2-1 magnetic helping hand

The classic "helping hands" tool with two alligator clips and a magnifying glass is rarely actually helpful. But I have found this tool useful almost every day. This works for PC boards of almost any shape, up to just smaller than its plate size. The PC board is up held at a reasonable height by the four pylons for soldering or other rework and testing tasks, without having it rocking back and forth or scooting across the desk top. The base is heavy and I have had no problem with it sliding across my desk while I work. The magnets on the pylons are very strong. Trying to shove them across the surface is difficult, which means they won't wander as you work. I have found that by spinning the pylons I could ease them into the position needed to hold the board. I often use the points at the top for boards with tooling holes. Otherwise, the notch below the tips works well to pinch the sides of a board to hold it in place. The magnifier is best used at a fairly short distance from the object you are trying to see, about 2-3" gives binocular view with depth perception. That can be difficult to arrange with the magnifier clipped to the provided metal plate. I have my magnifier clipped to the base of my microscope, with the board several inches away. This also allows me to spin the board around or slide it and not need to mess with repositioning the magnifier. The goose neck holds position really well, but doesn't allow for a small radius bend. If the magnifier was mounted on a ball joint at the end of the flexible arm, it would be easier to use. This has been a great addition to my workbench. I am no longer working on boards that are teetering on bottom side components, or chasing boards that want to slide around my work space.

Very nice helping hand for working on PC boards. The magnets in the supports are very powerful. They stick to the base firmly and hold your work piece without moving. The quality of the parts is top notch! Nice finish. Only suggestion I have is it would be nice to have an option to get a larger base plate AND some support arms. Those would make this an all around perfect unit. I bought some magnetic arms to work with this unit. NOTE TO VENDOR: I would like to order extra PC Board supports. No one on Amazon sells just the PC board supports. Overall - this will get used a lot and it will last a very long time! *** HIGHLY RECOMMEND ***

Strong magnets

Great little product! I'm able to do repairs when I'm mobile and it's rather simple job now. I can also modify with rare earth magnets a few extra gadgets to use on this jig. I definitely like the portability and how well this little thing works.

Firstly, I like this as a tool, it's a good idea, but it has flaws, notably magnet strength is poor. Thankfully with a good steel plate like this, that's easy to fix. I just placed neodym magnets opposite the posts on the other side, that made them way more slide proof. You could use a larger bar magnet to cover more than one and it holds the part s nicely.

Board is nice and heavy, comes with 4 rubber feet you can stick where you like underneath. Magnets are good and strong; 1 magnet can lift the whole board up from the table. I thought from the pictures that the magnets had multiple grooves, where each chrome ring was, but it turns out that they do only have one groove near the top, which is fine, and the pointed tops are a nice feature for setting a board on its screw holes on the magnets. Good product, would buy again.

This thing is even better than it looks. Solid, heavy construction. Holds the part brilliantly without clamps and jaws. Protects your desk and feels substantial and well- made. Great for reworking boards with uneven parts on the bottom side. Conical pins fit perfectly in any size mounting hole.

I had a problem with soldering on pads that are extremely small, under a 1mm in diameter. Not only holding the soldering iron still enough, thus my contraption you see in the picture, but getting it under a microscope. This thing works more than perfect. It is very well made and olds the board just as tightly as my vice, which is impossible to get under the microscope , without setting the scope on boards and doing a balancing act with it all. It is well made and the magnets are very strong. you guys have open a whole new world for soldering.

Great product - makes it easy to test and troubleshoot system board before installing it in the case

excellent piece of kit ....holds my circuit boards very stable...wish I had this years ago

Been using this product for months. High quality parts. Recommended.

Advantages :Strong Magnets, hold motherboard very well during soldering and removal of components. I use the flat metal base with manual stencils surface to to reball item on it. In general an effective electronic board holder In this business you need several types of motherboard holders for different applications. This is one of them. The disadvantages:You cannot adjust magnet to the height you would like but you can buy other Magnets that will do that. When desoldering with hotair, components which are magnetised can be pulled off by magnetic field or force. And you have to watch out the grooves that hold motherboard do not knock small smd components like capacitors or resistors. You have to raise microscope in high position as magnet holders cannot be adjusted but that is understandable. In general I would recommend as not all motherboard holders are the same they all have their applications. You will soon find out your favourite one and which one is most suitable for depending on the types of motherboard you are working on.

Ive been using this for s while now, and find it very handy for soldering my PCB's, the only gripe i have is the protective pads in the bottom of the magnetic post come off, now i need to find alternative pads, otherwise i would have given 5 stars