Like many hands-on modelers, I have a “third hand” gizmo that has a magnifier and two alligator clips. In fact, I have two of them, with 3 clips on one of them. (Harbor Freight - cheap and easy) I get the most use from them when soldering wires, tinning leads, attaching resistors, etc. I get very little use from them when working with plastic parts, etc - this is because the alligator clips can dig into the styrene and mar it with gouges! Has anyone found a way around this problem with alternate clamping types or modifications? Cedarwoodron
I often take a smaller, plastic-jawed clamp and clamp it in a larger clamp to hold small stuff.
Sometimes I use mine to hold a wooden cloths pin or another type of clamp like hemostats. I know what you mean with the aggressive teeth. My cheapo set came from Job Lot and one of the clips broke so I soldered on a replacement from Radio Shack. I suppose I could have searched for a less aggressive clamp.
Pete
I have taken thin strips of copper metal and soldered them to the jaws while closed so that they are flat against each other. (note) This may require a bit of bending to open of the jaws to get good solder flow to bond to both jaws and have the strips be perfectly mating and parallel.
Also note that the super grip holding power of your aligator clips will disappear and if lateral pressure is put on the piece in the jaws it will slip and slide around a bit. Attaching a thin piece of rubber or cork strip would assist in the flat gripping, however. Their are spray rubber coatings that might assist here as well.
Richard
I bought wood and plastic clothes pegs and put those in the jaws to hold more delicate items. I didn’t know that clothes pegs came in a variety of sizes until I saw them at the arts and crafts store one day.
Good ideas, Richard. This one is even easier if you can find a piece of soft tubing sized to just slide over each each jaw.
I use wooden clothes pens, the ones with springs. These make great clamps. I suppose plastic would work also, but maybe not for soldering.
Good luck
Paul
Mike Lehman’s tubing idea sounds like one that might be an easy fix- perhaps the vinyl fuel line tubing that R/C planes use…on my to-do list this week!! Thanks for the advice,all. Cedarwoodron
I slip small pieces of heat shrink tubing over the jaws to lessen their “bite”
Surgical rubber or rubber vacuum hose would provide a better grip while protecting softer material. The clear fuel hose/ line is rather slippery.
I got the Harbor Freight 8 pack of small plastic clamps with flexible jaws. Works great and doesn’t mar the parts.
File down the teeth.
I use the wooden clothespins with the springs to hold items. I turn the springs around so the narrow ends clamp onto the work parts.