Design and 3D Printing Lures

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Neumie
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Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by Neumie »

Not that I need any more hobbies or collections........but I need a weekday after work hobby. One thing I've always wanted to do was design and pour my own soft plastics. My sister has recently acquired a 3D printer so that got the gears grinding in my head. 3D printers utliizing PLA filament can withstand temps up to 350 deg F. Plastisol melts below that, so as long as you monitor your temps you can 3D print injection molds.

I started with a sketch.

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I imported the sketch into AutoCAD Fusion and whipped up a model.

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We printed it out.

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After we printed it out I realized what looked good on the computer screen didn't necessarily translate well to the real world.

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So I made some changes and made a second blank. It still wasn't what I wanted so I made a third version, and after printing I felt we could go ahead and make a mold. First attempt on top and the third one on bottom.

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After we printed the mold I went and bought so fresh plastic from Academy and Bass Pro to re-melt for these trials.

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Did a test cast in my sister's pool. I'm digging the action.




After a successful test in the pool I went ahead an whipped up a few colors: White, Plum/Chartreuse and Strawberry/White. I'm not sure when I'm going to make it down to Rockport to test them out on fish, but I'll keep y'all updated.

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It's been a fun time working through all this.
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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by TexasJim »

Amazing! Josh, if you lived down here on the waterfront(or back), you wouldn't have as much free time, and the fish wouldn't have a chance. Neat project. Keep us updated. TexasJim
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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by 2 Weight Willie »

That first prototype looked like it would have killer action, but a wee smaller profile. Can't wait for updates...I'd like to see where this goes. Best of Luck on your lures and I hope the fish like them.

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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by Dandydon »

Hey Josh, those are nice-looking lures for a newbie! Look delicious.

Save some for me!

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Ron Mc
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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by Ron Mc »

didn't see these with colors yet - looking great.
You have first-light, turbid sunny and turbid overcast covered.
Now you need some blend colors for East Flats Lake.
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Neumie
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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

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Ron Mc wrote:Now you need some blend colors for East Flats Lake.
Chicken on a Chain may be next on my list. That color along with the three I've already poured and I'm practically set for fishing around Rockport.

Thanks for kind words everyone. I'm working on an eel version of the paddle tail and a shrimp too.
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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by Ron Mc »

The one TroutSupport color that has surprised me is Coastal Gold - clear with flake.
On a sunny day, it imitates a ball of glass minnows, drawing trout slashes.
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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by 2 Weight Willie »

Again good job Josh.I can't wait for those shrimp though those are gonna be

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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by Neumie »

Ron Mc wrote:The one TroutSupport color that has surprised me is Coastal Gold - clear with flake.
On a sunny day, it imitates a ball of glass minnows, drawing trout slashes.
Since I'm just remelting store bought lures for this project (for now) I actually bought some H&H Laguna Glass lures which are close to the TS Coastal Gold color. I always liked the H&H Laguna Glass, but wished it didn't come with a chartreuse tail. I just didn't get around to pouring them yet.
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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by Ron Mc »

check out this lure
https://youtu.be/EEKM78H7reU

Have never seen any that behaves more like a crab.
Basically, crabs are winter lures, when mullet are gigantic and glass minnows are tiny.
My latest Japan order has a pack of these thrown in.
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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by Neumie »

Ron Mc wrote:check out this lure
https://youtu.be/EEKM78H7reU

Have never seen any that behaves more like a crab.
Basically, crabs are winter lures, when mullet are gigantic and glass minnows are tiny.
My latest Japan order has a pack of these thrown in.
I am going to design a crab lure as well.

I throw the smaller Savage Gear Crab; really like it's action.

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Re: RE: Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by 2 Weight Willie »

Ron Mc wrote:check out this lure
https://youtu.be/EEKM78H7reU

Have never seen any that behaves more like a crab.
Basically, crabs are winter lures, when mullet are gigantic and glass minnows are tiny.
My latest Japan order has a pack of these thrown in.
Those Japanese dude's poses tho. But I'm with Josh, I have used the Savage Gear Crab and I liked it however chasebaits makes a killer crab lure that's hard to beat. My favorite would have to be the DOA crabs tho...

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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by Ron Mc »

I'm going to say this one more time.
The guy who designed the Japanese lure spent some time watching crabs.
Easy to rig for either swimming or crawling, doing either, it behaves just like a freaking crab.

The guy who designed this fly make a pretty good crawling crab.
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Re: RE: Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by 2 Weight Willie »

Ron Mc wrote:I'm going to say this one more time.
The guy who designed the Japanese lure spent some time watching crabs.
Easy to rig for either swimming or crawling, doing either, it behaves just like a freaking crab.

The guy who designed this fly make a pretty good crawling crab.
Image
Calm your jets... can you buy them in the U.S. or do you have to order them through a Japanese company.

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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by 2 Weight Willie »

Since everyone is posting crab vids, here's chasebait's SMASH CRAB. https://youtu.be/iSWmQBLxsSA

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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by Neumie »

So to get this thread back on track..........

I've started already working and tweaking a shrimp lure. This allows you to rig it with a jighead through the front as normal or through the middle (hook point coming out between the eyes). In theory when hooked through the middle you should be able to pop it and the tail should fold under the body mimicking a fleeing shrimp. Again in theory.
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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

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Neumie wrote:So to get this thread back on track..........

I've started already working and tweaking a shrimp lure. This allows you to rig it with a jighead through the front as normal or through the middle (hook point coming out between the eyes). In theory when hooked through the middle you should be able to pop it and the tail should fold under the body mimicking a fleeing shrimp. Again in theory.
First off sorry for getting off track. Second, that lure looks like it is going to work VERY well. If u start selling, let me know. Third off If u get the hang of this, create more models, and find a way to get the molding supplies from the factory or discounted, then you should try to get into stores...

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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by 2 Weight Willie »

Also, I don't wanna tell you how to do this, but if it doesn't bend under the body when rigged from the middle, you could try making the tail thinner and/or the tail fin bigger. (Please don't take this comment the wrong way, just trying to help out.)

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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by Neumie »

We'll see whenever I get around to printing the mold. The tail section is pretty thin as is, the segments in the tail section don't go all the way across.
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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by 2 Weight Willie »

Oh, ok...I hope it works as planned then!

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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by Ron Mc »

Neumie wrote:So to get this thread back on track..........

I've started already working and tweaking a shrimp lure. This allows you to rig it with a jighead through the front as normal or through the middle (hook point coming out between the eyes). In theory when hooked through the middle you should be able to pop it and the tail should fold under the body mimicking a fleeing shrimp. Again in theory.
It's better than theory, have fished this rig a bunch at South Padre with success - the other reason I want all those old Stazo jigheads.

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It both kicks like an evading shrimp, and settles like a shrimp swimming with its legs.
If you could embed a little bucktail + krystal fiash from the head for antennae, it would be really cool.

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I also like the segments you put in the tail - really like that action in the Vudu shrimp - as long as the nodes are thin enough to make the tail flop.
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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by JW FunGuy »

I like the way you think Neumie! Nice and simple but with options. Seems well thought out to me. Keep us posted.
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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by Neumie »

Finally made it to the coast and got to fish with the lures. Only caught one, but it was very satisfying. It's " O-Fish-al"!
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Re: RE: Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

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Neumie wrote:Finally made it to the coast and got to fish with the lures. Only caught one, but it was very satisfying. It's " O-Fish-al"!
Sheesh! Good job. Your profile pic. Looks "o-fish-al" as well

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Re: Design and 3D Printing Lures

Post by Neumie »

It's been awhile since I've made an update, but I've prototyped an eel and crab lure. These printed lures are the "finished" product, but I can already see issues with making a mold. Some modifications are necessary, but it's a good start.

Anyways, here's the whole family of lures; shad, eel, shrimp, and crash.
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