Meet the add-on that turns your Fractal Vise into a teleporting workbench wizard. Snap it off one setup, drop it onto another, or run it free-standing in seconds—no faff, no fuss. It adds height and locks down solid. Bonus: it even moonlights as a tiny vise when you’re in a pinch. Portable, bombproof, and dangerously convenient—proper maker magic.

Planetary gears are the David Beckham of the mechanical world—effortlessly smooth, unfairly capable, and adored by just about everyone. This star-struck guide takes you through how these cosmic little gear sets work: a sun in the centre, planets orbiting in perfect harmony, all wrapped inside a ring and carried along for the ride. Swap which part spins, stops or outputs and you unlock everything from torque-boosting reductions to high-speed overdrive. They’re compact, efficient, low-backlash and happy to share the load—no divas here—but they do demand tight tolerances, smart materials and proper care. From drills to drones to Mars rovers, planetary gears have earned their stellar reputation. And if you fancy making your own, just keep your planets aligned… and please show us when you do.

This blog takes you behind the scenes of the MetMo Fractal Vise — from its early experimental clamp concepts to the final precision-engineered design. It explores the evolution of fractal mechanisms, the challenges of achieving perfect clamping geometry, and the rigorous FE analysis and load testing used to push the vise to its limits. Along the way, the team shares design insights, testing results, and a few laughs from the development journey that turned an idea into an indestructible engineering masterpiece.