DIY helping hands

After looking at a 3d printed work holder a few weeks ago, I decided to try and make a completely different style of "helping hands" or "third hand" or whatever you want to call one of these things.

This isn't a particularly original idea, but I made it my way, using the cheapest parts I could find. Of course.

I think it turned out pretty decent.

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This isn't the only way to do it.
It's probably not the best way to do it.

But it's how I do it.

[ShimonKupferman]

Dear men,

1) Try to find on AliExpress.
As an experienced buyer, I will tell you there is an improved system for customer protection.
Although in some of the items - on eBay the selection is more. but - worth trying!
And lots of the comments on AliExpress - are real; while in eBay - the vast majority of comments are machine writing (Mix of common words).
Comments I tried to post on eBay - was not displayed for public (only to me).
On the other hand, my comments on AliExpress - has everything posted.

2) BIG Thank you for the beautiful videos you make for us - very enjoyable for me!!

[SpeccyMan]

A nice chilled lager is most definitely a summer thing here.


I do like the helping hands with the clothes pegs. It appeals to the cheapskate in me.

[davidv]

Excellent video! Making it yourself is really rewarding as well as cheaper. For your fifth third hand you could get a 1/2 inch or even 3/4 inch flange and a reducer or two down to 1/4 inch, that would give you a nicely weighted base.

[yangtse]

I use these for bendy bench light mounts as well as helping hands.
You can thread through varying numbers of varying thicknesses of galvanised wire to stiffen them up - it's what they use in bendy toys and flexi-curves ...

[DrexProjects]

The old roach clips come in handy for projects. Who knew?

[richfiles]

The blatant attitude of the manufacturer that made your -HAKKO- _BAKKU_ soldering station! XD

[GeorgeJFW]

Genius!!! I have seen ready built versions of these going for a pretty penny. I am ordering some tonight, with some pipe flange adapters and some heavy duty magnets.

[bud]

I like your version of the "third hand".

[TheSkogemann]

I think i am going to give this a try. :)

[johncoops]

1/4" NPT fittings are what they use on standard Air Compressor fittings. So the fittings are dead easy to obtain at any local hardware store.

[gregsdesigns]

Driving screws with one hand and drinking beer with the other...oh yeahhhh! That's how to do it!

[priusnt]

Yes nice have the other one question for you non related... I have found listing on eBay for 3 in 1 and
2 in 1 soldering stations! Chinese of course! What do you think??

[geirendre]

Now if you had banana plugs at the end of those arms, you could just swap small or big alligator clips etc as you needed.

[maicod]

I bought a base plate with six such arms from an AliExpress seller but the arms are SUPERtight and squeeky so they're almost impossible to adjust to a chosen position and the clamps all fall out of the ends of the arms. for that latter part I could use JB weld, thanks for the tip :) I hope it is for sale in Europe too :)

[squalazzo]

suggest a couple of "active" additions, and a "passive" one: 1 with a 5v (usb) fan, to move away fumes (or suck them and a little carbon filter on its back), 1 with a very bright COB led attached to some heatsink, and 1 with a magnifier, then it will be perfect :)

[das]

could drill hole in wood frame and glue and insert caps .

[isoguy.]

Not sure if i was watchin big clive, ave, julian illett or some other guy with a beard. Great vid, thanks for sharin.

[MrHans]

hello I want to talk about the helping hands. The old one you show with the two clips and the magnifer. I have the same thing but it was to small and hard to work with. It always seems to fall over. I just solved the problem. I took a hard wood circle about 9 inches across that I had in thee shed and took a cardboard circle two inches thick. I bought a bag of rocks from our Dollar Tree. Glued the cilindar to the disk with hot glue. Then filled the cilindar with some of the rocks to give it more weight. I guess you could use any smaller size but I used a 7x9 inch fiberboard from an old picture frame and then glue that to the cilindar as a table top. I then glues the Helping hands to the middle on the top. Then you have it. The whole thing weighs about four pounds. I just did it so I am sure it will work. No more worries about it tipping over. Oh I love your videos. There a great way to find things on Ebay or Amazon. Keep up your great work.

[priusnt]

Can you show your soldering mat and or pad

[grhinson]

if you had a 3d printer you could print a thread adapter