3D Printed Servo Holder for the Raptor DLG/F3K — A Perfect Fit

One of the small joys of the maker hobby is when a 3D print comes out just right — no sanding, no fettling, just a satisfying click into place. That’s exactly what happened with this little servo holder frame I designed for the Raptor DLG / F3K.

The Problem

The Raptor DLG uses KST X06 coreless servos in the wing — tiny, lightweight, and punchy for their size. The stock installation relies on a fairly minimal retention system, and I wanted something a bit more secure and repeatable, especially for field swaps. The servo needs to sit flush in the wing cutout, held firmly without play, while still being removable.

The Solution: A Simple Printed Frame

The design is a thin rectangular frame with small retention tabs on two opposite corners — one pair hooks over the servo body on one side, the other pair locks it from the other. The frame itself is essentially just a border around the servo cutout, adding just enough mechanical grip to keep everything solid under the loads a DLG wing sees.

Printing in black PETG (or PLA works fine for indoor storage) keeps it light. The wall thickness is just enough to be rigid without adding meaningful mass — every gram counts on a DLG.

Installation

Fitting it into the wing is straightforward:

1. Drop the KST X06 into the frame — it seats with a satisfying snugness.
2. Lower the frame + servo assembly into the wing cutout.
3. The tabs engage the edges of the pocket, locking the servo in place without glue.

The wire routing exits cleanly through the existing channel toward the control horn.

You can also see the second (empty) holder position below it in the photo — the bottom one has a velcro patch fitted, which I’m using temporarily for ballast/component positioning experiments.

Why Bother?

For a club build or a casual sport glider, you’d just use whatever comes in the kit. But for an F3K competition ship like the Raptor, a little extra engineering attention at each joint pays dividends in consistency and repairability. Being able to pull a servo cleanly in the field — without a heat gun and prayer — is genuinely useful.

The print took about 25 minutes, cost essentially nothing, and the fit is spot-on. That’s the maker loop at its best.

Files

I’ll be uploading the STL to my build log once I’ve confirmed the design holds up through a full season of flying. If you’re building a Raptor or a similar F3K ship and want the file sooner, drop me a message.

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The Raptor DLG / F3K is made in South Africa — serial R1 001/23 on this one. Proud to be flying local.