Walk-The-Plank style Rodent Trap

Walk-the-Plank Rodent Trap – (Almost) Fully 3D-Printable!

Need a simple, reusable, and highly effective way to trap rodents without constant resetting? This classic walk-the-plank-style trap is designed for minimal fuss and maximum adaptability — and it's almost entirely 3D-printed!

✅ Features:

Fully printable design — no mechanical parts to buy separately!

Adaptable counterweight system: A built-in weight well allows you to balance the plank using whatever dense material you have on hand — sand, rocks, washers, scrap metal, marbles, etc. A dab of adhesive is recommended to retain the counterweight during operation.
Target weight: ~10–11g for the suggested print settings.

Optional magnetic "snap" enhancement: Up to 5 pairs of 3mm × 1mm round magnets can be inserted to make the tipping action faster and more decisive — but please read carefully:

🔧 IMPORTANT: Start with only one pair of magnets. In my own testing, a single set of neodymium magnets was just about perfect — any more and the trap became too resistant, and would often fail to tip.
Magnets vary in strength, and how well they seat in the holes also matters — there will be some variance between prints and magnet types/sources.
Add only one pair at a time, testing after each addition if more snap is desired. If you go too far, there's no easy fix and the trap may not work at all.

Easy to set up, self-resetting, and adjustable to your needs.

Designed for humane live-trapping when paired with a dry or cushioned bucket.

All models are pre-oriented ready to print, just slice and go.

✅ Printed Parts:

Plank: Features a built-in pivot axle, counterweight well, and optional magnet holes.
⚠ Do NOT print at 100% infill — it will be too front-heavy.
Recommended: 4–6 solid layers (top and bottom), 3–4 perimeters, and 10% infill (or split infill as shown). The counterweight well makes it easy to tweak the balance — just avoid starting too front-heavy.

Mounting Bracket: Cantilevered pivot design with magnet holes; attaches securely to the bucket using the printable thumb screw (or any M10 screw you have on hand).

Thumb Screw (M10 × 40mm): A knurled, ball-tipped 3D-printed screw that secures the mounting bracket to the bucket. No extra hardware required, but feel free to use a standard M10 screw if preferred.
Tip: It may be easier to use the printed screw if scaled to X=98%, Y=98%, Z=100% to reduce tightness and thread binding common to printed fasteners (like screws and nuts).

✅ Assembly Tips:

It's generally easier to fine-tune the counterweight before adding magnets.

There are two ways to test for balance:

• Normal orientation – mount the bracket on the bucket, place the plank as designed, and add weight until it just stops tipping on its own.
• Backward orientation – place the plank reversed, and add weight until it just starts to tip.

Using the backward method can be easier for dialing in the minimum effective weight.
If magnets are installed too early, they’ll resist tipping in the normal position and make fine-tuning much more difficult using that method.

Use a small amount of glue or adhesive in the counterweight well to keep materials from shifting or spilling during operation.

✅ What You’ll Need (Non-Printed Parts):

• A standard bucket (5-gallon recommended, but other sizes can work)
• Counterweight material (~10–11g of sand, rocks, metal bits, etc.)
• A small amount of adhesive
• (Optional) 3mm × 1mm round magnets (neodymium recommended)

✅ Ideal For:

Yard infestations
Barns, garages, and sheds
Humane identification and relocation efforts
Capturing escaped pets 🐭🐹

Note:
This trap is intended for live capture when used with a dry bucket. Check frequently to minimize stress for captured animals, and release responsibly into appropriate environments.