What to do with mains that end at the head?

[Irvin]

More importantly how do you string your Babolat rackets? I would string the top two crosses and hold the top cross with a starting clamp and pull tension on the second. Clamp the top two crosses with one clamp and use the other to string the remaining crosses down the racket. When you are done and tie off the bottom go back up and tension the top cross. Release the top flying clamp, the starting clamp, then clamp the top two crosses again and tie off.

[maxspin]

Originally Posted by Irvin

More importantly how do you string your Babolat rackets? I would string the top two crosses and hold the top cross with a starting clamp and pull tension on the second. Clamp the top two crosses with one clamp and use the other to string the remaining crosses down the racket. When you are done and tie off the bottom go back up and tension the top cross. Release the top flying clamp, the starting clamp, then clamp the top two crosses again and tie off.

Interesting. I was following the procedure in this vid by YUlitle,

http://youtu.be/vIbR7OzJJ5k

Your procedure differs from his in that you do not pull tension on the first cross, he does. Also you wait until you finish all the crosses before finishing off the top cross, he does that only about four crosses in and when the clamp is diagonal from the starting clamp. I never thought of your method but it seems good, perhaps better, or same difference? I'll definitely give it a try. what are your thoughts on the differences?

I gotta go string now and try all this new stuff, thx, be back with results

[fortun8son]

There are several good techniques for doing two piece without a starting knot.
Irvin's is a good one so is jim_e's.
Don't dismiss Irvin just because he likes to yank our chains once in a while.
He has taught us all a lot and his techniques are valid.

[Irvin]

Originally Posted by maxspin

Interesting. I was following the procedure in a video by YUlitle, Your procedure differs from his in that you do not pull tension on the first cross, he does. Also you wait until you finish all the crosses before finishing off the top cross, he does that only about four crosses in and when the clamp is diagonal from the starting clamp...

YULitle's and Jim e's procedure are sound ones, nothing at all wrong with them. BUT, you said you had flying clamps, YULitle had fixed clamps. If you use flying clamps how do you clamp one string?

I double pull the top two crosses at the same time and the top cross does not blend over to the second while the racket is being strung. YULitle double pulls the top cross. I choose to wait until I get to the bottom to take the starting clamp off because the string bed is tighter because I think you have less drawback but it probably does not matter. It's is just a break of rhythm.

EDIT: Also I do pull tension on the first cross when I am ready to remove the starting clamp. YULitle's method puts more stress on the string where the starting clamp is. because I am not pulling full tension on the top cross I can put the string farther up in the starting clamp toward the tip and it does not slip putting less crushing pressure on that top string.

[maxspin]

Originally Posted by Irvin

YULitle's and Jim e's procedure are sound ones, nothing at all wrong with them. BUT, you said you had flying clamps, YULitle had fixed clamps. If you use flying clamps how do you clamp one string?

Thanks Irvin for you help. Regarding your question that was another issue I was confused about. I have simply been using my flying clamp for holding one string and have not found any slippage when doing the crosses, though that could be debatable I'm sure, but not noticeable to me. In other situations I have used a short piece of dummy string just to try it out, though I find that that the flying clamps hold one string pretty well and am satisfied with that, bad technique? It seems to work well enough I see no slippage and I'm not about to get a new machine anytime soon...if no good what is solution?


Another question, does it matter if the flying clamps are above or below the racquet?
To be honest its a pain in the *** to have the flying clamps below so I sometimes just clamp them above the racquet and I have been happy with the end result, just makes my life easier, though I have not seen anyone else (in my very limited world view of youtube) doing that. opinions? Obviously fixed clamps are another story, but is there some benefit to fixed clamps being below or do people just do that to try and replicate fixed clamp design out of habit? Of course fixed clamps are on the bottom because its easier to design the machine that way but for flying clamps, I can't see it making that great a difference but I have not seen anyone on youtube doing that even though it seems easier...???

[maxspin]

but is there some benefit to FLYING clamps being below?

[Irvin]

I think only clamping one string with flying clamps is a bad method. You cant clamp the mains that way and when to clamp the crosses the mains are holding the crosses. sounds like you are really losing a lot of tension and i don't see how it is possible to get consistent results. As far as putting the clamps on top no big deal I don't think.

[maxspin]

ok, but when doing the crosses only the first cross is held by itself with the flying clamp the rest are done holding two like normal, can there really be that much tension loss from just the top cross supposedly slipping?

Also if that is so why couldn't one just use a dummy piece of string if it is a mechanical issue with the clamps needing something there?

I'm just looking for solutions here, thx to anyone for any positive help!

[Irvin]

Originally Posted by maxspin

ok, but when doing the crosses only the first cross is held by itself with the flying clamp the rest are done holding two like normal, can there really be that much tension loss from just the top cross supposedly slipping?

Also if that is so why couldn't one just use a dummy piece of string if it is a mechanical issue with the clamps needing something there?

I'm just looking for solutions here, thx to anyone for any positive help!

If the flying clamp is held by the mains (for the top cross only) it could draw back by as much as 0.25". That is really a lot of tension. I would not do that as I think you may as well not even tension that string. I think that clamp will move when you tension the next string so what good did it do - wasted effort. Just start by tensioning the second string. Now you have to get the starting clamp off before you can tie off and you can't remove the flying or starting clamp until you string at least one more cross. What not just string all the crosses first? Some Babolat's tie off on the third cross and you don't want the clamp in the way tying your knot so you need to run in a fourth cross before you can get the starting clamp off.

If you use a dummy piece of string or a start pin (Klippermate sells them) then you have to take the start pin out and take off the starting clamp. That is even more wasted effort. If you are talking about putting a dummy piece of string in the clamp so the string will not slip and you don't have to adjust your clamp for a single string your back to the string tension being lost.

I am not talking about your string slipping in the clamp being the reason for not clamping the top cross only. I am saying that way you will have a lot of drawback and you loose all your tension.