Magnetic Helping Hands Third Hand Soldering Work Station | EXtra Large & Heavy Duty Base Plate | Flexible Arms | 360 Hot Air Gun Holder (Helping Hand with Magic Hand)

Better than what I expected, would buy again and recommend to those looking for helping hands for soldering, etc.

I’m giving this four stars because the description claims there are removable silicone tips on the jaws. The jaws are covered with non-removable heat shrink, definitely not silicone. The arms stay where you put them UNLESS they’re bent at a severe angle. Unfortunately the severe angle begins right about the height of the pc board holders.

Nice strong magnets and the flexible arms have just the right amount of rigidity.

I had to drill out a hole for one of the clips and hot glue the magnets in the base of two of the arms, otherwise it works as it dhould.

I am amazed how well the construction is. This thing is solid! Probably the only product Ive received from Amazon (china.com) that was made well.

I solder a lot of DB25, xlr & DB9 jacks & I have tried MANY different products with clamps & arms & built in lights & magnifying glasses, all of which have been a disappointment. None of the previous work stations have had clamps strong enough or large enough to hold the connectors in place. That all changed when I got this guy! This station uses a strong, large arm that can be locked in place & a clamp thats large enough & strong enough to hold pieces. The flexible arms are then only used to hold solder. The steel base & magnetic arms are fantastic & allow me to easily put pieces where I need them. The pointy bits are perfect for holding larger items or to put a spool of solder on. LOVE THIS THING

Have ordered several. Great solution for working on small pcbs.

The short PCB holders work very well. They are strong, stable, and great for soldering PCBs. The flexible gooseneck holders also hold their position well (both the magnetic bases and the just stiff enough gooseneck stems). Some VERY minor issues (but dont let these distract from the overall utility of these helping hands): - My alligator clips do not seem to have silicone covers over the clips teeth (as stated in the description). Im sure the covers are standard heat-shrink tubing. The photos seem to show a mix of silicone and heat-shrink. Even though silicone CAN handle higher temperatures than heat-shrink, silicone may have been a bit too spongy for use on the clips anyway. Plus, the heat-shrink grabs the teeth well (should stay on), and it is very easy to replace the heat-shrink at any time. - Finally, the little black plastic covers over the back of the alligator clips (levers) slipped off much too easily. I just glued mine on and all is well again (if you have not used E6000 Craft Adhesive, you must try it for repairs and all things crafty). One could easily just use more heat-shrink for the levers anyway.

This set is built much more solidly than other helping hands I’ve used. I still looking for a good illumination and magnifying options to pair with it though.

Not the absolute best holders Ive ever used but theyre also not $800. I would absolutely recommend this for anyone not wanting to spend that kind of money. Super high quality for both consumer and pro-sumer grade equipment.