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)

I bought this to use as a ground plane for a 2m/70cm magnetic mount antenna, and use the arms and other accessories it came with on my quad hands. This base provides a solid attachment for the antenna and 5 watts through the antenna from my base (mobile) is loud and clear to the local repeater. Until I can get a proper antenna installed in my attic, this setup will do nicely.

Very high quality strong magnets and tight grip o. Whatever your working on

Very customizeable, been in the industry over 40yrs and the logistical configuration is much better than the old fashioned solutions. Just have to make sure any magnetism is not a problem for the work involved

I had been using a traditional third hand tool for years (2 alligator clips on a short pole with a magnifying glass in the middle) and it was never really great. I got back into soldering again recently and saw that new third hand tools were out now, and so first tried one with a similar design but plastic arms. it was awful. Tried this one next and the difference was AMAZING. My only complaint is I wish it came with a light like some others do

I wish Id had this before I screwed up this tiny board, now that I have it I may be able to save it. Extremely stable and flexible. I also ordered the magnifying glass which is also invaluable with these tiny electronic components.

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.

Ive tried my luck with 4 other products. This is by far the best. 1) (neodymium) magnets are strong enough to have two alligator clips hold a medium, near 1lb pcb. 2) arms are very flexible and dont bend back 3) alligator clips are delicate around the beaks and pre-wrapped with thermal shrink tubes, so if you are working with thin wiring, clips wont cut through the insulation. 4) the base is solid, reliable and heat/solder resistant 5) the unit is so small and versatile that it can be easily put in a small box / moved out of the way if needed 6) the clips are mounted on a screw, so these are not loose (and if at any point they are, its easy to fix) 7) plenty of extensions 8) the finish makes black components still stand out so its easy to spot them despite color being the same. I wish I had bought this before. I repurposed one of my led light/magnifier to work with this base and it all just works beautifully, so in case you wonder if you want a led light for this -- yes, yes you do.

The alligator clamps do not have rubber pads. It has heat shrink, which i have found to be pretty harsh on thin wires.

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

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.