Folding Lectern
by Phil Rowe
As one who has had numerous occasions to give lectures,
speeches, briefings and the like, I have found a lectern
to be of great help. But in so many settings none are
available, so I decided to make my own.
My requirements for portability and compactness drove the
design toward a folding model. First, I made a wooden
lectern which featured a built-in carry handle. This unit
was large enough to hold an opened loose-leaf notebook
and other materials needed for presentations.
This lectern was compact, when folded, and about the size
of my briefcase. Because it was made of wood, it tended to
be both sturdy and heavy. Its weight discouraged taking
it along on airplanes.
What I wanted for travel, beyond local automobile trips,
was a lighter weight design. And I wanted it to be able
to double as a lapboard for a working surface on planes,
trains or buses. Hence, I came up with a unit made of
fabric covered masonite board. Fabric hinges served to
assist in folding and hold the unit together. Several
variants of the design shown below were made. The nicest
turned out to be covered with vinyl upholstery fabric,
the thin un-backed kind. Fabric is glued with contact
cement to form a permanent bond and smooth finish.
