When I got my iPhone I wanted a desk stand to accompany it. A friend had a stand that was simply a rubber strap with notches at each end. It seemed ideal – simple, portable, hard to break. But I couldn't find it online & my friend disavowed all knowledge, so I made one instead.

Unlike my laser-cut iPad stand, this one didn't go so well. Choosing silicone was my first mistake. It seemed the ideal material: safe to laser cut, reasonably priced, a good balance of stiffness and floppiness. But silicone's also heat-resistant – that's why it's used for cookware – and laser cutters use heat to cut. It didn't cut cleanly; no matter what I tried I had to finish each stand with a craft knife. I used 4mm silicone; thinner might have worked better, but it would be less rigid & durable.

My second mistake was also born of ignorance: few iPhone apps have landscape mode. iOS itself won't switch to landscape, so if you use the stand you'll be tilting your head a lot. The stand works in a portrait orientation, just about, but I don't trust it.

I can't recommend using this stand. But if you've been looking for a rubber strap stand, can't find one to buy, and want to make one of your own: this might be a good starting point. There's nothing wrong with the design, it's just not that useful. (And pick a different rubber).

• Download the DXF file
• Check it out on Thingiverse