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06-14-2014, 09:54 PM | #1 |
Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: San Diego
Posts: 265
| Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering I recently purchased a new tool called the “ThirdHandMan”. My review of this tool is beneath this picture. If you don’t wish to read the whole review, I will summarize – I LOVE THIS TOOL!! As an avid RC hobbyist who loves electric RC vehicles, I do a fair amount of soldering. I have always used “helping hands” to assist me, but I have never been fond of them. I find them to be clunky and inflexible. Recently, I searched for something better. I found a set of "QuadHands" on Amazon that I almost purchased, then decided to do a bit more research. In an RC forum, I found a reference to a tool called the "Third Hand, Helping Hand". It led me to this video on Youtube which is : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8wV6jpsvys After watching the video, I went to the ebay listings and was impressed by the unique, artistic individuality of each piece. No two are exactly alike. The inventor doesn't use a generic photo. Rather, each unique piece gets its own pictures. I was able to pick the shape and color I wanted: http://www.ebay.com/sch/rjter50/m.html?item=291081088130&hash=item43c5c8ec82&pt=Radio_Control_Vehicles&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562 The shipping was really fast! I had my new tool just three days after I placed the order. I was just as enthralled with it in person as I was with video and pictures. I put it right to use soldering some wire connections. Not only does this tool look very cool, it really WORKS! The artistic looking base is made of a concrete-type substance that is quite heavy, so it sits well on a table without tipping. Even better, the inventor went "above and beyond" for the bottom of the base. He could have stuck on 4 felt or rubber tabs and called it a day. But no, he covered the entire underside of the base with a textured non-skid rubber material, then chamfered it all the way around for a very clean look. The tool stays wherever you put it. Period. The ThirdHandMan comes apart and goes back together very easily. It can be stored flat, if you wish. It is shipped that way. It takes all of 30-seconds to screw the 4 arms into the base. Although the base is a concrete-like substance, the screw-in fittings are metal inserts that are strongly and permanently bonded in place. You will not damage or loosen them with repeated usage. The arms of the ThirdHandMan are long, flexible and strong. You can put them in any position you want and they stay there. This awesome tool will tirelessly hold wires in exactly the positions I need for as long as I want. Small adjustments are simple and non-frustrating. The four long arms make it easy to do a complex solder intersection of multiple wires coming in from different angles. The arms are quite strong, too, capable of lifting and holding heavy objects. The ThirdHandMan is able to reach over my RC to hold wires that my previous “helping hand” could never reach. Here are some pictures of the ThirdHandMan inspecting the original helping hand. That little old tool is helpless against the new ThirdHandMan. The third hand man towers over it with many times the reach. The original helping hand is fairly heavy, but the ThirdHandMan can lift and hold it in place with just one arm. That’s impressive! This ThirdHandMan tool is a complete pleasure to use and I highly recommend it to anyone for home hobby work. In addition to soldering, it can be used for all kinds of crafting. I think every "handy" family needs one of these. When it's not in use, I display mine proudly on a shelf as art. People who visit usually ask me what the heck it is, then I show them. It’s a great conversation starter. |
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06-16-2014, 09:30 PM | #2 |
Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Melbourne Australia
Posts: 271
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering
That is a great idea for coolant hose Too bad he wont ship to Aus, but easy enough to make |
06-16-2014, 09:50 PM | #3 | |
Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: San Diego
Posts: 265
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering Quote:
It would probably be cost prohibitive anyway. I have a life-long friend who used to live in Australia and now lives in NZ. I have shipped stuff to him at both locations from the US and it was pretty pricey. A couple years ago, he wanted a bunch of crossword puzzle books that he could not find locally. I think I spent $20 on the books and $50 on the shipping. When I wrote this review, I considered the fact that most RC enthusiasts likely have the talent to make a tool like this and I worried a bit about hurting his business by posting here. However, I got Bob's permission. In addition, I figure that by the time a person figures out how to make one of these, they'd have more money tied up into it than just purchasing one to begin with. That's not to mention the time it would take - which is time one could be out playing with the RC. | |
06-16-2014, 10:07 PM | #4 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: ?
Posts: 747
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering
As a craftsman I advocate supporting other craftsmen by BUYING THEIR STUFF. That's a neat tool. I think I need one now.
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06-16-2014, 10:19 PM | #5 |
Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: San Diego
Posts: 265
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering I completely agree! I also understand that a forum like this one with world-wide reach may end up showing products that are not available in one's own country.
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06-16-2014, 10:41 PM | #6 | |
Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Melbourne Australia
Posts: 271
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering Quote:
Quite a lot of people in the US have trouble with shipping any where apart from the usual 48 states | |
06-16-2014, 11:16 PM | #7 | |
Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: San Diego
Posts: 265
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering Quote:
"Ifn's ya cain't drive thar, it must not be in the good ol' U. S. of A. Ahyup!" Ok, we don't all talk like that. Heh, heh. But there are definitely a few! I can make fun of it, I was born here. I've even been to both of those other "countries". That makes me a world traveler! Seriously though - I'm glad you liked the review and were interested enough to try and place an order. I sent Bob an e-mail and asked him to monitor this forum. As far as I know, he's not a member, but maybe he will join and comment. | |
06-17-2014, 10:15 AM | #8 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: May 2008 Location: Baltimore
Posts: 4,442
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering Game over!! Great review. I will bookmark this thread and use the fleabay link as soon as I can buy one. |
06-17-2014, 11:09 AM | #9 | |
No idea what I'm doing Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Underground, CO
Posts: 4,529
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering Quote:
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11784 | |
06-17-2014, 11:25 AM | #10 |
Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: chicago
Posts: 2,814
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering
thats dope. im off to ebay!
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06-18-2014, 12:59 AM | #11 |
Pebble Pounder Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: San Diego
Posts: 126
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering
Great review. Thanks for posting. |
06-18-2014, 07:38 AM | #12 |
Newbie Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Austin
Posts: 42
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering
Placed my order yesterday! Thanks for the review!
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06-18-2014, 08:55 AM | #13 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 661
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Just ordered one, thanks for the review
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06-18-2014, 02:46 PM | #14 |
Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: San Diego
Posts: 265
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering
I hope that each of you who purchased one are as happy as I am with mine! Please let us know what you think after using it a time or two.
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06-23-2014, 04:54 PM | #15 |
Pebble Pounder Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Oregon
Posts: 104
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering
Thanks so much for sharing this! Ordering one up now. I've used a lot of lousy third hands....all of them so far, so this looks like the last one I'll ever need. |
07-06-2014, 08:11 PM | #16 |
20K Club Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sending illegals home one Hayabusa at a time.
Posts: 22,981
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering
Very interesting little piece! So simple it makes you want to build one, but for the cost, it doesn't make sense to not just buy one.
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07-07-2014, 11:13 AM | #17 | |
Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: chicago
Posts: 2,814
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering Quote:
its a neat little doohickey for sure. i like how the clamps can be replaced if they get too hot and lose spring tension. my next time brazing im definitely going to use this thing. just gotta be carefull not to swing the torch to close to the plastic bits. | |
07-18-2014, 10:21 PM | #18 |
RCC Addict Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Turn the mayflower around.. it will never work
Posts: 1,588
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering
Great looking tool and great price, but I gotta know........... Who's your interior decorator? And flip phones are so 1998 lol |
07-18-2014, 10:32 PM | #19 | |
Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: San Diego
Posts: 265
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering Quote:
As for the flip phone, my company provides it, but I actually like it. I don't need to carry a computer that can also be a phone. I just need a good phone. It does exactly what I need. | |
07-21-2014, 07:56 PM | #20 |
Pebble Pounder Join Date: May 2014 Location: Williston, ND
Posts: 109
| Re: Terrific New Helping Hand "ThirdHandMan" for Soldering
This thing looks amazing. I was almost about to fall into the trap of buying a conventional "helping hands", which would have been better than my current "rubber band around pliers" system. Added this to my wishlist for sure!
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