FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: I have a black screen. What do I do?

Answer:

Short version:: This is perfectly normal when there is no electricity.
Long version:: Kirchoff's Current Law states that the algebraic sum of currents entering and leaving any point in a circuit must equal zero. Kirchhoff's Voltage Law states that the algebraic sum of the voltages around any closed path is zero.

Question: What is the Ivanko Super Gripper?

Answer:

Short version:: The Ivanko Super Gripper is a spring loaded hand exercising device.
Long version:: The Ivanko Super Gripper is an exercise device designed to increase the crushing strength of the hand. There are twelve possible settings for a single spring. These notches are usually counted from the pivot at one and increasing to twelve at the most distant notch. Two springs can not be placed in consecutive positions. However, there has been at least one report of forcing two springs into positions 11 and 12.

Question: Where can I get my Ivanko Super Gripper?

Answer:

Short version:: An Ivanko Super Gripper can be purchased from many online exercise equipment dealers or from online auction sites.
Long version:: Places that are known to carry the Ivanko Super Gripper are PDA, Atomic Athletic, Weightlifter's Warehouse, and Pullums. Ebay will sometimes have an Ivanko Super Gripper on the auction block.

Question: How many springs can be used on the Ivanko Super Gripper?

Answer:

Short version:: How many do you need?
Long version:: One could use no springs at all but that would have very limited strength building potential. The Ivanko Super Gripper is usually shipped with two springs. Some people have purchased an extra spring to take advantage of intermediate tension settings that are not possible with only two springs. At most only six springs can be used on the Ivanko Super Gripper.

Question: The box says that there are 40 settings. Is this true?

Answer:

Short version:: No.
Long version:: With no spring at all there is but one setting which equates to a resulting tension of zero. With one spring we have twelve settings. Two springs gives us 55 settings. Three springs gives us a whopping 120 settings. However, some of these settings result in a non-distinct tension.

Question: Why do I need your calculators? I get by just fine with the well known tables produced by Cliff Stamp.

Answer:

Short version:: I agree that my calculators are not needed.
Long version:: My calculators were derived in part from the tables produced by Cliff Stamp. With a trivial applicaton of Linear Algebra, I determined the tension for each of the twelve positions. I wrote a JavaScript calculator using this information and posted my work to a discussion board. Feedback from the board members helped to improved this calculator. The three-spring calculator was developed in response to a discussion about the Ivanko Super Gripper in which a two-spring calculator was deemed to have little or no advantage over a two-spring table but a three-spring calculator would be a curiosity worth exploring.

Question: What is with those buttons? Is that really necessary?

Answer:

Short version:: The buttons are not needed. The extra buttons are provided as a convenience to power users.
Long version:: The column of buttons on the right controls the page size for the track bar. Clicking either side of the track bar (or using the page up or page down keys) will jump the slider the number of tick marks shown on the pressed down button. The row of buttons with glyphs have hints that are displayed when the mouse pointer is placed over the buttons. The left-most button centers the calculator to the center of the screen. The functions of the other buttons are easily determined by clicking the respective buttons.

Question: I get tired browsing to the settings that I need. How do I enter a tension value?

Answer:

Short version:: Click on the number displayed for resulting tension.
Long version:: When the mouse pointer is over the value for resulting tension, the cursor changes to an up arrow. There is also a hint that pops up. Click the number and the interface suddenly changes. Do not panic. These changes are by design. The rest should be trivial. Note that data entry is limited to digits and the backspace key. This can be defeated but your results may not be as expected.

Question: Why should I donate?

Answer:

Short version:: There is no obligation to donate money to me.
Long version:: I only ask that a modest donation be made if the calculators are found to be useful. There are no nags, time limits, or crippled features. I understand that my audience is a limited scope so there is no chance that I will retire early from donations. Furthermore, the algorithm for determining the spring settings is not that hard to figure out. If I put restrictions on the calculators, someone will respond by producing a free unrestricted version of the calculators. If the calculators helped with planning an exercise program, measuring progress, or becoming a Captain of Crush, is that not worth the price of a quality beer or pizza?