This is not a model, but a modelling adjacent tool.
I recently became aware of the Dspiae vice. Although I have no need or want of such a tool, I did appreciate the engineering behind it and decided to build my own version and thought it might make an interesting blog.
This is mostly made from metal from my scrap bin, the only new metal I bought was some 30x30mm EN1A for the main body.
Before starting the build I wanted to have a practice of the ball joint mechanism as this seemed the most complicated. I used a scrap of aluminium and based on this changed some of the dimensions, including the diameter of the ball.
The build started with the base. This was made from two parts, some 5mm steel plate recovered from an old office chair, and some 10mm aluminium left over from a previous build.
The ali plate was brought to dimension first and a hole pattern drilled and counter-bored. Then the steel plate was brought to dimension, the same hole pattern drilled, but this time the holes were tapped for M4. Finally, with the plates bolted together, a 8.5mm hole was drilled and tapped for M10 to take the stud that will have the ball rod fitted. The ali plate is only there to give additional thickness for this thread, 15mm instead of 5mm if just the steel plate was used.
The stud was then turned and knurled on the lathe and an M6 hole drilled and tapped for the ball rod. The stud is just to give the rod some extra support. The rod itself is just a length of 6mm silver steel with a 12 mm ball at one end.
Once assembled, that was the base finished.
Next I made a start on the main event, the vice jaws. As mentioned I had bought some 30x30 EN1A for this part, a chunk was cut off and the ends squared and brought down to 40mm. A 5mm hole was drilled all the way though, and half of it tapped M6. The part was then flipped in the vice and the hoe opened up to 8.5mm to the half way point.
The last operation on this end was to drill the 12mm hole for the ball, and mill a 7mm slot. All edges were chamfered to eliminate sharp edges.
After that I just need to turn up a quick thumb screw which is used to lock the vice in position.
And that's as far as I got this weekend. At the moment the vice is just a block of steel, however the ball joint works exactly as planned. The chamfer on the underside allows a nice range of motion, and the slot allows the vice to be turned 90 degrees to horizontal.
That's it for now, will post more if there is interest.
