Portable Cushioned Lap Desk for Education in Remote Locations & Refugee Camps

I have made this product for my A Level Design Technology, attempting to find a solution to the challenge of a lack of accessibility to good quality education in refugee camps and other remote environments. This design is a variation on a 'lap desk', incorporating a desk and cushion to sit on, while being portable with a storage pocket, allowing for more efficient studying in a more comfortable way, in any location. It can be made with minimal expertise and using widely accessible, affordable and reused materials, to be accessible for as many people as possible.

When making:

• Please use the manufacture video (on YouTube linked here: https://youtu.be/BUk3EoO4Ffg) while making for the visual step by step process alongside
• I used basic tools (i.e. a manual saw, sandpaper etc.) but if you have access to additional machinery (i.e. a bandsaw, belt sander etc.) then feel free to use it instead
• In these instructions, I made a standard size (suitable for most adults) which I have referred to as Size 1, however, all the sizes can be adapted/personalised to suit the user (e.g. a smaller child)
• Where mentioned (i.e. Step 17.1/12.2/17.3), there are alternative materials/manufacture choices which can be made based on what materials you have available/accessible to you
• Most importantly, feel free to personalise and decorate it in any way to suit you, whether that is a adapting the size, a manufacturing process or simply colouring/painting the desktop, I would love to see/hear about any adaptations you would suggest in the comments below!

Supplies

Materials:

1. Tarpaulin sheet
2. Paper (scraps e.g. old newspaper, packaging)
3. Plastic carrier bags
4. Hay/straw/dried grass
5. Fabric (scraps e.g. old clothes, packaging)
6. Pallet wood
7. Screws (roughly 14: approximately 25mm in length, 4: to join the topper to the desk)
8. Strong twine/string
9. 4 Plastic bottle caps with flat top
10. Flat & thin sheet of wood or card or cardboard
11. Velcro (optional)

Tools:

1. Scissors
2. A sewing needle (suitable size for the twine/string)
3. A screwdriver 
4. A saw
5. Wood glue (optional)
6. A ruler or tape measure
7. A pen/pencil
8. Sandpaper (or an alternative rough material)
9. A sharp knife/blade (e.g. scalpel)

Step 1: Read Risk Assessment

Read the Risk Assessment by clicking on the images above.

Step 2: Cut Pieces of Pallet Wood

Take the pallet and use a tape measure or ruler to measure a 360mm length on one of the pallet's planks and mark with a pen/pencil.

Then cut along the lines using a saw to get a 360mm piece of wooden plank.

Repeat this step 6 times (to get 6 pieces of plank) or until you have enough wood for a total board width of around 450-500mm (if the planks are lined up vertically) with one spare plank.

Step 3: Cut 1 Piece in Half

Cut 1 of the 6 pieces of 360mm plank in half parallel to the longest edge.

Step 4: Sand Pieces of Wood

Use sand paper (or other rough material alternative) and rub across surface of pieces of wood to smooth and reduce splinters.

Step 5: OPTIONAL: Use Wood Glue to Join Pieces

(OPTIONAL)

Spread a thin layer of wood glue using a scrap to spread it on one side of the two half pieces of timber.

Then position horizontally across all 5 other planks in the middle equally spaced from the edges and the other half piece (see image).

Press down to secure and then leave to dry.

Step 6: Screw Planks Together

Get 10 screws (approximately 25mm in length - slightly taller than the height of the plank of wood).

Use a screwdriver to join the planks with the screws (equally placed with 5 on each half plank, and one for each of the full planks - see image for positioning).

Step 7: Create Template

Use the image attached to this step as a reference for the template sizes and shape. The red lines are the template. Size 1 is suitable for most adults, while Size 2 is more suitable for smaller/younger children.

(7.1) Option 1: Use a ruler/tape measure to draw out the template shape onto a piece of paper (or pieces of paper stuck together) and then cut around using scissors to make the template.

(7.2) Option 2: Split the template (see image) onto different sheets of paper (to scale) in a printable document (e.g. Microsoft Word) and then print out the pages and stick them together using glue/tape and cut out the template shape with scissors.

Step 8: Cut Shapes Out of Tarpaulin

First lay the tarpaulin sheet out flat and place the template on top.

Draw around the template using a pen.

Then use scissors to cut out the draw shape from the tarpaulin.

Repeat this step once more.

Step 9: Cut Pocket Shape Out of Tarpaulin

Draw around only the large end of the template onto the tarpaulin.

Then use scissors to cut out the shape.

Step 10: Sew the Pieces of Tarpaulin Together Using Blanket Stitch

First watch the video showing how to do a blanket stitch (in the complete tutorial video found at the top of the page).

Then practice on some scrap tarpaulin e.g. the offcuts from step 8/9 (OPTIONAL).

Use pins (or paperclips/other clips/heavy weights) to hold the 3 pieces of tarpaulin in place together.

Measure out a length of string/twine approximately 3 times the length of one long side of the tarpaulin. (x2)

Then use blanket stitch to sew along the long edge of both sides of the tarpaulin, making sure to leave the short ends (where the the cushion sections are) open (see image for reference).

Then measure out a length of string/twine approximately 2.5 times around the middle circle (see image) and use blanket stitch to sew around the edge for the neck hole.

Step 11: Use a Straight Stitch to Sew Across the Middle Sections???

First watch the video showing how to do a straight stitch (in the complete tutorial video found at the top of the page).

Then practice on some scrap tarpaulin e.g. the offcuts from step 8/9 (OPTIONAL).

Measure out a length of string/twine that is approximately 1.5 times the width across the middle section of the tarpaulin (see image for reference). (x2)

The use straight stitch to sew across the width of the middle section, where it joins the pillow section on both sides (see image for reference).

Step 12: Screw the Desk to the Inside of the Tarpaulin

Place the board under the smaller end of the tarpaulin, with the half planks facing upwards (in contact with the tarpaulin) and the side of the tarpaulin with the pocket facing downwards (see diagram).

Then place two bottle tops on the inside of the smaller tarpaulin pocket, on top of one of the half planks and equally space them at the end of each half plank through the tarpaulin (see image). Repeat for the other half plank.

Then use a screwdriver to screw the screw into the centre of each bottle top to join the wooden desk and the tarpaulin.

Step 13: Cut Scrap Paper & Fabric Into Strips

Use scissors to cut a mix of squares and strips of fabric from the fabric scraps.

Tear strips of paper by hand or cut them using scissors.

Step 14: Fill the Cushions in the Tarpaulin

First place a plastic bag inside the tarpaulin pocket.

Then place 2 layers of fabric scraps on the inside of the bag.

Then add a mix of paper scraps and hay/straw.

Then place 2 more layers of fabric scraps on top of the paper/straw mix, enclosing it in fabric.

Then repeat this for the tarpaulin pocket at the other end.

Step 15: Sew Up the End of the Tarpaulin

Press the filled pockets to allow air to escape before rolling the excess plastic bag up to seal it.

Then use blanket stitch to sew up the edge of the bag.

Step 16: Draw Out Topper for Desk

On either a thin, flat piece of timber (wood) (16.2) or card/cardboard (16.1), draw out a shape similar to the template (see image).

Ensure that:

• the vertical distance from the top to the indent and the bottom is 36cm (the same length as the wood plank desktop)
• the edges are curved (by any amount within reason)
• the width of the topper overhangs the wood plank desktop below by at least 5cm on each side.

Step 17: Cut Out Topper for Desk

(17.1) Option 1 (for card/cardboard): Use a sharp knife/scissors to cut out the shape.

(17.2) Option 2 (for wood): Use a saw to cut out the shape.

Step 18: Join Topper to Desk

(17.1) Option 1 (for card/cardboard/wood): stick strips of strong Velcro to both the card/cardboard topper and the pallet wood desk to join them.

(17.2) Option 2 (for wood): use a screwdriver and four small screws (one in each corner) to join the wooden topper to the pallet wood desk.

(17.3) Option 3 (for card/cardboard/wood): spread wood glue on both the pallet wood desk and the topper (either card, cardboard or wood) and join.

Ensure the edge with the inwards curve (bottom middle) for the person to sit at is on the opposite side to the neck hole section.