Hi,
Here's a pic of a quick little 'fix' for the usual "Helping Hands" electronic holder for small parts that are to be soldered together. Im sure you've all seen these things, and this one is just a run of the mill unit with a slight modification.
The first mod is one of the alligator clips is removed from the base unit, then soldered to the end of a #12 AWG solid copper wire. The wire is then clamped into the holder clamp that originally held the alligator clip.
For strength, only one clip is modified, the other clip remains in it's original clamp holder. Doing both clips would make it less strong for holding slightly larger parts.
The second real mod is the copper wire is over sized, being much longer in length than actually required for the first mod. The extra length is bent forward toward the user and bent down so that it touches the work bench top. This acts as a stabilizing 'foot' so that the unit does not tip over toward the user. Hence the name, "Helping Hands with Helping Foot".
Note: ignore the 'red' wire, that is not used yet just got into the pic. The white wire is the one being used.
I've used it already and it is much easier to get the two alligator clips positioned so that they hold the parts to be soldered correctly. I was so tired of trying to get the two positioned when they were both clamped normally.
A long while back i had a set that had double joints in each 'arm'. These were much more variable, but i dont see them around anymore on the web or anything.
If you have any more ideas like this please add to this thread with those ideas, i'd like very much to read about them.
Have fun
Here's a pic of a quick little 'fix' for the usual "Helping Hands" electronic holder for small parts that are to be soldered together. Im sure you've all seen these things, and this one is just a run of the mill unit with a slight modification.
The first mod is one of the alligator clips is removed from the base unit, then soldered to the end of a #12 AWG solid copper wire. The wire is then clamped into the holder clamp that originally held the alligator clip.
For strength, only one clip is modified, the other clip remains in it's original clamp holder. Doing both clips would make it less strong for holding slightly larger parts.
The second real mod is the copper wire is over sized, being much longer in length than actually required for the first mod. The extra length is bent forward toward the user and bent down so that it touches the work bench top. This acts as a stabilizing 'foot' so that the unit does not tip over toward the user. Hence the name, "Helping Hands with Helping Foot".
Note: ignore the 'red' wire, that is not used yet just got into the pic. The white wire is the one being used.
I've used it already and it is much easier to get the two alligator clips positioned so that they hold the parts to be soldered correctly. I was so tired of trying to get the two positioned when they were both clamped normally.
A long while back i had a set that had double joints in each 'arm'. These were much more variable, but i dont see them around anymore on the web or anything.
If you have any more ideas like this please add to this thread with those ideas, i'd like very much to read about them.
Have fun