Better Than (Un)Helpful Hands

[StubbornGreek]

Hello All,

I just joined last night (because search finally failed me, lol) and couldn't be more impressed by the amount of responses I had to my question. It seems that there is a real and honest desire to share/help/collaborate around here so I'd like to also do my part (especially as a newbie).

One of the most asked questions and frustrations, I believe, is about the so-called helpful hands. Although these are good for certain things (once teeth are filed down a bit and heatshrink is added as padding to the jaws), I certainly would never entertain recommending one of these devices for holding down a workpiece (such as almost any pcb).

Here's what I do instead.

These clamps are available at any woodworking mailorder type place (try rockler.com if you're in the US) and can be attached to any surface (mine sit on mdf). There are different types available, some have handles that fold down out of the way but I like these because they give you somewhere to brace your hand for those difficult to get to parts.

[Bored@Work]

Now, that's what I call clamps for real men :-)

PS: Hakko soldering station?

[StubbornGreek]

Now, that's what I call clamps for real men :-)

PS: Hakko soldering station?

Actually, no. Its an X-Tronic 4000 series. This is the lab in my home office so nothing extravagant as far as gear (ok, there's a couple of cool toys I guess).

[G7PSK]

Toggle clamps! I have dozens of them that I used in milling and welding fixtures I had thought about using the like that but never got around to bringing any home, I must make the effort one day.

These are the people I buy them from, also have all sorts of other useful things.

http://www.wdsltd.co.uk/products/standard-parts/toggle-clamps-and-accessories/

[StubbornGreek]

Toggle clamps! I have dozens of them that I used in milling and welding fixtures I had thought about using the like that but never got around to bringing any home, I must make the effort one day.

These are the people I buy them from, also have all sorts of other useful things.

http://www.wdsltd.co.uk/products/standard-parts/toggle-clamps-and-accessories/

I couldn't imagine using anything else (mostly) any longer. Do it and you won't regret it - no marring, no thermal transfer, solid and unobtrusive hold, you can mount or elevate them to whatever works for you... too many reasons.

[saturation]

Very nice.  Never heard of these but now that I have, toggle clamps, will build a set to see how it works.  Can't hurt.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000224BJ/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B003TPY6I0&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0KHAY7GAP2CTSH8ZJN9D

What do you think of just a Panavise Jr?  It will cost about the same given the price of Amazon, for example, per clamp.

[StubbornGreek]

Very nice.  Never heard of these but now that I have, toggle clamps, will build a set to see how it works.  Can't hurt.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000224BJ/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B003TPY6I0&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0KHAY7GAP2CTSH8ZJN9D

What do you think of just a Panavise Jr?  It will cost about the same given the price of Amazon, for example, per clamp.

Sometimes, I do use something similar to the Panavise (its the Bessey, found here: http://www.amazon.com/Bessey-BVVB-Vacuum-Base-Vise/dp/B0057PUR88/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1337725849&sr=1-1 ) and it works well enough but not for bigger and more unruly stuff. The toggle clamps are the way to go there.

[Uncle Vernon]

Great suggestion.

Any antipodeans reading this thread and wishing to purchase something from an AU source could try http://www.carbatec.com.au/toggle-clamps_c8560 , the pricing seems reasonable.

[G7PSK]

Brought some toggle clamps  home now. have to be careful with pressure setting they can exert a ton and a half of pressure. They are of course pretty well universal as jigs and fixture essentials in factory's and welding shops.

[StubbornGreek]

Great suggestion.

Any antipodeans reading this thread and wishing to purchase something from an AU source could try http://www.carbatec.com.au/toggle-clamps_c8560 , the pricing seems reasonable.

Thanks.

Brought some toggle clamps  home now. have to be careful with pressure setting they can exert a ton and a half of pressure. They are of course pretty well universal as jigs and fixture essentials in factory's and welding shops.

Can't wait to hear how you like them. Just an fyi, I mount mine on 3/4" stock and "elevate" the clamps using additional blocks as needed. However, if you use something like 8/4 stock (something like a 2x4 end), you wont find yourself elevating them as often due to clearance (of pcb components) issues.

[djsb]

Has anyone bought a set of these in the UK that they are using regularly. I want to give these a try but not sure which ones to choose. Thanks.

[Mechatrommer]

i have one kind like that like a jig on the bench where it stand stiffly, unscrew clamp the pcb and screw to tighten, looks charming for the "real man" at first glance, but practically i only used it once or twice during my purchase long long time ago, now its collecting dust. what i usually reach until today is my cheapo there so called "unhelpfull hand for unreal men", can twist or any orientation a pcb or any object i like. now my unhelpfull hand has a better carpet where it stands on, the jig type one, the collecting dust one. so thats the the morning glory story.

[GreyWoolfe]

i used to use helping hands but now I am a Panavise kind of guy.  I have found some deals-a Panavise 301 with a 308 base for $20 and a 396 wide opening head with base for $30 both used but in great condition, all I needed to do was replace the jaws on the vise.  I also received a 350 workcenter as a Christmas gift.  No more helping hands here except when soldering 2 wires together, it still works fine for that.

[timb]

i used to use helping hands but now I am a Panavise kind of guy.  I have found some deals-a Panavise 301 with a 308 base for $20 and a 396 wide opening head with base for $30 both used but in great condition, all I needed to do was replace the jaws on the vise.  I also received a 350 workcenter as a Christmas gift.  No more helping hands here except when soldering 2 wires together, it still works fine for that.

Pretty much my exact story!


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[WattsUp]

They are £50 in the UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bessey-BVVB-Vacuum-Base-Vise/dp/B00PUU8MQE/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1420131505&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=bessey+bvvb

[GreyWoolfe]

Timb, actually I was wrong, I have the 324 workstation.  I use the base and base tray and just swap the head out depending on my needs.  Everything sits on a shelf under the workbench to keep the workspace clean(er).  The 301/308 combo I picked up at a ham radio tailgater party and the 396 was obtained at the central Florida geeks toy store-Skycraft.  It's a great place to waste an hour or 2 when I am in Orlando covering for the tech there when he is on vacation.

[timb]

I got mine at RS on clearance for $5 year before last. It was the standard 301 (base and head). I then picked up the 312 tray mount and a 315 circuit board holder on Amazon for $20 and $25 respectively.  So my combo makes it pretty much the same as the 324 workstation; only lacking the soldering iron holder, which I didn't need.

I swap between the circuit board holder and standard head as needed. Oh, pro tip: Don't clean any of the parts with isopropyl alcohol... The paint melts right off!

I'm keeping my eyes out for a 376 extra wide self centering head. I wouldn't mind a couple of Panavise Jr.'s either. (Two of them mounted on a small board would be the ultimate replacement for helping hands.)

I actually just refurbished my old cheapass helping hands. I took all the extra BS off a long time ago, leaving just the alligator clips. Unfortunately they weren't crimped on very well and started falling off. Setting the Hakko to max temp and applying copious amounts of solder solved that problem. Then I filed the teeth on the jaws down and applied new heat shrink to them. It looks like some liquid flux or something got under the old heat shrink I had and had started to rust the inside of one clip. I sanded it best I could and applied DeoxIt Shield to prevent more damage. Works a lot better now! (I still use helping hands mainly for soldering two wires together; works great for that.)


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[pickle9000]

I like bean bags when I'm in a hurry (most of the time). I have some soft diving weights as well.

I do use my Weller board spinner and Panavise as well.

[nanofrog]

Don't clean any of the parts with isopropyl alcohol... The paint melts right off!

I can attest to that one.   

FWIW, I started with a 301 kit (300 base + 303 head), then added a 315 and 376 head. Base is mounted to a steel plate I bought as scrap (hit it with a $1.00 can of spray paint & stuck on some rubber feet I found on eBay).

I wouldn't mind a couple of Panavise Jr.'s either. (Two of them mounted on a small board would be the ultimate replacement for helping hands.)

Perhaps cobble a couple of 203 Jr head's on the end of some Loc-Line hose?

[timb]

Don't clean any of the parts with isopropyl alcohol... The paint melts right off!

I can attest to that one.   

FWIW, I started with a 301 kit (300 base + 303 head), then added a 315 and 376 head. Base is mounted to a steel plate I bought as scrap (hit it with a $1.00 can of spray paint & stuck on some rubber feet I found on eBay).

I wouldn't mind a couple of Panavise Jr.'s either. (Two of them mounted on a small board would be the ultimate replacement for helping hands.)

Perhaps cobble a couple of 203 Jr head's on the end of some Loc-Line hose?

That's s great idea! I've been looking for something like those Loc-Line hoses for literally years to make helping hands with. At one point I bought one of those GorillaPod camera tripod things with the intent of mounting it upside down to a platform and attaching alligator clips to the ends of the feet. It ended up being a far too useful tripod for my DSLR so I never actually sacrificed it. XD

I might just try that PV Jr. + Loc-Line combo.


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[nanofrog]

That's s great idea! I've been looking for something like those Loc-Line hoses for literally years to make helping hands with. At one point I bought one of those GorillaPod camera tripod things with the intent of mounting it upside down to a platform and attaching alligator clips to the ends of the feet. It ended up being a far too useful tripod for my DSLR so I never actually sacrificed it. XD

I might just try that PV Jr. + Loc-Line combo.

Glad you like it. 

I'd been looking at making something out of Loc-Line and some hemostats, namely for tinning wire (like them better than alligator clips). Haven't gotten around to it though, as stuff always seems to come up and it gets put on the back burner and forgotten. Over and over... 

[GreyWoolfe]

Nanofrog, unless I am missing something, aren't hemostats just a little to harsh to hold wire for tinning?  I use hemostats but locking them down on wire would put a pretty good crimp on the wire.  I've adopted the filed teeth and heat shrink tubing on my helping hands and I think that it works just fine.

[robrenz]

Nanofrog, unless I am missing something, aren't hemostats just a little to harsh to hold wire for tinning?  I use hemostats but locking them down on wire would put a pretty good crimp on the wire.  I've adopted the filed teeth and heat shrink tubing on my helping hands and I think that it works just fine.

Solution #1

Solution #2

[okashira]

I like this thread. I absolutely despise my Chinese/amazon/whatever helping hands that everyone has.

Mine are like 10+ years old too I was shocked to see such a crap design still for sale!

[GreyWoolfe]

I like this thread. I absolutely despise my Chinese/amazon/whatever helping hands that everyone has.

Mine are like 10+ years old too I was shocked to see such a crap design still for sale!

Simple explanation-there are enough buyers that are only concerned with price instead of total cost of ownership-how effective it does the job, how annoying it is to use, need of modifications to work to expectations.  I admit that I have bought to a price and have put up with my mistakes.  If it is not something I immediately need, I exercise patience and wait for the right deal to come along such as I did with the 2 used Panavise setups I mentioned in previous posts.  Much easier to save up and spend wisely instead of firing off the wallet weapon without properly aiming