Around the House

#40 · Phone stand

Lean a phone against a propped chopstick for hands-free viewing. Not the sturdiest stand, but functional in a pinch.

Two chopsticks and an elastic band give you a phone stand in about thirty seconds. It is not a design object and it will not survive being packed in a bag, but for propping a phone up on a hotel desk or a kitchen worktop it works.

How to do it

1. Cross two chopsticks about a third of the way from the blunt ends and bind the crossing point tightly with an elastic band.
2. Stand it up and splay the two lower legs apart until it is stable.
3. Rest the phone in the V above the crossing point, leaning back against the upper arms.
4. Widen or narrow the splay to change the viewing angle.

Why it works

The crossed sticks form two triangles sharing an apex, and a triangle is the only polygon that cannot deform without changing a side length. That is what stops the whole thing folding flat under the weight of the phone.

If it isn't working

• It topples backwards: the legs are too upright. Splay them further and lower the phone's resting point.
• The phone slides down: put a second band around the lower arms as a lip for it to sit on.

Tips & warnings

• A third chopstick lashed across the back as a kickstand makes it far more stable for a tall phone.
• Won't hold a tablet. The weight is well beyond what an elastic band joint will take.