Stickvise

[zapta]

This was on Hackaday, low profile vise for soldering, should be available soon.

http://stickvise.com/

http://stickvise.blogspot.com/

https://hackaday.io/project/3287-stickvise-low-profile-soldering-vise



I am using a smaller one from MicroMark

[xrunner]

I've got that same brass one, it's OK for some things but too small and it's a wobbly design. I might go for that other one though.

[alexrich82]

Thanks for posting this, I was messing with google analytics tonight and noticed a couple eevblog referrals.  I'm the guy behind Stickvise, first thing I've ever invented, it's a personal project that was unique enough I decided to try selling it.  Hoping to send a sample in to Dave for a mailbag segment soon.  Let me know if you have any questions or criticism.

[Jay_Diddy_B]

Hi alexrich82 and the group,

Welcome to the Forum!!

My vise design can be found in this thread.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/pcb-holder-for-smd-assembly-microscope/msg531461/#msg531461

I am not sure that I like the idea of plastic jaws. They may cause ESD (static electricity) problems.

Regards,

Jay_Diddy_B

[alexrich82]

Cool vise, nice construction I like the dovetail groove.  I decided to use nylon for the stock jaws because metal jaws will prevent you from powering up the board without shorting things.  ESD safe jaws are a good idea though, something that should be on my short list of accessories to offer in the future.

[Mr.B]

Available from where?
When?

"Buy Now" link goes nowhere (redirects to the top of the page).

[george graves]

If you google/ebay for "cell phone pcb holder"  You can find these.  Works well.  The one I have only lasted about a year though (the set screw stripped out).

I really like it's low profile.  Gonna have to order another one.

[alexrich82]

Sorry about that, I need to hide that link until it is available.  It will be available on the hackaday store in the US soon.  Product is not officially released but I am posting updates on my hackaday.io project page.  The people at hackaday have been awesome, helped get my idea off the ground.

[Mr.B]

@george - I had exactly the same problem except I managed to strip out three of them in a year.
The design by Alex looks way more robust.

@alexrich82 - Thanks, i will keep my eye out for it.

[alexrich82]

Thanks for all the comments.  I've seen that little holder on ebay, I actually admire the simplicity of it a lot.  I will update this thread when Stickvise releases.

[zapta]

I've got that same brass one, it's OK for some things but too small and it's a wobbly design.

I chopped the handle at about half. Much more stable this way.

[zapta]

If you google/ebay for "cell phone pcb holder"  You can find these.  Works well.  The one I have only lasted about a year though (the set screw stripped out).

I really like it's low profile.  Gonna have to order another one.

I have one those cell phone PCB holders. They are low quality in general. I am using now the MicroMark vise whenever possible. One problem it has that it forces the jaws to be parallel which is a problem with boards that are not milled perfectly or have left overs bumps from the paneling tabs.

[alexrich82]

Hello all, thought I would let you know Stickvise, my low profile soldering vise product is now available for sale.  It's under $30 with free shipping, hope some of you will pick one up and give me your feedback on it.  Thanks!

http://store.hackaday.com/products/stickvise

[gibbled]

Looks like a very useful item for my bench. Any chance of a forum member discount?

[kjs]

Hello all, thought I would let you know Stickvise, my low profile soldering vise product is now available for sale.  It's under $30 with free shipping, hope some of you will pick one up and give me your feedback on it.  Thanks!

http://store.hackaday.com/products/stickvise

Yikes, just 4.1mm short on holding capacity. Would need immediate modification to hold the Eurocards I often use (160*100mm). Wouldn't want to use them sideways as the thing would likely tip over or at least the "hang-over" would flex.
Does it come with black antistatic jaws or with the white ones (both shown in your link)?

Currently I use something dead simple but that only works for single sided SMD boards. An antistatic plate with a recessed metal (paper) clip which holds the PCB flat on the plate. It works but your design is much better.

[alexrich82]

Yeah that's a big board, you would probably be ok clamping the narrow side, it would only have 40mm hang on each side.  It's fairly easy to mount to a piece of wood or metal if you want to prevent all tipping and give it a wider base.  The product will come with the black jaws, it's  so new you're still seeing a lot of pictures I took of my first prototype with the white jaws.  The jaws are not static dissipative.  I wanted gen purpose insulating jaws so the vise can be used for powering up and testing as well as soldering.  I used a similar material to what is used in panavise jaws.  I have never zapped anything using those, but if you have a concern a piece of copper tape wrapped around one of the jaws would give you the protection you need.

[alexrich82]

@gibbled I can't offer a discount or I would, these are in the hands of hackaday who will be distributing for me.  I'm guessing with the ongoing hackaday prize promotions they will be doing giveaways soon for people who submit ideas.  That might be a way to get one for free!

[atferrari]

Hello all, thought I would let you know Stickvise, my low profile soldering vise product is now available for sale.  It's under $30 with free shipping, hope some of you will pick one up and give me your feedback on it.  Thanks!

http://store.hackaday.com/products/stickvise

Yikes, just 4.1mm short on holding capacity. Would need immediate modification to hold the Eurocards I often use (160*100mm). Wouldn't want to use them sideways as the thing would likely tip over or at least the "hang-over" would flex.
Does it come with black antistatic jaws or with the white ones (both shown in your link)?

Currently I use something dead simple but that only works for single sided SMD boards. An antistatic plate with a recessed metal (paper) clip which holds the PCB flat on the plate. It works but your design is much better.

Picture please 

[alexrich82]

Here are some pictures, more explanation is on my site www.stickvise.com

[zapta]

Here are some pictures, more explanation is on my site www.stickvise.com

Is everything in these pictures included in the hackaday's $30 deal?  If not, can you please post a picture with only the stuff that is included?

[alexrich82]

When you purchase from Hackaday it comes with a set of black nylon low profile jaws only.  I made the lowest profile option standard because adding height is easy using m3 male-female standoffs you can grab at the hardware store.

Sorry to confuse things, the pics were just intended to show a few ways you can customize the vise if you have access to a 3d printer, I have a bunch of jaw plate designs available for free download that can be printed.

[alexrich82]

If not, can you please post a picture with only the stuff that is included?

And here is the picture of exactly what you will get as requested (minus the sip  header being held)

[electr_peter]

Are both jaws are in parallel positions or are they free to rotate relative to each other?

[alexrich82]

The fixed jaw is always fixed, but the movable jaw can rotate when not locked in place by the wing nut, in other words there is no rotational constraint on the movable jaw.  Once the movable jaw is locked it only rotates if you really force it.  I actually prototyped a design with two guiderods but hated it.  More difficult to lock, more cost, more complexity and less room to access the bottom of your board.  I promise you won't miss it, and if the jaws do become misaligned you just press the vise down on a table and they straighten right out.   Hope that answers your question, thanks!

[kjs]

Currently I use something dead simple but that only works for single sided SMD boards. An antistatic plate with a recessed metal (paper) clip which holds the PCB flat on the plate. It works but your design is much better.

Picture please 

You will have to wait until July 1. Just packed all my electronics stuff into boxes and the movers will come on Thursday to pack them into a 40ft container. If I would know in which box it is I would open it for you 

It is simply a metal board clip as you see sometimes to hold papers on a board when you have to fill out some forms. I cut grooves into the plastic so it is completely flat on top of it. Nothing special but works well for me since 20 years.

Similar to this but my clip is a bit smaller and easy to get down flat:

but that's a standard writing board with clip....... On mine the "lower lip" of the clip is recessed into the anti-static plastic board which means that the PCB is absolutely flat on the board.
You can actually power up the board if the metal clip doesn't short anything at the corner it grabs. The resistivity of the plastic is that high that it doesn't upset most circuits and with solder stop on the bottom side there isn't much it could connect.