Technique on Crosses (2 questions)
 

I've been meaning to ask this for awhile, and when I saw Jim post something about it in another thread, I saw my opportunity.
I also string my crosses this way. It seems easier to weave and I like the straight shot into the grommet.

What do most of you do, and why do you do it that way?

Also, what's the best way to get rid of the "bowing" of the crosses? Some people call it the "smiley face." I weave one ahead, pull crosses for at least 20 seconds, but I still get some of the bowing on the crosses. Recently, I've started using the prestretch feature of my Wise at 20% and this seems to have helped some, but I'm worried about taking some of the resilience out of the string.

I never use the machines prestretch as the cross string should have friction with the mains, and how do you know that with all that friction that the tension will go back to exact reference tension when the tension relaxes back to the reference?
If you push the cross string to be tensioned towards the last tensioned cross before you pull it ,it will pull straighter.

I've been pushing the string while it's under tension up towards the previously strung cross before I clamp it off. I will try pushing it up before tensioning and see how that works.

When weaving crosses string one ahead it make it easier. Wen straightening straighten one behind it makes it easier. if you straiten a string between two tensioned crosses the string you straighten will remain where you put it. The best way I have found to keep sing straight is to keep them straight as you go.

For weaving crosses I prefer to start going over the outside mains. i have RA and it makes it easier. The only time I don't is when I will end up with an anchor string going under the intersecting string that is very close. I don't think it really makes much difference either way.

I always make sure I start the cross under the first main so I end going over the last one. Also, as far as the frowning of the crosses, before I pull tension, I always push the string up, then pull. When I am all done the crosses, there is always still a slight smiley of the crosses, so i take each one and I just push it up and then each cross is perfectly straight. This has always worked for me and I never have a racquet with the strings slanted...

I also go under the outermost cross, so that I end up on top at the other side. I also string one ahead, pull the cross up against the previous cross & then hold the cross there with my fingers while pulling tension & let it settle straight. I usually need very little straightening when finished.

Cheers,
kev

I start under the first main for racquets with 2 skips at the head and over for frames with one skip.
That way the majority of crosses will start under.
It doesn't really make a difference.
I just got used to doing it that way.

I think that it really does make a difference. I find it much easier to manipulate the string & get it into the grommet from above.

Cheers,
kev

i think i do my randomly. hmmmm

If you are stringing a 16 main racket you need to go under eight mains no matter if you go under the first or not. I put the string in the grommet hole from above but i go under the outside main more often than not.

On a 2-piece, I prefer to start weaving under. On a 1-piece, I plan ahead so that the cross weaves over the fixed clamp that's holding the last main.

I have a drop weight stringer, and I also weave ahead and pull each cross for at least 20 seconds. I straighten out each cross before I clamp it, and that generally gets rid of the bowing and results in tighter crosses. I find that most strings hold tension better this way.

Oh yeah,2nd question.
I straighten the strings while pulling and twice again after.
Once on the machine and again while holding the racquet up to a known horizontal, like a doorframe.
It's also important IMO to remember to straighten the mains which get bowed inwards during stringing.
They can give you the illusion of straight when they really are not.

This may seem a bit OCD, but I often use stencils and I want to make sure the strings are square before applying the ink.

That's a point that's rarely made. When I first started stringing I thought I was doing something wrong, that I had flawed technique. After a while I discovered that it was normal, but you seldom hear people discuss straightening the mains; it's almost always the crosses.

Some machines require more attention to the mains than others. Depending on the design of the clamps, some push the mains aside when clamping crosses more than others. It's hard to avoid, but, unless the strings are really grabby, the clamps are usually what cause mine to need straightening.

Cheers,
kev

If you wear eye glasses, you tend to see curves in known straight objects. This is due to the eye glass lens refractions. I wear contacts most of the time, but when I'm wearing eye glasses, it's noticeable.

The only mains I have to straighten are usually the last mains, that get pushed from the clamps while working on the crosses.

As for straightening the crosses, that's what the Setting Off tool is for. It's much faster to do after stringing than during stringing. I've seen many Pro Stringers at the events use the tool after stringing and some of these guys are the fastest stringers in the World.

I prefer to keep the crosses as straight as possible while I go. I feel that the tension of the crosses is better if the pull is straight, rather than leaving a smile to be straightened later.

Cheers,
kev

I use an Apex II with the 3-point clamps, and unless I'm doing a a Head T1-XX or a 18X20 on certain areas, it's not the clamps that's bowing the mains slightly. It's not an issue really since the bow is ever so slight.

Don't wear glasses, so it's definitely not an illusion. I think "straight" is often subjective where strings are concerned. If you hold the racquet up and look at it straight on, the mains look fine, but if you hold it down toward the floor and view the mains from the bottom of the racquet going toward the top (almost at 45º) you'll see a slight bowing of the mains. For most I imagine it's not worth their time to straighten.

Yep, very familiar with the setting off tool and it's purpose - have used it on occasion in days gone by. Nowadays when I finish the crosses only require a min or so to straighten.

It's a classic optical illusion where perfectly straight lines appear to be curved when crossed with curved lines.