Small specimen holder: I am looking for a holder than can position small objects (1-2 inches) and rotate in all three dimensions. The 'Helping Hands' devices for soldering come close...

MACT Loc: Connecticut

I am looking for a holder than can position small objects (1-2 inches) and rotate in all three dimensions. The 'Helping Hands' devices for soldering come close but I would really like something with a smoother action and holders less powerful than alligator clips. If anyone can direct me to a suitable device, I would be very grateful.

thanks

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

MACT wrote:

I am looking for a holder than can position small objects (1-2 inches) and rotate in all three dimensions. The 'Helping Hands' devices for soldering come close but I would really like something with a smoother action and holders less powerful than alligator clips. If anyone can direct me to a suitable device, I would be very grateful.

thanks

"holders less powerful than alligator clips." What do you want to hold, dried Insects? The soldering rig works well for small cut flowers.

MACT Loc: Connecticut

lamiaceae wrote:

"holders less powerful than alligator clips." What do you want to hold, dried Insects? The soldering rig works well for small cut flowers.

Close! Scorpions. The alligator is too strong and crushes them.

Elliott Design Loc: West Tennessee

Wrap rubber bands around the clips to take away some of the squeeze/pressure if the Helping Hands units work, or use a block of modeling clay and florist wire, or florist wires hot-glued to small magnets. You can bend the ends of the wires to make cradles to hold the legs in any position.

MACT wrote:

I am looking for a holder than can position small objects (1-2 inches) and rotate in all three dimensions. The 'Helping Hands' devices for soldering come close but I would really like something with a smoother action and holders less powerful than alligator clips. If anyone can direct me to a suitable device, I would be very grateful.

thanks

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

MACT wrote:

I am looking for a holder than can position small objects (1-2 inches) and rotate in all three dimensions. The 'Helping Hands' devices for soldering come close but I would really like something with a smoother action and holders less powerful than alligator clips. If anyone can direct me to a suitable device, I would be very grateful.

thanks

Some fly-tying vises have variable tension settings, small screws that adjust the tension of the jaws.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

MACT wrote:

Close! Scorpions. The alligator is too strong and crushes them.

OK. Well at least no one made a joke about trying a Caiman clip. ;-) :thumbup:

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

MACT wrote:

Close! Scorpions.

Only one device will work. My size 12 boot. It works well with spiders and other creepy crawlers too.

Jolly Roger Loc: Dorset. UK

MACT wrote:

The alligator is too strong and crushes them.

If you already own the stand with the alligator clips why not try the following. It's a bit Heath Robinson but should work.
Cut a couple of thin strips from an empty plastic bottle. Then affix them to the two outer edges of the clip, using sellotape or other such material.
You should end up with a couple of springy chop sticks. The longer they are the less pressure will be applied.

GENorkus Loc: Washington Twp, Michigan

A long time ago I collected butterflies for a project. I did similar only stationary showing too, bottom sides, etc. on the same bug. (Had multiple of the same.)

Since I already had the bugs pinned, I just held the pins in what orentation I wanted the bug to be shown.

mtbear

So are these live scorpions or mounted? Mike make a difference.

stan0301 Loc: Colorado

Might try heating the clip red hot to take some of the spring out of the clip
Stan

randave2001 Loc: Richmond

Jolly Roger wrote:

If you already own the stand with the alligator clips why not try the following. It's a bit Heath Robinson but should work.
Cut a couple of thin strips from an empty plastic bottle. Then affix them to the two outer edges of the clip, using sellotape or other such material.
You should end up with a couple of springy chop sticks. The longer they are the less pressure will be applied.

That is really funny. I have never heard references to Heath Robinson but to Rube Goldberg instead. Seems they followed similar paths.

Jolly Roger Loc: Dorset. UK

randave2001 wrote:

That is really funny. I have never heard references to Heath Robinson but to Rube Goldberg instead. Seems they followed similar paths.

From Wikipedia.
William Heath Robinson (31 May 1872 13 September 1944) was an English cartoonist and illustrator best known for drawings of ridiculously complicated machines for achieving simple objectives.[1]

In the U.K., the term "Heath Robinson" entered the language during the 19141918 First World War as a description of any unnecessarily complex and implausible contrivance, much as "Rube Goldberg machines" came to be used in the U.S. from the 1930s onwards as a term for similar efforts. "Heath Robinson contraption" is perhaps more often used in relation to temporary fixes using ingenuity and whatever is to hand, often string and tape, or unlikely cannibalisations. Its continuing popularity was undoubtedly linked to Second World War Britain's shortages and the need to "make do and mend".

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Jolly Roger wrote:

From Wikipedia.
William Heath Robinson (31 May 1872 13 September 1944) was an English cartoonist and illustrator best known for drawings of ridiculously complicated machines for achieving simple objectives....

Thank you for that. As a US bred dotard, I had never heard of the English equivalent of Rube Goldberg, with whom I became very familiar. One of the positive advantages of the internet is the opportunity to broaden our knowledge of important historical figures.

I have probably been guilty of constructing many Heath Robinson machines without knowing that term. I get the impression (from the limited samples afforded by the Wikipedia article) that Heath Robinson machines are single complex machines to perform a simple objective, while Rube Goldberg machines are multiple simple machines concatenated to perform a simple objective.