I found the standard and remixed plastic bases a little light and prone to tipping over. I have recently been playing with casting aluminium and using the 3dprinter to make the patterns so this is what I came up with to solve the problem.

This is a pattern for sand casting an aluminium base for the excellent PCB vise by Sneakypoo.

You need to print 2 of these and use 6mm dowels to locate the two halves together when forming the sand mold. The smaller holes are for inserting screws as "handles" when removing from the sand.

Due to the requirement to have a draft angle on the base for removing it from the sand, the bottom is not flat when cast and requires machining or grinding flat.

The result is an excellent PCB vise that will not tip over, period!

This base is drawn to full scale and so requires enlarging by 3 - 4% on all axis when printing to allow for shrinkage of the alloy during casting.

Prusa

Prusa Steel

No

No

0.15

15%

This is only a pattern so can be printed with few borders and very little infill. rnSanding is required after printing to improve surface finish and aid in removal of the pattern from the sand.