A 3rd hand that actually works!

[rhb]

Very nice.  Those have become surprisingly uncommon here.  Everyone has a dryer.  I shall keep my eyes out as wood is a lot easier to cut for a one off job.

[jpanhalt]

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Wood-Clothespins-Beige-100-Pack/19398789?athbdg=L1102&from=/search
Dollar General and Home Depot are two more.  WM has both a miniature and full size.  I have less uses for the miniature ones.  That little "die" is made from balsa wood.

I use then in the kitchen for keeping bags like potato chips closed.  Easier than twist ties.  Also great for labeling personal items, like cloth napkins, in a family.

[rhb]

A friend suggested 1" Kant-Twist clamps.  A pair of these were $36 on Amazon.  Much better than the crappy alligator clips.

Just make sure you test the location *before* you drill the hole.  I didn't on the first one and had to cut a bit of metal off the stand clamp to clear the upper jaw plate.

Have Fun!
Reg

[JohanH]

A friend suggested 1" Kant-Twist clamps.  A pair of these were $36 on Amazon. 

These look really nice. A pity only a few sellers on amazon.com ship to Europe and it quickly becomes expensive ($75+ for a pair). There seems to be a 3/8" version, goes by "K007R". You could even make these yourself, if you had the tools (schematics are available on the net and there are diy articles and videos).

[thephil]

I have cheap "Crab Clamps" from Aliexpress. They were about $8 each, shipping included. They work pretty well.

[JohanH]

I have cheap "Crab Clamps" from Aliexpress. They were about $8 each, shipping included. They work pretty well.

I was looking at these similar ones that have an additional tilting piece, they should work as well.

[rhb]

FWIW Here are better photos of the clamp.  It appears the only source is  Amazon or ebay.  I just trolled through pages and pages on aliExpress and temu.

The only modification required is drilling a single hole.  Bit slipped doing it by hand, but that won't matter.

The other clamp certain looks as if it's as good, but not quite as easy to mount on the cheap Noga clones I bought.

Have Fun!
Reg

[robertson.alan@gmail.com]

HI Which Clones have Thrust Bearings already built in.

Any links to them

Cheers
Alan

[rhb]

I'm not aware of any.  I'm planning to bore out the metal knobs on my lathe to fit them.

Have Fun!
Reg

[thm_w]

HI Which Clones have Thrust Bearings already built in.

Any links to them

As mentioned above, any of the smallrig stuff: https://www.amazon.com/SmallRig-Adjustable-Friction-Articulating-Monitor/dp/B087T4T8D5/
But you'll need a base or rail or something to screw it in to.

[rcjoy]

Regarding the clamps, here's another way to attach them to the arm.

These clamps already have a threaded stud, so I turned an adapter to that it can be held in the 3/8" indicator clamp in the arm.

[rhb]

Very nice.  I was lazy and took the easiest option, a single hole.

Have Fun!
Reg

[korlatos]

Probably the easiest way to mount Smallrig arms is to use a Panavise 308 weighted base.

[JohanH]

I got the parts and put it together and it works nicely. The ball bearings are an improvement.

I documented it here:

https://baldpenguin.blogspot.com/2024/03/helping-hand-that-works.html

[thephil]

Nice write up!

Towards the end, you show how to reclaim a bit of thread by cutting the bushing. Another way to accomplish that is to throw out the bushing that sits between the two limbs of the arm and replace it with a washer – that's what I did for lack of lathe...

[aeberbach]

Omnifixo (https://omnifixo.com/) is what I bought. It's not cheap but it is beautiful, compact, precise, zero backlash. I first read about it in a thread here.

[bateau020]

About JohanH's work: very nice indeed, and I like the attention to detail with the heat shrink tube to protect the thrust bearings.

Another way to accomplish that is to throw out the bushing that sits between the two limbs of the arm and replace it with a washer – that's what I did for lack of lathe...

If you do that, you risk hampering free movement, as the arms will touch. See picture below. You don't need a lathe, a vise and a hacksaw will do.

As I couldn't find the pictured 1/4" adapter easily, and didn't really like the fixation being off center (well, the second arm is off center also, but I just wanted it be nicer looking), I decided to tap a thread (1/4"-20 UNC) in the fork, and with a 1/4-1/4 adapter (or a piece of threaded rod), fixate the claw on the second arm. It will also allow me to use the fork as originally intended for other tools. It won't support heavy loads, but it is solid enough once you tighten the fork.

[OneGeekGuy]

Another here fighting with the 3rd hands...., It is also curious how expensive the 3D Holders they are, I understand that the Arms are High Quality, some of them Hydraulics but even so the price for them for dial indicators for example are not so expensive...

I took some ideas and make my own version, it require some tools, but maybe give some ideas...

Basically I did smaller bases to dont use the bulky magnetic bases they come with, also I changed the head for a part in which you can insert different tools, for example support for oscilloscope probe, or for Sensepeek heads could be used as well, since the tool is hold by a screw stud.

I like the idea of the bearing, I might check how it works because it is true that they tend to loosen when you move the arm end on the directions of loosening the thread.

I am still looking for good quality crocodile clamps...., not sure if they will be better than the ones from Aliexpress...

For the price of these arms I thin these kind of solutions are totally worth it.

Some pictures below