A helping hand is a mechanical workbench accessory featuring a heavy base and multiple posable arms ending in alligator clips. Techs use it to suspend wires, circuit boards, or connectors in mid-air, freeing up both hands to hold the soldering iron and solder wire. Advanced versions use flexible coolant hoses instead of rigid ball joints and include magnifying lenses or fume extractors.
Grab the helping hand so you can hold the XLR connector steady while you tin the cups.
Also heard as
- third hand
Related terms
Alligator clip
A spring-loaded metal jaw used to make temporary electrical connections on the bench.
Breadboard
A reusable platform with a grid of spring-clip holes used for prototyping electronic circuits without soldering.
Protoboard
A reusable grid of spring clips used to build and test circuits without soldering.