K'Nex Gravity Clamp Smartphone Holder, Great for Stable Pictures

This K'Nex creation can hold a smartphone. I made it so that I could take more stable pictures and videos. This is not a simple tray where a device is simply sitting on but it is a holder that secures both the top and bottom of a device.

I call this a "Gravity Clamp" because the weight of the device is the holding force. The heavier the object, the more force holding the object in place. Lifting the main arm or tray lifts the top arm or clamp. There is a wide range that this opens and closes.

This could be used to hold a mirror, a personal audio device (like your MP3 player), or anything else that fits and is light enough to not break the holder. If desired, legs could be added for additional height.

I made several versions before this one. The others were more sturdy but they were much more complex and had two times the K'Nex pieces. I tried to keep this simple.

The K'Nex pieces needed are listed here.

Rods:

• 8 red
• 2 yellow
• 26 blue
• 30 white
• 27 green

Connectors:

• 4 white (3 required, 1 optional)
• 44 purple
• 2 green
• 6 yellow
• 15 red
• 2 orange
• 6 grey

Other:

• 1 end (optional, and could be any small connector)
• 8 blue spacers

Use all 44 purple connectors to make 22 purple pairings. Use 6 green rods to connect the sides on 12 of the purple pairings to make 6 double-purple pairings. These should look somewhat like an "H". Use 4 more green rods on the end of the 4 of the double-purple pairings to assemble them into 2 purple square groups.

There should now be 10 purple pairs waiting to be used. There should be 2 double-purple pairings, and 2 purple squares.

Connect 1 white rod inside of each purple square. Connect 2 white rods to one end of each purple square. Attach the double-purple pairing to the 2 white rods on the squares on each purple square.

There should now be two purple rectangles. The other 10 purple pairs will be used later.

Put 6 white rods onto the sides of the open purple connectors of one of the purple rectangles. Connect the two purple rectangles together with those white rods. Put 2 blue rods on the inside of the purple/white squares of this assembly.

Put 1 green rod onto the end of 1 red connector. Do this twice. Put 1 white rod onto the center of both of these red assemblies.

Connect these two red assemblies onto the end of the upper arm assembly, the end nearest to the white rods and furthest from the blue rods.

Put 2 green rods next to each other on a white connector. Do this twice. Add a white rod next to 1 of the green rods. These white connector assemblies should have 1 white rod, then 1 green rod next to the white rod, and another green rod next to that green rod.

Attach these white assemblies onto the other end of the upper arm assembly, away from the red connectors. With this assembly laying down so the red connectors are down, the green rods of the white assemblies should be pointing upward. Attach 2 blue rods above the red connectors.

Put 1 green rod onto a grey connector to make a grey assembly. Do this twice. Slide one grey assembly onto each of the blue rods. Connect the green rods onto the red connectors.

Use a white rod to connect the ends of 2 purple pairings to make a long purple assembly. Put 2 green rods onto both ends of 1 red connector. Connect the green rods onto the middle of the long purple assembly. This should stabilize the assembly.

Connect this long purple assembly onto the blue rods of the upper arm assembly. Be sure the open connections of the long purple assembly are pointing down towards the red connectors that are already on the upper arm assembly, and the red connector of the long purple assembly is pointing back towards the white connectors. This completes the upper arm assembly

To stabilize the device, a pin could be added. Connect 1 white rod to an end connector. This connector should be as short as possible. Pictured is a blue end with no pin. An end connector with a pin, a grey connector, or a rail-splice connector could be used. Slip the white pin into the red connector of the long purple assembly. This will fall out when the entire assembly is turned over so watch out for that.

Set aside the upper arm assembly. Connect 1 blue rod to the center of 2 yellow connectors so the yellow connectors face each other. Connect 1 blue rod to the end of both of the yellow connectors. Add 1 yellow connector to each of the ends of the blue rods. This should form a "C" shape with all yellow connectors facing inward.

Connect 4 white rods onto 1 white connector to form an "X" shape. Connect this white assembly into the "C" shape.

Connect 1 green rod onto the end of 1 red connector. Slide 1 blue rod through the center of the red connector. Slide 1 blue rod through the center of both orange connectors. With the end of the red connector between the 2 orange connectors, click the open end of the red connector onto the blue rod in the orange connectors which will also click the blue rod that is through the red connector onto the orange connectors. This is the hardest part of building this project. Click 1 blue rod onto the open ends of the orange connector to complete the orange assembly.

Connect the green rod of the orange assembly onto the white connector of the "C" shape. Also connect the blue rod to make the "C" into a square. Slide the 2 orange connectors out to touch the yellow connectors and slide the center blue rod to align with the other 2 blue rods.

The orange assembly should stick up and will eventually stabilize whatever device is being held. Connect 2 white rods at an angle on the yellow connectors on the outside of the blue square near the orange assembly.

Connect a blue rod onto the end of 1 purple pairing. Add another purple pairing to the other end of the blue rod to make a wide purple assembly. Do this 2 more times to make 3 wide purple assemblies. Set 2 wide purple assemblies aside.

Connect a green rod to the center of each purple pairing on 1 wide purple assembly. These green rods need to face the same direction.

Connect the green rods of this wide purple assembly to the yellow connectors near the orange assembly. Set this main arm assembly aside.

NOTE: Nothing should connect to the white rods near the blue rod, the white rods are another supporting feature. If something like a round mirror is put into this holder, these white rods with an opening between them can support the round object. Do not replace the blue rod with a yellow connector.

Use the 2 remaining wide purple assemblies to start the base. Use 2 blue rods to connect the wide purple assemblies into a purple square. Connect 4 white rods onto the last white connector to form an "X" shape. Connect this "X" into the center of the purple square.

Put a green rod onto the end of a green connector and a white rod on the other end. Do this twice. There should be no more green connectors or white rods.

Put a blue rod onto one of the green connectors, next to the white rod. Connect the other green connector to the other end of the blue rod. Add a red connector to the white rods to complete this green assembly.

Connect the green assembly to an end of the purple square using the green connectors. This forms the main base assembly.

Add 1 red rod to a side of each of the purple connectors on the main base assembly. These 4 red rods should all point upward.

Use one blue rod to connect the sides of the last 2 purple pairings. Add 1 red rod to the ends of each of the purple pairings. Connect this assembly to the main base by connecting the red rods to the open ends of the purple pairs on the main base.

Connect a blue rod to 1 end of a red connector. Add a yellow rod the other other end of the red connector. Do this again to make 2 assemblies which use the only 2 yellow rods. Connect the blue rods to the open yellow connectors of the blue square of the main arm assembly, away from the orange assembly.

Slide the main arm assembly down the red rods of the base assembly. The orange assembly, the purple connectors, and the yellow rods should all be pointing upward.

Connect a blue rod to one end of a red connector. Add another red connector to the other end of the blue rod. Do this again to make two red assemblies.

Connect 1 red assembly to the top of 2 red rods on one side of the base assembly. The ends of the red assembly should point from the yellow rod to the open purple connector. Do this again for the other 2 red rods. There should be no red assembly above the orange assembly.

Set the upper arm assembly down onto the main arm assembly which is sitting on the main base assembly. If the blue rod of a red assembly is in the way, the red assemblies need to be put the other direction.

The purple connectors of the upper arm assembly need to face down. The white connectors should be near the yellow rods with the green rods pointing upward.

Click the end of 1 red connector onto a red rod. Slide 2 blue spacers onto the red rod. Slide 2 grey connectors onto the red rod. Slide 2 more blue spacers onto the red rod. Click 1 red connector to the other end of the red rod so that both red connectors point the same way. Make another assembly like this and set it aside.

NOTE: Each of these red rods should have the following pieces in this order: 1 red connector, 2 blue spacers, 2 grey connectors, 2 blue spacers, and 1 red connector.

Connect the open ends of the red connectors of 1 red rod assembly to the top of the yellow rods so that the red rod is towards the orange assembly. Lift the white connectors of the upper arm assembly and connect the green rods to the grey connectors of the red rod assembly.

Connect 1 blue rod to the end of each white connector. The blue rods should point straight out away from the orange assembly, extending the upper arm assembly.

Connect 1 blue rod to the center of the last 2 yellow connectors so the yellow connectors face each other. Connect 1 blue rod to the end of both of the yellow connectors. This should form a "C" shape and uses the last 2 blue rods. Connect the last two green rods to the other end of the yellow connectors. There should be no more loose pieces.

Connect the grey connectors of the last red rod assembly to the blue rods of the upper arm assembly. connect the green rods of the "C" shape to the top of the purple pairs on the main base assembly. Connect the red connectors of the red rod assembly to the top of the blue rods of the base. The red connectors of both red rod assemblies should face outwards, away from each other.

This completes the assembly of the K'Nex Gravity Clamp Smartphone Holder. While this isn't perfect, a better version requires over 300 pieces.

NOTE: This clamp works best if you raise the main arm to open it. Reach under the main arm and lift the center (or slightly behind the center) while holding down the base. The upper arm may need help at times but should not be used as the way to open the clamp.