This past weekend I picked up a very handy gadget, a Helping Hand. Two adjustable alligator claws to hold circuit boards or small work pieces, a holder for my soldering iron, and a LED lighted magnifier make my Arduino experimentations a lot easier. $10 at “Workshop Tools“.
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The helping hand alligator clips are prone to damage when the clamping screw is tightened. A short piece of thin rod or 6-32 threaded rod can be inserted into the tubular end of the alligator clamp to provide a solid core that will allow the screw to be tightened much more securely without damaging the clip.