Decent helping hands/vise/other?

I have a cheap helping hands. I'm frustrated with the little wingnuts and how it doesn't hold much weight or force (for instance, it's impossible to use for desoldering).

I've thought about a PanaVise, but I can't figure out what model(s) to get for desktop work with fairly small boards (i.e., arduino shield size).

Or, am I missing something else? I need a third hand of some kind, just can't figure out what.

I've got the PanaVise 315 with a base + tray (effectively the 324 kit without the solder station stuff attached). I have been extremely pleased with it. I've held boards from about 3/4" wide up to about 3 times the size of an arduino.

-j