Handy soldering clamps on the cheap

I thought I'd write up this little project of mine. I came across these cheap clamps on my adventures today and bought them thinking I'd make a nice set of clamps out of them.

Here's how to do it on the cheap, and all you need is:

• Stiff solid copper wire (not stranded)
• Hot glue gun (high temperature gun is recommended)
• Metal clamps of some kind (I suppose plastic clamps would work the same, but not as strong)
• Patience

Oh, and I apologize for some of my pictures being blurry, my stupid hands won't stop shaking sometimes, especially at awkward angles as I try to take pictures, I REALLY need a mini-tripod.

Step 1 Peel away rubber coating

Like It says, you want to prepare the clamp for gluing, as gluing onto the rubber itself won't stick very well.

Believe it or not, but the rubber coatings they put on these clamps peel off surprisingly easy. As long as you can get your finger nail or the tip of a knife under neath it, it rips right off.

This should expose a hole, that I assume is there to help keep the rubber intact?

Comments

[finnrambo]

I like this thing never couldstand those hepling hands things if you want a tripod check the camera section on this site

[Punkguyta]

Thank you! These clamps are just a cheapy way of holding a few wires for me to solder together connections for speaker wires etc,. I will admit though I think they need improvement, as the base clamp could be a bit bigger to allow for a sturdier work base.

[finnrambo]

if you need a good work base put the wires through a tuna can and pour in as much molten lead as you can it holds in the wires cant tip over

[Punkguyta]

that would be a waste of good solder.

[finnrambo]

melt fishing weights there cheap

[Punkguyta]

Thats actually a good idea, I'll go price a bag of line sinkers next time I'm in town!

[zzoe]

Even cheaper - used auto wheel weights. I find LOADS of these by the side of the road (i walk a lot), and i get most of my lead that way. I think it's an alloy of some kind, but i'm not sure - it melts down well enough. A coffee can on the stove works.
They're easiest to find at big intersections (be careful) and around the exits of garages/repair shops.