Workbench Cleverness

[chromesphere]

I don't really have the goopy-ness problem that people report.  Sure, the bluetack sticks to the component, but it comes off just as easy.  Im thinking it could be the brand.  The stuff im using is 'bostick' and apparently is 'the original blu-tack'.  You can see the packet in the video at approximately 32 seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4ACT2w93Mc

Sorry Leevibe I know this thread was supposed to be about other ideas then just blu-tack

Paul
DGP

[jimilee]

More often than not, I remove the clips from the helping hands and use the to hold resistor leads on the solder side of the board. I use the helping hands when wiring pots though. Also I use the magnifier on the helping hands to read tiny codes.

[davent]

I use the helping hands all the time even though they are pieces of junk. Heatshrinked the jaws so i can grab painted and delicate things without meesing them up. The biggest issue with for me was the alligator clip base would get crushed by the tightener so you couldn't easily position the clips where  needed. What i did was jam an awl in to uncrush the base, fill it with a glued in piece of dowel so now i can just adjust by just playing with the alligator clip tightener and avoid the whole thing collapsing on itself. No pictures but easy to do.

I'll load up a pcb place a block of wood against the components flip it over and clip the board to the helping hands so it doesn't skate away as i try to solder, the block of wood holds the components flat to the pcb.

Holder for unmounted pots, jacks, plugs and rotary switches.


In use;


Plexiglas shelf above workbench for exposing photoresist pcb's.



Assembly jig for assembling assymetrical enclosure layouts. If it's symetrical layout you can mount the pots and things outside and assemble there for ease of access.



Lazy-susan bearing, shelf liner and a spool of solder. Will have to make changes to this once the solder spool weighs a lot less.




Cable assembler.



Workbench as photo studio. Turn off the room lights and only use the bench light.



dave

[Leevibe]

I don't really have the goopy-ness problem that people report.  Sure, the bluetack sticks to the component, but it comes off just as easy.  Im thinking it could be the brand.  The stuff im using is 'bostick' and apparently is 'the original blu-tack'.  You can see the packet in the video at approximately 32 seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4ACT2w93Mc

Sorry Leevibe I know this thread was supposed to be about other ideas then just blu-tack

Paul
DGP

No problem. This is the kind of info that's valuable! I don't think it's too big a deal for me. I'll most likely continue to use my vise to hold boards for soldering. Bending the leads has always held parts securely enough for me. I love the idea of using BT for holding parts to the bench when I'm rigging things together for testing though.

The reason I started the thread is because I want to build myself a test rig for circuits that aren't boxed. I want to be able to hold stuff together and not have my guitar cables pull everything off the bench. I was actually inspired by the infamous Bill Finnegan article. I liked his test rig and I want to come up with my own. (sans card table)

Paul, I have to say that I will be making up a bunch of those test leads with the little spade connectors for clipping to solder lug pots. Great idea!

Keep the ideas coming and let's get to the bottom of this blu tack thing. Is it getting the right brand, or is it get in and get out with the heat? Inquiring minds want to know.

[chromesphere]

I use those breadboard / spade connector leads whenever im breadboarding pots.  Makes this so much more secure!

I think its a bit of both (right brand, don't overheat).  I can tell you if I sat there holding the iron for too long, mine would probably melt as well.  Still easy enough to clean up.

[Leevibe]

I want to build some leads with the pot lug connectors on one end and these test clips on the other. I think these are the ones th at have the little retracting claw.

http://www.amazon.com/Mini-Grabber-Minigrabber-Color-Interface/dp/B00AH3OYGQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1392525896&sr=8-5&keywords=test+clips

[alanp]

Lazy-susan bearing, shelf liner and a spool of solder. Will have to make changes to this once the solder spool weighs a lot less.

Not really, just put a weight of some sort on top

[Leevibe]

Love the cable assembler, davent! Simple=good. I could combine that idea with your pot/rotary switch holder to make a switchcraft pancake plug building jig

[davent]

Lazy-susan bearing, shelf liner and a spool of solder. Will have to make changes to this once the solder spool weighs a lot less.

Not really, just put a weight of some sort on top

Excellent, problem solved before it gets here, there's always a simpler/better way!
Thank you!

[pickdropper]

You can also get a solder spool holder.  At home I just have a single spool holder, but at work I have a double, which is great as I can have two different solders at a given time.  In retrospect, I should've gotten that for home as well:

[ddog]

Here is a collection of tricks I use:



The big block of wood is a fluxing station (complete with a small flux pool) and a tip cleaning station. The sponge is nailed, so it won't come off as I clean my soldering iron


The soldering iron itself is modded - it has one of these dimmer light switches attached to it. Sort of a DIY Power regulator. It also gives me a switch, so I can turn off the iron without having to unplug it

[alanp]

You can also get a solder spool holder.  At home I just have a single spool holder, but at work I have a double, which is great as I can have two different solders at a given time.  In retrospect, I should've gotten that for home as well:

200g and 250g rolls of solder fit nicely in the palm of my left hand while I'm soldering, with no costs for lazy susans or fancy holders

[hoodoo]

Davent, i love that cable making idea also mate, pegs, who woulda thought. I've always used those stupid helping hands and i've never enjoyed the process much, always a struggle, so thanks for that one 

[muddyfox]

I just snip off a foot or so of solder, gets me through most boards. Then for offboard wiring (this is from my vero days) i snip off another foot. My solder spool never leaves the desk drawer. This became my preferred method because I mostly build on the dining room table and need to be able to clear out quickly before the wrath of the One comes crushing down on me.

sent from my mobile device

[Leevibe]

Plywood scrap and a bolt from the miscellaneous hardware stash