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1.) DParker - 03/24/2016
[B]Disclaimer:[/B] While the RAM Mount system isn't strictly a hunting/fishing/etc product, it has applications in that domain that I think might make it of interest to outdoorsy folks.
When I bought my truck last year, the suction cup-mount cradle I had been using ([URL="http://www.iottie.com/Product/Detail/1073/iOttie-Easy-One-Touch-2-Car-Mount-Holder-for-iPhone-6-_4_7__Plus-_5_5_-_5s_5c_-Samsung-Galaxy-S5_S4_S3_Note-4_3_-Google-Nexus-5_4_-LG-G3"]iOttie Easy One Touch 2[/URL]) in my previous vehicle to hold my cell phone in place for use as a dash cam needed to be replaced. It worked quite well for a long time being mounted on that vehicle's relatively smooth dash board, where the suction cup adhered flawlessly. But the only good mounting spot on my truck has raised bumps on the surface that make the suction cup not work. It adhered great to the windshield, but that placed it in a position that I didn't really like. It's loose construction also made it vibrate like crazy, resulting in shaky video. And more importantly, over time the mechanism that held the phone in place began to weaken and loosen, with the result that sudden jolts (running over speed bumps, pot holes, etc) would sometimes cause the phone to be ejected from the cradle and fall to the center console. No bueno. So, a new, more durable solution better suited to to my vehicle was in order.
Enter [URL="http://www.rammount.com/"]RAM Mounts[/URL], which is a modular component system that's like heavy-duty Legos for temporarily attaching...well...all sorts of stuff, to all manner of things. It consists of an extremely wide variety of components in several categories that can be combined in a near endless number of ways to solve a particular item mounting problem where the ability to rapidly mount/unmount something is required. You can use it to mount mobile devices, cameras, GPS units, printers, etc to just about any surface via either fixed or articulated hardware. The types of components you can choose from and combine into a mounting solution...and the variations on each...are far too numerous to go over here. Suffice it to say that if you can't assemble a good solution to your mounting problem from what they offer, your problem is likely unsolvable. Visit the link provided and poke around the "Shop" section to see what I mean. But don't take the site's prices to heart. RAM Mount stuff can be found on Amazon, eBay or a bunch of other sites at MUCH lower prices, and often pre-combined into assemblies that meet your needs [I]and[/I] give you a better deal than if you'd bought the components separately.
I ended up combining a bolt-on surface mount, a long double-socket arm and an "X-Grip" phone mount into an articulated mount that fit my needs perfectly (shown without phone mounted so you can see more of the mount itself):
The tray it's bolted to in the dashboard is a removable piece of plastic that's cheap and easy to replace, so I had no qualms about drilling holes into it. The only downside to it is that it flexes a little under they weight of the combined mount and phone (and the leverage added by the long arm at that angle doesn't help that situation any), so it still vibrates a [I]little[/I] bit when driving...but nothing like what the previous mount did. The arm clamps on to balls on both the device base and surface mount, giving it a ball-and-socket method of articulation. Once you have the arm and the device mount positioned exactly how you want them you just tighten everything down using the knob in the middle of the arm. It's nigh impossible to over-tighten (this stuff is very well constructed), and once you get it really clamped down the whole mechanism is rock-solid. I installed this one nearly 8 months ago and it hasn't budged, nor have I had to readjust or re-tighten it even once in all that time. The arms on X-Grip that holds the phone are spring-loaded, and you insert/remove the phone by simply squeezing two of the most widely separated arms towards each other, which rotates them into the open position, and then dropping in the phone and then letting go of the arms, which then clamp down on the phone under spring tension. This is also a solid mechanism, and I have yet to have my phone come loose at all, even while driving off-road. The overall assembly [I]is[/I] a bit bulky and clunky looking. But I'm not driving a sports car, and it doesn't look out of place in a pickup truck.
I put this assembly together by finding the surface mount, arm and a diamond base (which I ended up replacing with the X-Grip) as a package deal for $28.50 (and it's still available at that same price: [URL="http://www.amazon.com/RAM-Mount-Flat-Surface-Diamond/dp/B0028SEYAE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458847023&sr=8-1&keywords=RAM+Mount+Flat+Surface+Mount+Long+Arm+w%2FDiamond+Base"]Flat Surface Mount Long Arm w/Diamond Base[/URL]). I found the X-Grip someplace else (I cant' recall where) for about $20 w/free shipping, so my total cost was just under $50, which was cheaper than buying the parts separately, even given that I didn't need the diamond mount (though I may end up using it for something else later). That sounds expensive, and it is...compared to almost all other vehicle mounts for cellphones. But IMHO the quality and performance of the product make the extra cost well worth it. Especially when you consider the consequences of incidents like your $500-$800 smart phone popping out of a cheaper mount and landing screen-side down on your shifter handle.
Bottom line: RAM Mount is good stuff. Call me a fan.
When I bought my truck last year, the suction cup-mount cradle I had been using ([URL="http://www.iottie.com/Product/Detail/1073/iOttie-Easy-One-Touch-2-Car-Mount-Holder-for-iPhone-6-_4_7__Plus-_5_5_-_5s_5c_-Samsung-Galaxy-S5_S4_S3_Note-4_3_-Google-Nexus-5_4_-LG-G3"]iOttie Easy One Touch 2[/URL]) in my previous vehicle to hold my cell phone in place for use as a dash cam needed to be replaced. It worked quite well for a long time being mounted on that vehicle's relatively smooth dash board, where the suction cup adhered flawlessly. But the only good mounting spot on my truck has raised bumps on the surface that make the suction cup not work. It adhered great to the windshield, but that placed it in a position that I didn't really like. It's loose construction also made it vibrate like crazy, resulting in shaky video. And more importantly, over time the mechanism that held the phone in place began to weaken and loosen, with the result that sudden jolts (running over speed bumps, pot holes, etc) would sometimes cause the phone to be ejected from the cradle and fall to the center console. No bueno. So, a new, more durable solution better suited to to my vehicle was in order.
Enter [URL="http://www.rammount.com/"]RAM Mounts[/URL], which is a modular component system that's like heavy-duty Legos for temporarily attaching...well...all sorts of stuff, to all manner of things. It consists of an extremely wide variety of components in several categories that can be combined in a near endless number of ways to solve a particular item mounting problem where the ability to rapidly mount/unmount something is required. You can use it to mount mobile devices, cameras, GPS units, printers, etc to just about any surface via either fixed or articulated hardware. The types of components you can choose from and combine into a mounting solution...and the variations on each...are far too numerous to go over here. Suffice it to say that if you can't assemble a good solution to your mounting problem from what they offer, your problem is likely unsolvable. Visit the link provided and poke around the "Shop" section to see what I mean. But don't take the site's prices to heart. RAM Mount stuff can be found on Amazon, eBay or a bunch of other sites at MUCH lower prices, and often pre-combined into assemblies that meet your needs [I]and[/I] give you a better deal than if you'd bought the components separately.
I ended up combining a bolt-on surface mount, a long double-socket arm and an "X-Grip" phone mount into an articulated mount that fit my needs perfectly (shown without phone mounted so you can see more of the mount itself):
The tray it's bolted to in the dashboard is a removable piece of plastic that's cheap and easy to replace, so I had no qualms about drilling holes into it. The only downside to it is that it flexes a little under they weight of the combined mount and phone (and the leverage added by the long arm at that angle doesn't help that situation any), so it still vibrates a [I]little[/I] bit when driving...but nothing like what the previous mount did. The arm clamps on to balls on both the device base and surface mount, giving it a ball-and-socket method of articulation. Once you have the arm and the device mount positioned exactly how you want them you just tighten everything down using the knob in the middle of the arm. It's nigh impossible to over-tighten (this stuff is very well constructed), and once you get it really clamped down the whole mechanism is rock-solid. I installed this one nearly 8 months ago and it hasn't budged, nor have I had to readjust or re-tighten it even once in all that time. The arms on X-Grip that holds the phone are spring-loaded, and you insert/remove the phone by simply squeezing two of the most widely separated arms towards each other, which rotates them into the open position, and then dropping in the phone and then letting go of the arms, which then clamp down on the phone under spring tension. This is also a solid mechanism, and I have yet to have my phone come loose at all, even while driving off-road. The overall assembly [I]is[/I] a bit bulky and clunky looking. But I'm not driving a sports car, and it doesn't look out of place in a pickup truck.
I put this assembly together by finding the surface mount, arm and a diamond base (which I ended up replacing with the X-Grip) as a package deal for $28.50 (and it's still available at that same price: [URL="http://www.amazon.com/RAM-Mount-Flat-Surface-Diamond/dp/B0028SEYAE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458847023&sr=8-1&keywords=RAM+Mount+Flat+Surface+Mount+Long+Arm+w%2FDiamond+Base"]Flat Surface Mount Long Arm w/Diamond Base[/URL]). I found the X-Grip someplace else (I cant' recall where) for about $20 w/free shipping, so my total cost was just under $50, which was cheaper than buying the parts separately, even given that I didn't need the diamond mount (though I may end up using it for something else later). That sounds expensive, and it is...compared to almost all other vehicle mounts for cellphones. But IMHO the quality and performance of the product make the extra cost well worth it. Especially when you consider the consequences of incidents like your $500-$800 smart phone popping out of a cheaper mount and landing screen-side down on your shifter handle.
Bottom line: RAM Mount is good stuff. Call me a fan.
2.) bluecat - 03/24/2016
You're a fan.
3.) bluecat - 03/24/2016
Looks like a nice mount.
4.) DParker - 03/24/2016
[QUOTE=bluecat;40391]You're a fan.[/QUOTE]
Thanks. Now, can you call me a taxi?
Thanks. Now, can you call me a taxi?
5.) Swamp Fox - 03/29/2016
I tried to post some pics from my smartphone but couldn't figure out how to load them up here, but it's not a $500-800 smartphone either, so maybe that's the problem. :wink
Seriously, somebody clue me in on how to do it "in your spare time." I get as far as the little "insert image" icon on the reply box but then everything comes to a screeching halt.
Now this laptop's space key has decided to crap out after a week of disuse, so I've also got that going for me.:-)
Anyway, I use a lot of Ram stuff, especially for fishing. I thought this might be of interest to someone. In the absence of my own easily-managed photos, use your imaginations for the finished product:
[B]Home Brew Boat-or-Wherever Mounted Spotlight:[/B]
Begin with the 1.5-inch ball Ram Base of some shape:
Bolt to Streamlight Waypoint Spotlight Holder:
Add stem. This is double-ended to go with the track system below, but you can get something for permanent mounting/some other base, if you prefer:
Track ball (1.5-inch)with t-bolt on bottom to run in track:
Track system to accept t-bolt ball. I use a couple of versions of the tracks from Yak Attack. Pre-installed on many boats, or put them on gear like coolers, etc. I mount the light on the tracks on my gunnels, and I put a track on the top of my battery box, which mostly rides up front. This places the spotlight above the bow in the little boats I use. (You can use the long stem if you need extra height.)
Insert spotlight.:wink
Seriously, somebody clue me in on how to do it "in your spare time." I get as far as the little "insert image" icon on the reply box but then everything comes to a screeching halt.
Now this laptop's space key has decided to crap out after a week of disuse, so I've also got that going for me.:-)
Anyway, I use a lot of Ram stuff, especially for fishing. I thought this might be of interest to someone. In the absence of my own easily-managed photos, use your imaginations for the finished product:
[B]Home Brew Boat-or-Wherever Mounted Spotlight:[/B]
Begin with the 1.5-inch ball Ram Base of some shape:
Bolt to Streamlight Waypoint Spotlight Holder:
Add stem. This is double-ended to go with the track system below, but you can get something for permanent mounting/some other base, if you prefer:
Track ball (1.5-inch)with t-bolt on bottom to run in track:
Track system to accept t-bolt ball. I use a couple of versions of the tracks from Yak Attack. Pre-installed on many boats, or put them on gear like coolers, etc. I mount the light on the tracks on my gunnels, and I put a track on the top of my battery box, which mostly rides up front. This places the spotlight above the bow in the little boats I use. (You can use the long stem if you need extra height.)
Insert spotlight.:wink
6.) DParker - 03/29/2016
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;40439]I tried to post some pics from my smartphone...[/QUOTE]
Wait a minute. When did you get all uppity and get yourself a smart phone?
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;40439]Seriously, somebody clue me in on how to do it "in your spare time." I get as far as the little "insert image" icon on the reply box but then everything comes to a screeching halt.[/quote]
There are two basic options, with yet another "sub-option" available on one of the first two:
1) On the "Insert Image" dialog box there are 2 tabs that give you 2 different methods for retrieving the image you want to include in your post: On the left is "From Computer", which will allow you to retrieve the image from the device you're posting from (phone, PC, whatever) and upload it to the HC server, which will then embed a thumbnail of the image into your message.
2) As the name implies, the tab on the right, labeled "From URL", allows you to enter enter the URL of an existing image somewhere on the Internet. This can either be an image you've uploaded to a photo-hosting service (like Photobucket) or just the URL of some image on some other website (how you obtain such URLs is another subject that depends on which browser you're using). This tab is where you'll find the "sub-option" I mentioned before. Under the URL text box you'll see a check box labeled "Retrieve remote file and reference locally", which is checked by default. Typically you'll want to UNcheck this. Doing so allows the HC server to embed in your post a reference to the target image as it exists on the server that is hosting the web page you found it on, rather than retrieving a copy of it, storing that copy on the BC server and then referencing that copy. Obviously that's easier on Alex's server because he doesn't have to clutter up his hard drive with copies of stuff that a browser can simply retrieve from the original website when the page with your post on it is loaded. The downside is that you're counting on the original website to not change or do away with that image before everyone stops reading your post.
Clear as mud?
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;40439]Anyway, I use a lot of Ram stuff, especially for fishing. I thought this might be of interest to someone. In the absence of my own easily-managed photos, use your imaginations for the finished product:
[B]Home Brew Boat-or-Wherever Mounted Spotlight:[/B]
Begin with the 1.5-inch ball Ram Base of some shape:
Bolt to Streamlight Waypoint Spotlight Holder:
Add stem. This is double-ended to go with the track system below, but you can get something for permanent mounting/some other base, if you prefer:
Track ball (1.5-inch)with t-bolt on bottom to run in track:
Track system to accept t-bolt ball. I use a couple of versions of the tracks from Yak Attack. Pre-installed on many boats, or put them on gear like coolers, etc. I mount the light on the tracks on my gunnels, and I put a track on the top of my battery box, which mostly rides up front. This places the spotlight above the bow in the little boats I use. (You can use the long stem if you need extra height.)
Insert spotlight.:wink[/QUOTE]
Excellent!
Wait a minute. When did you get all uppity and get yourself a smart phone?
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;40439]Seriously, somebody clue me in on how to do it "in your spare time." I get as far as the little "insert image" icon on the reply box but then everything comes to a screeching halt.[/quote]
There are two basic options, with yet another "sub-option" available on one of the first two:
1) On the "Insert Image" dialog box there are 2 tabs that give you 2 different methods for retrieving the image you want to include in your post: On the left is "From Computer", which will allow you to retrieve the image from the device you're posting from (phone, PC, whatever) and upload it to the HC server, which will then embed a thumbnail of the image into your message.
2) As the name implies, the tab on the right, labeled "From URL", allows you to enter enter the URL of an existing image somewhere on the Internet. This can either be an image you've uploaded to a photo-hosting service (like Photobucket) or just the URL of some image on some other website (how you obtain such URLs is another subject that depends on which browser you're using). This tab is where you'll find the "sub-option" I mentioned before. Under the URL text box you'll see a check box labeled "Retrieve remote file and reference locally", which is checked by default. Typically you'll want to UNcheck this. Doing so allows the HC server to embed in your post a reference to the target image as it exists on the server that is hosting the web page you found it on, rather than retrieving a copy of it, storing that copy on the BC server and then referencing that copy. Obviously that's easier on Alex's server because he doesn't have to clutter up his hard drive with copies of stuff that a browser can simply retrieve from the original website when the page with your post on it is loaded. The downside is that you're counting on the original website to not change or do away with that image before everyone stops reading your post.
Clear as mud?
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;40439]Anyway, I use a lot of Ram stuff, especially for fishing. I thought this might be of interest to someone. In the absence of my own easily-managed photos, use your imaginations for the finished product:
[B]Home Brew Boat-or-Wherever Mounted Spotlight:[/B]
Begin with the 1.5-inch ball Ram Base of some shape:
Bolt to Streamlight Waypoint Spotlight Holder:
Add stem. This is double-ended to go with the track system below, but you can get something for permanent mounting/some other base, if you prefer:
Track ball (1.5-inch)with t-bolt on bottom to run in track:
Track system to accept t-bolt ball. I use a couple of versions of the tracks from Yak Attack. Pre-installed on many boats, or put them on gear like coolers, etc. I mount the light on the tracks on my gunnels, and I put a track on the top of my battery box, which mostly rides up front. This places the spotlight above the bow in the little boats I use. (You can use the long stem if you need extra height.)
Insert spotlight.:wink[/QUOTE]
Excellent!
7.) bluecat - 03/29/2016
Ahem...the Johnson flange [B]should[/B] couple with the tie rods and the offset sear pin while maintaining contact with the left-handed spring nut bolt assembly so as to not put undo stress on the ejector ports.
8.) DParker - 03/29/2016
[I]There she was, tuggin' on my Johnson flange....[/I]
9.) Swamp Fox - 03/29/2016
LOL...I've noticed that the nut behind the bolt causes a lot of problems with rifles sometimes...
Regarding smartphones: I got one last summer, supposedly as a more efficient way for me to have a hotspot and spend my money, rather than paying the $50 I was shelling out every month for a dedicated hotspot device. To make a long story short, the people at Verizon are of two varieties: those who don't know what they're talking about, and those who only figure out what YOU'RE talking about after hours and multiple phone calls. In summation, it is not more efficient, but it is more expensive for less data. :bang:
But on the plus side, I now have yet another phone number and voice mailbox to keep track of. :re:
As far as posting pics goes, Roger That on all that above. That's how I post pics with the laptops (with the added annoyance that Alex's system posts EVERYTHING I upload straight from my computer as a dang teeny tiny thumbnail. Didn't used to be that way in the previous version of HC/BC.)
So, not to hijack the thread, but the problem with posting from the smartphone (first time trying it) is that when you tap the little picture icon, my screen goes light-colored and non-responsive to further tapping, gentle or otherwise. That is, the process cannot proceed to the point where you choose where you want to pick up the picture from, although I think I somehow got that option one time before becoming stymied for who-knows-what-reason at that point also.
I thought I was all boss and metrosexual and stuff when I took these pictures with the phone for y'all, but I guess I'm not metrosexual enough to know how to post them anywhere, LOL.
Regarding smartphones: I got one last summer, supposedly as a more efficient way for me to have a hotspot and spend my money, rather than paying the $50 I was shelling out every month for a dedicated hotspot device. To make a long story short, the people at Verizon are of two varieties: those who don't know what they're talking about, and those who only figure out what YOU'RE talking about after hours and multiple phone calls. In summation, it is not more efficient, but it is more expensive for less data. :bang:
But on the plus side, I now have yet another phone number and voice mailbox to keep track of. :re:
As far as posting pics goes, Roger That on all that above. That's how I post pics with the laptops (with the added annoyance that Alex's system posts EVERYTHING I upload straight from my computer as a dang teeny tiny thumbnail. Didn't used to be that way in the previous version of HC/BC.)
So, not to hijack the thread, but the problem with posting from the smartphone (first time trying it) is that when you tap the little picture icon, my screen goes light-colored and non-responsive to further tapping, gentle or otherwise. That is, the process cannot proceed to the point where you choose where you want to pick up the picture from, although I think I somehow got that option one time before becoming stymied for who-knows-what-reason at that point also.
I thought I was all boss and metrosexual and stuff when I took these pictures with the phone for y'all, but I guess I'm not metrosexual enough to know how to post them anywhere, LOL.
10.) DParker - 03/29/2016
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;40448]So, not to hijack the thread, but the problem with posting from the smartphone (first time trying it) is that when you tap the little picture icon, my screen goes light-colored and non-responsive to further tapping, gentle or otherwise. That is, the process cannot proceed to the point where you choose where you want to pick up the picture from, although I think I somehow got that option one time before becoming stymied for who-knows-what-reason at that point also.[/QUOTE]
That sounds like a problem with whatever browser you're using. All smart phones come with a browser pre-installed, but they mostly suck. I installed Chrome on my Android phone and use it instead, and have no problems with any of the BC site functionality.
That sounds like a problem with whatever browser you're using. All smart phones come with a browser pre-installed, but they mostly suck. I installed Chrome on my Android phone and use it instead, and have no problems with any of the BC site functionality.
11.) Swamp Fox - 03/29/2016
Okay, I thought I was on Chrome to get on the forum, but I'll check.
Thx.
Thx.
12.) Swamp Fox - 03/29/2016
I took some pictures of some bad plumbing with my trusty flip phone (still my primary phone, so everyone can just hold their applause) and sent them to a buddy with no problems and no innernet a while back (after some instruction, LOL) but I need to go back to school to justify what I'm paying for a smartphone that might or might not communicate with a website...LOL...Go figure...
In semi-related news, Ram makes a laptop mount for your vehicle that I'm tempted to try for those times when that would be handy. It would beat the hell out of neck surgery, and feeling like your steering wheel should be retractable, like in the Batmobile...
In semi-related news, Ram makes a laptop mount for your vehicle that I'm tempted to try for those times when that would be handy. It would beat the hell out of neck surgery, and feeling like your steering wheel should be retractable, like in the Batmobile...
13.) bluecat - 03/29/2016
I don't think you should be driving and trying to post hunting pics. Just sayin.
14.) Swamp Fox - 03/30/2016
You're saying this site doesn't need more activity?---LOL