3rd hand welder helper

[bobs409]

Meet Murray! He's my new welder 3rd hand helper.

[DIYer]

Thanks bobs409! We've added your Welding Third Hand to our Welding category,
as well as to your builder page: bobs409's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Welding Third Hand by bobs409

tags: welding, third hand

[Toolmaker51]

I like the bug motif. The body is heavy enough for secure hold; but I wonder does the fulcrum so far back lessen potential?
Not re-arranging the legs, the body position, perhaps sliding along the rod.

[bobs409]

It has a nice amount of forward weight to it lifted up on tall objects. It's quite heavy overall. If you needed to use for a very tall piece I suppose you could put riser blocks for the rear legs to sit on.

[Toolmaker51]

When I assemble fabbing area, third hands will be the first things made.
One shop had unique design in each weld stall. At back left corner an upright post, maybe 20" high. A sliding tube, 1/2" bolt + welded 'T' secured it at any height. A 3/8" square rod extended from tube, where a smaller tube + clamp formed the finger. They'd just extend the finger as needed and lower it to contact. Then pulling down on the square bar, working 'T' screw, it would deflect pressure to finger.
Took less time setting than describing it!
I copied the upright in a different version when two more welders came in. Using round 1/2" instead, drilled longways but off center through square solid 2" bar 5"ish long. It just slid on round bar, finger same as before. They thought it was special; until same principle noticed on the horizontal band saw (Wells 8m) for cut pressure.
Inventing is good, applying good designs saves time.

[Toolmaker51]

I wonder. If digital photography had been earlier, so readily at our fingertips, would more creations be saved? A lot of us keep notebooks, yet three seconds of stop-point-shoot equals how many written words?