This is my set of helping hands. It makes soldering and a lot of other things much easier. They sell these things but you can make one exactly to you needs, better and for less money. I used slate for my base but you can really use anything wood, etc. I choose slate because it was heavy enough to provide a stable base and durable plus it was only a couple of bucks at the hardware store. Then you need some heavy gauge copper wire, nut, bolt, large washer, and whatever you are going to do for "hands." I prefer alligator clips for the most versatility but if you always need a light or magnifying glass you could permanently attach those if you wished. You need to cut a recess in the bottom of you base so it will lay flush and not wobble. I used a Dremmel for mine. Then wrap however many arms you need around the bolt and and tighten it down. The only tricky thing is arm length and gauge. The longer the arm the less stable it will be. The shorter and thicker gauge wire the arm has the less malleable it is. Strike a balance to your needs. I also choose to solder the clips on. You could probably just crimp them but I like to make sure they stay stuck. It really is an invaluable tool.