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A third hand is a common tool amongst hobbyists. It’s a small stand that has a couple of clips that you use to hold your work, thus freeing up your hands to do delicate work. Most third-hand tools also include a magnifying glass. Figure 3-6 shows an inexpensive third-hand tool holding a circuit card.

The most common use for a third hand in electronics is soldering. You use the clips to hold the parts you want to solder, positioned behind the magnifying glass so that you can get a good look.

FIGURE 3-6: A third hand can hold your stuff so that both your hands are free to do the work.

Although the magnifying glass on the third hand is helpful, it does tend to get in the way of the work. It can be awkward to maneuver your soldering iron and solder behind the magnifying glass. For this reason, I often remove the magnifying glass from the third hand and use my favorite magnifying headgear instead.

The third hand is often helpful for assembling small projects, but it lacks the sturdiness required for larger projects. Eventually you’ll want to invest in a small hobby vise such as the one shown in Figure 3-7. This one is made by PanaVise (www.panavise.com).

Here are a few things to look for in a hobby vise:

 Mount: Get a vise that has a base with the proper type of workbench mount. There are three common types of mounts:Bolt mount: The base has holes through which you can pass bolts or screws to attach the vise to your workbench. This is the most stable type of mount, but it requires that you put holes in your workbench.Clamp mount: The base has a clamp that you can tighten to fix the base to the top and bottom of your workbench. Clamp mounts are pretty stable but can be placed only near the edge of your workbench.Vacuum mount: The base has a rubber seal and lever that you pull to create a vacuum between the seal and the workbench top. Vacuum mounts are the most portable but work well only when the top of your workbench is smooth.FIGURE 3-7: A hobby vise.

 Movement: Get a vise that has plenty of movement so that you can swivel your work into a variety of different working positions. Make sure that when you lock the swivel mount into position, it stays put. You don’t want your work sliding around while you are trying to solder on it.

 Protection: Make sure the vise jaws have a rubber coating to protect your work.