Headphone stands for school?

[MarcLister]

I'm the ICT guy for a local school. We have a box or two of headphone/microphone combos for the kids to use. There's a bit of a rush when the kids go to get a set to use on the computers. We'd like to find a way of attaching a hook to the side of each computer (RM all-in-one jobbies) or perhaps a headphone stand for each computer that we can screw into the desk surface so that each computer has a headphone/mic combo set on a stand positioned adjacently. The headphones would be plugged into the two necessary sockets on the front of the computer so that the kids just come along, sit at a computer and the headphones are there, ready and plugged in in front of them. :)

Any suggestions of how we do this? We were thinking of adhesive hooks but I can't find anything decent that is big enough to hold the headphones so it might be that we have to get stands next to each computer screwed into the desk.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/High-Comfort-Headset-Microphone-Control/dp/B0015OMWY2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1252256105&sr=8-1

These are very similar to the headphones we've got. So they are fairly heavy and need a durable way of being kept next to each computer.

I've looked on Amazon, Dabs, Scan etc but I just can't think of any shops/sites that would sell what we need at a decent price. We'd need about 30 or so.

[Mark]

Best place for hooks is a DIY store, but hooking the headphones on to the side of the PC might not be such a smart idea (e.g. if they're still using CRT monitors).

Stands is a more difficult one. Again, a trip to the DIY store might give you some ideas. Do you have any art/craft teachers? Perhaps they might have some ideas. Could even be a project for the pupils in there. :)

[TinkerBell]

Looks silly, but something like this?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Betterware-Chrome-Banana-Hook/dp/B0014QST9S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1252257436&sr=8-1

[Mark]

Oh yes, now why on earth didn't I think of that. :o

[MarcLister]

Best place for hooks is a DIY store, but hooking the headphones on to the side of the PC might not be such a smart idea (e.g. if they're still using CRT monitors).The machines are all in one with LCD monitors. :)

Stands is a more difficult one. Again, a trip to the DIY store might give you some ideas. Do you have any art/craft teachers? Perhaps they might have some ideas. Could even be a project for the pupils in there. :)We are only a little, primary school. :D

Looks silly, but something like this?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Betterware-Chrome-Banana-Hook/dp/B0014QST9S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1252257436&sr=8-1Now that's good. :D Heard of them. Just no idea where to buy them from. Would they stand up OK with the headphones on them? Or would we need to find a way of screwing them to the desks?

[Knipples]

The school I just left had sticky hooks, that just stuck to the side of the monitor and the headphones hooked on that. Or are they the heavy type of headphone and so this wouldn't take their weight.
(I cant find a picture of the type I mean)

Failing that how about velcro, you could put the soft bit on the top of the headphones (the bit that goes over the top of their heads) and then stick a strip to the side of the monitor and then they can stick and unstick it.

[MarcLister]

The school I just left had sticky hooks, that just stuck to the side of the monitor and the headphones hooked on that. Or are they the heavy type of headphone and so this wouldn't take their weight.
(I cant find a picture of the type I mean)

Failing that how about velcro, you could put the soft bit on the top of the headphones (the bit that goes over the top of their heads) and then stick a strip to the side of the monitor and then they can stick and unstick it.Yeah quite heavy. See http://www.amazon.co.uk/High-Comfort-Headset-Microphone-Control/dp/B0015OMWY2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1252256105&sr=8-1 :)

We could try velcro. Not sure if it'd be strong enough though. :D

[TinkerBell]

Now that's good. :D Heard of them. Just no idea where to buy them from. Would they stand up OK with the headphones on them? Or would we need to find a way of screwing them to the desks?

I would imagine it would be alright since it seems to hold a bunch of banana's just fine :)

[MarcLister]

Yeah should do. :)

Just need to work out exactly how many we need. And how we'd secure them to the desk. These things will get knocked over if we don't have them secured.

Two metal brackets either side with screws in should be fine. So for each banana hook, 2 brackets and 2 screws. Hmm. :D

[Mark]

They don't look too heavy, but whether you'd be able to balance them on the hook is another matter. I'd get one and give it a try (try a big supermarket, Robert Dyas, Wilkinson's, or that sort of place).

You can get fairly strong stick-on hooks nowadays. Like I said, DIY store is your friend for those (I know B&Q do them). Shouldn't be a problem with an LCD though if you know where the hard disk is, you could use the opposite side just to be extra safe.

[Knipples]

Yeah should do. :)

Just need to work out exactly how many we need. And how we'd secure them to the desk. These things will get knocked over if we don't have them secured.

Two metal brackets either side with screws in should be fine. So for each banana hook, 2 brackets and 2 screws. Hmm. :D

It might not look very attractive but could you weld them to a metal plate which you could then screw down to the desk. Failing that those plasticy things you attach cable to the wall with to make it look tidy?

[TinkerBell]

Mark are you talking about balancing the headphones on the banana hook? If so, that would be easy to do. The hook is huge!

[Mark]

It may be huge, but it's also rounded (or at least that one is). Worth a shot though - it may work, it may not.

[MarcLister]

They don't look too heavy, but whether you'd be able to balance them on the hook is another matter. I'd get one and give it a try (try a big supermarket, Robert Dyas, Wilkinson's, or that sort of place).

You can get fairly strong stick-on hooks nowadays. Like I said, DIY store is your friend for those (I know B&Q do them). Shouldn't be a problem with an LCD though if you know where the hard disk is, you could use the opposite side just to be extra safe.Think I would prefer the banana hook know I know where I can get them. :)

Just got to work out a proper way of securing them to the desk then I can tell my bosses.

[Knipples]

This is what I was thinking of, the advert just came on the telly

http://www.jmldirect.com/product.asp?pf_id=D6584&changecurrency=GBP

[MarcLister]

Haha cool. That x 31 though. :(

[Knipples]

Haha cool. That x 31 though. :(

I think thats the price for the machine that fixes/unfixes them, not the price of each hook.

Yup
# Applicator

# Disc remover

# 5 x wardrobe hooks

# 5 x utility hooks

# 10 x mounting discs
for that price, so I guess you will be able to just buy some more hooks on their own.

[MarcLister]

Ah right. Me blonde moment of the day then. Not a bad solution. Would still rather not actually be sticking stuff on a computer. :)

[Mark]

I'm sure RM have seen worse - especially in schools. :)

[MarcLister]

Yeah. Me hates them.