties.

Use a Sharpie close in color to the color of your Expedit to mask the particle board where holes are cut.

Done!

See more photos.

~ Jonathan Briggs, Eastside Preparatory School Kirkland, WA