widening grommets for tie-offs a bad idea?

[Muppet]

I took 2 of my frames to a pro shop today to have the grommets on one side of the 5 and 14 crosses enlarged. I wanted to be able to do the Bosworth/Lendl pattern more easily, and with a neater looking job along the outside edge of the frame and 6 knots instead of 4. The tech told me that I shouldn't stress the frame in directions that it was not designed for and he had never heard of enlarging a grommet.

I'll go back to stringing the Bosworth/Lendl pattern the way I was doing it, but does anyone think I should be able to do it the way I'd like to? I'd basically be switching from 'one piece multi perimeter' and 'one piece poly center mains and crosses' to 'one piece multi perimeter' and 'two piece poly center mains and crosses.' The two new holes would be for the poly crosses. What did you think of this tech's advice?

Thanks in advance

 

[coachrick]

Been enlarging string holes and grommets since the early '70s without a problem. Stringing with 6 knots is playing a game with which I am not familiar.

 

[unorthodox stringing]

The tech told me that I shouldn't stress the frame in directions that it was not designed for and he had never heard of enlarging a grommet.

I don't understand. How would enlarging grommets for more tie-off holes alter the stringing stresses in a racket?

Lost count how many rackets where I've enlarged or replaced with individual grommets for more tie-offs. Should be several dozens, not a single crack so far. Even when tensioned way beyond the recommended range

Since you're using only two types of strings, other than aesthetics, I have not found any difference during play between 4 and 6 knots.

But I still prefer to have more tie-offs, as it opens up more options for fanciful stringjobs you may wish to try.

Such as a quad-brid? :shock:
http://unorthodoxstringing.blogspot.sg/search/label/quad-brid

 

[Muppet]

I may order a grommet grinder from TW. Is that what I should use to enlarge a grommet, or would that be for removing a grommet, then putting in a single larger one? I want to just keep my grommets intact, but stretch some of them from the inside to fit two strings. Or a grommet grinder if it does essentially the same thing.

 

[Irvin]

Grommet grinder are used to drill out a grommet from the grommet strip. The grommet just fits in a hole drilled into the frame. Then the inside of the grommet just holds a single string.

 

[unorthodox stringing]

Some grommets stretch very easily. Some are a little more fragile and snap off or tears.

To stretch one grommet hole wider, just stick an awl into the hole when unstrung, as far as it will go, gently.

Sometimes, I insert one piece of scrap soft string (eg syn gut) through the hole before pushing my awl in GENTLY. Do it when the racket is unstrung.

 

[Irvin]

I would not stretch out the grommets but if you're going to do it I would not use an awl. I would use a thick piece of poly. Wax the poly and push it throught the grommet hole with your other string. When you're ready to ti off pull out the scrap string wax the tip of your tie off tag end and tie off.

 

[Muppet]

Some grommets stretch very easily. Some are a little more fragile and snap off or tears.

To stretch one grommet hole wider, just stick an awl into the hole when unstrung, as far as it will go, gently.

Sometimes, I insert one piece of scrap soft string (eg syn gut) through the hole before pushing my awl in GENTLY. Do it when the racket is unstrung.

I would not stretch out the grommets but if you're going to do it I would not use an awl. I would use a thick piece of poly. Wax the poly and push it throught the grommet hole with your other string. When you're ready to ti off pull out the scrap string wax the tip of your tie off tag end and tie off.

I'll try both of these on my next racquet. Luckily, the one I have next is my least prized frame.

 

[Irvin]

Another option if you want to try it. I save old grommets when I replace grommets. You could get a tie off grommet and replace the grommets in 5 and 15 with a larger grommet. This would mean you would also have to drill out the frame to accept the larger grommet. I would prefer than over forcing an awl in to open the grommet.

 

[A Defenseless Creature]

Enlarging grommets is easy and perfectly safe. Unorthodox Stringing describes the process perfectly. Insert a piece of string, I prefer poly because it is stiff. Next wax an awl and insert it with some force to stretch out the grommet. This process enlarges the opening while also creating a nice slot for the second string.

I'm not sure why Irvin is opposed to this approach, I suspect because he does not have experience with it. Drilling out the frame to fit a larger grommet poses a far greater risk than simply stretching an existing grommet.

 

[Irvin]

Enlarging grommets is easy and perfectly safe. Unorthodox Stringing describes the process perfectly. Insert a piece of string, I prefer poly because it is stiff. Next wax an awl and insert it with some force to stretch out the grommet. This process enlarges the opening while also creating a nice slot for the second string.

I'm not sure why Irvin is opposed to this approach, I suspect because he does not have experience with it. Drilling out the frame to fit a larger grommet poses a far greater risk than simply stretching an existing grommet.

The grommet fits in a hole through the frame that has very little room for anything else. The grommet has very little room for more than one string. When you force a grommet and awl through the grommet you for the grommet to thin out where it normally touches the frame and just expand (making the walls thinner because the inside is now larger) in the other areas. This thin appalled grommet can separate and cause the string to eat into the frame if the grommets fails. I'm not familiar with the 200G grommets but if there was very much roon Luke you see on some Wilson rackets there wouldn't be a problem.

 

[Irvin]

Enlarging grommets is easy and perfectly safe. Unorthodox Stringing describes the process perfectly. Insert a piece of string, I prefer poly because it is stiff. Next wax an awl and insert it with some force to stretch out the grommet. This process enlarges the opening while also creating a nice slot for the second string.

I'm not sure why Irvin is opposed to this approach, I suspect because he does not have experience with it. Drilling out the frame to fit a larger grommet poses a far greater risk than simply stretching an existing grommet.

For example, here is a picture of two grommet strips Wilson on top and Dunlop on the bottom:

The Wilson is much thicker than the Dunlop but yet the grommet different between the OD - ID is about the same. It would probably be ok with the Wilson but I have my doubts about the Dunlop. You could probably force two string in the Wilson grommets with a lot of trouble but not the Dunlop.

 

[bluegrass_stringer]

I would not stretch out the grommets but if you're going to do it I would not use an awl. I would use a thick piece of poly. Wax the poly and push it throught the grommet hole with your other string. When you're ready to ti off pull out the scrap string wax the tip of your tie off tag end and tie off.

I have been able to fit strings through some tight grommets using methods similar. I would try this first,and then try to enlarge the grommet. Of course if you are in the middle of stringing, enlarging the grommet is trickier.

 

[Irvin]

I've done it too but I would not recommend it. I would also much rather use two strings as opposed to a string and an awl. I just don't like using awls.

 

[Muppet]

I strung my AG200 Lendl two piece, like I've been doing and it came out pretty nice this time. I'm figuring out the best way to run the strings along the edge of the frame so that it looks pretty good. I think I'll shelve widening the extra tie-offs for now.