Occasionally a DM may want to set a time limit and a visual reminder of that time running out is a great way to ramp up tension at the table. Maybe a trap will trigger after one minute… Maybe a fuse has been lit and will burn down for five minutes before the explosives blow… Maybe your players are taking too long to make decisions and flipping a sand timer in view of everyone will force the issue… 

This is a simple holder that allows the display of a sand timer on the top of your DM screen. It accommodates common plastic sand timers with approximately 1 inch (25 mm) round bases. The slot is just under 4 mm wide, so it should work on various thicknesses of DM screen. I use mine on a 3mm wood initiative rail I made for my own screen.

UPDATE 1/4/26: I've added a file for  holder with a slightly wider slot, upon request. This one has a gap of about 4.8 mm, so should fit over 4 mm wide screens.

I have affixed a piece of thin adhesive magnetic sheeting (such as the stuff used for crafting things like refrigerator magnets or magnetic inkjet printer sheets) in the flat recessed section of the holder. As most cheap sand timers are made of plastic, I glued a very thin round 1 inch metal disc onto both ends of my timers so they will be attracted to the magnet (thin steel washers should work great). If you don't use magnets and metal ends I can't vouch for how sturdy this will be. It may work, but if the holder has enough play to be a bit floppy on your DM screen, the timer will likely topple off of it. 

I printed flat side down with supports.