build your iPad arca de cabinet

Find out how to saw, drill, screw and glue your cabinet together

1 Cut the frame

The box’s base is 25.8x19.7cm, with sloping sides that are 3cm high at the front and 7.5cm at the back. Each side has another piece 1cm lower attached to it, to create a shelf for the iPad to rest on. The batten at the front is screwed to the base, sides and front for strength, and all the sections are glued as well.

2 Drill the acrylic

Acrylic scratches easily, so keep the protective film on both sides until you’ve cut it. You can cut it quite easily with a hacksaw or router drill bit. A hole saw attachment makes a neat circle. Remove the off-cut circular piece from the middle of the hole saw while the acrylic is still hot, as it’s much harder afterwards.

3 Fit the joystick

Hot-glue the acrylic into the corner of the box. The joystick sticks to the screen using a rubber sucker, which also acts as the pivot. Cutting a second small collar of acrylic helps reduce the amount that the joystick wobbles in the frame. You can glue this to the larger acrylic piece with hot glue or vinyl adhesive.