Solution to Probe with Dust Collector Hassles

One of thing that I have been finding really annoying is working around the dust collection boot for various things that I used to do much more easily before I installed the Suckit. Latest annoyance is attaching the alligator clip to the bits for probing. I went searching for alternative (long) clips and found this:
Insulated Long Reach Plunger Grabber

Not a bad list price but all the major parts folks have it on backorder/no-stock. Somebody on Amazon claims to have it but wants 3X list for it.

Has anybody found an available alternative (or a non rip-off supplier for this part)?

At last one person (either here or on the Facebook group) connected their Probe to a magnet instead.

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Mine’s on a magnet and it works great.

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Ok seems like an interesting approach. There are 1000s of these things on Amazon. Want to make sure I get something conductive, solder-able (assuming that’s how you attach the wire), and reasonable size (.5" ?).

So any part no./links to a a recommended magnet that you’ve been successful with?

https://www.beavercnc.co.uk/product-page/magnetic-touch-probe-ground

luke makes and sells the Beaver version on his site if that helps

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You won’t find a solderable magnet.

Here’s what I did.

Stripped the end of a wire, wrapped it a bunch of times through a 3/8" nut, soldered the wire to itself (captures the nut), stuck a 1/4" magnet to a face, then shrink tubed the whole thing. Works great. I -tried- doing this with conductive epoxy and a magnet on the end of a headphone jack and it didn’t hold up. Reworked the same schemed with the trapped nut, works great, lasts long time.

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I cheated a little and used my metal lathe to make a holder for the magnet. It is much easier to use than a clip.

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Well the machined version is quite elegant but I don’t really have access to skilled machinist so I guess its the “wrapped nut” scenario for me.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Not my original idea but I took a banana plug and used CA glue to hold a 6mm magnet in it.

Worked great.

RMW

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I know it’s a little off topic, but I could see how the suckit’s design is problematic for doing all kinds of things with the bit. I couldn’t stomach the price or the reduction in X travel, so I went ahead and printed up one of these from Thingiverse. It uses the depth adjustment ring from the DWP611 so it clicks off really easily and adjusts height very quickly. I am doing a ton of tool changes and never struggle with the dust boot.

I used this strip brush but had to break out the inside boss since the designer used a stainless strip brush with a thinner profile. Instead I just hot glued to the inside and the natural spring to the nylon strip keeps it in place.

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