Enhancements to the Victor 0626 Gopher Trap

thingiverse

Parts that increase the effectiveness of the Victor 0626 gopher trap by reducing the paddle travel needed to trigger the trap. A common complaint of this trap seems to be that it is much less sensitive than the older Victor 0625 trap. On several occasions, I've pulled the 0626 trap from the ground to find that the gopher packed it full of dirt and shoved the paddle back part-way but the trap is still armed. IMPORTANT: Before handling and working on the trap, please make sure that it is safely disarmed. The trap can be modified and function-tested without arming the mainspring and hoop. Do not test the initial fit and function of parts by arming it, and especially do not put body parts that you want to keep uninjured and intact into the path of the main hoop. Think, be alert, and be safe. There are three parts of the mechanism referenced in these instructions: the paddle, the seesaw (mid-position pivoting lever), and the catch (lever that holds the mainspring/loop when the trap is armed). The "front" of the trap is the side with the opening for the gopher to go through, and the "top" is the side that has the arming pedal. Fully depress the paddle against the rear limit stop so that the back half of the seesaw goes down. Hold the seesaw in its depressed state, return and hold the paddle in its home position, and slide the larger 3D-printed piece into the space between the top of the seesaw and upper loop of the paddle. The top of the seesaw should sit inside the groove of the larger piece and the two nubs on the piece align with the central side notches of the seesaw thus holding the piece in position. The rear portion of the catch lever should still function and contact the seesaw as before through the front cutout of the larger piece. While the seesaw is held down, press down on the front of the catch revealing an opening between the pivot points of these two levers. Insert the smaller 3D-printed piece, groove side up, at an angle so that it fits between the pivot points. Once the smaller piece is centered, carefully press down on its right and left ends so that it lies against the top surface of the trap body. Sand and file as needed for snug and flush fit. This piece is held in place by the notches, friction, and pressure from the levers above. Once the new parts are in place (yellow arrows in photo) and you release your hold on the seesaw and paddle, the front end of the seesaw should come down and rest on the smaller piece which acts as a travel stop. When disarmed, the flat bottom side of the catch lever should come to rest in the groove of the smaller piece. The larger piece acts as a shim between the paddle and seesaw, limiting the movement and travel of the paddle. While applying downward pressure to the levers at the pivot points, apply hot-melt glue to the ends of the metal pivot pins. Be sure to note the moving parts of the mechanism and not get glue onto those pieces or in their range of motion. The glue holds the pivot pins in place and helps to reduce some of the slop in the pivoting mechanism. The glue also helps to cut down on light and air entering the trap from the top that the gopher may try to plug without moving inside the trap. To function-test the modified mechanism, first make sure that the trap is still safely disarmed. With the trap upright, check that the paddle can move freely in its expected path and returns to its home position when released. Sand the contact surface of the larger piece as needed to smooth the action. Next, press down on the front of the catch lever (NOT THE PEDAL AND MAINSPRING!) until the back portion of the lever clicks and rests on the seesaw, and with your finger or thumb, apply upward pressure on the front of the catch to simulate an armed trap. Move the paddle back until the catch releases and note the distance that the paddle moved. On my modified trap, travel is roughly 6mm or 1/4". The unmodified trap required at least twice that distance. If the trap is too sensitive or if it is unable hold the strong mainspring, you might need to sand or reprint the pieces with a decreased Z height to make them thinner. This might be necessary, for example, if the trap is worn and/or there is excess play in the pivots. UPDATE 12/9/2021: The mainspring is much too strong for the plastic mechanism. Press the pivot tabs on the side of the pedal to remove the pedal. Note the positions and orientation of the moving pieces. Lift the coils of the mainspring from the holes in the trap body until the wire ends are free. Using pliers, carefully squeeze the last loop at both ends of each of the two loops by an equal amount (red arrows in photo). You should notice a lower resting position for the spring when it is reinstalled in the trap body. Around 30-45 degrees from vertical if you remove the loop vs the original which is vertical. By crimping the ends of the loops evenly, the mainspring should still engage and release cleanly from the catch in the same way as original. However, when tripped, the loop should strike the trap body with much less force and damage to the plastic. It is still more than enough force to trap a gopher.