Many people think that the invention of headphones is something quite innovative. Imagine being able to listen to music all day without any interruption from the outside world. But did you know that headphones were not initially meant for music?
Headphones were invented back in the early 1880s. Back then, it was primarily used for telephone operators so the office environment would not be too loud and noisy, and they can concentrate on their conversations with their clients. The earliest headphones were a single earpiece that rested on one’s shoulder. It also weighed around 10 pounds. Many people say that it was akin to placing a boombox on your shoulder. You can imagine the life of telephone operators back then who needed to work an 8-hour shift with that heavy equipment on their shoulders.
Thankfully, because of Science and Technology, the headphones evolved as time passed on. During the early 1910s, Nathaniel Baldwin crafted a crude version of the modern headphones right there in his kitchen! It was a massive success, and he could sell every single pair to the US navy. Because it was never patented, many manufacturers seized the opportunity to manufacture the headphones massively.
Indeed, there are many benefits to having headphones. These are:
- Its noise-canceling features enable you to understand the lyrics and internalize the sound more than a speaker with no headphones.
- Having headphones is also associated with greater productivity because you can have a longer attention span and increased focus, mainly if your work entails being on calls or virtual meetings all day.
- Headphones are always in style. There is virtually every design and color of headphones that can fit your personality and style.
These are just a few of the benefits that headphones offer to you, and there are undoubtedly many others! Because headphones have many benefits, you should invest in things that would improve your headphones’ longevity. Premium quality headphones are also quite expensive, so it would be best to find ways to take care of them.
One of the ways to take care of your headphones is through a headphone stand. Continue reading the article below to know more about headphone stands and how to one for yourself.
Why Do You Need a Headphone Stand?
Headphone stands are there to help protect your headphones. Others use headphone stands to make their space more organized. Wired headphones are susceptible to knots and ties when they are just lying around. This is precisely why you need a headphone stand – so you can protect your headphones’ wires and improve their longevity.
Here are other reasons why you need a headphone stand:
Makes your workspace look organized
One of the major benefits of having a headphone stand is that it would make your workspace more organized. If you are used to many coils and wires all over your desk, you can minimize this mess by using a headphone stand. You can perch your headphones onto the rack for easier use.
Another perk is that you can also free up much-needed space on your desk if you use a headphone stand. In this way, you have the freedom to move things around instead of having a messy and cramped workspace.
Increases your productivity
Because your headphone stand is just neatly placed on top of your desk, and presuming that you would use your headphone stand for its intended purpose, using this will significantly increase your productivity!
Now that you know where your headphone is, you will not waste precious minutes to look around your room (or your house!) to look for your headphones. Instead, you can invest the minutes that you saved in doing something valuable like work.
Prolongs the Lifespan of your Headphones
One of the primary uses of a headphone stand is to protect your headphones and increase their lifespan. Premium quality headphones are invested because they can be pretty expensive. Hence, it is your job to make sure they are cared for and protected using a headphone stand.
Different Ways to Make a Headphone Stand
Headphone stands can also be pretty expensive. This is why many individuals make their headphones stand because it is pretty easy to do, and the materials are easy to procure from hardware stores or local school supplies shops.
This article will focus on three different types of headphone stands. We will provide tools and materials needed for each type, plus easy step-by-step instructions so you can create your DIY headphone stand in no time.
Stacked Cardboard Headphone Stand
This Stacked Cardboard Headboard Stand is a stylish yet very cost-effective way for you to store and display your headphones on your desk. This headphone stand is also straightforward to create. The tools and materials used are also accessible – you can visit your local hardware store, your school supply store, or rummage around your home, and you can see materials that you can use for the Stacked Cardboard Headphone Stand.
Tools
Since the Stacked Cardboard Headphone Stand is so easy to make, the only tool you would need here is a sharp knife and a pair of scissors! Remember to use a “safety first” mindset when handling knives and scissors to create your headphone stand.
You will use the knife or pair of scissors to cut out the cardboard’s traced template. It is recommended for you to use a bandsaw if this is readily available in your home. If not, you can take a pocket knife or swiss knife and use that instead.
Material
- Cardboard: It is recommended that you utilize double corrugated cardboard from any shipping box available in your home. These cardboard types are thicker and have more layers, perfect for the durability of your Stacked Cardboard Headphone Stand.
- Marker: Any marker or sharpie will do. You will use the marker to trace out the template to your cardboard.
- Glue: You can use regular Elmer’s glue (or any white glue for that matter) to paste the layers of cardboard together.
- Template: This template will help you create your Stacked Cardboard Headphone Stand easily! All you need to do is to print it out using an A4-sized paper. If you are going to use letter-sized paper, do note that you would need to adjust the printer settings.
The template above also gives you detailed instructions on the lines and shapes you need to create your Stacked Cardboard Headphone Stand if you need to make your version in the future.
Instructions
- Once you have gathered the materials, you can take the printed template and start cutting it out using your pair of scissors.
- With the cut-out template, use your sharpie to trace it onto your cardboard box. Do note that you must make sure that the template’s centerline is also aligned with your cardboard.
The standard double corrugated cardboard would create six outside pieces and four inside pieces. If you are using single corrugated cardboard, you would need to double that amount.
- Once you have neatly traced the cardboard cut-outs, get your knife and carefully trace them out of the cardboard box. A pro tip is for you to start at the bottom section first and work your way to the top.
- The next step for you is to get your glue and start pasting the layers together. You can spread the glue evenly on your pieces and wait for them to dry for a while. You do have to make sure that all your pieces are aligned so your Stacked Cardboard Headphone Stand will be as durable and aesthetically pleasing as possible.
Check that the tops, sides, and bottoms are all aligned. If you have traced them and cut them out perfectly, this part should be easy for you to do. If it does not, do not fret or worry. You can sand them down using sandpaper so the edges are smooth.
- Once you have the foundation for your Stacked Cardboard Headphone Stand, all that is left to do is the fun part – add decorations! You can use the printed-out template as decoration for your headphone stand.
There are many ways for you to decorate your headphone stand. You can add art paper, paint it, add colors, glitter, sequins, or whatever floats your boat when it comes to decorating your Stacked Cardboard Headphone Stand. The sky’s the limit when decorating your headphone stand. The important thing is that you are happy with the output, and it reflects your style.
Wooden Headphone Stand
Who said that headphone stands should be crazy expensive has not made a unique DIY wooden headphone stand. This clean and expensive-looking DIY wooden headphone stand is easy to do if you want to give a thoughtful present to any of your loved ones. The materials used are pretty accessible in your home or your local hardware store. Though the tools and the process used is a bit more complicated than other crafty types of headphone stand, with a bit of practice and trial and error, you will quickly learn the ropes of how to create this beautiful DIY wooden headphone stand in no time.
Tools
- Saw: The saw you would use depends on the board you are working with. If you are working with plywood, then the table saw or circular saw is recommended for you to use. If you are using boards, then you can use a miter saw instead.
- Jigsaw: The jigsaw is used to cut shapes and curves in the wood as accurately as you can. Since this wooden headphone stand has an oblong shape that resembles an actual head’s shape, you would need a jigsaw to perfect the stand’s swerve and curves.
- Bar Clamps: A bar clamp is an essential tool that you would need when making this wooden headphone stand. Bar clamps are commonly used in woodworks. For this case, you would need the bar clamp to hold the edges when gluing together the layers of your wooden headphone stand.
- Sander: To ensure that the finished output looks clean and polished, you need a sander to help you automate the job (compared to the regular and very manual sandpaper that will take you a long time to finish). The sander will help you smoothen out, polish, and achieve a clean look for your wooden headphone stand. If there are any rough edges, it will help you smoothen them out for finishing.
Materials
- (3) 10″ x 5 1/2″ scraps of 3/4″ plywood: You can check your home for scraps of plywood you can use with the recommended dimensions above. If you have none, then this is easily accessible in your local hardware store. You can get a new plywood block with these dimensions: (3) 10″ long pieces of 1×6 boards (which are five 1/2″ wide).
- Wood glue: The process of making this wooden headphone stand requires you to glue the wooden layers together. The most effective way to glue these layers is using wood glue.
- 220 grit sandpaper: While you do have the power sander to help you sand and smoothen out most of your wooden headphone stand, you would still need to do a manual process of sanding through the 220-grit sandpaper for the nooks and crannies that the power sander cannot reach.
- Wipe on polyurethane: Wipe-on polyurethane is commonly used for finishing touches of woodworks. If you do not have this, you do not need to buy it! You can make your own by mixing 1-part non-water-based polyurethane with two parts odorless mineral spirits.
- Cut-out of this headphone stand template.
Instructions
- Once you gather all the materials, you would need to cut the ¾ plywood scrap pieces. In the end, you would need three pieces that are 10″ tall x 5 1/2″ wide. If the ½ plywood scraps are available to you, then you can just equally cut them into 4. This part is intended to be the base of your headphone stand, so you must make it strong, durable, and as solid as possible.
- Get the wood glue and start applying the glue to the base of the board. You would need to glue three boards on top of each other to make a solid and sturdy block. Once you put one board on top, a tip makes a circular motion, so the glue spreads evenly. It would be best if you also made sure that all boards are aligned. You can use the clamp to make sure that the boards are aligned while you are applying glue. Let the boards dry overnight.
- Using a marker or a sharpie, start tracing the paper cut-out of the headphone stand template onto your wooden block.
- Use the jigsaw blade to cut out the traced head shape from the wood. If this is the first time you are using a jigsaw, make sure an expert supervises you as it can be a tad bit tricky to use.
- Once the shape is removed, sand it with your power sander. Once the majority of it is sanded, you can finish it off with sandpaper, especially on the sides.
- You can paint your wooden headphone stand in whatever way you want that reflects your personality. If you want something simple, add the wipe-on polyurethane for a simple and polished look.
DIY Modern Minimalist Headphone Stand
Can you believe that you can make this DIY modern minimalist headphone stand in just four easy steps? What more is that if you have the materials in your home, this will cost less than $3? This DIY Modern Minimalist Headphone Stand is an excellent way for your desk to look chic, for you to display your headphones, and for you to be organized.
Tools
- Saw: You would need a simple and small-sized saw to cut the wooden dowel to make it into an appropriate size for you to be able to put it in the banana stand to act as a stopper or a hook for your headphones. This is nothing fancy. You just literally need something to cut the dowel.
- Sanding tool or sanding block: You will need the sanding tool or sanding block to smoothen out the wooden dowel for a polished and clean look for your DIY Modern Minimalist Headphone Stand.
- ¼ drill bit: Use the ¼ drill bit to put a small hole in your wooden dowel so you can securely put it as a stopper on your banana stand.
Materials
- Banana Stand: The Banana Stand is used as the stand for your DIY Modern Minimalist Headphone Stand. You can easily get this in dollar stores or department stores for less than $3.
- Wooden Dowel or Wine Cork: You can use either a wooden dowel or a wine cork to act as a stopper or hook for your DIY Modern Minimalist Headphone Stand.
- Semi-gloss polyurethane: To achieve a finished and polished look, you can use the Semi-gloss polyurethane for your DIY Modern Minimalist Headphone Stand.
Instructions
- You can make the holder by getting the wooden dowel (or wine cork). Make sure that it is one a half inches long for it to be an effective stopper. You can use the saw to cut it into the recommended dimension.
- Get your sanding block and sand off the saw marks or bevels off the corners.
- Using your drill bit, you can drill a small hole in the center of your wooden dowel. This is so you would not have to use adhesive in connecting your dowel to the banana stand. This is also so it will be more secure.
- To have a polished look, you can apply a light coat of semi-gloss polyurethane. Once the coat dries, press the wooden dowel on the tip of the banana stand, and voila – you have your own DIY Modern Minimalist Headphone Stand in just four easy steps!
Conclusion
Having a headphone stand for whatever purpose it may serve you does not need to be a significant monetary investment. While many headphones stand you easily buy in stores or online, it is more satisfying (and cost-effective!) to create your own.
The three recommendations above are just a few of many other DIY headphones stands available. If you want to learn more about how you can create your headphone stands, there are many internet resources. You can choose what is best for your skills and style so you can make your DIY headphone stand.