I hope this is good spot for the ? But I need to file a little off the probe(I already did) and was wondering what it may do in the long run and how much I may be able to safely file off, if any. It is running just fine at the moment. Being that they're so cheap, I filed it fair amount. I have a pristine probe next to it and the two are reading nearly identically.
Dallas (now Maxim) makes lots of 1-Wire stuff, in a variety of packages. It's pretty much impossible to answer the question seriously without a part number, photo, or some sort of description more detailed than "the probe". Although it does make a great straight line...
Assuming it's in the usual TO-92 package, you cold probably get away with shaving off as much as 80% of the plastic (though figure out which 80% would get tricky): there's a very small die buried in that relatively-large blob. Just look at how much less plastic there is on the surface-mount versions of the same parts.
It'd be interesting to see some X-rays of a few samples to see where the die usually winds up in the TO-92. Is there a doctor (perhaps with some expired X-ray plates that can't be used for patients) in the house? :)
Yes, I was talking "tongue in cheek" so to speak. there is a BIG different in "1/16" of plastic" with a TO-92 package vs a SOT-23.
I have never seen any "inside" drawings showing about where the die is located inside a TO-92 package. I "suspect" it's closer to the flat side than the rounded side to give a faster response when mounted with the flat side to object, but have no way of knowing.
BTW: "Is there a Dr. in the house..." My brother is an Orthopod as I like to call him. If you were serious about x-raying a few samples, I can ask him. I really don't think it would be any problem for him. The only thing I have are a few DS18S20's. But I would be glad to if it would support the cause so to speak.