Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I read so many good reviews about this product, I was interested. I read so many bad reviews about this product, I was worried. Sound familiar??? Let me tell you, the good reviews are spot on. All the reviews saying things like "I couldn't understand the directions, they were so bad!", or "the rounded screw heads are marring my woodwork!" and "no matter how much I tightened it, the thing is still loose and wobbly" are clearly missing something upstairs, if you know what I mean. OK, I admit, that was probably a bit harsh. But seriously, if you've ever assembled a piece of chinese-made particle-board furniture you get from a big box store, this is no different. Same type of instructions, same method of assembly. And yes, *THERE ARE ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS*. There's a chart identifying each part with a letter and a set of written instructions explaining how to assemble the parts with the screws. Also, as any experienced particle-furniture assembler knows, you don't tighten any screws until they are all in-place. Then tighten, and yes THEY WILL TIGHTEN COMPLETELY -- and the product is ROCK-SOLID. Assembly tip: the bars that lay on top of other bars, if you look closely, have a concave-bevel around the screws on one side of the bar. If you face that bevel towards the other bar, the 2 bars are going to fit a whole lot better together and help lock things together once you tighten the screws. Not in the instructions, so thought I'd mention it. As for mounting. Yeah, sure, the first time that's a bit tricky... but honestly, it's not that hard. This is one area the instructions could be more clear about. All of the different grips are made of foam. Except 4 of them. 4 of them are made from a fairly hard plastic. Those 4 aren't meant for your hands, they are made for your door-jamb. The vertical ones go behind the door-jamb (relative to you) and rest on your woodwork. The horizontal ones go in front of the door-jamb and rest on your woodwork. If all 4 aren't resting on your woodwork, you've got it positioned wrong... reposition until they do. Tip: to make the bar easier to work on, place the thing as high on your door-jamb as you can while maintaining all 4 of the plastic grips in contact with your door-jamb. As other reviewers have mentioned, the thing will "slide" down just a bit the first time you use it -- but then it will lock in place. Don't just start doing pullups, do some static hanging off of it first to get that "locked-in" effect. Once it locks in, it's pretty dang solid. Note: the thing was designed for door ways up to 32" wide -- my door is so close to 32" that it's actually just a hair wider. This thing has enough tolerance in the design, though, that it still fits no problem -- so if you're butting right up against the 32"-measurement you should be just fine. And no, my woodwork isn't being damaged. That is to say, not by any screws -- it is, just slightly, by the plastic grips but it's so minimal that I'm not worried about it. If I had a top-end home with perfectly-smooth high-gloss woodwork... I *MIGHT* be concerned (but honestly, it's so minimal I probably still wouldn't)... but I'm a family man in an average priced home with typical family dings in my woodwork over the years. The little bit this thing is leaving is almost not even noticeable. One reviewer mentioned he put 2 layers of cardboard between his wood and the grips... if you go that route, I'm sure you wouldn't have any problems at all. In closing, if you can't read, aren't the least bit analytical, don't have any assembly skills beyond unpacking a microwave and putting the turn-plate inside and calling it "assembled", have no patience, and can't take more than 5 minutes to attempt this assembly job, this product isn't for you. On the other hand, if you have all of those skills, buy it -- you will be happy.