Nano Vice
We calculate the final price from your selected file. You review and accept it before payment.
Saved on this device.
A small vice suitable for modelmaking or holding small parts accurately.
- Rating
- 4.923 / 5
- Likes
- 126
- Downloads
- 990
- Makes
- 22
- Views
- 3,270
- Reviews
- 13
Updated at source:
Model information
- Source
- Printables
- Category
- Tools
- License
- Creative Commons — Attribution — Share Alike
This vice is inspired by the Nano Vice from PRIma on Thingiverse. All the parts were redesigned from scratch, but the idea was strongly influenced by the original. It is slightly longer than the original, and I have increased the height of the jaws slightly and changed the profile to allow for better printing. The screw has been beefed up a little and the clearances have been reduced to create a tighter fit.
Jaw width: 40mm
Jaw depth: 6.5mm
Max opening: 25mm
The original is an ingenious design, but had a fair bit of slop due to generous clearances. For most people that will be fine, but I wanted to attempt to make the thing a bit more precise, and this is the result.
PLEASE NOTE (before you download!)
The parts have been designed for a very close fit. Details on finishing are given below. This is not a print and click together design!
Layer Height
Normally a design like this can be printed with a higher layer height, but it's a good idea to print the parts with threads a bit finer - this keeps the movement smoother.
Getting Everything to Fit
The parts are designed to be a tight fit. This reduces the slop when everything is put together!
To make the vice work well, you will need to do a little filing on the dovetails - take it slow, with a few strokes on each side and do a test fit. Once the movable jaw slides stiffly take just a few more strokes with the file and then move it back and forth on the dovetails. When you twist the jaw, you should hardly be able to see any movement.
The screw should print quite well, but you will need to check the threads in the base, as a few rough edges can form on the overhang. Clean them up with a steel pick or something similar. Then screw the threaded part in and out a couple of dozen times. That should be more than enough to make it turn easily. The ball at the end of the screw should fit snugly in the keyhole at the back of the jaw. Again a couple of strokes with a small file might be needed to remove any high spots.
A few small dabs of lithium grease on the slides, the threads and the keyhole will ensure that everything moves smoothly. Again, opening and closing it a couple of dozen times will allow everything to bed in.
The result will be a fairly accurate vice which can hold small parts quite precisely!