An Obvious Question? Wing nuts

[trynberg]

I use them for three reasons: 1) what if?, 2) control angle, and 3) I like to damp some of the motion on my "white noise" crashes.

However, I only use the Pearl or Gibraltar quick-release toppers...ain't nobody got time for wingnuts.

 

[drumgadget]

Okay...question...what is the point of using wing nuts?

Allow me to explain.

Many years ago they used to make an attachment where you could slip the cymble right over it withput having to unscrew it. It made perfect sense. But they stopped making them. But think about it...would you really ever hit a cymbal so hard that you'd knock it off the stand? I don't think it'd even be possible.

So I don't use wingnuts and it's never a problem and it saves me time setting up and breaking down. Am I wrong? Or have others (I'm sure) figured this out as well. I'm surprised anyone hasn't.

Possibly the worst of reasons ...... but I think the bare thread extending above the cymbal just looks ..... unfinished. Like you lost a part from your hardware. Despite the occasional "dark stage grope" after dropping a wingnut, I don't mind taking the extra 10 seconds to screw on/unscrew .....

A better reason is to secure the sleeve, felt, and base washer when the stand is packed away or lying on the floor during setup/teardown.

Funny aside: I know one very excellent local jazz player who hits with great finesse, lets his cymbals swing freely, but always uses both a top felt and a nut. I once asked why the top felt - got a lecture on the possibility of the cymbal bouncing up and striking the underside of the nut. Could happen, I suppose - but I never (well, mostly never) use that top felt.

Mike

 

[Squirrel Man]

Besides, I stopped voting republican a long time ago.

...oh snap

 

[mikesdrums]

Because if you don't have a wingnut on the stand, the sleeve, washer, and bottom felt fall off when you transport the stand. Then, when you have the stand set up with a cymbal on it, you need a convenient place to store the wingnut, so you put it back on the stand. All the solutions for using something other than a wingnut are fine, but not having one at all doesn't make sense to me unless you never take your drums anywhere.

 

[Polska]

Because if you don't have a wingnut on the stand, the sleeve, washer, and bottom felt fall off when you transport the stand. Then, when you have the stand set up with a cymbal on it, you need a convenient place to store the wingnut, so you put it back on the stand. All the solutions for using something other than a wingnut are fine, but not having one at all doesn't make sense to me unless you never take your drums anywhere.

Yep, never thought about the felt and the sleeve falling off. Not a worry for me as I've always used toppers. Probably mostly because I always have. Old habits you know. I grabbed some of those Sweet Spot toppers in a color that compliments my kit and I like them. Plus they are big enough not to fumble, and it only takes a second to pop 'em on.

 

[blueshadow]

I bought t tops for all my stands years ago. Same effect as no wing nut but would keep the cymbal from falling off

 

[ThomasL]

Besides, I stopped voting republican a long time ago.

...oh snap

View attachment 614207

I think your post might belong in this thread?

OT - Does your personality or sense of humor ever get you in trouble?

Mine does. I honestly never intend to hurt anyone, but sometimes misunderstandings have been known to happen. And yes, sometimes I regret things said in jest after the fact. I do try to control my darker impulses, but sometimes I just can't help myself. I am only human after all.

www.drumforum.org

 

[TheBeachBoy]

Because if you don't have a wingnut on the stand, the sleeve, washer, and bottom felt fall off when you transport the stand. Then, when you have the stand set up with a cymbal on it, you need a convenient place to store the wingnut, so you put it back on the stand. All the solutions for using something other than a wingnut are fine, but not having one at all doesn't make sense to me unless you never take your drums anywhere.

I used Shoe Goo to hold the felt to the washer and the camber t-top keeps the sleeve in place, which keeps the felt/washer combo in place.

 

[TheDrummerFromAmsterdam]

Okay...question...what is the point of using wing nuts?

Allow me to explain.

Many years ago they used to make an attachment where you could slip the cymble right over it withput having to unscrew it. It made perfect sense. But they stopped making them. But think about it...would you really ever hit a cymbal so hard that you'd knock it off the stand? I don't think it'd even be possible.

So I don't use wingnuts and it's never a problem and it saves me time setting up and breaking down. Am I wrong? Or have others (I'm sure) figured this out as well. I'm surprised anyone hasn't.

I only use wingnuts on a china and splashes.

That being said. Not using wignuts makes the cymbal swing more freely and chews up plastic sleeves quicker I have noticed.

 

[drums1225]

I have never and would never play without some type of cymbal topper. Even if the chances are slim that a cymbal would fly off a stand from playing, I want the chance to be zero. Plus, people bump into cymbals; bandmates, sound techs, etc. Hell, I'm sure I've bumped into my own cymbals while setting up on a tight stage. With the price of cymbals these days, why take that risk?

Aside from "cymbal insurance", I also use the top felt/cymbal mate combo to hold my ride in place. I let my crashes move pretty freely, but only let my ride move a few inches because I keep it right over my right rack tom and if it starts swaying too much, it hits the rim.

I use Tama Quick Set Cymbal Mates (QC8) on all my kits and I even use their Quick Set hi hat clutch. They have been a game changer for me as twisting/dropping/searching around on the floor for wingnuts is an annoyance I've happily left behind (though 30 years too late). I'm so "all-in" on these things that I keep a set in my stick bag for when I use backline kits on tours. I swap them onto the stands before the first gig, and then back after the last gig. They save so much time and effort it almost feels like cheating.

 

[kdgrissom]

Wingnuts are nature's way way of letting you know you are getting old.
"where is it?, Where did it go? Damn, now I have to put on my glasses to find it"
and the fact that you have to resort to hands and knees to retrieve it, because the era in which you were able to simply squat and return to standing ended 20 years ago.

 

[idrum4fun]

Unnecessary or not, I like the way they look with wingnuts! Without them, my OCD kicks in and tells me there's something missing! All my vintage cymbal stands (Ludwig, Rogers and Slingerland) look great with wingnuts!

-Mark

 

[Tama CW]

Unnecessary or not, I like the way they look with wingnuts! Without them, my OCD kicks in and tells me there's something missing! All my vintage cymbal stands (Ludwig, Rogers and Slingerland) look great with wingnuts!

-Mark

Yup. The vintage stands just look "wrong" w/o the period correct, factory wing nuts, toppers, etc. Cosmetics + Function.

Since I use so many home made rubber sleeves on my vintage stands, the wing nuts also ensure those sleeves don't "lift" up and allow metal to metal contact.

 

[Seb77]

I learned to get along without top felts and wingnuts in conservatory, the lesson and practice rooms. I guess they used to disappear so at some place they stopped replacing them.
Which makes me think of another occasion where you would need them, even with soft playing, is steeper cymbal angles, in the 70s fashion. In the late 90s/early 00s nobody seemed to do that anymore.

 

[Soulfinger]

I use Tama cymbal mates, but no top felts. Better be safe than sorry.
Besides, as already mentioned, I need them to prevent the bottom felts from getting lost in transit.

 

[Patrick]

Beyond the modest security wing nuts provide for cymbals, I think they are most useful in keeping sleeves and felts where they are needed when the cymbals are packed away.

 

[ThomasL]

Why is it that whenever you unscrew a wing nut, it will fall, hit your lacquer finish bass drum and then roll in under the drum?

I use Camber T Tops on my gigging stands and those in our rehearsal space. In my drum room at home I have nothing except bottom felts and sleeves.

 

[DrumPhil]

Someone mentioned NoNuts cymbal stand toppers. I recently got them because we had back-to-back gigs on St Patrick’s Day. They sure do make setup and tear down quick and easy. They stick up farther than the screw, so there is really no chance of a cymbal coming off unless it’s hung at an extreme angle. I’m very happy with mine.

 

[premierplayer]

Okay...question...what is the point of using wing nuts?

Allow me to explain.

Many years ago they used to make an attachment where you could slip the cymble right over it withput having to unscrew it. It made perfect sense. But they stopped making them. But think about it...would you really ever hit a cymbal so hard that you'd knock it off the stand? I don't think it'd even be possible.

So I don't use wingnuts and it's never a problem and it saves me time setting up and breaking down. Am I wrong? Or have others (I'm sure) figured this out as well. I'm surprised anyone hasn't.

They still make them, 1/4 - 20 and 8mm

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[1zlr]

Why is it that whenever you unscrew a wing nut, it will fall, hit your lacquer finish bass drum and then roll in under the drum?

I use Camber T Tops on my gigging stands and those in our rehearsal space. In my drum room at home I have nothing except bottom felts and sleeves.

thats murphys law plus gravity