Mansewerz's Guide to Buying Stringing Machines

[BigApple]

Originally Posted by iplaybetter

new stuff

the two styles of outside mounting 6pt systems:
two main styles are available: self centering 6pt (see below babolat) and the individually adjusted arm system (see revo) wich requires you to turn a knob for each of the support arms
the self centering system is considered to be better for its speed and consistency

The Babolat Star 5 isn't self centering. In fact there are three types of outside 6pt mounting. The Star 5, is suspension mounting, the Revo is self adjusted, and machines like the Gamma 8800 ELS is self centering. The difference is that the 2 posts at 12 and 6 move simultaneously when you turn the knob on either side of the turntable.

Hope that helps!

-BA

[iplaybetter]

Originally Posted by BigApple

The Babolat Star 5 isn't self centering. In fact there are three types of outside 6pt mounting. The Star 5, is suspension mounting, the Revo is self adjusted, and machines like the Gamma 8800 ELS is self centering. The difference is that the 2 posts at 12 and 6 move simultaneously when you turn the knob on either side of the turntable.

Hope that helps!




-BA

you make a wonderful point, i forgot to mention the suspension stuff, and i ment self centering in the sence that the racket is always centered becaus the arms move in together

i will fix it

[YULitle]

Originally Posted by BigApple

The Babolat Star 5 isn't self centering. In fact there are three types of outside 6pt mounting. The Star 5, is suspension mounting, the Revo is self adjusted, and machines like the Gamma 8800 ELS is self centering. The difference is that the 2 posts at 12 and 6 move simultaneously when you turn the knob on either side of the turntable.

Hope that helps!

-BA

What?

There is a machine that moves both center billiards at the same time?

[iplaybetter]

Originally Posted by YULitle

What?

There is a machine that moves both center billiards at the same time?

it apears that the post move, not the mount, the prince 2k had that feature i belive, i think its a large screw, with threads that reverse int he middle, underneath the turntable

[BigApple]

Originally Posted by Mansewerz

[color="Red"]

6 point mounting systems are generally superior to 2 point/4 point. However, any of these mounting systems is adequate to keep a frame safe during stringing if the stringer mounts the racquet properly.

You'd be pretty surprised how much more a racquet deforms on 2 pt mounting versus 6 pt mounting when only the mains are installed. Obviously all that changes when you install the crosses!

-BA

[BigApple]

Originally Posted by YULitle

What?

There is a machine that moves both center billiards at the same time?

Just got one in at the shop. Was pretty surprised when I first used the 8800 ELS, but once I got used to it, I was banging out 3-4 sticks and hour!

-BA

[YULitle]

Originally Posted by BigApple

Just got one in at the shop. Was pretty surprised when I first used the 8800 ELS, but once I got used to it, I was banging out 3-4 sticks and hour!

-BA

What locks them in place once they reach the destination? Friction?

[iplaybetter]

Originally Posted by BigApple

You'd be pretty surprised how much more a racquet deforms on 2 pt mounting versus 6 pt mounting when only the mains are installed. Obviously all that changes when you install the crosses!

-BA

check out this:
http://www.g r a n d s l a m s t r i n g e r s . c om/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1212875889/15

remove spaces

[Mansewerz]

Hollywood, you make a good point. I wonder if a mod could possibly move stuff into other parts of a thread, so hopefully we can keep this one going. I understand though.

[ryangoring]

Just asking MANSEWERZ...what would you recommend a beginner stringer like myself use, but in electric, inexpensive but of good value?
And may I throw in, any other type of machine drop weight or crank.
I would only string my own and maybe every couple of months I would do that.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by Mansewerz

Put some poly into a rotational gripper and watch the string turn into a white color at the point that it is fed into the jaws after being wrapped and tell me that no bending is occuring there.

I've strung plenty of poly on an X-2 and haven't experienced that. Perhaps, it's your machine/gripper.

[Mansewerz]

Originally Posted by ryangoring

Just asking MANSEWERZ...what would you recommend a beginner stringer like myself use, but in electric, inexpensive but of good value?
And may I throw in, any other type of machine drop weight or crank.
I would only string my own and maybe every couple of months I would do that.

Electric and inexpensive don't go together in the same sentence if you want a good quality electric.

Hmm, stringing only every couple months?

I'd definately say a dropweight.

There are several choices in the guide, so depending on budget:
-Klippermate ($135)
-x-2 ($159)

Now if you want a bit higher, i'm not dissatisfied with my Silent partner swing. Great machine, good value at $199. You get some free string too (reel of syn gut)

I think the Alpha Pioneer DC Plus would be a bit overboard at the moment.

Definately get either the Klippermate or the Gamma x-2.

Read through the threads debating the Klippermate v.s the x-2 to decide which is more important to you in terms of stringing machines.

I think i'd personally prefer the klippermate due to the better clamps. The ratchet isn't that important.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by BigApple

You'd be pretty surprised how much more a racquet deforms on 2 pt mounting versus 6 pt mounting when only the mains are installed. Obviously all that changes when you install the crosses!

-BA

I measured the deformation on an X-2 (2-pt). The debate heats up after post #19.

It doesn't deform as much as you may think.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=205889

[cpmoran]

mounting and unmounting a racquet on my gamma 6004 (same mounting as 8800els) one of only two things I still miss, the other part I prefered on the gamma over the Star 5 was the string gripper. the star five causes more ghosting on nat gut.

[ryangoring]

Originally Posted by Mansewerz

Electric and inexpensive don't go together in the same sentence if you want a good quality electric.

Hmm, stringing only every couple months?

I'd definately say a dropweight.

There are several choices in the guide, so depending on budget:
-Klippermate ($135)
-x-2 ($159)

Now if you want a bit higher, i'm not dissatisfied with my Silent partner swing. Great machine, good value at $199. You get some free string too (reel of syn gut)

I think the Alpha Pioneer DC Plus would be a bit overboard at the moment.

Definately get either the Klippermate or the Gamma x-2.

Read through the threads debating the Klippermate v.s the x-2 to decide which is more important to you in terms of stringing machines.

I think i'd personally prefer the klippermate due to the better clamps. The ratchet isn't that important.

I saw on the Eagnas, I know it is a bad word around here, but they had an electric machine for 179. I think it is called the hawk 20. What do you thinka bout this model.
But I am looking heavily on the Klippermate!

[Mansewerz]

Originally Posted by ryangoring

I saw on the Eagnas, I know it is a bad word around here, but they had an electric machine for 179. I think it is called the hawk 20. What do you thinka bout this model.
But I am looking heavily on the Klippermate!

Cheap electrics from Eagnas are notorious for faulty operation, off center drilling, and other problems. Stay away from them.

I'd say get a klippermate. you can get a blemished one that works fine for $10 cheaper.

The only Eagnas' I know of that are usually never a problem are the Flex 940 and Eag 300.

[Hankenstein]

Why isn´t this thread a STICKY? It´s way to informative to be forgotten.

Very very good work Mansewerz!

[diredesire]

Hey all, good thread going. I will sticky it after we do a little work on it, as I tend to try to get rock solid info in stickies. There are a few things that I slightly disagree with, but it's all a matter of pickiness on my part:

1) There is a difference between electric machines and electronic machines, IMO. Electric machines are machines that utilize electricity in order to power the tensioners. This does NOT mean that a machine is a true constant pull (all electronic machines are electric machines, but not vice versa). Electronic machines use sophisticated electronics (typically printed circuit boards with load sensing/tension monitoring electronics). These machines are typically (very close) to true constant pull, and are the "expensive" electronics you speak of.

Lower end electric machines only have very rudimentary "electronics," and they typically work with the use of a preloaded spring, just like a crank. IMO, the ESII+ is right in between true CP and crank, it adjust far less than my Laserfibre MS200TT (and I've had about 2 years of high volume stringing on one). It adjusts, sure, but not to very minute differences. I remember reading Gamma Tech commenting on the amount of change required for the tensioner to re-activate. I remember it being a pretty decent number, but I can't recall it off the top of my head.

As far as flying clamps, they can actually be FASTER than fixed clamps. Another (not widely used) name for flying clamps are "speed clamps." When you get used to flying clamps, you can really speed along a frame. I think this is slightly off. Also, I would also say that the industry's finest floating clamps are the Laserfibre brand. I also found the SP flying clamps to be better than the Klippermate clamps, which have been known (in the past, not so much recently) to have a few quality control issues (sharp edges which would break strings repeatedly)

Originally Posted by Bud

Mansewerz - "A linear gripper causes less damage to the string because you don't have to wrap the string around it which bends the string and causes kinks (sharp bends in the string). Also, the linear gripper is pretty simple to use. Just put it in, and tension."

Rotational grippers do not bend the string or cause kinks in the string.

The clamps on any stringing machine are more likely (than any gripper) to cause string damage if they aren't adjusted properly.

I have to agree with Bud here. A linear gripper in theory does not cause less damage to a string. The linear gripper relies strictly on the force of the gripper plates to smash the string and hold it in place (in more or less words). This is fine and dandy (since there is often a limiting screw on these plates), but a rotational gripper is often more gentle on the string due to friction as well as a tightening of the drum as necessary. I do agree that bends can occur, but any good rotational gripper should have a slight bevel to it, but this isn't always the case. It's all a sticky situation because there are well designed ANYTHINGs in the stringing machine world, and this is another one of those situatinos.

Originally Posted by Mansewerz

Put some poly into a rotational gripper and watch the string turn into a white color at the point that it is fed into the jaws after being wrapped and tell me that no bending is occuring there.

I rarely see polys change color due to bending, unless it's really bad...?

Also: Automatic dropweights: I'm not sure this category really requires it's own subcategory. I would put a note under regular dropweights, as the only machines that I am aware of that use this tensioning system are the LF machines and the SW machines. (Much overlap in this). Although honestly i don't think this needs to be changed, it's just a nitpick.


Mansewerz, I really like where this thread is going. Please shoot me an e-mail through the forum, or diredesire @ hotmail (they go to the same place).

I'd like to have a chat with you and see what I can do to clean this up and make it sticky worthy. I'm hoping some time this summer we can get a good S&S/SM forum stickies going, and there are a few good efforts going on right now. The only thing I am questioning at this point (in all the threads going) is the matter of opinion. If I put a sticky status for any threads I want the information to be less opinion, and more objective, as you stated in your first post. This effort is really looking pretty darn good, though.

[Mansewerz]

E-mail has been sent Dire, i'm ready for any constructive criticism.

[l_gonzalez]

Hey everyone, i live in the UK at the moment and i'm looking to buy a good quality machine but i refuse to pay the ridiculous prices that they charge here in Europe. I'm thinking of maybe a Gamma 6004 or one of the similarly priced Silent Partner machines.

I haven't found a company yet that is willing to ship from the US to the UK so I was wondering if anybody had any ideas of how I could get a machine over here or if you know of a company that will ship a machine over here.

I might be travelling to the US soon and i've thought about bringing a machine over myself... Does anyone have any experince on travelling with a stringing machine?