Hakko Omnivise PCB Holder (C1390C)

I have used this vise at work for over 12 years. I decided to get one for home recently. Unfortunately, they cheapened the design such that it is no longer a vise, but pliers. For me the critical thing was that both clamping plates are parallel to each other no matter the the thickness of the material being clamped. The old design had a nut on the main bolt which held the top plate with the rubbery material in place. Even though it was loose, but not too much. The new design removed the nut and replaced it with just a small E-clip retaining washer. There is about 5 mm play in between the washer and the top plate. The top plate is so loose, that you get a wide swinging of the top plate. If you want to clamp material even as 10 mm think this really become pliers, one edge of the top round plate sitting on the edge of the bottom cylinder while the other edge of the top plate is clamping your material at an angle, like pliers. Since I liked the style, I decided to modify it to actually create a vise. Here are the steps: 1. I replaced the top washer in between the top plate and knob with one with much bigger diameter. I used SAE washers and enlarged the center holes to make them snug 8 mm in diameter. 2. Placed two washers at the bottom of the top plate. Second one is not visible in the picture since it fills the hole in the rubberized material. The other one is there to fill the space to reach the M8 x 1.25 thread since the thread ends early to accommodate the E-clip. The second washer must be made less than 15 mm in outer diameter to drop into the hole in the bottom cylinder. 3. That was not enough to reach the bottom nut, but instead of adding another washer I backed drilled the M8 nylon locking M8 nut for about 0.8 mm to make it all work. The M8 x 1.25 nylon locking nut replaced the E-clip and I was able to fine tune the play of the top plate. After lubricating the whole thing with PTFE there is no side wobble play in the upper plate while it still freely rotates and I have an actual vise. It took about 1.5 hours to modify two of them. Not worth the price without modification.

Love the weight of this vise. The style, and how easy it was to clamp down on various PCB boards, to do solder work.

Very good product. Recommended

Perfect clamp in every way, I love it and have two already. Might be expensive but it works unlike many others. Dont waste time and money buying other clamps , this is the best.

awsome tool

This is a nice, heavy miscellaneous parts and PC board holder. Vice has nice, grippy rubber pads. I like the weight of these holders, things stay put. -Matt

Unit is heavy - no wiggle / jiggle. Used it as soon as it arrived to repair pcb.

If you do not repair small PCBs for a living than you do not need this. If like me you need to hold at least one motherboard per day for soldering work than you should stop debating and just spend the $80. I dont know anyone who owns a Hakko Omnivise who regrets the purchase. More likely after several months you will be debating buying a second because your coworkers keep stealing it.

Where have you been all my life, this has been a great addition to my work bench. It is almost a third hand, but really it is so much more. I use it to hold circuit boards I am working on, and the only requirement is that you have a flat edge to put into it to hold onto.

pricey but this works like a magic. small size is a plus!! definitely glad I added 2 of these to my tool box.