How to Make a Detachable Bed Tray

Surprise your sweetheart with breakfast in bed by making a detachable bed tray. To earn more brownie points, detach the tray from base of the bed tray and wash it along with the other dishes. Bed trays are useful when someone is sick and cannot get out of bed or feeling lazy. Spills can happen, making it easier to detach the tray and wash the entire surface to get rid of bacteria and other contaminants.

Instructions

1

Make the tray. Cut a 1/2-inch acrylic sheet to the dimensions of 25 inches by 15 inches, using a table saw and acrylic blade.

2

Make the border of the tray. Cut a 1/2-inch acrylic sheet into two 1-inch-by-25-inch pieces. The 1-inch-by-25-inch pieces are the long sides of the border. Cut a 1/2-inch acrylic sheet into two 1-inch-by-13-inch pieces. The 1-inch-by-13-inch pieces are the short sides of the border. The border protects against small spills on the tray.

3

Apply acrylic epoxy to the bottoms of the border. Place the long sides of the border on the top and bottom edges of the tray. The long sides should be parallel to each other. Place the short sides of the border on the side edges of the tray, between the long sides of the border. Let the epoxy dry for one hour.

4

Drill four 3/8-inch holes into the corners of the tray. Position the holes 3/8 inch from each corner. Drill the holes using a power drill and 3/8-inch drill bit.

5

Make the legs of the bed tray. Cut a 1-inch plywood sheet into two 15-inch-by-15-inch pieces. The 15-inch-by-15-inch pieces are the legs of the tray.

6

Position the legs under the tray below the left and right edges. Insert a pencil through the holes in the tray and mark dots on the edges of the legs. Drill 3/8-inch pilot holes into the marked dots, using a power drill and 3/8-inch drill bit.

7

Insert four 3/8-inch washers over four 3/8-inch knob screws. Insert the washers and knob screws into the holes in the tray. Turn the knobs in a clockwise motion to tighten them. Turn the knobs in a counterclockwise motion to detach the tray from the bed tray.