3D Printed Under-Desk MacBook Mount
Written by Intro
I wanted to a) make more room on my desk and b) make it easier for me to plug my MacBook into its hub. The obvious idea was to create a mount that will screw into the underside of my desk and allow me to slide my MacBook in.
BOM (bill of materials)
Here's everything you'll need for this build.
| Name | Qty | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| PETG | 1kg | PETG has better heat resistance than the typical PLA, which is good when your MacBook gets hot. I used PolyLite, but wouldn't recommend bc I've had much better print quality with the likes of Prusament or even bargain Amazon PETG. |
| #8 1/2 inch screws | 4 | Got mine from Home Depot |
| Whte adhesive-backed felt | > 20cm | This will soften the surface for you to slot your MacBook in nicely |
Photos/Videos
Files
Learnings
- Always look for inspiration on Printables before printing your project
- In my case, I could have saved a lot of filament and printing time by taking inspiration from other desk mounts
- PolyLite PETG prints terribly for my (some 2 year old random brand, 3D Warhorse, from Amazon printed way better), so satay away from that
- Triple checking measurements was good, but also double check that your tools can for when you need to assemble
Challenges
I really wanted to make more content out of this but I was strapped for time, which was made even harder as I had other side projects that I wanted to complete as family/friends to spend time with.
All in all it’s made me really happy to get this done and have something useful, but I can’t help but feel that I wish I captured more of the experience to share with people. It just that if I was coming up with a story, working our filming angles and setting up tripods etc. when I did really know what I was doing with the print anyway, I may have never have got this done.
CalDigit Mount
It turned out that the Thunderbolt that went from my hub to the MacBook is too short to reach the front of my desk. A longer one costs $60+, so I figured rather than getting a longer cable I’ll just move the hub closer to the MacBook by mounting it under the desk too.