Brandon - Gulf Stream Outdoors

Posted on December 30, 2020December 26, 2020 by Brandon

The Complete Guide to 3d Printing Fishing Lures – Part 2

Now for part 2, we're going to explore more about the differences between major types of printers and help you decide which might be best for you. FDM printers are definitely a bit more fidgety and have more moving parts, so this may require more upkeep and ongoing maintenance. For resin printers, they have fep sheet which resembles a drum, and there are lots of screws involved but I would say this is the better choice for getting started right out of the box.

Both printers understand G Code, but the major software needed for FDM and Resin printers are Ultimaker Cura and Chitubox, respectively. Cura is much more refined and easy to use, so coupling this with the FDM makes it very workable almost immediately. For post-processing, you can pretty much pop your model right off of the FDM printer, other than removing some of the support structures.

Resin 3D printers do have a major downside, and that starts with removing the bill plate out of the printer and unfortunately, your model will be covered in a lot of undesirable chemicals that you definitely don't want on you. After removing your print, you must clean off the resin with rubbing alcohol and then expose it to UV light or physically scrape the toxic chemicals off of the print. However, the amazing details of a resin print can sometimes be worth all of that trouble. You can render incredible levels of detailed miniature objects, including my Baby Yoda model I recently produced.

Overall, the FDM prints are of adequate quality but the resin prints completely blow them out of the water. As parts get bigger, FDM is going to be the faster of the two but it depends on if speed or precision is the factor that you are looking to base your purchase on. For example, one of my recent resin prints took upwards of 18 hours, which obviously included running overnight, yet the same print on an FDM was able to finish at right around 5 hours, though of differing quality.

In conclusion, if you are only looking to make very basic lure models and care more about how quickly and how many you are making, FDM is the way to go. However, anything detail-oriented that allows you to be patient with your print definitely steers you towards the resin. Thank you for watching, and as always please like this video and subscribe to my channel for more awesome content!

Posted on December 23, 2020December 23, 2020 by Brandon

The Complete Guide to 3d Printing Fishing Lures – Part 1

Today we're going to be talking about 3D printing and give you a quick introduction with all the information you need to get started on your own! I received a lot of questions after my last video, so to make sure I covered all bases this is part 1 of a series answering questions about software and types of printers to look for.

The first type of printer to look for is an FDM that extrudes filaments out of a nozzle and builds that up in layers to produce your final product. The other major type is a Resin SLA printer, which takes a vat of resin and uses US lights to cure in a certain pattern and produce the model. This type will give you higher resolution and a “better print”, although FDM isn't significantly worse and is much cheaper.

One thing to note is that this a manufacturing machine, so it requires upkeep to make sure that it remains in working condition. Another point to remember is that keeping this in your house may not be the best due to the amount of chemicals and noise it produces. A shop area or garage would be better suited for this kind of product, definitely not in a home office or desk.

The first major software you need to look for is called a slicer, which takes a 3D model and slices it down, simulates the movements of the 3D printer, and then translates that into something called G Code. For the FDM printer, Ultimaker Cura is the standard operating software and thankfully it's relatively straightforward. As for Resin, Chitubox is another free software, which I don't highly recommend, though CAD or sculpting programs might be a better option.

You are able to create lures that are custom shapes and then sculpt to your liking, although CAD is more for exact measurements and shapes. There is a database called Thingiverse in which you are able to select specific molds from a catalog, including lures I have made in previous videos! You'll have to be patient to learn the programs yourself, though if you wish to hire someone to design them for you, the website to go to is Fiver.

Altogether, it may seem complicated to get started 3D printing but I highly recommend looking into getting started sooner rather than later. As always, thank you for watching this video and be sure to like and subscribe to my channel!

Posted on December 16, 2020December 23, 2020 by Brandon

3d Printed Fishing Lure Molds Better than Aluminum?

Today we've got a revolutionary idea that I haven't found anyone else on YouTube doing yet! I want to test to see if 3D printed fishing lure molds are functional or even better than those made out of aluminum. I used something called Siraya Tech Sculpt Resin, which has high-temperature tolerance of nearly 380 degrees! The alternatives are much closer to 350 degrees or less, so under a certain amount of pressure, the material will bend or start to deform.

I have never poured this mold before, I downloaded this (did not create it) and will try about 3 or 4 different trials. I will link another video about the printing and creation of the molds once it is finished, and for your reference, I am relatively new to working with resin likes this. Although aluminum is extremely durable, the main downside is going to be cost ($60-300 for different varieties or custom lures).

For this hollow mold using the resin, it was less than $4.00 and took around 3 and a half hours in total using my Elegoo Saturn. When I printed it solid, it increased to $7.00 on a midsize 3D printer. I may have overcooked it and lost some dimensional accuracy but the overall quality is what I'm looking for here.

After giving it time to cool off post-microwaving, it needs to dissipate the heat. I put roughly 350-degree plastic on the inside, so the plastic needs a while to solidify and then de-mold. The mold was cool at first and has now started to heat up, though I might not have waited long enough.

The detail of my mold is pretty fantastic, though fairly soft after 6-8 minutes or less. I think it would be best to reclamp the mold because it did not warp as much as I thought, as it is hollow with air in the middle. The solid resin as it cured warped more than the current resin walls, and I'll let this one wait for 10 minutes.

Immediately I noticed the hollow mold dissipated heat more, but the molds are much more stuck together. This one is less shiny, including sand and debris, but the color is exactly how I wanted it. My final trial has incredible detail, and I'm very surprised how well they all came out for being my first attempts at this.

Look out for future prints that I am planning on designing, and as always please like and subscribe to the channel!

Posted on November 25, 2020November 24, 2020 by Brandon

Houston Bayou Fishing – My Best Grass Carp?

Today we are headed back to the bayou for some familiar fish in a slightly different setting. This is still my usual preferred location but I have moved a little bit down the bayou in order to avoid getting my feet wet. This new spot has stairs and I am very confident that this will produce results, so let's get fishing!

This shallow water has a nice current and will push all of the fish coming through into one very specific concentrated area. In my mind, the strong current will provide us with more strong fish, AKA less small guys that we have to throw back in. Look out for tilapia and large grass carp!

Word of advice for all; when you see me fishing right down by the water, it means I have looked at the weather and shown that there is no rain whatsoever. In addition, I also have weather text alerts about when the water level rises 6 inches or more upstream. Brays Bayou is not a place that you want to mess around in because you will be running up very slippery concrete in the event of an emergency.

Unfortunately, I got tangled up with a turtle who completely destroyed my hook, so I had to start from scratch and get my setup together again. Using my ultra-light setup, I was able to secure this monster and I think it might be one of my best grass carp yet! The carp like to ride the edge between the deepwater and shallow water, mostly because there are numerous predatorial animals residing in these environments like hawks.

For reference, I never really see the carp feeding, but I do often find them in deep water. If you enjoyed this video, please check out more and subscribe to the channel while you're at it! Remember to check out the website to look for other awesome merchandise and helpful fishing tips. Enjoy!

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