Breadboard Vise

On 14 August 2015, Hackaday mentioned the 3D printed breadboard vise described in this blog post by Pat Regan.  If you haven't already, please read Pat's post.  Everything that follows assumes you've memorized that post, including the embedded video.

For me, this was a revelation.  I had previously been using plywood, double-sided tape, duct tape and modeling clay to hold my breadboard in place and keep everything else in close proximity.  A real mess that often resulted in jumpers getting dislodged or completely lost.

So I wrote Pat and asked him to sell me a Breadboard Vise, and to my surprise he said "OK"!  He offered me the one pictured in his blog post and video, but also said that if I didn't mind waiting a bit, there were a few tweaks he'd like to make.  Of course I chose to wait!

Well, my vise arrived today (31 August 2015), and I immediately filled it with the main components of a two-part project I've been working on:

That's an ESP-12 on top, and a RasPi2 with PiCam below, with a Pi breadboard breakout in the center.  That PiCam had been flipping around and getting in the way.  Not any more!  Needless to say, the vise works exactly like it does in Pat's video.

A close look at the image will show that the RasPi2's power, HDMI and audio connectors are blocked by the vice jaw.  I tried rotating the Pi 90 degrees (I don't need the Ethernet or lower USB connectors), but the vise jaws won't extend quite that far.  If your board's narrowest dimension is greater than about 2.5", then it won't fit.

There are two workarounds; a hard one and an easy one.  The hard one is to design a jaw that has cutouts for the RasPi connectors, while still being strong enough to hold the board securely.  The second (and easier) workaround is to mount the RasPi to an adapter plate (nylon standoffs and a hunk of perf board), and put that in the vise.  Or maybe 3D print a RasPi carrier that could also serve as the base of a RasPi enclosure.

Opening Pat's files in OpenSCAD shows relatively few lines of code are needed to describe each part (the vise jaw and the vise base).  Though this was my first time using OpenSCAD, I did notice some key design items:

1. A fudge-factor in the code shows it took some experimentation to find the optimal clearance for the arms of the vise jaw to slide easily into the base while not being loose.
2. The bottoms of the vise jaws do not reach down to the bottom of the base.  This ensures the jaws can be easily opened even if the base is fastened down.
3. The bottom of the base is solid.  While this increases filament use and print time, it ensures the breadboard is securely held, and that the vise arms won't snag from below.

 As Pat mentioned in his post, he went to great lengths to have a single jaw design that would work in all four locations in the base while still being strong and completely functional.  After the idea itself, this is my favorite aspect of the design.

I'm still not sure why the vise arms don't snag or jam when moving in and out of the base, even when slightly cocked.  The clearances are part of it, but it must also have something to do with how the part was printed, or perhaps how FDM printing itself works.  Anyhow, I like it!  This vise is effortless to use.

And in case you were wondering if you should trust your breadboard and other boards to a 3D printed vise held together with rubber bands, here's the money shot, taken with the board held upside-down at waist level:

You'll notice I'm not using the breadboard retention rubber band Pat uses in his video:  The version of the base he sent me (which may not be the one on Thingiverse or Github) retains the breadboard just fine without it, though the slot will probably remain for another iteration or so.. The screw holes are also visible, where were also added since the original design.

I was going to mention some minor printer issues that are visible in the vise Pat sent, but there's no need to, since they don't affect vise operation in the least.  That's another credit to Pat's design, which to me means it should be printable by just about anyone on just about any printer, perhaps using just about any rigid filament.

Want one of your own?  If you lack a 3D printer, Pat will be selling various versions of his vise on Tindie. I'll update this post when his store goes live.

Me, I think Pat should consider going straight to Kickstarter and get injection molds made.  I absolutely believe all Makers will soon think it is silly to have a prototyping breadboard without a board vise.

The definition of a hobby like 3D printing is much like the definition of a boat: A hole into which you throw money.  Once in a while you see someone make something that suggests maybe his hobby should return some of that money.  I really hope this project enables some great things for Pat!

That's really all I have to say about Pat Regan's Breadboard Vise.  It is a sensational solution to a persistent problem.

But there's more I'd like to say about Pat.  We averaged an email a day during the two weeks between the Hackaday post and when my vise arrived.  He has been a very generous correspondent, taking me through his process, his equipment, and his own experiences with 3D printing and the 3D printing community.

Prior to seeing this vise, I had no intention of getting a 3D printer.  Not any more!  I think just I needed to see a project I absolutely needed, one that made ideal use of a 3D printer.  Having seen Pat's design, and starting to play with OpenSCAD and slic3r, my prior excuse of lacking mechanical engineering skills no longer applies: Pat has shown me it's mainly geometry and math, and the willingness to make some bad parts along the way.