my attempt at a 3rd hand

[AX10wannabe]

so i've been a lot of reading on different setups and i picked up a couple packages of alligator clamps while at home depot this past weekend and wanted to try my hand at making one of these fine contraptions... here's how i did it its a work in progress and i will modify it to keep making it better but its given me a starting point.. oh and by the way its friggin cold outside while building this!! something like -11*c so it was built pretty quick.

first i took the gator clips out of the packaging, scrounged around the workbench electrical drawer for some stiff wire, these might be too soft still.. but i cut 2 lengths off at 12inches.. think i might shorten them up and make them like 6-8 inches long.. anyhoo stripped the insulation off the end and crimped the gator clamps to the end of wire looks like this


next i scrounged in the tray of wire ends and found these eyelets and 2 coarse thread screws with a robertson head, looks like this


next i crimped them onto the other end of the wire


have no picture but found a scrap piece of 3"x3" and cut chunks 4" long.

next i screwed the wire to the wood and this is the outcome.


i tested it with the main hoop to my exo cage for my honcho and it held it but flopped over so i really need to shorten the wires.. i'll keep working on it though first test for it is im soldering a tamiya plug and a little red plug (same plug as the 3racing winch has) together.. its an adaptor so i can swap between lipo batts and nicad batts easily.

the cost of this was $6.50 and that was for the clips, wire and wood we had laying around the shop.

[bob1961]

try some solid copper wire that is used for grounding from the house to the ground stake........bob

....

[du4x4]

Some 10 Gauge Romex would be tits for this if I hadn't bought my third hand for $3 at Fryes.

[AX10wannabe]

im trying to keep the price down because i have no money but gonna try shortening wires and see how that goes.. i've been busy working on my exo-cage so i can get it done before sunday's crawl at a friends house.

[y2kgtp]

In the states these are 2.99 sometimes 1.99 I have seen. I need to grad a couple next time I am near one of these stores.

Helping Hands

[motoj550]

Originally Posted by y2kgtp

In the states these are 2.99 sometimes 1.99 I have seen. I need to grad a couple next time I am near one of these stores.

Helping Hands

yeah, i just bought one of these at harbor freight for $2.99 on Monday and works great.

[AX10wannabe]

it would be alright if i had a harbor frieght but i dont.... next time im in princess auto i'll take a look.

[tsommers]

Originally Posted by motoj550

yeah, i just bought one of these at harbor freight for $2.99 on Monday and works great.

I will be making a trip soon then

[Die-Laughing]

Those thing are pretty cool & affordable but, the arms seem a little on the short side. I might have to pick on up and see whats up.

[rmdesignworks]

12awg solid thhn wire is 1/8" OD with the poly jacket...I cut three pieces at 8" and crimped on 3 large aligator clips then drilled three 1/8" holes in some scrap wood...done. they will hold a 55t motor in the air just fine...four pieces of 10awg thhn would hold up my whole rig....

[tsommers]

I picked up the "3rd hand workstation thing" (a few posts up)from harbor frieght today,and its great. I would strongly reccomend it.

[forbid89]

Not to take away from the original topics but I too picked up a 3rd hands from harbor freight yesterday and it was $1.99, go get one!

[SlickRockSpider]

Originally Posted by AX10wannabe

it would be alright if i had a harbor frieght but i dont.... next time im in princess auto i'll take a look.

Hey if you want I will by one from Harbor Freight and ship it to you. No problem.


Evan

[kurtus]

Originally Posted by AX10wannabe

it would be alright if i had a harbor frieght but i dont.... next time im in princess auto i'll take a look.

Got mine at the source.

Edit: Just checked and they are 16.99 which is crazy compared to what the guys in the States get them for.