Svěrák větší

Holding parts with a 48 millimeter opening

Holding a hull, a fuselage or a turret firmly in place and still being able to turn it is something a modeler faces again with every build. This vise is screwed to the bench by a threaded leg, and above it there is a joint that allows full rotation through 360 degrees and tilting to the sides by roughly 25 degrees. The jaws open to 48 millimeters.

Which size is which

This is the larger of the versions made. The smaller variant from the same workshop grips 24 millimeters and suits small components, while the round version reaches 50 millimeters. The difference between them is therefore in the width of the grip, not in the mechanics of the head, which stays the same.

Where the tool helps

Most of all when spraying, where you need both hands free and still have to turn the part against the stream of paint. It also serves well when drilling holes for turned metal barrels, when bending and gluing photo-etched parts or when fitting glazing, where a single twitch means a fingerprint in fresh varnish. The body comes from 3D printing by a Czech maker, so the dimensions match the needs of a modeling desk, not a workshop bench.

Notes on working with it

Tighten the grip only enough to keep the part from moving. A thin-walled molding is easy to deform with force, and nobody will save a crack in the side of a cabin. When spraying, turn the head so that the stream of paint goes away from the jaws, otherwise a coating settles on them that later flakes straight into the varnish. And after every move of the bench, check that the threaded leg is tight; a loose leg will happily take the model with it.