I like this idea for a print-in-place board holder for soldering, but would not want to use PLA. I have PET-CF which I don’t often use (CF is scary stuff!) but it’s very high temperature Tg, and I wonder whether it would also make for ESD safety due to CF conductivity. Not sure how to test that effectively, and since I already have a proper bench setup with various kinds of supports I’m not sure I have a real need to add to the mess.
I think I would redesign this substantially if I were going to print it; not using circular sliders, but rather use thinner slots and rectangular sliders, possibly tapered at least near the top to avoid getting in the way of soldering.
There’s no real reason for it to be print in place; the slots don’t have to be closed. If they were open, you could slide different kinds of supports in from the sides depending on the workpiece.
I’m a little tempted to think about how to design it as a multi-part print and add a scroll (like a chuck) instead of using rubber bands, but I haven’t figured out how to make such a mechanism work well.
I’ve only got 2 helping hands for PCB; 1 old Adafruit with wingnuts and 2 alligator clips and 2 is a small 2 armed clamp with slots in the arms and a thumbscrew to clamp.
I use a little (scruffy) leather beanbag 2/3 full of gravel. Then sort of make a ‘nest’ for the board. I find this faster and less fiddly than trying to clamp boards down.
It’s a trick I learned from the ‘board customisation’ production soldering crew at a plant where I worked.
I’d be concerned about ESD with a gravel bag though…
Among other things, I recently got a set that includes magnetic pillars with points on the top that can go into mounting holes on PCBs. It also has a magnetic mount gooseneck magnifying glass that I expect to be a great help.
I like the idea but the implementation is not practical. Those big plastic blobs will be in my way when soldering. I think one or two M3 screws in top of those things makes a smaller grip on the PCB.
