Magnetic 3rd Hand

Anyone who plays arounsd with elecronics knows how important a 3rd hand is. It gives you the ability to hold solder in one hand and the soldering iron in the other and easily add solder to a component.

I've been using some homemade 3rd hands for some time and can't imagine building a circuit without one. Recently I was using a couple of magnets for a project and a resister got stuck to it. I had a bit of an epiphany and realised that adding a magnet to a 3rd hand would be a quick and easy way to hold a part whist I add solder to it.

The project is an easy one and will definitely become a welcome addition to your solder station.

Step 1: Parts and Tools

Parts:

1. PVC Cap 100mm - Hardware store. If you are in Australia then you can get these from Bunnings

2. 3 X Square washers - Hardware store, Bunnings

3. Plastic Flexible Water Oil Coolant Pipe Hose - eBay

4. Rare Earth Magnets - eBay

Tools:

1. Epoxy Glue

2. Drill

3. Superglue

Step 2: Drilling and Gluing

Steps:

1. First drill a hole into the middle of the PVC cap. The hole shjould be big enough to fit the tap section of the pipe into it.

2. Next, scratch-up the inside of the PVC cap. This will ensure that the epoxy glue sticks to the bottom of the cap

3. Add some epoxy glue to the bottom of the cap and add one of the square washers to the bottom.

4. Add more glue to the washer and glue the other 2 washers so there are 3 in total. Enure the hole is aligned to the hole in the cap

Step 3: Add the Tap Section to the Base

Steps:

1. On the tap section, there is a plastic hex nut which fits nice and tightly into the holes of the washer

2. Place the bottom of the tap into the top of the cap and with a small hammer, tap it into place

3. Make sure that the end of the tap is flush with the washer so the cap sits flat

Step 4: Adding a Magnet

Steps:

1. Add some superglue to the top of the pipe section.

2. Next, place the magnet on top of the pipe and hold down until it is stuck fast

3. I also added another magnet to the one glued to the pipe which gives you more area to attach components.

Step 5: Finishing Up

Steps:

1. Push the pipe into the tap section. If you need to reduce the size of the pipe, then just pull a few sections off which is what I did.

2. Now you are ready to use the 3rd hand. Just place whatever component againt the magnet which will hold it in place and start to solder.