Cable Clip for Printer

The "Where Did That Cable Go?" 3D Printer Cable Clip 🧷

The X-axis cable that runs from the side of my printer out to the printhead had started to sag. It drooped right across the front of the Wyze pan cam I mounted beside the printer to watch my prints, and it was heading for the point where it would eventually touch a tall print. I wanted it lifted and gently tensioned, not zip-tied down. So I designed this.

🟩 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗦 𝗜𝗧 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞

▸ 𝗦𝗻𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗢𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 — No screws, no adhesive, no supports needed to print. Snaps on and stays put.

▸ 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀, 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 — The download has both halves of the system: the hook that snaps onto the cable, and a 50 x 75 mm plate that mounts the reel. Both print together on a single plate in about 30 minutes, no supports and no brim.

▸ 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗲𝗹 — Clip the cable, hook the reel, and the slack disappears. The included plate takes the reel's steel belt clip through its slot, or screws down flat through two countersunk holes. Mine is screwed under the hutch above the printer, which lifts the cable clear of the camera and the build area in one move.

▸ 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 — I researched reels specifically on retraction force before choosing one, because the wrong reel drags on the printhead. The Key-BAK Mini-BAK (36" nylon cord, steel belt clip, model 0057-005) pulls at just 2 oz — enough to take up slack, nowhere near enough to load the motion system or pull a print off course.

▸ 𝗦𝗻𝘂𝗴 𝗚𝗮𝗽, 𝗦𝗹𝗶𝗽 𝗙𝗶𝘁 — The hook geometry holds the cable secure without pinching it, so there is no fatigue point where it flexes on every single layer.

▸ 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗻𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 — It clips to the cable itself rather than to a specific machine, so nothing about your printer has to match mine. A version that mounts directly to a Creality Hi is in progress, and I am happy to cut one for a different printer — leave a comment with what you have.

🟩 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗦𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦

No supports required · 0.20mm layer height · PLA · 2 parts on 1 plate, about 30 minutes

Got more than one cable to manage? Print a few. Happy printing! 🧷