Methods and systems for supporting and/or positioning mechanical components or tools, the methods and system employing work stands that have a moveable base, a vertical support member disposed on the moveable base, a support platform attached to an upper end of the vertical support member via a support coupling that permits independent rotational movement of the support platform, a plurality of extendable arms that are each pivotally coupled at a lower end to the vertical support member and pivotally coupled at an upper end to the support platform, and each extendable arm can be independently and controllably extended and retracted. The work stands further include a controller for controllably extending and retracting the extendable arms to position the support platform in a desired orientation, and a user input coupled to the controller and configured so that a user employing the controller can position the support platform in the desired orientation.