Improved clamps for third hand

[mklotz]

Those cheap, import third hand holders are handy tools for holding bits in alignment to solder or glue. However, as with all tools, they have limitations.

The alligator clips can leave indentations in small parts; there is no adjustment of their holding force.

As the left hand image in this picture...

shows, the clips can not be adjusted to touch each other. While the resulting gap isn't a problem for many jobs, I have occasions when the combined length of the parts is less than the gap width.

To solve all these issues, I built some replacement clamps that take the place of the alligator clips. They're longer, as this picture...

shows so they can close to the point of touching. In addition they're built like tiny machinist clamps so the holding pressure is adjustable and the flat clamping surfaces don't mark the work. They open wider than alligator clips so can accept larger parts.

Construction is dead simple as the disassembled clamp in the foreground shows. The body is a simple turning, milling and tapping job. I had some already knurled aluminum knobs lying around so I force fit them onto 6-32 SHCSs to make clamp screws.