Yes, Another Phone Holder But Homebuilt

[Gadgetjq]

So, the forum is awash in recommendations for phone holders in the Gen2 Edge.  I ordered a couple of them to try and they were found wanting.  I live in the Desert Southwest (Phoenix) where giving up an air vent just isn't practical in the summer.  Another really nice holder includes a bracket that wraps around the right side of the center stack and looks great.....but a little costly for me.   Then I saw the CravenSpeed Gemini Phone Mount and said to myself....self, clear the workbench, you can do this.  And so can you, probably for less than $15.  Or, purchase the ready to mount.....mount from CravenSpeed. 

 

All you need is a piece of steel or aluminum stock to make a bracket with, a couple of screws, a bit of paint (PlastiDip works great), a desk lamp willing to give up its flexy bit, a couple of little 1\4" gel spacers and an actual phone holder/bracket that you probably already have laying around (or blocking an air vent).

 

How To:

 

1. A desk lamp like the one shown in photo #1 below costs about $10 at WalMart.  You can probably find one for 50 cents at a garage sale or swap meet.  Take it apart so you have the flex arm and nuts/washers holding it to the lamp and base. Toss the lamp and base. 

 

2. Make a bracket out of pretty much any metal stock you have lying around.  It only needs to be a rectangle a couple of inches wide and about seven inches long. 

 

3. At one end of the bracket, drill 2 holes matching the center to center dimension (2.36") of the two (existing) screws on the 'top' of the little cubby under the dash at the front of the center console.  You can fudge this a little by creating a 'slot' for one of the screws.

 

4. Test fit your bracket by removing the existing screws (11mm) and using a couple of 1.25 or 1.50" #8 screws in their place to hold the bracket.  This is just a loose fitting.  You should have one end of the bracket sticking out from the right side top of the cubby. 

 

5. Grab the flexy arm you liberated from the lamp and hold it atop the visible part of your bracket to determine where you'll drill the hole to hold that arm.  Mark the spot and head back to the drill with your bracket to create an appropriate size hole for the arm.  Cut or grind off excess metal to make the visible part of the bracket look pretty.

 

6. Test fit with the arm attached to the bracket.  All good?  Now, determine how you'll attach the actual phone 'holder.'  This is going to vary a lot depending on what you're using so a bit of imagination will come in handy here.  In my case the bracket is basically a magnetic puck with a ball joint and a stud off of that.  I created a plastic plug that fit tightly into the flex arm inner diameter, drilled a hole in the center of that plug then screwed that stud into it. 

 

7. With everything assembled install it in the car (again....getting pretty good at this by now eh?)  to be sure everything fits and works the way you expect it to.  Once you've determined it's all good clean everything really well with alcohol then paint.

 

8. Paint dry? Install your new bracket for (hopefully) the last time using a couple of 1/4" spacers between the bracket and top of the cubby, tightening those #8 screws that go 'through' the spacers.  Not too tight though, they're probably going into something plastic

 

9. One more thing:  If you don't think the flex tube will be strong/steady enough for the weight of your phone just shove a piece of welding rod (or other stiff wire) up into the flex tube before you bend it.  That'll add some stiffness but still allows you to shape the flex tubing to your liking.

Done! 

 

Please excuse the non focus of the photos, don't know whether it was the camera or me but it's over 100 degrees in the garage so I won't be taking another set

 

 

 

Edited June 11, 2019 by Gadgetjq
Added stiffening tip & photo

[FordsOverGm]

I know what my first mod is now