WAVE - the World's Simplest DIY Soldering Vise! (PCB Helping Hands)

WAVE is probably the weirdest Helping Hands device you've ever seen. Why is it called "WAVE"? Because it is a Helping-Hands device that was built out of Microwave parts!

But the fact that WAVE looks weird, Doesn't mean that it can't be the best homemade "Helping-Hands for Soldering" device ever, Here I'll show you how I made it!

About a month ago, I built The Ultimate 14-in-1 Soldering Helping Hands Station. And as listed in the title, It has 14 different functions. The only problem is that the Helping-Hands aren't really that strong because they're made of a flexible material (They can hold ~500 grams, But when I solder, I put more pressure on the PCB, Which makes it fall...). This made me think of "Why does the arm need to be flexible?" "It just makes it uncomfortable"!

I decided to make one that doesn't have flexible arms, Is strong enough to hold any PCB, And will never fall over, Which is: WAVE!

Ok, Enough! Let's get to work!

Materials:

A Small Aluminum Vise How can it cost only $3?!)

Self Adhesive Rubber Feet

A Big Microwave Transformer (Mine weighs ~3.5 Kg.)

Metal Epoxy (Or a Welder, If you have one...) +Mixing Stick

Silicone Adhesive

Tools:

Metal File / Sanding Stone

Vise (A real one, Now as a tool)

Hacksaw

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why: Because Circuit Boards don't hold themselves!

Protection Gear Needed: A Respirator

Cost (for me): <$3.50

Needed Skills: Sawing, Epoxy-ing

Approximate Time: 30 Minutes

I used a hacksaw to saw off the part of the vise that holds it on the table, It was really easy because the vise is made of Aluminum.

I kept the screw part of the vise in case I would need it for another project, Such as turning it into a C-Clamp :)

WARNING: I bought a cheap Vise so I could make this project, Do not ruin a real vise! A Hacksaw won't be strong enough to cut through a real vise anyway...

To help the Epoxy adhere better, I roughened the surface of the Vise and the Transformer with a metal File.

After making sure that the surface was rough enough for the Epoxy to adhere well, I smeared some Epoxy onto the vise and stuck it onto the Transformer. I also added some more epoxy around the edges to strengthen the adhesion even more, As shown in Picture #2.

I added some self adhesive rubber feet to the bottom of the Transformer so it wouldn't scratch my worktable. If you don't have these rubber feet, You can add a dab of hot glue in each corner

I wanted to ensure that the grip on the PCB was at its best, So I added smeared a thin layer of SIlicone Adhesive onto the the Jaws of the Vise. This helps add more friction which makes the PCB sit firmly in the Jaws.

Bonus: The silicone also protects the PCB from getting scratched by the Jaws (If that's even possible), And because Silicone is an insulator, It stops any accidental Short-Circuits (If the paint gets removed from the vise after a long time)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DONE!

Don't forget to Follow me on Instructables, I have over 60 Instructables that I'm sure you'd like!