# Playing with vinyl printer and real looking eyes



## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

Printed on reflective vinyl, pictures don’t do them justice.


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

All eyes put epoxy on them. Turned out pretty good!! Hopefully he will post a bait, that he uses them on..


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## DL07 (Jul 21, 2011)

Those look really good! If you want to see them applied to some baits i would be more then willing to help you out..Lol. Seriously though they look really good and if you plan to sell some let me know


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

DL07 said:


> Those look really good! If you want to see them applied to some baits i would be more then willing to help you out..Lol. Seriously though they look really good and if you plan to sell some let me know


Pm sent.


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## Jim Paden (Feb 28, 2014)

Great eyes! Does the printer also cut out the eyes or is that a separate operation?


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## Cutt'em Jack (Feb 17, 2008)

If you're selling let me know. I'm always on lookout for eyes.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

They look great under a drop of epoxy. Looking forward to using them on some of my new baits.


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

Jim Paden said:


> Great eyes! Does the printer also cut out the eyes or is that a separate operation?


Yes, it cuts them out too. I can make real image baits with it, and I make car window decals, and anything else I can think to do with it!! Only bad thing I can only print and cut to .375 - 3/8 diameter.. I wish it would go smaller for small baits!!


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

Cutt'em Jack said:


> If you're selling let me know. I'm always on lookout for eyes.


Ok, I will... I’m still playing around with them!


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## Jim Paden (Feb 28, 2014)

Many Eyes said:


> Yes, it cuts them out too. I can make real image baits with it, and I make car window decals, and anything else I can think to do with it!! Only bad thing I can only print and cut to .375 - 3/8 diameter.. I wish it would go smaller for small baits!!


This will make eyes not near as realistic as you printer/cutter tool but should allow you to print small eyes and cut out for occasional use.
If your machine will print smaller eyes I have found through trial and error that the vinyl material can be cut using a hole punch and a drill press. (The drill press is not running, just using it as a press) This method can be used on vinyls, foils, tapes and most adhesive backed products.

The hole punch will need to be sharpened, the factory sharpening is just not where it needs to be.
The goal is to cleanly cut the vinyl layer and not to cut through the backing paper. Test cut from scrap material to fine tune the depth setting and to confirm that the cutter is sharp.

Some materials with a weak adhesive layer will require a small spring that will fit inside the punch and extend a short distance out the front of the punch. The spring is a "hold down" that keeps the eye attached to the backing paper. Without the spring, with some materials, the eye would pulled from the adhesive layer and become stuck inside the punch.

Just chuck up the hole punch and set the depth stop to a thousandth of an inch or so from the table top and start popping them out.
In fact with colored base material you could just print the pupil. Not all pupils will be exactly centered but not a problem, they tend to look better off center anyway. I have made hundreds of 5mm eyes (and some smaller) which is about right for small crank baits and fly rod poppers.

Small hole punches can be found at the big box craft stores and on line. Usually one handle with several various size punches that screw into the handle. Less than $10.00.


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## Insco (Apr 9, 2008)

What machine are you using?


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

Insco said:


> What machine are you using?


Roland bn-20 verse studio printer cutter... and I have just a vinyl cutter also..


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## Insco (Apr 9, 2008)

Roger that. I have a sg300. Was wondering about how small mine would cut.


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

Insco said:


> Roger that. I have a sg300. Was wondering about how small mine would cut.


Not sure... I know my vinyl cutter will cut really small... I can do .150 round eyes. But would really like to print eyes down to at least.250 would be nice.


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

Jim Paden said:


> This will make eyes not near as realistic as you printer/cutter tool but should allow you to print small eyes and cut out for occasional use.
> If your machine will print smaller eyes I have found through trial and error that the vinyl material can be cut using a hole punch and a drill press. (The drill press is not running, just using it as a press) This method can be used on vinyls, foils, tapes and most adhesive backed products.
> 
> The hole punch will need to be sharpened, the factory sharpening is just not where it needs to be.
> ...


You have a good system figured out for eyes.. thanks for the info!!


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

Resin eyes!! Ordering clear resin now...


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

Contact eyes anyone?! So cool!!


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## DL07 (Jul 21, 2011)

Those are sweet!


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

Playing with printing eyes again!! Got printer to cut smaller, now I can cut as small as you want!!!


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

Working with the vinyl machines today!!


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

3/16 round printed eyes!!


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

Playing with eyes again. 3D with clear resin















Clear, gold black pearl, and deep red pearl..


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

Custom painted husky with my real eye printed on reflective vinyl...


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)




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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

Man do those look good! Nice job!


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## JamesF (May 20, 2016)

Those are really nice. Just watched a video on your machine.I was looking at some cheap ones, but after seeing that, I gave up on that idea, just like 3d printers. I can't justify the cost. Some of the company's that I inquired about ordering custom decals for my boat,wanted a small fortune for. Of course I know it isn't cheap. I tried a few stencil cutters,and burners. I've been having some dexterity issues, comes with age and abuse, I find myself looking back at some of the crazy things I've done and now feeling the after effects, kind of like a bad hangover, that has just slowly moved in and won't go away.


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## James F (Jul 2, 2005)

Now you really do have Many Eyes!


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

JamesF said:


> Those are really nice. Just watched a video on your machine.I was looking at some cheap ones, but after seeing that, I gave up on that idea, just like 3d printers. I can't justify the cost. Some of the company's that I inquired about ordering custom decals for my boat,wanted a small fortune for. Of course I know it isn't cheap. I tried a few stencil cutters,and burners. I've been having some dexterity issues, comes with age and abuse, I find myself looking back at some of the crazy things I've done and now feeling the after effects, kind of like a bad hangover, that has just slowly moved in and won't go away.


I know what you mean James!! I had 2 machines a 24” vinyl cut plotter and I have a 20” vinyl printer cutter. I don’t need them as busy as I should! I try to do wat to much stuff and get lost sometimes!! Lol!!!


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

James F said:


> Now you really do have Many Eyes!


Many eyes that just don’t pop... still needs some work on them!! Got all winter to figure it out!!


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## JamesF (May 20, 2016)

I would be placing eyes every where! Like Robert DeNero in meet the Fockers.


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## Many Eyes (Dec 31, 2009)

JamesF said:


> I would be placing eyes every where! Like Robert DeNero in meet the Fockers.


Lol!! Hmmm maybe make a bait with eyes all the way down the sides...


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

Many Eyes said:


> Lol!! Hmmm maybe make a bait with eyes all the way down the sides...


1/2" eye in front and 1/2" eye in back.
i herd when minow has big eye she is scare from big fish and the big fish atacks ,big fish is sensing the small fish scare mode.
what is the truth ?


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## JamesF (May 20, 2016)

That's me, when the wife gives The Look ! Just put me on a hook.


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## PromiseKeeper (Apr 14, 2004)

for what its worth, our local library has a 3d printer that you can use pretty cheap. You download a program, do your designing at home, then go print it. I was headed that direction to fab a part I couldn't buy, but ended up getting it done in metal by my brother in law machinist. Maybe your library has one too?


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