As a disabled person with only one working hand

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Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
I am constantly trying to figure out how to do things, I recently scraged a kit because I could not get a power connector to stay put log enough for me to solder it. The connector shattered when I tried to tighten the forceps, but soldering is a solved issue. My current thought for component retention is a quick dry glue with a syringe style applicator, the glue doesn't need to be permanent, just strong enough to hold a component still long enough to solder a lead or 2. What I'm asking for is recommendations for the glue, I plan on buying the syringe separately.

I'm probably going to make a solder sucker from scratch, as I think I can do it for under $20. First step is a foot activated vacuum generator.

I find some humor when the Chinese docs refer to soldering as welding.
 

drc_567

Joined Dec 29, 2008
1,156
This glue may work for you. ... Repositionable for up tor 5 minutes, Just press down for a few seconds to stabilize the part... Not actually a superglue, so it can probably be pried loose after full curing. ... A drop- like dispenser nozzle. ... Name brand ... available at many stores. ... The nozzle can get obstructed from previous usage, but the dried glue remnant is easily pulled free.
LOCTITE® GO2® GLUE
1621084678370.png1621084678370.png
 
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Irving

Joined Jan 30, 2016
3,843
Hi there, as a 63y-old tetraplegic with (mostly) working arms/wrists but no hand function worh talking about I empathise. I can hold things in 2 hands but not one so I have 3D printed various accoutrements to allow me to 'hold' things. For instance, a disc that clips over multimeter probes and lets me jam the probe between the fingers where there is enough muscle tension to stop it falling out. With practice I can hit a TSSOP chip pin fairly accurately though the limits of strength in my upper arm muscles means they tire quickly limiting me to a couple of working hours a day. I have something similar for my TS100 soldering iron (what a brilliant device that is..) Another idea still being perfcted is a 2-handed or servo-driven pliers-like arrangement for squeezing scope-probes to clip them on test-points (and logic-analyser clips and 'easy-grips' which are not in the slightest way easy!).

I have assembled a few perf board projects - its slow going, taking several days for what would have taken a few hours previously. I use a board holder that allows me to flip the board over, and bluetak to hold parts in place to solder them. I'm more often now moving to SMD pcbs even for quick prototypes as its so much easier to solder large SMD parts, eg 1206 or 0805 resistors, with solder paste and a hot air gun.

One area thats very difficult is stripping and preparing the ends of wires for soldering onto connectors, PCBs and panel-mounted parts. I use asemi-automatic stripper clamped in a bench vice to do the stripping which works well for single and stranded cables, less so for ribbon or coax. But the bit I've not found an effective solution to is... twisting the end of stranded wire tightly prior to tinning.

My PhD is to develop a soft robotic hand-exoskeleton to allow me (and others with SCI, stroke, MS, etc) some basic grasp capability with hopefully enough fine control to be able to - plug stuff into a breadboard and pull it out again, pull a usb connector out without wrapping the cable round my hand a few times, and use a pair of pliers or cutters one-handed.

BTW, foot-operated devices don't work for me - nothing works below my chest! Voice control is the obvious method but its surprisingly tiring and obtrusive. Brain control may be an option in the future, but currently surface electrodes aren't sufficient and i have no desire for a hole in my head!
 
But the bit I've not found an effective solution to is... twisting the end of stranded wire tightly prior to tinning.
Idea for that one: pin vise and drill. https://www.mcmaster.com/pin-vises/

You could even say take the hollow body pin vise and make a jig with a gear and motor. Pull the gears to mate, the motor turns tightening the chuck. You could put a slip-clutch on the motor. The series 35 https://www.hurst-motors.com/permanentmagnetacsynchronous.html ought to work.

https://www.mcmaster.com/clutches/torque-adjustability~adjustable/ https://sdp-si.com/press/S98CA7-Slip-ease-Clutches.php

Think...A bobbin threader on a sewing machine.

So, you have something to rotate the pin vise. e.g. drill. and something to rotate the pin vise chuck with a gear. Use slip clutches on both.
 
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BobaMosfet

Joined Jul 1, 2009
2,110
I am constantly trying to figure out how to do things, I recently scraged a kit because I could not get a power connector to stay put log enough for me to solder it. The connector shattered when I tried to tighten the forceps, but soldering is a solved issue. My current thought for component retention is a quick dry glue with a syringe style applicator, the glue doesn't need to be permanent, just strong enough to hold a component still long enough to solder a lead or 2. What I'm asking for is recommendations for the glue, I plan on buying the syringe separately.

I'm probably going to make a solder sucker from scratch, as I think I can do it for under $20. First step is a foot activated vacuum generator.

I find some humor when the Chinese docs refer to soldering as welding.
@Wendy You can also use candle wax to 'fix' something in place. Wax is relatively low temp compared to anything else, and as far as I know inert from an electronics standpoint- no acids or anything to hurt PCB or components. Easily removed.

You can also check these babies out:

1621258288714.png

Just look up Amazon's ASIN #: B07V6CWRQ3

Very versatile, and far better than the old clamped-ball socket tools of yesteryear.
 

Irving

Joined Jan 30, 2016
3,843
Doesn't look as rigid nor sturdy as the Weller. You will need to find a suitable sponge if you 3D print and why not use aluminium as the original?
I can assure you it is very rigid, heavy injection moulded uprights and aluminium base bars. The only thing I changed was to replace the stupid thumbscrews with M4 allen head bolts so I can easily tighten and loosen them.

You can also check these babies out:
I tried something similar to that but, sorry, its useless. Problem 1 is those 'croc clips' are quite stiff and take a fair pressure to open and you need two working hands - one on the croc clip and one to hold the board - or a helper. Problem 2 is that the gooseneck isn't robust enough to stop the board moving, especially if you're trying to wick a joint but, problem 3, they are stiff enough to make it virtually impossible to turn the board over without it coming loose or the whole thing flipping over unless you hold the base at the same time (or have a helper).

Call me a stubborn SOB but I want to do it myself please (and I do have a caregiver/PA!)
 
No comments on my wire twisting idea?

Essentially two motors, one a drill, but probably needs to be something else to hold the pin vise. It could probably be a stepper.

Then some way of rotating the pin vise with a slip clutch. e.g. A large gear attached to the pin vise chuck. It might be able to stay engaged with an adjustable clip clutch.
 

Irving

Joined Jan 30, 2016
3,843
No comments on my wire twisting idea?

Essentially two motors, one a drill, but probably needs to be something else to hold the pin vise. It could probably be a stepper.

Then some way of rotating the pin vise with a slip clutch. e.g. A large gear attached to the pin vise chuck. It might be able to stay engaged with an adjustable clip clutch.
Not sure I understand why 2 motors.... but the hollow body pin vise with the sliding closure is a promising idea, though too small for the wire gauges I need eg 7/0.2 -> 12 or 10AWG.1621270354686.png

But I'm thinking a 3D-printed rubber-lined hexagonal 'gripper' closed by a sliding collet. A simple ratchet clamp to grip the insulation, then the collet is closed and rotated with a handle (or a motor but doesn't really need that I think).
 

kubeek

Joined Sep 20, 2005
5,794
Best tool I know for work holding in the lab is this kind of vise http://www.york.cz/en/bench-and-hinged-vices-for-fine-works#&gid=null&pid=2 except that it is not table mounted, but the bottom of the swivel is screwed to a base plate made of MDF about 6"x6", with two mdf spacer layers inbetween, about 2x2". This makes it really universal as it will sit anywhere on your table and hold stuff at a good soldering height with your elbows on the table, and it is just heavy enough not to shift easily.
 

SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
@dl324 Wow! that's half the price Amazon wanted... I have the AmScope one but never use it. Always use this instead:
With a couple layers of shrink tubing over the alligators teeth.
1621392826804.png
 
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