Handheld Solder Aid

This is a little gadget I've been wanting to make for a long time. It is used to solder a straight seamless wire splice and is especially handy when making repairs to wires that are still attached to something or situated at an awkward angle.

The problem I've had in the past when making this type of connection is one of control . There is always the need to control 3 things (iron, solder, and wires to be spliced) and only 2 hands to work with. Even tinning a single wire end that is dangling in mid air can be difficult.

The solution I came up with allows me to clamp and position my wires while still being able to manipulate them with my middle finger. I hold my solder roll with my pinkie and control the solder end with my thumb and index finger. My other hand holds the iron. yes it is a bit of a juggle, but once I got the hang of controlling everything, it worked well. If you tin the wires you can then use your thumb to press the wire together. This isn't necessary though as the