Overlapping strings in the way of grommets

[LaZeR]

I have three Pure Aeros and don't recall have the slightly problem stringing my Pure Aeros with 1.30mm Gut mains and poly crosses. I have strung my Pure Aeros with Isospeed Cream 1.28mm mains and 15g or 1.40mm Technifibre HDX Tour which is thicker than 1.30mm natural gut and had absolutely no problems stringing a fat 1.40mm multi in the crosses of a Pure Aero. The Pure Aero isn't the issue IMO. Been stringing frames about 9 years now and use the same method YULitle uses and StringSnot. Rarely need an awl except to install Babolat Grommets.

@ g4driver ~ thanks for the posts, however, (I hope), do you agree that the bumper and grommet cover going around the new Babalot Pure Aero is drastically different from that of Wilson, Yonex, Prince, etc, is correct? The new Pure Aero has a cover and very deep channel/groove going around the racquet, and the tensioned blocking mains very tightly conform to, and stick inside this groove, which FOR ME exacerbates the problem.

Getting 1.30mm Natural Gut though any blocked hole on a Pure Aero is easily accomplished by an experienced stringer.

I'm just a tennis player and HOBBY stringer for only a few years who prefers to string my own racquets. Even at low tensions and with 17g Natural Gut, Poly, Multi, Syn Gut, AND all the recommendations and suggestions on this thread, if I stick a (sharp) awl in and around the blocking mains, I still can barely even create an opening for the blocked hole. What am I missing?

 

[g4driver]

@ g4driver ~ thanks for the posts, however, (I hope), do you agree that the bumper and grommet cover going around the new Babalot Pure Aero is drastically different from that of Wilson, Yonex, Prince, etc, is correct? The new Pure Aero has a cover and very deep channel/groove going around the racquet, and the tensioned blocking mains very tightly conform to, and stick inside this groove, which FOR ME exacerbates the problem.


I'm just a tennis player and HOBBY stringer for only a few years who prefers to string my own racquets. Even at low tensions and with 17g Natural Gut, Poly, Multi, Syn Gut, AND all the recommendations and suggestions on this thread, if I stick a (sharp) awl in and around the blocking mains, I still can barely even create an opening for the blocked hole. What am I missing?

Don't tension the mains until you have weaved the top crosses of any blocked holes. At most this will be the top one, two or three crosses on any frame.

This is the best way to avoid a blocked hole at the top of any frame and makes the Pure Aero Bummer Guard or any frame's bummer guard design a non-issue. The holes aren't blocked at the top until you tension the mains. If I have blocked holes at the top of a frame, i clearly wasn't paying attention. Basically I plan ahead and don't allow them to get blocked.

 

[g4driver]

The only blocked holes you should ever have on a Pure Aero are near the throat.

Watch someone pre-weave the crosses on Pure Aero if you can find a video.

 

[LaZeR]

Don't tension the mains until you have weaved the top crosses of any blocked holes. At most this will be the top one, two or three crosses on any frame. This is the best way to avoid a blocked hole at the top of any frame and makes the Pure Aero Bummer Guard or any frame's bummer guard design a non-issue. The holes aren't blocked at the top until you tension the mains. If I have blocked holes at the top of a frame, i clearly wasn't paying attention. Basically I plan ahead and don't allow them to get blocked.

I string hybrids - not ATW. The blocked holes at the top are not at all a problem. Due to skipped Mains it's the 18th cross, and more especially the 19th, at the throat. You rendered the stringing pattern in a previous post.

 

[g4driver]

I string hybrids - not ATW. The blocked holes at the top are not at all a problem. Due to skipped Mains it's the 18th cross, and more especially the 19th, at the throat. You rendered the stringing pattern in a previous post.

This is a Lux 1.30mm / Head Hawk 1.25 mm frame.


I never use ATW. You need to acquire some bent nose pliers, StringSnot, and a sharp cutting pair of pliers , and an awl. Easy peasy.

I can try to video the process for you next time I string my frames.

 

[g4driver]

Beadaholique Beadsmith Jeweller's Micro Pliers Bentnose

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IP5O51W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_d5KUAb8R5QSAQ

Besides the smooth bent nose pliers, get a pair sharp cutting pliers (Xuron work great and TW sells them ), a basic Awl (from TW) String Snot or Chapstick. I rarely use scrap string and don't use any to string Pure Aeros.

Not sure why any rec players put Natural Gut in crosses but that is a completely separate thread. I string for plenty of women who use poly mains and gut crosses. They never break either string and simply play with dead poly for 6 to 10 months and that is yet another completely different thread. [emoji102]

Gut / poly in Pure Aero requires no awl, stringsnot, scrap string or an awl. however if you want to use poly/gut in a Pure Aero, get some smooth bent nose pliers, strings snot (or chapstick), an awl.

Step by step instruction:

String the mains, and as you get to the blocked holes at the crosses:

Put the awl in the blocked hole grommet above the main string. While the awl is in the hole you intend to insert the cross string, place the sharp cut gut cross tip just above the awl. As you slowly slide the awl out, slide the cross string in as far as it will go. Use the YULitle method with the bent nose pliers. If you are concerned about wasting Gut, I suggest you practice this on your frames with the cheapest thick 15 or 16g syn gut.

You admit the Pure Aero presents a challenge for you, so why try to string it with gut until you are confident you can string it without wasting the gut. [emoji848]

Sometimes it is better to pay a professional. JFK Junior had a lot of money, a little experience and died due not knowing what he didn't know. Thankfully stringing doesn't kill people.

 

[LaZeR]

... String the mains, and as you get to the blocked holes at the crosses: Put the awl in the blocked hole grommet above the main string. While the awl is in the hole you intend to insert the cross string, place the sharp cut gut cross tip just above the awl.

Thanks but I have only two flying clamps, and one starting clamp, so I'm a bit limited. For 2 cents worth I think some clarification might be required IMO:

• TWO Awls, or blunt tip needles, or tubing, scrap strings, are required to be inserted > two for each grommet hole for the 19th cross, and FOUR if you want to also reserve the 18th cross holes.

• Tension the outer Mains and tie off.

As you slowly slide the awl out, slide the cross string in as far as it will go. Use the YULitle method with the bent nose pliers.

• When you get to the weaving the 18th and 19th cross do what is quoted above.

 

[R15]

14G blunt needles are cheap and easy to source...buy a pack of 10 (or more), remove the plastic fitting and any glue residue and you have enough to do all the blocked holes on a racket with several spares, all for a few bucks and a few minutes prepping them.

Never had to go bigger, but I imagine 12G needles are out there for really chunky string.

 

[Irvin]

14G blunt needles are cheap and easy to source...buy a pack of 10 (or more), remove the plastic fitting and any glue residue and you have enough to do all the blocked holes on a racket with several spares, all for a few bucks and a few minutes prepping them.

Never had to go bigger, but I imagine 12G needles are out there for really chunky string.

14 Gauge needles are 1.8 mm thick and they will not fit through a the 18th and 19th grommet holes on a Babolat PA racket. Why would you want to take the plastic fitting off the the blunt needles?

EDIT: @LaZeR I get the feeling no one is listening to you.

 

[LaZeR]

14 Gauge needles are 1.8 mm thick and they will not fit through a the 18th and 19th grommet holes on a Babolat PA racket.

@ Irvin beat me to the punch!! I do believe that 1.8mm might be way too thick given that most 15g strings are LESS than 1.4mm.

Why would you want to take the plastic fitting off the the blunt needles?

@ Irvin ~ I think he means so both sides of the needles are exposed & open for the string to go all the way through either side.

EDIT: @LaZeR I get the feeling no one is listening to you.

LOL - highly technical issue?

 

[R15]

14 Gauge needles are 1.8 mm thick and they will not fit through a the 18th and 19th grommet holes on a Babolat PA racket. Why would you want to take the plastic fitting off the the blunt needles?

EDIT: @LaZeR I get the feeling no one is listening to you.

I thought the question was about blocked grommets in general and I was simply expanding on the previous suggestions of using blunt needles with a little more detail. I now realise the error of my ways and it will not happen again

I remove the plastic fittings because it takes up less space in the tool tray and means it does not matter which way the string is going to go through them.

 

[Irvin]

I remove the plastic fittings because it takes up less space in the tool tray and means it does not matter which way the string is going to go through them.

You must have different needles than I have. If you take the plastic fitting off the end of the needle it still has ribbed end and it only goes in or out one way, Put the needle in the wrong way with a string in it and it won't come out.

 

[g4driver]

Putting Gut in the mains and poly in his crosses solves the issue. No awls, scrap string required.[emoji848]

Oh the fact that gut/poly is buttery smooth with more spin and you can cut out the poly crosses and restring using the gut mains again..bonus.

Good luck..I'm out

 

[Irvin]

@ Irvin ~ I think he means so both sides of the needles are exposed & open for the string to go all the way through.

Watch this video again at the very start. If the plastic fitting is off there is still ribs on the end where the plastic fitting was. That needle must come out of the grommet on the same side it went into the grommet.

 

[LaZeR]

... I remove the plastic fittings because it takes up less space in the tool tray and means it does not matter which way the string is going to go through them.

You must have different needles than I have. If you take the plastic fitting off the end of the needle it still has ribbed end and it only goes in or out one way, Put the needle in the wrong way with a string in it and it won't come out.

This deserves mention to determine in advance which direction the 18th and 19th crosses will be inserted, and insert the needles appropriately BEFORE stringing skipped mains.

 

[Irvin]

This deserves mention to determine in advance which direction the 18th and 19th crosses will be inserted, and insert the needles appropriately BEFORE stringing skipped mains.

Yes on a 19 cross racket the top and bottom crosses tie of opposite sides. Put the needles in backwards so the string goes into the plastic fitting and through the needle and imagine your problem.

 

[R15]

No ribs on the needles I have...once the plastic bits are removed they are simple metal 'tubes'.

Will pop a photo up tomorrow.

 

[Irvin]

No ribs on the needles I have...once the plastic bits are removed they are simple metal 'tubes'.

Will pop a photo up tomorrow.

Could be the ribs are just glue i’ll Check mine.

 

[Irvin]

No ribs on the needles I have...once the plastic bits are removed they are simple metal 'tubes'.

Will pop a photo up tomorrow.

You were right but I don’t think it’s glue it more like an epoxy.

 

[R15]

Soak them in acetone* (nail polish remover), depending on the glue it might be enough to soften it up to enable it to be scraped off easily.

*Freely available this side of the pond, i assume it is there as well.

 

[Irvin]

Soak them in acetone* (nail polish remover), depending on the glue it might be enough to soften it up to enable it to be scraped off easily.

*Freely available this side of the pond, i assume it is there as well.

I have a gallon can but not full now.

 

[TimeToPlaySets]

Try and place scrap string under string that blocks grommet on outside of frame. Then you can either lift up or push down with pliers to open grommet opening. It works very well.
If you used an awl like you said but on a Nat gut string, you would have nicked a fragile string and shortened it's life. Try the scrap string on outside frame next time and you can post back how easily it worked.

I just tried this tip. It worked great.
I just yanked both ends with pliers, creating the gap.
Seems like this is best done with thin scrap, not thick.

 

[LaZeR]

Soak them in acetone* (nail polish remover)

I have a gallon can but not full now.

You guys get "gallon cans" of acetone??!

 

[Irvin]

You guys get "gallon cans" of acetone??!

My bad it was a pint can. The gallons can was mineral spirits.

 

[Herb]

You guys get "gallon cans" of acetone??!

You can get gallon jugs at beauty supply places.

 

[LaZeR]

You guys get "gallon cans" of acetone??!

You can get gallon jugs at beauty supply places.

@ Herb ~ r u a regular customer there ~ manis & pedis?

 

[Herb]

@ Herb ~ r u a regular customer there ~ manis & pedis?

My wife and kid are