Spherical rotary Vise

U-STAR rotary vise with a ball joint

An ordinary vise holds a part in one position and the modeler has to lean around it. A ball joint reverses that relation: the part stays clamped and you turn it, smoothly and without loosening the jaws. In work on small details that means less handling, fewer mistakes from an uncomfortable angle and a steadier hand.

Field of use

A rotating mount shows its worth best in the finishing and painting stage. You set a part against the light, turn the lower edges toward you and run a brush or a wash over them without having to move it. It does the same service when spraying, when a constant distance between the nozzle and the surface has to be kept from every direction. In the preparation stage it holds a part while seams are cleaned up, while filing and while drilling with a hand chuck.

What to watch out for

• Tighten the joint before work, so that it does not move under the pressure of the tool.
• Clamp a surface that will not be seen, or a part painted last.
• Tighten the jaws with care; thin plastic and resin can be dented.
• Keep the joint clean, as dust and dried paint worsen its action.
• When drilling, guide the bit at right angles; a tilted part invites angled pressure and a snapped bit.

Who it is for

For modelers who do a lot of brush painting and work with details, and for figure painters, for whom turning toward the light is half the result. It will also be appreciated by anyone who sprays with an airbrush and wants a part always at the same distance from the nozzle. This is bench equipment, not a kit.