3D printed Crankbaits.

Don't know how many here have 3D printers, but if you do, you can make all the cranks you want for about 4 or 5 cents each in PLA plastic.

After gluing them together with epoxy, they were painted with latex paint then coated with a coat of clear epoxy. I used my rod-making low speed turning setup to turn the lures as the epoxy cured to keep the finish smooth and not running or sagging.

Easy peasy.

The files are available online for free or design your own in a CAD program.

Tom

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That 3D printing is neat stuff.

how much is the printer you use?

I have two printers that I built myself. Where do I find that particular crank bait .stl file? Thingiverse? What's it called?

Thanks
-Roy

My printer is an ANET A8. I also have a Monoprice, but the ANET is better. But if I were buying one today, I would probably get this one: https://www.amazon.com/Creality3d-CR...9J5QBVWBQ123Z9

As for the lures themselves, they are all over the web.

Here are some from Thingiverse. All free.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1729443

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1784274

Here is the search link and will turn up a bunch https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q...15b2d45a9ea136

Tom

Lots more stl files there since last time i looked.

Thanks.

Roy

Open builds have a lot of stuff for building stuff. Go check 'em out. Some of their rail system is used on my boat.
Lots of help with projects too.


https://openbuildspartstore.com/

Pretty neat

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Very cool!

Next step is to epoxy them together.

Tom

pretty neat, have you fished with them any if so do they run pretty true and how durable are they, have read that the PLA plastic is pretty brittle and was just wondering if you've had any crack ors break on you.

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Originally Posted by dbowling

pretty neat, have you fished with them any if so do they run pretty true and how durable are they, have read that the PLA plastic is pretty brittle and was just wondering if you've had any crack ors break on you.

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Yes, I have fished them. They have a great tight action.

ANY crankbait, not just home made ones, usually need to be tuned. There are dozens of YouTube videos that show how to easily bend the front eye to get them running in line.

And the PLA plastic is WAY stronger than need be for this application. I am running two outer walls and zero infill.

Tom

That is so cool

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Next step is dunking in white primer. I use 3 dunks to get a nice base. I always use a white basecoat before putting on any other colors.

Tom

Tom for a small fee I can send my OCD wife over and she can clean that room up for you lol.

Joe

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That's my shed. I have a 20x30 metal building with heat and air conditioning. I gave myself a present when I retired to use as a playroom.

I build RC model aircraft, rods, lures, and anything else that strikes my fancy. And clean up when it gets too crowded to get around in. :

Tom

Lol I wish Tom. Looks like a good shop to me.

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Dang TM,, wished I knew you when I lived n Jacksonville years ago,,, you could have taught me a few things

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Originally Posted by 2boatjoe

Tom for a small fee I can send my OCD wife over and she can clean that room up for you lol.

Joe

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Don't stop there. Send her to my house. As a disclaimer though I'm not responsible for the mental breakdown she's gonna have after seeing my house and the work that cut out for her

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Originally Posted by Pithon

Don't stop there. Send her to my house. As a disclaimer though I'm not responsible for the mental breakdown she's gonna have after seeing my house and the work that cut out for her

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You may be the one with the breakdown. We call it museum mode around my house. You better not make a mess lol.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by T_om

Next step is dunking in white primer. I use 3 dunks to get a nice base. I always use a white basecoat before putting on any other colors.

Tom

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Looks like my workroom. Looks very well conveniently organized to me.

If it gets cleaned you will never be able to find what you need

Very cool! I run a prusa mk2s and a cr10-s4. I'll have to print some of these out.

I have a Lulzbot TAZ and a Prusa Mendell.

WOW !

Never ceases to amaze me where our technology has gotten us
to were you can purchase a 3D printer for making ones own hard bait

billygee :rolleyes:

Nice results. That's definitely a great price per blank. Thanks!

How long does it take to print one?

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Originally Posted by 2boatjoe

How long does it take to print one?

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It takes just under 2 hours to print a batch of 6 (12 halves) like you see in the photos. But i run my printhead a bit slow to help increase quality. I am also printing at 0.2mm layer thickness and could easily increase that to 0.3mm for faster prints. But speed doesn't matter, you just let the machine run.

I have printed parts for my CNC router that took almost 30 hours.

Tom

Next step. Painting.

Please don't laugh. I have never described my profession as "lure painter", but our close by lakes only had one crappie in it that was super critical of my paint jobs... and we dynamited him out.

All latex paint, sprayed through a cheap Harbor Freight external mix airbrush. You don't need expensive equipment to do this.

After this point, the screw eyes are added and the lures are given a very heavy coat of epoxy, thereby making them about bullet proof against wear and abrasion.

I will show my epoxy spinner setup next. It rotates the lures to keep the heavy coating from running.

Tom

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All that matters is if the fish like them.

What size screw eyes do you sue?

This is very cool. Thanks for posting.

Ahhh, technology.

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Originally Posted by roygpa

All that matters is if the fish like them.

What size screw eyes do you sue?

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I use the 1/2 inch brass ones from Jann's Netcraft. I buy the open eye versions and close them myself.

Tom

Almost there.

Here are a handful of cranks ready to have the eyes put on and be coated with epoxy. Last photo has the eyes on and the coated cranks being turned on my rotary wheel to keep the epoxy smooth.

The next, and last, step is split rings and hooks.

Tom

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I think this is so neat. I wish I had that kind of brain to do this kind of thing. I wonder though how true they will run. I can't wait for the final results.

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Do you also buys your eyes from Jann's? Sorry to ask so many questions but what size? Just got my printers working again after a break of 3 and a half years. I have a few projects for my job, then I'm going to print some lures. Will try ABS, only because that's what I have available.

ABS will work. It is a little heavier than PLA, so watch how you accumulate weight.

Yes, I get the eyes from Jann's. I get the 3mm and 4mm sizes. (Some from other sources but a case of CRS prevents me from recalling it now).

By the way, he only purpose bought tool for these things other than an airbrush is a cheap split ring pliers.

Here are the final steps and finished baits.

Tom