Crab Gauge (+lobster, rock/Dungy, clams)

Fisherman's warehouse has been out of crab gauges, so I ended up getting a cheap one from Amazon.

so I thought, why not make one? could do from Aluminum, or wood, or 3D printer.  Decided on 3D printer really for ease.  my thought is to keep a couple things in the hull of my boat at all times, extra life jacket (yah, I forgot on the other day), crab gauges, copies of my licenses.

anyways, printed this up. happy for any feedback on improvements.  I'll throw a couple extra in the hull in case someone else needs one.

Is it cheaper to buy one or print one?

Is it cheaper to buy one or print one?

I have all the equipment (was a robotics coach for 10 years) so probably cost me 10 to 20 cents to print.  You certainly wouldn't want to buy a 3D printer to do this.

I think you may have trouble getting the calipers down over the entire body of the crab, as the backs are rounded and your gauge doesn't have much depth between the two ends. Might work though, looks really slick! I wish I had a 3D printer! 

I think you may have trouble getting the calipers down over the entire body of the crab, as the backs are rounded and your gauge doesn't have much depth between the two ends. Might work though, looks really slick! I wish I had a 3D printer! 

I can add depth - how much you think I need? I have about 3/8" now

hmmmm....at 10 to 20 cents per, i think you may be able to create quite a few and find a group of people that may want to buy one or two.   If only there was a forum of people that could use these things on the internet   

hmmmm....at 10 to 20 cents per, i think you may be able to create quite a few and find a group of people that may want to buy one or two.   If only there was a forum of people that could use these things on the internet   

I'll pack a couple extra whenever I get out in the yak, cheap, price either free or a beer after fishing...or a sympathy fish if I need one

updated version, made it deeper, thinner and a few other minor changes.

Need to catch some Dungeness and rock crab so I can try it out. 

Nice job.

Alex

Cool, love seeing 3D printer projects!  Would you also be able to produce a triangle with opposite bent corners?    I'd like to make custom flashers over the winter

Cool, love seeing 3D printer projects!  Would you also be able to produce a triangle with opposite bent corners?    I'd like to make custom flashers over the winter

would be super simple for a laser to cut them out then use a heat gun and a little jig to make the angle. the layer adhesion of FDM printing makes thing things like that more difficult to produce with structural integrity. you would have to print it either standing up or on one edge to get a clean result

I have both a laser cutter and a line bender!

Cool, love seeing 3D printer projects!  Would you also be able to produce a triangle with opposite bent corners?    I'd like to make custom flashers over the winter

would be super simple for a laser to cut them out then use a heat gun and a little jig to make the angle. the layer adhesion of FDM printing makes thing things like that more difficult to produce with structural integrity. you would have to print it either standing up or on one edge to get a clean result

could 3D print - but I think this might be even better