3D Printing a Fishing Lure: Part IV

After a brief long hiatus, Matt Zyla and I are forging ahead with our plan to 3D print a fishing lure. For awhile, we couldn't find a place that would (relatively) cheaply and easily print our designs. Then, friend of the blog and photographer extraordinaire Nicholas Kalimin suggested we try Shapeways: an online 3D printing service. Basically, all you need to do is upload your model, choose a material, and you're done!

"Lure 2" model aka "Super Lappi"

That is, of course, unless you have some issues with your design. "Wall Thickness" was the obstacle we had to overcome. If the material is too thin in certain sections, there may be structural problems with the model. So I asked Matt to make the loops to which we'll attach split rings just a little bit thicker. The great thing about the site is that if you're close enough, there's a "fix thin walls" button that'll update your design for you.

"Lure 1" model aka "Amazing Jaiks"

I also asked Matt to move the location of some of the loops so that the lure (hopefully) runs a little bit better. After fiddling around for some time, I finally settled on using the "Supper Lappi" design for our prototype. The material I chose is matte bronze steel: steel due to its weight for castability (is that a word?), and the matte bronze to imitate a round goby.

The plan is to fish the lure like a lipless crankbait. We should be receiving the prototype at the beginning of June, just in time for bass season! Errrr...maybe just a year behind schedule. All we need to do when we get it is put on the split rings, attach some new hooks, tie it on - and catch some big fish.

Check out Matt's portfolio website here.

To view the other blog posts in this series, click here.

Greg Cholkan is a lawyer, fisherman and Hemingway impersonator. He works in Huntsville with Barriston LLP and his practice focuses on real estate, wills and estates, and business matters. Follow him on Twitter: @gregcholkan

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