Joystick rest top ?

[rmist]

I currently have a older Bald Eagle slingshot with windage top... bolted to a 3/4" piece of steel. It's a long reach for the knobs since I changed position to shooting behind the gun (which I like much better). So, I'm looking into the joystick tops. I have read a lot here on the forum about them. It's been a long time since anyone has talked about them. I have been seriously looking at the Shadetree top. Any pros and cons to this top?? Do you need to make any changes to it for the heavier guns? This is going to be used strictly for 17lb class 600/1000 yard BR gun. Or suggestion for another top.
Thanx again

 

[Tim Singleton]

I'm completely satisfied with my shadtree top

Butch is a good guy

 

[letronshootit]

+1 well built, just put it on a good base which you have

 

[Tozguy]

Am very happy with my Shadetree top and Butch's service.

 

[vtmarmot]

Same here. All pro, no con. I used a reinforced Edgewood front bag.

 

[Mega]

Do yourself a favour and sell the whole Front Rest you have and buy a Farley.

A few years ago I purchased an Shadetree Coaxial Top to put on my Caldwell Rock BR 1,000 and the problems started from there. For a start the centre post was not anywhere near a replacement being a 1"-5 Acme and Butch made the statement he had never heard of that size in a Caldwell. Well, they must have made many and they are a much heavier duty Front Rest than the normal Caldwell Rock by about half the weight again and overall dimensions which make the normal Rock look like a baby.

Anyway, many months trying to adapt the Shadetree by in a country area finding a person that could and was willing to make a new centre post. No go so I purchased a large steel 1"-5 Nut, drilled / tapped and added spikes so the elevation part would work with the original Caldwell Post.

Next problem, the Joystick has a lot of "Freeplay" and I mean a lot which is a pain in the arse. All the adjustments thinkable will not remove this play when doing minor adjustments to sighting. It was a known problem confirmed to me by the Australian Distributor and Butch had no solution. Maybe this has been fixed since but I have heard of no remedy to fix mine. It is really not very smooth at all which creates another problem with precision shooting.

Fine using the Shadetree as a rough front adjustment then revert to fine adjustments by squeezing the rear bag.....Not on and defeats the design.

For just a Front Rest Top that isn't that great and here in Australia is half the price of a Farley I would not recommend a Shadetree to my worst enemy. I still have my setup as I would not sell an item that doesn't perform properly. It's better than the original Caldwell Rest Top but not by much. My Shadetree is gathering dust in the shed, comes out sometimes when a few friends turn up and we need another front rest. The comments when they swap to the Farley are quite surprising and not nice.

I would buy another Farley at the drop of a hat since it's so smooth, easy and very quick to adjust.

Just my thoughts from a very unhappy Shadetree owner.

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

I have a Shadetree on a Hart base. Works flawlessly -- very smooth and stable. Butch was great to deal with.

 

[Gergg]

I have a Shadetree on a Hart rest and it works great as well, plenty smooth and I don't notice any free-play at all. I've only used it a few times, but so far so good.

 

[butchlambert]

Do yourself a favour and sell the whole Front Rest you have and buy a Farley.

A few years ago I purchased an Shadetree Coaxial Top to put on my Caldwell Rock BR 1,000 and the problems started from there. For a start the centre post was not anywhere near a replacement being a 1"-5 Acme and Butch made the statement he had never heard of that size in a Caldwell. Well, they must have made many and they are a much heavier duty Front Rest than the normal Caldwell Rock by about half the weight again and overall dimensions which make the normal Rock look like a baby.

Anyway, many months trying to adapt the Shadetree by in a country area finding a person that could and was willing to make a new centre post. No go so I purchased a large steel 1"-5 Nut, drilled / tapped and added spikes so the elevation part would work with the original Caldwell Post.

Next problem, the Joystick has a lot of "Freeplay" and I mean a lot which is a pain in the arse. All the adjustments thinkable will not remove this play when doing minor adjustments to sighting. It was a known problem confirmed to me by the Australian Distributor and Butch had no solution. Maybe this has been fixed since but I have heard of no remedy to fix mine. It is really not very smooth at all which creates another problem with precision shooting.

Fine using the Shadetree as a rough front adjustment then revert to fine adjustments by squeezing the rear bag.....Not on and defeats the design.

For just a Front Rest Top that isn't that great and here in Australia is half the price of a Farley I would not recommend a Shadetree to my worst enemy. I still have my setup as I would not sell an item that doesn't perform properly. It's better than the original Caldwell Rest Top but not by much. My Shadetree is gathering dust in the shed, comes out sometimes when a few friends turn up and we need another front rest. The comments when they swap to the Farley are quite surprising and not nice.

I would buy another Farley at the drop of a hat since it's so smooth, easy and very quick to adjust.

Just my thoughts from a very unhappy Shadetree owner.

Mega,
Caldwell never made a 1"x5acme. They originally came with a 1"X12 vee thread and in the last couple years started using a 7/8"x6 Acme. I have supplied them from the get go. I will email Stuart Elliott in Australia and ask about your problem. You have never contacted me and my website and email, and phone number are available.

 

[lmorrison17]

I have a shade tree top on BE slingshot bolted to a piece of steel too also 17# gun. I beat guys with Sebs and Farleys regularly. Buy the shadetree and spend the money you save on bullets. Oh I did have to make an extension for the handle. Mine is as smooth as butter and work great for fine aiming. It's all in the tension adjustment, there touchy and it takes some fiddling to get it just right.

 

[Old Navy]

Am very happy with my Shadetree top and Butch's service.

+1 Later! Frank

 

[letronshootit]

Adjustments are easy you get a feel for the tension you want on the joystick drag, a great design! Butch is a very helpful fellow to deal with on the phone and on this site.

 

[rmist]

Cool.... Thanx for the good reviews !!

 

[Pappy42]

Shadetree on an older Sinclair base; really like how it works. Butch is really good to deal with.

 

[CJ6]

I bought Butch's personal F/R and couldn't be happier...Thanks again Butch. But one thing that I will add here is that "IF" you're not currently using this style (NOT just Butch's) of F/R you may need to look at getting a taller R/R (or bag) which is what I ended up doing (I needed a new one anyway so this was a good excuse). Current rifle weight is 21.5lbs. and it stays "put" and adjusts very smoothly.

 

[Mega]

Caldwell never made a 1"x5acme.

Sorry, but you were contacted by Stuart and that is what you said way back then BUT.....

Caldwell - The Rock BR 1000 Yard Model Part #171209, Lot # 12/17/09 A

From Page 8 "The Rock BR 1000" Assembly, Care and Usage Instructions ..... Bill of Material.

Item #6 Elevation Ram 1-5 ACME Part No. 1009193
Item #7 Elevation Wheel 1-5 ACHME Part No. 1009262

Just to clear up a point that I'm not telling stories here are the photo's.

 

[Gergg]

I don't know anything about 1-5 ACME, but I did shoot my Shadetree joystick again Monday and it was awesome ;D

 

[butchlambert]

Mega,
I have been selling them for over 8 years. I have also sold over 800 units. I have never been contacted about your problems. Just to make this up front, have you ever contacted me about your problem?
I would expect that if you changed the post it may need to be assembled properly and adjusted properly.
If I had a problem with a manufacture, I would not whine on a forum and would go straight to the person responsible for your problem. First that would be you or the person that rebuilt your rest top and secondly to me.
My email is shadetree.order@gmail.com.

 

[lmorrison17]

My shade tree top helped me smoke the DE mid-range championship this past weekend!

 

[timeout]

I don't know anything about 1-5 ACME, but I did shoot my Shadetree joystick again Monday and it was awesome ;D

I haven't checked. Did you give me good trader feed back?? ;D ;D