Xacto X75170 X-tra Hands with Magnifier

by Xacto

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The X75170 is a dual alligator clamp for flexible and accurate work. Holds work in any position for molding and hobbies. Two times magnifier for close, exacting work.

Product Description

Features Dual alligator clamps for flexible and accurate work. Holds work in any position for modeling and hobbies. 2X magnifier for close, exacting work. Sturdy weighted base. Leaves hands free. Height: 6-5/8" Width: 5"

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.1 x 1.8 inches ; 1.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0006NDZR6
• Item model number: X75170
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,071 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Sturdy. High quality, February 20, 2008

By 

Adam Flath "-adam flath" (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Xacto X75170 X-tra Hands with Magnifier (Tools & Home Improvement)

PROS:
-Heavy (So it wont tip over)
-Magnifying Glass
-Grippy base
-Cheap

Cons
- Adjustment isnt easy as pie.

When I first ordered this, I was wondering how on earth it would stand up without falling down. Surprisingly the stand is very heavy for how small it is. You can arrange this little guy in every any any direction you want. If you plan on doing any hobby work like soldering or model building, this investment will pay for itself as soon as you use it once.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great but pierces insulation., March 18, 2010

By 

Damian Cross "DC" (Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Xacto X75170 X-tra Hands with Magnifier (Tools & Home Improvement)

First off, this is a great device; it holds things firmly, doesn't fall over, and it was built well. The arms are a little tough to adjust, but once you get used to it, it is not that bad. Anyway, it is seldom that I have to adjust the arms because I can usually get the wires in a useful position by changing the place at which the wires are clamped.

Anyway, I think that this thing is great and it is unimaginably helpful at fixturing wires and other components; however, the clips are so strong (when they are new anyway) that the "teeth" puncture the insulation of the wires that are clipped. I found that the clips come in contact with the copper wire to a point where they begin to heatsink the wire; this made soldering a little more difficult until I decided to wrap each "jaw" of the clips with electrical tape. This mod makes the clips less aggressive and leaves them effective enough to hold wires securely.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Holds Great, Magnifies Poorly, April 10, 2008

By 

Blueroom57 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Xacto X75170 X-tra Hands with Magnifier (Tools & Home Improvement)

I've started in on a project that requires a lot of small soldering work on circuit boards. My hands aren't very steady so I have difficulty with such small work. Added to that the tiny tiny color bands and markings on components were giving me a head ache trying to decifer them with my unaided eye. This gizmo seemed like the perfect solution to my challenges.

It definately does a great job of holding small components steady for soldering and the adjustability of the arm positions works well. My only complaint is that the magnification is very low. Myabe 2X at best I think. Fortunately my vision just needed a very small boost to help identify the parts without getting eye strain so it works o.k. for me. If you can't see small stuff at all to start with this product may not provide enough magnification to help.

Overall the construction seems to be sturdy and as noted by others the base is good and heavy for its size.