Starting clamps used reasonably priced. I think I paid $16 plus tax for mine, and use it as my main clamp. The others work great as well, but not as tight as my main one.
Did you find it at a local tennis shop (since paying tax was involved)?
In this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBKZFFNLsKU when Irvin pulls at 2:55, it looks like the knot doesn't stress the grommet too much. Would the same grommet be able to take this method many times without a problem, is it stressing the frame at all? As he would continue stringing down the racquet, would it pull the knot in deeper (any worse that using a starting clamp would)?
I must commend you on your effort but I must admit I didn't read it. If I were using flying clamp I would use a starting knot to start my crosses. More often than not you are going to lose a lot of tension tying off the top and bottom crosses using a flying clamp. Here is what I would try. Use a starting knot and run in the first two crosses leaving a loop large enough between the first and second cross to tension the top cross. Tension the top cross but don't clamp it. Tis will get some stretch out of the top cross if you leave the tensioner on a few seconds. Then tension the second cross double pulling the top two crosses and clamp.
Sorry I did misunderstand you. Wat you say will work but seems like a like of dancing around. I would just use a starting knot without a starting clamp.
If I was going to use a starting knot I would use the smallest one the VS Starting knot.
Is that the one you zoom in on toward the end of your Cross Starting Knot youtube video?
You know, if you have a machine with fixed clamps, you can use a finishing knot ( Pro Knot, Parnell, Or finishing knot of choice) without a starting clamp.
you 1st weave both top 2 cross strings, then set anchor clamp (machines fixed clamp) on 2nd cross string furthest away from tension head.
release tension, and now tension the 1st cross string by itself, clamp and tie off with finishing knot can use Pro knot, Parnell or finishing knot of choice.
Now weave 3rd cross, now tension 2nd cross and remove that anchor clamp, reclamp in normal position, and continue stringing as normal.
This works real well, you are not pulling against just a starting clamp,and no need to worry about banging into it later in the stringing process.
You are not pulling against a knot tied to another string or against a string that goes around 2 sharp bends that can be stressful with some thin multi strings or nat. gut, so all this is eliminated.
I submitted this to the USRSA a few years back, and they published it in RSI magazine, so it is an acceptable way to start cross strings.
Lakers4Life, what do you think of post #56? Just curious
No that's a knot I just made up here is a thread on the VS Starting knot. It also makes a very good tie off knot.
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=445496
Lakers4Life take a look at post #20 in that thread. Do you think Nadal plays with a wood racket? Evidently they are still being used even on the pro tour. Some stringers do not want to use a starting clamp to start crosses.
Witnessed this being done on Nadal's frame. Blast 15 @55lbs.
Stringer was worried the starting clamp was damaging (crushing) the Blast at that bend and might cause premature breakage.
Love the Wilson knot for it's look and ease of application-
I usually push the gripper until it holds the string then start applying tension. But it may be different on a DW, you almost need another hand.
I usually push the gripper until it holds the string then start applying tension. But it may be different on a DW, you almost need another hand.
Edit: while it doesn't really apply in this case, if you have a SPARE starting clamp, you can also put it on the out-side of the rotating grippers. The drum will shut, but what's actually important here is that there's no slippage, and the starting clamp will obviously prevent that.
are you saying that would or would not work in my case (since here i dont know if you were talking about linear grippers like mine)? I do like the idea of a clamp of some sorts giving extra grip, just not too much to damage the string obviously. I will def take that into consideration
From the other thread, I think my clamp bases are the same as yours, just mine are color matched to the rest of the stringer. My drop weight tower looks significantly different from yours though.
I just use a knot to start my crosses. I have done it for years. Ironically, what happens for me is the grommet gets flanged like that special tool would do for you. I find the grommet typically wears out in other areas first (mainly due to inadvertent contact with the tennis court) before the wear at the knot becomes an issue.
The concept is the same, but I wouldn't recommend it IF the linear grippers suck in past the frame that houses the grippers. You shouldn't really have to use a backup clamp with linear grippers anyways. If you are slipping on the string, check if an adjustment screw exists, and if so, make sure it is adjusted properly. Also check the alignment of the gripping plates, you should have very parallel jaws.
No starting clamp just yet, I haven't strung any racquets yet either bc I want to make sure I get this machine good to go as best as possible before I start. I would use Yulitle's method for mains, pulling both ends of the string, clamping one, and re-pulling the other, so a starting clamp is not required. Like I've said, it's only an issue when two strings are in there (as you could see the other string didn't move at all). There's just not as much pressure on the top string as the bottom one. When you say I can clamp the outside, you mean on the short side (the grippers are a rectangle, so the short side to the right), correct? And still clamp the string (in the same fashion as if you were clamping it on the outside of the frame), never the linear grippers, right?
DD what you are talking about I did to start the mains in this video:
http://youtu.be/FwcancsvL3E
Only exception is I never put the starting clamp at the head. The racket in the video above start in the throat and when that happens I tension the two right (long side) mains then move to the left.
From the other thread, I think my clamp bases are the same as yours, just mine are color matched to the rest of the stringer. My drop weight tower looks significantly different from yours though.
I just use a knot to start my crosses. I have done it for years. Ironically, what happens for me is the grommet gets flanged like that special tool would do for you. I find the grommet typically wears out in other areas first (mainly due to inadvertent contact with the tennis court) before the wear at the knot becomes an issue.
SUCCESS!!! Similar to DD's advise, i ripped off a 2inx2in square off a paper towel (kitchen brand, not bathroom brand), bent it like a taco and ran both strings through it as it sat in the gripper. Worked like a charm, multiple tension tests verified that the strings didn't slip drastically and the accuracy of the tension rod scale. I said drastically because for EVERY drop of the weight, the rod would stop slightly, but noticeably, higher than perfectly horizontal. I read the physics of the drop weight machine thread which says pushing on the tension rod to achieve a perfectly horizontal rod will shoot the tension up, but I didn't find this to be true the way I did it. I pushed the rod down in a gentle and spaced-out manner, and noticed that when I thought it was perfectly horizontal it read the selected tension plus or minus a tenth or so of it was supposed to be. But, pretty much immediately after the perfectly horizontal position was reached, the tension would decrease at about a pound every 2 seconds. I don't know if this is normal, or due to the upper string slipping slowly from the paper towel or a result of the tension rod slowly rising since me pushing it down did not let the machine achieve the perfectly horizontal balance naturally. Does the drum or any part of that area of the machine need to be cleaned, maybe that's preventing the rod from reaching horizontal by itself?
Anyway, I will probably take some more pics and video of what I am doing so you guys can see what I'm seeing. I am very happy though since the biggest issue I have (as of now, haven't even worked with the clamps and such haha) seems to be solved for the time being.
By the way, earlier in the thread I did say that the measurement scale on the rod was a sticker, not an engraving. I will probably need to replace it, does anyone have suggestions, can they be purchased? I was thinking that since the sticker values are accurate (for the few clear measurements still on the scale), I could do some measuring and record a new scale on masking tape and place it on a side of the rod that won't allow it to get torn up.