The OpenPoleMount Mounting Block — v1
The foundation of the whole project. Every OpenPoleMount design — the v3 cradle, the v2 universal holder, and every future accessory — is built on top of this one part: the Pole Mounting Block. It is the piece that actually clamps to a standard home IV pole, and it defines the shared interface everything else attaches to.
The Pole Mounting Block v1 with its T-handle thumbscrew — the U-shaped channel wraps a standard IV pole and the printed thumbscrew clamps it in place.
This is a base component, not the current cradle
If you're here to print an equipment cradle, you want the v3 cradle (the current design) — the mounting block is already built into it. This page documents the block on its own, as the shared foundation for the project and for people designing their own accessories.
Reference Design — Not a Medical Device
These files are provided for informational and educational purposes only. This is not an FDA-cleared or approved product. It is a load-bearing part; you are responsible for verifying the mechanical integrity of anything you print before use. Read the full disclaimer →
Why it exists
Rather than redesign a pole clamp for every accessory, OpenPoleMount treats the pole attachment as one reusable primitive. Design any holder, tray, or mount so it sits on the block, and it inherits a known, tested way of attaching to a standard home IV pole — and it becomes compatible with everything else in the system. This is what makes OpenPoleMount an open hardware platform rather than a single part:
- Users print one mounting approach and understand it once.
- Contributors design to a consistent, documented interface.
- The ecosystem grows every time someone adds an accessory to the same block.
Download the files
Load-bearing part — read the print guide first
The block carries the full weight of equipment and a filled IV bag through a single thumbscrew clamp. Wall count and infill are safety-critical. Use the shared print settings (PLA, 6 walls, 2 mm top/bottom, ≥35 % non-concentric infill) as the minimum.
| File | Purpose | Qty |
|---|---|---|
OpenPoleMount_Pole_Mounting_Block_V1.stl |
The mounting block (pole clamp + accessory interface) | 1 |
OpenPoleMount_Pole_Mounting_Block_ThandleThumbscrew-V1.stl |
Printed T-handle thumbscrew that clamps the block to the pole | 1 |
Source CAD (Blender) for both parts lives in the repository under stl/
(*.blend) for anyone who wants to remix the design under the hardware license.
Dimensions
Overall printed footprint, measured directly from the STL geometry:
| Part | Bounding size (X × Y × Z) |
|---|---|
| Pole Mounting Block v1 | 48.0 × 57.9 × 59.5 mm |
| T-handle Thumbscrew v1 | 102.0 × 53.0 × 16.0 mm (T-handle across × head × thickness) |
Formal interface spec — pending
The exact accessory-mating dimensions (bolt/boss pattern, thumbscrew thread pitch, and the pole-channel diameter range) are what a contributor needs to design a guaranteed-compatible accessory. Those are being documented from the source CAD and are not yet published as a formal tolerance spec — the numbers above are the outer bounding box only. If you want to start designing an accessory now, open an issue and we'll share the working interface dimensions directly. (Pending George's confirmation before this can be published as an official spec.)
Printing it
The block prints on the same conservative, PLA-validated settings as the rest of the design family — see the shared print guide. Print the block with the pole channel vertical so the layer lines run perpendicular to the clamping load, and print the T-handle thumbscrew flat, handle face down, no supports required.
Testing status
The published destruction testing was performed on the v1/v2 cradle body, which uses this same block and thumbscrew interface. The block's clamp geometry is therefore covered by that testing, but the block has not been separately logged as its own test article. Treat the shared minimums as a floor and inspect every print before use. (Pending George's standalone block test log before this is stated as an independent tested claim.)
Building on the block
Designing an accessory? Start from this part, keep the pole-channel and thumbscrew interface unchanged, and add your holder on top. See Contributing and the Accessories page — anything built to this block works with every OpenPoleMount cradle.
License note — you keep your accessory; just keep block changes open
The block is licensed CERN-OHL-W-2.0 (weakly reciprocal). In practice: if you modify the block itself, your modified block must stay open under the same license. But a separate accessory you design to sit on top of the block does not have to be open — you can license your own add-on however you like. Improve the foundation in the open; your accessory stays yours.