Make an open cable tray for a tidy desk

Keep the project limited to cable organization

This tray is a place to rest spare cables and small adapters. It is not an electrical enclosure, a charging cabinet, or a way to hide a power strip. Power supplies and devices need the ventilation and clearances their manufacturers specify. Keep them outside the tray if those requirements are uncertain.

An open tray 320 × 120 mm provides enough room for several loosely coiled leads. Three low walls keep the contents in place while an open front makes each cable easy to retrieve.

• Base: 320 × 120 mm in 6 mm plywood.
• Back: 320 × 25 × 9 mm.
• Sides: two 111 × 25 × 9 mm pieces.
• Optional removable dividers: cut from card after testing the layout.

Lay out cables at their natural bend

Set the actual cables on the base blank. Coil them gently without sharp bends at the plugs. A short lead may fit neatly in one compartment, while a thicker cable may need most of the tray. Do not select the divider spacing before seeing those differences.

The side walls fit in front of the back wall, giving the stated 120 mm outside depth when the back is 9 mm thick. The open front avoids drilled cable holes that could trap large connectors. It also makes it obvious when a lead is being pulled rather than quietly strained inside a box.

Build a smooth interior

Sand the inside faces and upper edges before assembly. A splintered plywood edge can catch a cable jacket. Glue the three walls to the base with an appropriate wood adhesive, using light clamp pressure and checking that the front corners remain aligned.

Keep glue out of the open floor area where cables will lie. After curing, inspect the tray by running a cloth around its edges; a snag can reveal a rough spot more safely than dragging a cable across it. Hand-sand that spot with the tray secured on the bench.

Use the tray as an organizer

Apply a finish only if desired, and let it cure before contact with cable jackets. Put a label under each removable divider or on the back wall to identify the lead’s purpose. Avoid labels that promise a cable’s electrical rating unless you have verified it from the cable itself.

Store disconnected leads loosely. Do not stack hot adapters, bury charging devices, or coil mains extension leads under load in this tray. If a cable jacket is damaged, stop using the cable rather than treating the organizer as a way to keep the damage out of sight. Keep the tray clear of drinks.