Walnut Vice - Tasty Alternative to Third Hand

[TWINSET 1794]

Was looking at Third Hands the other day and they were either cheapo ones like I already binned several times before or £30 jobs made of coolant hose, but with the same duff croc-clips on the end.

So, took a punt on a mini vice - they seem to be marketed at Walnut Carvers, but work well for fiddly electronics too

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yakamoz-Universal-Jewelry-Repairing-Sculpture/dp/B075F5NC4B/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1519339395&sr=8-3&keywords=walnut+vice&dpID=417NpVmYYuL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Being made of cast alu it's heavy enough that it doesn't need fixing to a bench for light work, and won't melt!

 

The jaws aren't forced to run parallel like an engineers vice, which presents an issue holding smaller parts at one end

 

But putting a similar small part at the other end works well...

 

...and forces the jaws parallel, ensuring the part isn't squeezed out
I soldered more than 100 of these leads over a couple of nights, and never lost my temper once

 

The walnut clamps are also handy for wrapping solder round for a bit of tinning

 

 

 

[Juggular 5079]

lol, I like the title.  The vice too.  

[Jonathon Gillham 4675]

This looks amazing!  My bench vice changed my life when it came to soldering but this looks 100 times better.

 

Although I'm beginning to doubt your story since you said this...

1 hour ago, TWINSET said:

I soldered more than 100 of these leads over a couple of nights, and never lost my temper once

 

 

...I don't think that is possible, it would take me weeks to solder 100 tiny leads and I would lose my temper at least twice on each one!

 

 

[njmlondon 572]

Many thanks. Ordered one.

[topforcein 1764]

i know you brought that item but i just saw this and thought it may be better for you.

https://www.rcworld.co.uk/acatalog/Alloy-Soldering-Station-Jig-RCW0176.html#SID=581

[TWINSET 1794]

This holds a load of XT60s at once