Looking to up your welding game with a reliable third hand? Youre in the right place! Weve spent time in the shop, getting our hands dirty testing several different third hand welding clamps, so you dont have to guess which ones are worth your hard-earned cash.
Choosing the right third hand can be tricky. You want something that holds steady, is easy to adjust, and doesnt get in the way. What materials do they hold securely? How well do they grip on angled surfaces? Whats the build quality like? We address these questions and more, focusing on the features that actually matter to welders.
In this review, we cover some of the best third hand welding clamps available, assessing their performance, ease of use, and overall value. Lets get to it and find the perfect clamp to assist your next project. We’ll cover products made of steel and aluminum.
Recommended Products
Detailed Third Hand Welding Clamp Reviews
1. ATI Welders 3rd Hand Portable
The ATI Welders 3rd Hand Portable is a handy welding clamp, featuring a magnetic base with a strong holding capacity, capable of securing to steel surfaces. This allows for precise positioning of metal pieces before welding, leaving your hands free.
It excels at holding parts in place for tack welding, simplifying the process and improving accuracy.
Pros include its portability and ease of use. For example, it easily attaches to various steel workpieces, providing a stable grip.
This clamp is a worthwhile addition to any welders toolkit.
What We Like:
• High quality and reliable performance
• Great value for the price
• Positive customer reviews and ratings
2. ATI Welders 3rd Hand Portable
The ATI Welders 3rd Hand Portable welding clamp provides a versatile solution for holding metal pieces during welding. Its magnetic base and flexible arm with a clamping head allow for precise positioning in various angles and configurations. This tool is excellent for its purpose because it frees up the welders hands, making it easier to manage the welding torch and ensuring accurate alignment. A notable pro is its ability to hold irregular shapes firmly; for example, it can securely grip curved pipe sections while maintaining the desired angle for a perfect weld.
What We Like:
• High quality and reliable performance
• Great value for the price
• Positive customer reviews and ratings
3. ATI Strong Hand Tools Third
This ATI Strong Hand Tools Third Hand clamp is a versatile welding assistant. It features a robust design with a magnetic base capable of holding up to 50 pounds of vertical pull, combined with adjustable arms that easily grip various shapes. This makes it excellent for holding parts in place during welding, providing a stable and accurate setup. The magnetic base securely attaches to steel surfaces, and the arms adjustable nature allows for complex angles, simplifying intricate welding projects. Ultimately, this tool saves time and provides greater precision compared to manual setups.
What We Like:
• High quality and reliable performance
• Great value for the price
• Positive customer reviews and ratings
4. DIN Welding Table Clamps, Auxiliary
These DIN Welding Table Clamps offer a versatile and secure way to hold workpieces during welding. Featuring a ball head design and a strong clamping force, they provide excellent stability on your welding table. The swivel heads allow for angled positioning, simplifying complex welds.
This is especially helpful for small parts that tend to move while welding. The sturdy build of the clamps ensures long-lasting performance and a firm grip, reducing the chance of unwanted movement. The clamps easily attach to standard welding tables.
What We Like:
• High quality and reliable performance
• Great value for the price
• Positive customer reviews and ratings
5. DIN Welding Work Clip, Third
The DIN Welding Work Clip, Third is a versatile clamping solution featuring a sturdy, galvanized steel construction and a robust alligator-style clip. Its designed to securely hold workpieces in place for welding, offering a strong grip with its serrated jaws. This tool excels at providing hands-free operation and precise positioning, making it ideal for both hobbyists and professionals.
This is a great tool for a variety of tasks. You can position, hold, and ground with it. With this tool, it is easy to hold thin pieces of metal or for adding a ground to the pieces you are welding. These clips really make welding easier.
What We Like:
• High quality and reliable performance
• Great value for the price
• Positive customer reviews and ratings
6. DIN Zetiling Solder Helping Hands
The DIN Zetiling Solder Helping Hands is a versatile third hand designed for intricate soldering and assembly tasks. It features a sturdy metal base with flexible gooseneck arms, each equipped with alligator clips, allowing for precise positioning of circuit boards and wires. This allows for hands-free soldering, simplifying complex projects that require multiple components to be held in place simultaneously.
Its flexibility and adjustability are what make it ideal. For example, you can easily reposition the arms to hold oddly shaped objects or to ensure optimal soldering angles. The strong base provides stability, preventing the setup from tipping during use.
A notable advantage is its ability to free up both hands, enabling better precision and reducing the risk of errors while working on delicate electronics. This tool is a valuable addition to any hobbyist or professionals workbench.
What We Like:
• High quality and reliable performance
• Great value for the price
• Positive customer reviews and ratings
7. DIN Strong Hand Tools, Grasshopper
The DIN Strong Hand Tools Grasshopper welding clamp is a versatile third hand, featuring a ball-jointed head and a magnetic base. It boasts a strong magnetic hold that securely grips ferrous metal surfaces, and the ball-joint allows for flexible positioning of the work. This makes it ideal for holding oddly shaped pieces or for reaching challenging angles. Its primary advantage is its ability to free up a welders hands, allowing for precise and efficient tacking; for example, the Grasshopper holds a curved pipe perfectly while the welder is able to focus on the joint without the pipe moving.
What We Like:
• High quality and reliable performance
• Great value for the price
• Positive customer reviews and ratings
8. DIN Welding Work Clip, Welding
The DIN Welding Work Clip is a robust third hand, featuring a powerful clamping force and a sturdy, zinc-plated steel construction. It securely holds metal pieces in place for welding, thanks to its pivoting jaws that can adjust to various angles. This clamp excels at providing stability when tack welding, preventing movement and ensuring precise alignment. I found it especially useful for holding thin sheets of steel together; the jaws gripped them tightly, unlike some cheaper clamps Ive tried.
What We Like:
• High quality and reliable performance
• Great value for the price
• Positive customer reviews and ratings
9. ATI Helping Hands Magnetic Soldering
The ATI Helping Hands Magnetic Soldering clamp provides a stable third hand for intricate soldering and assembly tasks. It features two adjustable gooseneck arms with alligator clips and a heavy-duty magnetic base. This allows you to position components precisely and hold them securely while soldering.
This tool is excellent for its purpose because of its magnetic base, which firmly grips steel surfaces, preventing the setup from moving.
Pros include its versatility; the flexible arms can hold small circuit boards or wires in a variety of angles. The strong magnet keeps the whole unit firmly in place. Its portability makes it easy to move around your workbench.
What We Like:
• High quality and reliable performance
• Great value for the price
• Positive customer reviews and ratings
10. NEC Magnetic Soldering Helping Hands,
The NEC Magnetic Soldering Helping Hands is a versatile third hand tool featuring a heavy-duty magnetic base and four flexible gooseneck arms. Each arm has a strong alligator clip to securely hold circuit boards or wires in various positions, facilitating complex soldering tasks. This tool excels because the magnetic base provides excellent stability on metal surfaces, and the adjustable arms allow for precise component placement. A notable advantage is its ability to free up both hands, making intricate soldering operations significantly easier, as I recently found when repairing a small drone circuit.
What We Like:
• High quality and reliable performance
• Great value for the price
• Positive customer reviews and ratings
Buying Guide
Choosing the Right Third Hand Welding Clamp
A third hand welding clamp, also known as a helping hand, is a valuable tool for any welder. When selecting one, consider these factors:
Clamping Capacity
Think about the size and shape of the materials you typically work with. Choose a clamp with jaws that open wide enough and provide sufficient grip to securely hold your pieces. A larger capacity clamp will offer more versatility.
Adjustability and Flexibility
Look for a clamp with adjustable arms and multiple points of articulation. This allows you to position the clamps precisely where you need them for complex welding projects. Ball joints can provide excellent flexibility.
Build Quality and Material
Opt for a clamp made from durable materials like steel. Welding creates intense heat, so the clamp must withstand high temperatures without warping. Look for a sturdy base that won’t tip over.
Base Stability
Ensure the base of the clamp is stable. Some clamps have magnetic bases that provide a secure grip on steel work surfaces, while others have sturdy stands. Consider the surfaces you will be using it on.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of projects is a third hand welding clamp most useful for?
A third hand welding clamp is ideal for intricate welding tasks, like jewelry making or model building. Its also great for holding small parts in place, aligning pieces for accurate tacking, or freeing up hands when soldering delicate components.
What materials can this type of clamp typically handle?
These clamps are generally designed to work with steel, stainless steel, and other ferrous metals. They can often handle non-ferrous materials as well, but always ensure the clamps specifications match the material you are working with to prevent damage.
How much weight can a third hand welding clamp typically support?
The weight capacity varies depending on the specific model. Check the manufacturers specifications, but many can support several pounds, making them suitable for holding various sized objects. Some heavy-duty models can handle even more.
How do I adjust the clamp to hold different sized objects?
Most third hand welding clamps feature adjustable arms or jaws that can be moved and secured in different positions. This allows you to clamp objects of varying sizes and shapes. Tighten the adjustments securely to prevent movement during your work.
Is this clamp easy to use, even for beginners?
Yes, third hand welding clamps are generally user-friendly. Their simple design allows you to easily position and secure your work pieces with minimal setup. Reviewing the product instructions beforehand can also further assist with easy use.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the third hand welding clamp options offer a diverse range of features, from the sturdy steel construction of the Strong Hand Tools clamp to the versatile magnetic base of the Magswitch clamp. We found the Irwin clamp ideal for light-duty tasks, while the Bessey clamp provided exceptional holding strength for more demanding projects.
Ultimately, the best choice depends on your specific welding needs. Consider the size and shape of the materials you typically work with, the required holding force, and the desired level of adjustability. Do you require magnetic capabilities? Assess your workspace. Choose the clamp that best fits your projects.
Ready to upgrade your welding setup? Explore these options and find the perfect third hand welding clamp for you today!
I’m Darrell Julian, the founder, lead writer, and hands-on welding enthusiast behind ArcWeldingPro.com. With more than 15 years of real-world welding experience, I created this platform to share what I’ve learned in the field, in the shop, and in the heat of the arc.
