Problem stringing RIP Control 16

[Luiz.Melao]

Hello guys/ladies,

I would like some help from you regarding Stringing Techniques for Head RIP Control. I will explain my situation first.
I live in a small city, close to Rio de Janeiro - Brazil, and here we just have one person that does string jobs. Since good string here in Brazil costs about R$ 50,00 (U$ 25), I decided to bring some string from US a few months ago. I bought 5 sets of PPA and 7 sets of RIP Control. For some unknown reasons, the stringer mentioned above cannot string with Rip Control. He has been stringing my racquets for 1 year and I've never had any problems with his string jobs. He stringed all my 5 PPA with no problems at all, but the 2 times he tried to string my racquet with RIP Control, he destroyed my string when tying it. He says that after he ties the knot and the machine pulls the string, the string just gets destroyed. Now I have 5 sets of RIP and I cannot use them!!
Does anyone know what might be happening? Is there a diferent technique that must be used when stringing with RIP Control?
Some help from you would be great. Thanks in advance,

PS: Sorry about my poor English.

Luiz Fernando Melao

[WileyCoyote]

Not sure what you mean when you say "...the machine pulls the string.."

If he is finishing the knot by pulling on the knot with the machine tensioner, that is likely where the problem is--way too tight. The knot should be finished with hand tension, not machine, in my opinion.

The only good thing I can think of is at least this is not natural gut he is destroying. Gut, from what I have heard, is even more sensitive to tension when its knots are tied.

If I were you, I would buy a stringing machine and learn to do the work yourself.

Hope this helps,

Harry

[Irvin]

Never Never ever pull knots tight with a machine. All string knot should be tied by hand. It is the stringer's fault the string is breaking.

[db10s]

Originally Posted by Irvin

Never Never ever pull knots tight with a machine. All string knot should be tied by hand. It is the stringer's fault the string is breaking.

Yep. I use a starting clamp to pull the string.

[Squidward]

Never pull a knot with the machine. I always use a starting clamp to tighten the knot by hand.

If indeed he's using the machine to tighten the knots, I'd ask the stringer to redo the job at his cost.

[mikeler]

What everyone above me said. My first ever string job I busted by doing this.

[Lakers4Life]

I cringe every time I see someone pull knots with the tensioner.

Luiz.M: Buy your own Stringing machine and learn how to string.

[SwankPeRFection]

Like others have said, tell the guy to stop pulling the knots tight with the stringer. Either that or tell him that if he insists on doing it to do it right... i.e. tap to start the tension and then tap to stop it a second later. You NEVER let the tensioning head pull all the way like it does when you're tensioning a main/cross.

Better yet, get a new stringer or just do your own racquets. If it's that expensive to buy string there, imagine how much the guy is probably costing you in labor. Buy a machine and do it yourself... you can get a good 6-point drop weight for about $400 from a reputable company and upgrade the tensioner later to an electric if needed.

[Lakers4Life]

At $25 USD a job, you can pay off your machine in no time.

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by Lakers4Life

At $25 USD a job, you can pay off your machine in no time.

The going rate here is $15/hour. I invested $800 total in a machine 5 years ago. I probably average a stringing per week. So far that has saved me about $15 x 5 years x 52 weeks = $3,900, so I've saved over $3,000!

[Dags]

Everyone is making the assumption that the stringer is using the machine to tighten the knot. However:

Originally Posted by Luiz.Melao

He says that after he ties the knot and the machine pulls the string, the string just gets destroyed.

This could just as easily be describing someone who starts the crosses with a starting knot.

Luiz, you should seek clarification on when the breakage occurs. If he is tightening knots with the machine, ask him to do it by hand. If he is using a starting knot for the crosses, ask him if he can use a starting clamp instead.

[Irvin]

Dags you're right but if he users a starting knot and pulls tension on the top cross properly it will not destroy the string. T ensure the knot does not skip the tail should be held when pulling tension, and I am assuming he is tying a good knot.

[v-verb]

Originally Posted by mikeler

The going rate here is $15/hour. I invested $800 total in a machine 5 years ago. I probably average a stringing per week. So far that has saved me about $15 x 5 years x 52 weeks = $3,900, so I've saved over $3,000!

NICE!!!!!!

I got a Klippermate for $125 shipped but needed the clamps etc so the total ended up being under $200. Which is still a lot cheaper than getting a Klipper new shipped.

I figure I'll do a few stringings a year for myself only and recoup in a couple of years.

I was just frustrated at my local guy stringing at 15-20 lbs higher than I wanted (I wanted 30 and 35 lbs on my POG mid and Boron OS, but for 60 and 50 respectively) and getting charged $40 a racquet for RPM Team

[tbuggle]

Originally Posted by v-verb

NICE!!!!!!

I got a Klippermate for $125 shipped but needed the clamps etc so the total ended up being under $200. Which is still a lot cheaper than getting a Klipper new shipped.

I figure I'll do a few stringings a year for myself only and recoup in a couple of years.

I was just frustrated at my local guy stringing at 15-20 lbs higher than I wanted (I wanted 30 and 35 lbs on my POG mid and Boron OS, but for 60 and 50 respectively) and getting charged $40 a racquet for RPM Team

Barring stringer error, clamp slippage/drawback etc. you'll know that your dropweight is pulling the tension you ask for. Enjoy!!

BTW, haven't heard anyone else mention problems with stringing RIP Control. Sounds like stringer error based on all of the above.

[Lakers4Life]

I string Rip Control for a Junior client all the time. I've never had any problem of it breaking. It is kinda waxxie, and the does tend to unravel at the cut end.

[andtapes]

I sent a private message to you

[Ramon]

RIP Control is not much fun to string, but it's not so hard that it can't be done. It's hard to get it past blocked holes, and it hurts your fingers a little when you weave it and pull on it. I can't tell from the description what exactly is going on. Maybe the stringer is just used to stringing synthetic gut in under 20 minutes and doesn't want to mess with anything more difficult and time consuming?

[Chotobaka]

Nothing at all remotely difficult about stringing RIP Control. I second the suggestion of getting a capable/economic machine and doing it yourself. Is anything available locally -- I know duty can be very high in your country (not to mention theft en-route).

[coolblue123]

RIP is a pain to unravel. And string is alittle soft and chewy.
Not my first choice to choose to string with but it's definitely not hard to string with.
Using the machine to tie knots demonstrates lack of experience from ur stringer. You should suggest watching Irvin's or Yulitle's youtube vid's. =)
I would find another stringer or just do it yourself.

[Irvin]

Most strings can be unwound easily if you put the coil over the handle and pull one end. Just make sure the string is not turning on the grip as the grip tends to bind it up.