Drink holder for balcony railings – customizable

A sturdy drink holder for balcony railings. Using the “Customize” button, the holder can be adapted to fit almost any balcony railing. Compatible with both rectangular and round handrails. When the holder is not in use, the tray can be folded up. An integrated locking mechanism ensures that the tray stays in place. You can hang it temporarily or attach it permanently to the railing with a hidden cable tie. The inner diameter of the tray area can also be chosen freely.

Print profiles

Important: Both profiles are just examples. You'll need to measure your balcony railing to get a drink holder that fits perfectly!

Instructions for rectangular handrails

1. First, measure the width and height of the handrail. Also measure the distance from the top edge of the handrail to the bottom edge of the holder. The holder must rest against a strut (as in my case) or a wall/glass pane at that point. For a larger area, you can simply use this measurement to determine the height of the drink shelf. 
   
   
    
2. Now click on Customize -> Customize Step 1 - rectangular. Enter the three measurements you determined in Step 1.
    

3. Download the rail holder as an STL file and import it into Bambu Studio. Enable supports, see screenshot:
   
   
   
   For light colors, I would also recommend configuring 3 walls so the infill doesn’t show through. If you’re unsure about the print settings, you can also download the sample profiles and review the settings there.
   
   If you're unsure about the perfect fit, you could also cut the holder to a height of 2 or 3 mm and start with a thin test print:
    

   
    

4. Hang the finished holder and measure the distance to the strut or to the wall/glass panel. Make sure the holder is perfectly vertical and not tilted. In my case 37mm. See pictures:
       

      

    

5. Now click “Customize” again, then “Step 2: drink tray.” 
   Enter the distance measured in Step 4. Also enter the inner diameter of the drink tray. 

6. Download the drink tray along with the 2 hinge bolts and print them together in the same color. Please print the drink tray with 3 walls. For the hinge pins, please select 6 walls and 25% infill. If you’re unsure about the print settings, you can also download the sample profiles and review the settings there.
    

   

Instructions for round handrails

1. First, measure the diameter of the handrail. Also measure the height from the top edge of the handrail (the highest point) down to the bottom edge of the holder. The holder must rest against a strut (as in my case) or a wall/glass pane at that point. For a larger surface area, you can simply determine the height of the drink tray:

   

2. Click on Customize -> “Customize Step 1 - round.” Enter the 3 measurements you determined in the previous step.
3. Steps 3 through 6: See the instructions for rectangular handrails 

Assembly

1. Carefully remove any remaining residue from the support until the surface is smooth. Should loook like this:
    

   
    

2. Insert the two large parts into each other in this orientation. 
   Insert the bolts so that the two marked areas are aligned. If the bolts are too loose, please add a drop of adhesive:
    

   
    

3. If you want the holder to remain permanently attached to the railing, you can thread a cable tie through the small channel. See last picture in the gallery.

Filament

I recommend PETG, ASA, or ABS.
If you plan to use the holder only in areas without direct sunlight, PLA will work as well.