If your electronics bench looks like a nest of dangling probes every time you reach for the multimeter, this little print will change your afternoon. A maker named Mark Harris designed a probe holder that clips straight onto 2020 aluminum extrusion, giving your multimeter and oscilloscope leads a permanent home instead of a puddle on the desk.
The idea is refreshingly simple. The holder has a small spool you wrap the coiled probe cable around, then drop the tips into a slot so they sit ready and untangled. Because it mounts on 2020 extrusion, the same aluminum profile used in the frames of most modern 3D printers and countless DIY workbenches, you can snap it wherever it is handy and slide it along the rail to reposition. There are two versions in the set: a universal multimeter probe holder and a version shaped specifically for Rigol oscilloscope probes.
What makes this a great beginner project is that it asks nothing exotic of your printer. There are no supports to fuss over, no tricky overhangs, and no post-processing beyond snapping off a stray bit of stringing. It is the kind of functional print that teaches you how useful a 3D printer is the moment you stop printing trinkets and start printing solutions to your own small annoyances.
To make one, download the model files from Mark Harris on MakerWorld, then slice them with your usual profile. PLA or PETG both work well; PETG shrugs off a warm bench and the occasional soldering-iron brush better than PLA. Print at a standard 0.2 mm layer height with around 20 percent infill for a part that clips firmly onto the extrusion without cracking. Once it is off the bed, press it onto a free length of 2020 rail, coil your probe cable around the spool, and drop the tips in.
Try it on your printer. This is an ideal first "why didn't I print this sooner" upgrade for your own workspace, and it pairs perfectly with fresh filament dialed in for clean, functional parts. Grab a spool of quality PLA or PETG from Flarelab, print a holder for every probe on your bench, and enjoy a tidier setup by the end of the day.
Frequently asked questions
What filament should I use for a probe holder?
PLA is fine for a room-temperature bench, but PETG is a better pick if your workspace gets warm or you occasionally brush the part with a hot iron, since it resists heat and impact more gracefully.
Will it fit my 3D printer frame?
The holder is designed for 2020 aluminum extrusion, the profile used on most desktop printer frames and workbenches. If your rail is a different size, such as 2040 or 4040, you may need to scale or remix the mount.
Do I need supports to print it?
No. The design prints cleanly without supports at a standard 0.2 mm layer height, which makes it a friendly project for newer makers.
How much infill should I use?
Around 20 percent infill gives the clip enough strength to grip the extrusion firmly without wasting filament or print time.
Inspired by a project from Mark Harris, shared via Adafruit's #3DThursday. Model files available on MakerWorld. Rewritten and expanded by Flarelab.
