Mold And Cad Help

[J lure]

Hello guys,

I was hoping I could get your help. I plan on having a mold made and I was going to use a #4 28* weighted mustad hook incorporated into my mold. I was wondering how you would go about getting the dimensions/ cnc codes/ cad info that already exsist for this hook/ setup. I tried email do it molds with out and success.

Thanks

Jason

http://do-itmolds.com/shop/index.php?route=product/category&path=1_7_329

[dlaery]

Do you need to give these dimensions to someone? Just take a hook and trace around on paper and then dimension it.

 

here is an example of a drawing

 

[CNC Molds N Stuff]

A while back I asked most of the hook manufacturers if such files existed because I was working on some jig and spinner bait mold designs at the time.  None said they had design files of the type we would want available.  TTI (Daiichi, X-Point, Etc) sent me labeled samples of all their jig and spinnerbait hooks so I could measure them.  Mustad sent em a catalog and said they would send samples of specific hooks I was interested in working with, but they had to many different hooks to send one of each.  I never heard back from Owner, and the guy with Gamakatsu basically told me to go F*** myself.  In their defense Owner has alway sent me samples in the past when I asked about a specific hook.  I don't recall if I asked Eagle Claw or not. 

 

What I found worked fairly well was to lay a hook on a piece of graph paper with a fine grid.  Then photograph it from directly overhead with multiple lighting sources to eliminate any shadows.  I then set the grid in my cad software to the same interval as the grid from the photo and import the image file.  Then I move the image file to a level below zero so the CAD grid shows over top.  Then I carefully scale and translate the image until the photo grid matches the CAD grid.  This give me an excellent guideline to start from.  Then if I need to I start drawing.  Usually for a mold there are only a few key points you need to draw. 

 

Then I take some notes like wire diameter.  Hook eye inside and outside diameter etc. 

[J lure]

Thanks for the info guys.

Bob I tried to p.m but I won't allow messages, I think you box is full.

Yes I was hoping to have the files to give to a guy who has made some molds for me in the past, I was trying to make it easier for him and cheaper for me..

[SlowFISH]

Tracing works.... but you'll need to alter the trace to account for the "width" added for the pencil/pen point.  What I've done is similar - but digital.... I lay them nice and flat on a scanner and scan them digitally.  Once I have a hi-res scan - I can scale the image as necessary (rarely need to) and trace it in a program like Adobe Illustrator.  The beauty of Adobe illustrator is you can export .DXF files... which are usable by most CAD/CAM platforms.

 

If you go this route... my suggestion is to not "trace" the actual hook.... but draw a line as close to dead center as you can and then increase the lines width (stroke) until it's the same as the hook to verify you're dead center / right on.  This line can then be used as a tool path to simply cut a slot/path for the hook to sit in.

 

I hope this makes sense.... and while Illustrator isn't cheap you don't need the latest version to do this.... you can probably buy Illustrator 8/9/10 which are a good 6-7 years old off ebay for a couple bucks and be off and running.

 

If you go this route - LMK... I can try to do a quick step by step and post a pic or two up if you like.

 

Also.... I found out that most online catalogs in downloadable PDF format provide actual line work of the hooks.  For example... I downloaded the PDF version of the gamakatsu catalog - opened page XX in illustrator (you can open PDF files in illustrator) and BOOM.... what ever hooks are on that page - I now have actual line work for.   This doesn't work for everything - as they need to be "vector" linework and not images like JPEG's.   I found a few of the hooks weren't perfectly to scale - but with an adjustment or two and verifying with a caliper and a hook I was off and running and didn't even need to scan anything.

 

  J.

Edited August 20, 2013 by SlowFISH

[CNC Molds N Stuff]

Thanks for the info guys.

Bob I tried to p.m but I won't allow messages, I think you box is full.

Yes I was hoping to have the files to give to a guy who has made some molds for me in the past, I was trying to make it easier for him and cheaper for me..

Yep, box was full.  Sorry.  Cleaned out a few now.