Lectern top, slope?

[John Pratt]

I have been asked to build a lectern for a small church group. I have a pretty good idea what I need to do to build it and how I want to approach it, but I have no idea what the slope for the top should be where the bible, notes, speach, etc are sitting. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

John

[Tom Winship]

Just googled it and found one plan that showed 15 degree slope. Would have guessed about that.

[Eiji Fuller]

Just googled it and found one plan that showed 15 degree slope. Would have guessed about that.



why not make it adjustable?

[Steve Bracken]

why not make it adjustable?

This :)

Especially if you can arrange it to go flat. Much of the time it would be a very useful tall table.

"Hey! Where the heck can I stand this monitor to show you guys a short video?"

[Thom Porterfield]

The reason for the slope is so that the page is close to perpendicular to the line of sight of the person reading from the books/notes thereon. On a 4' high lectern, a 15° angle might be fine for a 6' tall person but lousy for a 5' tall person.

I suggest you consider making the lectern top not only adjustable in slope, but in height as well. There are all sorts of design opportunities--from something delicate like a music stand to something aproaching a massive pulpit.

It'll be interesting to see what you come up with.

[Eiji Fuller]

My church has one of the music stands I made and it is used as a lecturn. Pics on my website. The one I made for the church has a single shelf but everything else is the same.

[John Pratt]

I appreciate all the responses. My design just went from "quick and easy" to "Maybe I better give this some more thought". I can't make it to elaborate though. At first I had a pretty grand idea, but they don't want anything to big. It will not sit at the pulpit, but rather be used to teach Sunday school and be moved from classroom to classroom.

[Derek Gilmer]

I appreciate all the responses. My design just went from "quick and easy" to "Maybe I better give this some more thought". I can't make it to elaborate though. At first I had a pretty grand idea, but they don't want anything to big. It will not sit at the pulpit, but rather be used to teach Sunday school and be moved from classroom to classroom.

Put some wheels on it. The floors at church are scratched constantly when people drag heavy items. Maybe some that can fold down and lock to be out of the way most of the time.

[Caspar Hauser]

I appreciate all the responses. My design just went from "quick and easy" to "Maybe I better give this some more thought". I can't make it to elaborate though. At first I had a pretty grand idea, but they don't want anything to big. It will not sit at the pulpit, but rather be used to teach Sunday school and be moved from classroom to classroom.

I'm thinking camera tripod with a piece of cleated plywood attached to the head. Maybe not so much fun to build though.

[Brian Kent]

Most pulpits and lecterns are too narrow. It really helps if you can lay an open Bible and a page of notes side by side. A standard study Bible is 15" when it is open and a note page 8.5" so 24" wide is really helpful. I can work with a lot of different angles but that width is really helpful.

If I were personally building one, I would also want a place for my laptop for controlling a projector, but for that a separate table works OK.

[James Biddle]

Here's a couple I recently finished for our school... I made them with a 10 degree angle for greater room visibility... You never know how tall the teacher is or how well he or she can see what the students are up to...

http://www.jabwoodworks.com/gallery/d/622-2/Final2.jpg

[Steve Bracken]

So to recap ....

It needs to accommodate adults from 3 feet to 7 feet tall. Be wide enough to play air-hockey on, and adjustable through 720 degrees.

Light enough to carry, or fit it with the undercarriage from a Boeing 747.

DOn't forget the pen tray, and inkwell for the aged among your users.

Yeah, I'd say you need to think ... or just do it, it will be fine

:D:D:D

[Derek Gilmer]

So to recap ....

It needs to accommodate adults from 3 feet to 7 feet tall. Be wide enough to play air-hockey on, and adjustable through 720 degrees.

Light enough to carry, or fit it with the undercarriage from a Boeing 747.

DOn't forget the pen tray, and inkwell for the aged among your users.

Yeah, I'd say you need to think ... or just do it, it will be fine

:D:D:D

Don't forget light enough to move around by the older folks at Church.

At least when you get it designed you have the perfect lectern and can probably resell the plans cause every one will want on with the above features :p