Efforts to encourage laboratory automation through student access to and usage of commercial equipment are hampered by prohibitive acquisition costs. Here, an automated liquid handler using manual pipettes was developed to operate on a commercial hobbyist 3D printer at a cost of US $325. Arising from an iterative design process that ensured sufficient strength and rigidity, the adapter assembly, when fabricated by using 3D printing, was found to operate as it was intended. Tests conducted found the system to be sufficiently stable and accurate in its positioning, while pipetting accuracy was not affected. A survey following a usage exercise with the operational system was conducted as part of an overall effort to encourage students to overcome their disciplinary boundaries.