Deformed racquet, what to do?

[zidane339]

Hi guys, I recently purchased a used ATS Super Stringer II, very much like the Gamma X-2. I strung my first racquet tonight, a cheap Head racquet, and manage to "lollipop" the frame. Should I upgrade to a 6 pt mount, or should I practice more? I felt I did everything correctly, but still managed to deform the racquet.What should I do?

[baek57]

what is a lollipop'd frame

[SteveI]

Originally Posted by zidane339

Hi guys, I recently purchased a used ATS Super Stringer II, very much like the Gamma X-2. I strung my first racquet tonight, a cheap Head racquet, and manage to "lollipop" the frame. Should I upgrade to a 6 pt mount, or should I practice more? I felt I did everything correctly, but still managed to deform the racquet.What should I do?

Many of the the two point mounting systems can have that effect. In addition, many of the head frames are prone to de-form. After I moved from a 2 point system to my current Alpha "Built like a Tank" six point system, that is never a problem.

Regards,
Steve

[Mansewerz]

Originally Posted by SteveI

Many of the the two point mounting systems can have that effect. In addition, many of the head frames are prone to de-form. After I moved from a 2 point system to my current Alpha "Build like a Tank" six point system, that is never a problem.

Regards,
Steve

what machine?

[SteveI]

Originally Posted by Mansewerz

what machine?

Alpha Pioneer III

[theace21]

How cheap was the racket? Did you go over the recommended tension?

Those old Prince Pro, used to spoon after a while. I strung some that were so out of shape and this was with an Ektelon machine.

Double check the mounting a try another racket. Many of use have used these 2 point drop weights without any problems...

[Gimmick]

What you need to do most importantly is make sure the two mounts are as far out as physically possible. With my klippermate I sometimes even impart a 1/16" stretch as I'm tightening the frame specifically to counteract the settling in that occurs. (in every machine)

I do not believe that my six point mount incurs any less deformation than my Klippermate did if I was careful in mounting the frame on the klippermate. Any flex that occured during stringing with the klippermate was offset once the string was clamped and tension released. My six point mount on the otherhand does pull away slightly from one of the mounts no matter what I do. The racquet doesn't shift or twist, it just changes silhouette enough to leave a slight gap. I have noticed other posters with the same problem although it does appear to matter what model racquet you're stringing and what tension.

In short, some deformation (1/8-1/32) will occur in many frames no matter what stringer you are using but you can limit this in a two point by making sure there is 1/16" of elongation tension when you mount it.

[Gamma Tech]

do you have the 'football' shaped adapter inside of the rqt? try spreading the mounting posts out a little bit further before you start.
bret

[TenniseaWilliams]

Are you stringing crosses at higher/lower tensions than the mains, 1 piece bottom up cross stringing, or using very high string tensions? Older frames tend to deform more as well, sometimes a small amount of it is normal and unavoidable.

I believe your best shot is to measure the racquet to see exactly how much deformation is occurring, and experiment with ways to try and minimize it if it is large. Lately I have been measuring before the strings are cut out, after they are cut out, and then after stringing with some surprising results. I have seen suggestions to increase cross strings a few pounds to force the racquet back into shape, stretch mounting, using stiffer strings with reduced overall tension, top to bottom or bottom to top crosses, 2 piece, ATW, etc.

[zidane339]

To answer some questions, I stayed within the racquets recommended tension(59lbs). I also strung the crosses at the smae tension as the mains. I used a cheap Head Ti Conquest as it was my first string job.I more accurately measure the deformation and found a .25 in shortening.

[Gimmick]

I tried restringing a walmart racquet like that with a seperate bridge just once. Its just not worth it, a good string costs almost as much as the frame and the frames deform fiercely. If you don't have big money scour **** for some used or older generation frames in the $50 range. At least they will be carbon with an integrated bridge.

[aussie]

I've used my Klippermate to string many older racquets such as a Prince Pro 110, Wimbledon Super Boron etc. The Pro and Wimbledon I strung at 74lbs which is a fair tension and experienced no deformation. The secret is to ensure (as Gimmick correctly writes) that the mounting posts at the 6 and 12 o'clock positions are tapped out as far as you can get them. Klipper actually advise you in the manual to do this with older frames. If you do this and screw the top plates down tightly to hold the frame firmly, there should be no deformation. Frames will flex during stringing though and this is natural.

[dkim]

I don't think 6pt mounting is necessarily a solution. If a racquet is flexible, it can be deformed in a good 6pt mounting system. That was/is my experience.

My racquet gets shorter after stringing, and for this particular racquet, I don't see any difference in the end product (i.e., strung racquet) whether the racquet is strung on X-2 or on 602FC. However, 6pt mounting system may help reduce the stress that the racquet goes through during the stringing.

My two cents,

DK