X Banner Stand (Vertical Vinyl Banner)

thingiverse

If you've ever run an event (conference, convention, etc.), you'll find a need to hold vertical banners. But expensive X-stands or cheap ones that break are a common problem. I got tired of this, so I designed my own stand. I've been through many variations and this is the pattern I'm currently liking. It's designed to hold a wide range of banners from 24"x71" up to 36"x80". You can even make them bigger by finding longer fiberglass rods. The design uses two key concepts: the middle-hub, four 'sliders' that go onto the fiberglass rod, and then five screws, four of which lock the sliders in place on the rod. The fifth screw goes into the hub to lock the back leg. The stand also uses 3/8" fiberglass rods, which are cheaper than 5/16" ones. You can buy them at your local Southern States or similar farm supply store as Electric Fence Posts for around $2-3 each. I just keep them at their original size and put the pointy end inside the hub. The loop at the bottom of the hub is designed to let you hang a water bottle or gallon to make these harder to fall over, especially outside. But the weight seems good enough for indoor use. You move the sliders on the arms to get them in the right place for your banner size. You want some tension on the rods to keep it tight but not so much that they bend at a 45-degree angle. Then just adjust the back leg to get it standing at the upright angle you want. I usually have them tipped back slightly for better visibility and lighting.