My 3D printed magnetic probe holder

Prozium · May 6, 2015

Well I went from having no controller to having 2! I bought an Ac jr from a local reefer, then I just bought an Apex system from a user on here.
The Ac jr is likely going to go on my dads tank now, he doesnt need much it's just a 55g hex flatback tank with 1 fish and a few easy LPS corals.

anyway...
I realized I suddenly needed a probe holder for my tank, and I have 2 sealed magnets from my Eshopps frag rack that have just been sitting on top of my canopy for about 2 years, so why not make a probe holder!

After I took some measurements with my digital calipers, I opened up my 3D modeling software and got to work. I based it on the one Cope413 did in the write up (the part that holds the probes anyway) that he did for this site. (link to article)

I printed it in PLA because I simply do not have enough ABS or PET to print it. :/ (I'm going to order some and reprint it.)

here is the model..

starting to print the magnet bodies.

the out side body with magnet in, waiting to have the lid glued on. (I realize now that the outer body isn't needed, and actually makes it have a weaker hold. there will be no outer body when I reprint.)

the inside part done/group shot. (the wavy thing in the top left is just the support material that was needed during printing of the inside body)

all finished!

action shot!

trickedout900 · May 6, 2015

That's pretty sweet!

JoeIII · May 6, 2015

Have you made the designs available on thingverse or somewhere similar?

revhtree · May 6, 2015

Very cool!

Torx · May 6, 2015

Wow, 3d printers are bringing a whole new area in this hobby.

declanisadog · May 6, 2015

Very cool. I have a 3D printer at work and have been wanting to do something like this for my dosing pump tubes. Just can't find the time.

zesty · May 6, 2015

Torx said:
Wow, 3d printers are bringing a whole new area in this hobby.

This hobby, and just about any other hobby out there!

3D printers are going to change how we make anything. I've been working with them for a few years now and just in the one application I've been working with, there is so much that can be done.

I was at SWworld 2 years ago and they had a 3D printer printing carbon fiber parts. I couldn't even get close enough to the booth when I was there, too many people. The material list is growing on what they can print. I was at a presentation where the presenter put on a pair of yellow sunglasses, looked normal, had a soft rubber grip on the earpieces, yellow see-thru lenses, hard plastic frame, built in hinges, all 3d printed from one machine.

I have seen the manufacturing/engineering world grasp onto this. Next is going to be the medical field, once that ball gets further down the mountian, the momentum the mendical field could bring to the 3d printing world will be AWESOME!

sorry, went on a little nerd tangent. I'll add to the 3D printed addition.

This is a 3D printed skull, about 1.5" tall. I'm going to epoxy him into this rock, like the rock formed around his skull. Then it's going to go into the DT and get some sticks mounted to it and I think I'm going to have to name him Davey Jones...

Prozium · May 6, 2015

JoeIII said:
Have you made the designs available on thingverse or somewhere similar?

not yet, I'm going to tweek the design a bit and clean up the geometry a little. I also want to design one that's adjustable but non magnetic for my dad's tank.

zesty said:
This hobby, and just about any other hobby out there!

3D printers are going to change how we make anything. I've been working with them for a few years now and just in the one application I've been working with, there is so much that can be done.

I was at SWworld 2 years ago and they had a 3D printer printing carbon fiber parts. I couldn't even get close enough to the booth when I was there, too many people. The material list is growing on what they can print. I was at a presentation where the presenter put on a pair of yellow sunglasses, looked normal, had a soft rubber grip on the earpieces, yellow see-thru lenses, hard plastic frame, built in hinges, all 3d printed from one machine.

I have seen the manufacturing/engineering world grasp onto this. Next is going to be the medical field, once that ball gets further down the mountian, the momentum the mendical field could bring to the 3d printing world will be AWESOME!

sorry, went on a little nerd tangent. I'll add to the 3D printed addition.

This is a 3D printed skull, about 1.5" tall. I'm going to epoxy him into this rock, like the rock formed around his skull. Then it's going to go into the DT and get some sticks mounted to it and I think I'm going to have to name him Davey Jones...

Thats a cool idea.
I agree about the 3D printing hobby. I just got some stainless steel PLA (polishes just like metal! well it is mostly fine stainless steel with the PLA just as a binder.) and a spool of POM I'm going to start experimenting with.

Prozium · May 6, 2015

The redesign
Less wasted material/less buoyancy (less air pockets from the infill.) and the part that actually holds the probes is one piece now (instead of 2)
If all the parts print like they should, I'll post the files somewhere.

Prozium · May 6, 2015

Nope, my samples are just a little too short to print it

(I already have 2 1kg spools ordered.)
the orange warped (heated bed not hot enough) and the white just didn't quite have enough to finish.

but, it looks like it will print correctly, so here is the file. (note I left the outside cover/body there in case some one wanted it... or didn't have sealed magnets.)
Magnetic probe holder for aquriums by Prozium - Thingiverse

Prozium · May 10, 2015

I didn't think this needs a new tread, so ill just add it here.
Apex Display Cradle by Prozium - Thingiverse

Prozium · May 11, 2015

just adding finished pics of the probe holder.

I was going to do an orange and white theme but I ordered the white from a different place and it hasn't even shipped yet. (lesson learned... Amazon >.<)