Coathanger Cat Stand for Nybble ( a cat cradle? )

I've been playing around with Nybble, trying to diagnose some traction problems, and making plans for trying some new gaits later. To work on gaits, though, I'm thinking I'll need a stand that can support Nybble and let me load up any frame of a pose over serial. ( I'm not sure if there's a command for that already, but easy enough to write if not; the problem is making a stand! ) I could use cardboard, or wood, but then thought maybe I could just bend a coat hanger into shape. I drew up a rough idea of what I thought might work and then started bending a coat-hanger with pliers.

I'd bend a bit, hold it next to cat then bend some more.

But it started to seem like it wasn't going to work but after bending and bending and bending, I got it to look like this:

There wasn't enough wire to complete the far side of the stand, but maybe if I cut it... and then mount it onto a board later?

Slowly taking shape. literally "taking shape" :P

I don't have a clear picture, but, before nailing the hanger to the board, I wrapped some electrical tape around the top, just to provide a bit of insulation and cushion.

First time the little level on my pen came in handy!

I've been trying to identify a problem my Nybble's had with skidding, and the first time I ran it on the cradle it was clear... there's a slight stutter with the left rear leg ( aha! I suspect I've been a bit too rough with Nybble :P

To be sure it was the servo and not code, I figured I'd swap out one of the head servos for the rear thigh. ( continued ... )