Fishing Rod Holder w/ Quick Release System

thingiverse

Greetings! I was determined to craft a robust, long-lasting, and user-friendly rod holder for my kayak that wouldn't break easily when loading it up and flipping it around. I experimented with numerous designs, but they all fell short due to weak layering or broken hinges. So, I reinforced everything with metal wire and opted for a fixed design style instead. While the plastic may wear out over time, the strain is now elsewhere. I also managed to incorporate a "quick release" system into this rod holder. It's inspired by Berkeley-style designs and allows you to remove the rod from the holder by pulling up on it. However, it won't let you pull the rod downwards and into the water. Additionally, I added a quick detach feature for the upper portion of the rod holder using a cotter pin on its base. This project requires some craftsmanship and time to complete. Be sure to pay attention to any exposed metal parts to avoid damaging your fishing rod during testing! When cutting the wire, make sure it doesn't grind against handles or other sensitive areas. For printing purposes, I recommend printing this design solidly as possible, or at least with multiple walls and heavy infill. This will help ensure that the wire assist works effectively in this design. However, you may be able to save some plastic by using fewer walls on the U-shaped parts. Hardware Notes: * Wire: Use stainless steel 18ga (1mm diameter) wire, which can be found in the hardware section at Home Depot. * On the U-shape parts, create a loop/eyelet and wrap the wire around its base to remove slack and create tension. Alternatively, you can twist it, snip it, and cover the sharp bits with heat shrink. Rod Specifications: * Diameter: 4.4mm * Normally used in gardening, but you could also use long bolts of this size. * After installing the U-shaped printed parts on the rods, pound them onto a vise to expand the ends and prevent them from sliding off. Other Hardware Notes: * Nuts & Bolts: Use x6 #8 32x 1 3/4" machine screws (Bulldog MA-531, Walmart) for the rod holder. * Wood Block: You'll need to create a wooden base for this rod holder. Run wire from the 15-degree angled base through the wooden block to strengthen it. Update: As of 4/24/2020, I've used this rod holder out on the lake three times with no complaints. It works great and withstands any abuse I throw at it.