"hill style screws and barrels"

[Soupy1957]

I'm getting ready to order a couple of Arm Rests, and I saw that the "Hill Style Screws and Barrels" are $5.00 more.
# I thought that most Arm Rests come "ready to install" and was wondering what these "extras" are?
# #-Soupy1957

[mikeo2]

Doug Edwards, here from the cafe, sent me 2 armrests recently, one with and one without hill screws... Here's an "in-progress" picture to show the difference (the one on the left is hill screws). Either way, your armrest will be ready to install. I think the hill screws look a little neater, so I use that one on my main mandolin.


http://mikeo2.com/temp/armrests copy.jpg

[Soupy1957]

Mike: is there more of a chance of the Armrest slipping off, with the Hill screws, since it would appear that LESS material is being held by the smaller pads?
-Soupy1957

[mythicfish]

Soup (Can I call you "Soup"?)

I've had the Hill-style brackets on my arm rest/instrument since the summer ... I've tightened them about 3 or 4 times.
I Like 'em. Like most accessories, the decision to use them or not is not one that you agonize over.

Curt

[Soupy1957]

mythicfish:
"Soup" is something I'm used to..no worries.

I'm curious why you had to re-tighten? I wonder if the wood is compressing and some potential damage is right around the corner.

I've been told that I should measure the width of the bodies of my two mandos before ordering the "Hill" clamp set up, which I presume to be because there are tighter limits to the adjusters on the "Hill" version?.

If the "Hill" versions were to slip, I would be less surprised than if the standard clamp setup did.

No "agonizing" here, just being detail oriented, as is my nature. That's why I make a good QA Tech.. Attention to detail has saved my tail more than once. Even if it IS painful for others.(lol)

-Soupy1957

[Paul Hostetter]

...is there more of a chance of the Armrest slipping off, with the Hill screws, since it would appear that LESS material is being held by the smaller pads?
Based on my experience with violins, I'd say yes.

Any of these clamping mechanisms will eventually leave a permanent mark. You can mitigate this a bit by being real careful about the padding.

[Soupy1957]

Paul: as I'm sure you know, the "padding" on these is typically cork. As cork gets old it gets hard, and I expect it to stick to the finish over time.

The upside would be that, since I plan on using the Arm Rests for the rest of the life of the Mando or me, (which ever comes first..lol), I suppose I don't care if it marks it or not.

-Soupy1957

P.S.: today I ordered two of the handmade Arm Rests from Doug Edwards, (http://ntbbluegrass.com/mandolin.html):

a) Because he makes them himself and I like handmade stuff
b) Because they are less expensive than what I have typically
found on the Web.
c) Because I love the Curly Maple

Pray for Doug and his family, ok?! His mom just passed away this past
Monday, and I'm sure he'd appreciate it!

[MandoSquirrel]

I've been thinking of getting another armrest for another mando (I recently put a Cumberland on my Breedlove) & I've been thinking Doug might be a good way to go; on the 'puter they look good, price is competitive, he's a cafeer(?) doing it himself, & he seems like a great guy.
I was sorry to read about his Mom, too, I remembered he had mentioned her being sick.

[cooper4205]

i have had both kinds of of clamps on two different armrests, IMO the to non-hill screws are the way to go.

the screws on the rest i had with the hill-clamps were more difficult to line-up and tighten on the mandolin, and when i would get it in position to tighten, if i wasn't cafeful on of the posts would slip, scratch the mando a little and then i would have to start again.

the king brown armrest i have that has the clamp assembly like the assemblem armrest is easier to put on and take of, hasn't left marks on the mando and doesn't come loose. the only time i have had to tighten it was when i took it off to clean the mando, or change strings (it covers the tailpiece because i lost the TP cover).

also, the joined clamp is easier to tighten because you turn the post by sticking a turner tool (don't know what else to call it) that comes with it into the holes on the side of the posts themselves and then tightening them. it eliminates the chance that your screw driver might slip out of the small flat-head screws that are in the posts of the hill-style clamp. that's just my experience, others may vary.

[Soupy1957]

I was thinkin through the logic of the tightening screws for the Armrests, and I figure what you've got there, are reverse threads on either end, so that as you turn the adjuster, it is left-hand threads on one end, and right-hand threads on the other end, permitting the mutual tightening of the Armrest, yes? (hmmmmmm....Basic Engineering 101).

All our thoughts and prayers to Doug and his family, every day.

-Soupy1957

[mythicfish]

Following is the text of my new Buyers Guide in its latest revised form:

A. #Buy what you like.
B. #Use it in any manner deemed suitable.
C. #Take full responsibility for your actions/decisions
4. #Learn what you can from your experiencies.

Repeat as necessary.


Curt