Tool for prince o port

[Brocolt]

Where can I quickly get the little tool for putting in the open grommets of the prince rackets like exo for stringing?

[Lakers4Life]

You can get boomerangs from Prince. Just call Prince customer service and they will mail you one in a week.

But if you need one right away, an S hook will do the trick, but I have not tried the method, because I have a brake on my machine and I also have a set of boomerangs.

If you want to try the S Hook method, search YouTube.

[Irvin]

The reason tools are required is so you can hold the cross you are tensioning in the bottom of the port. All you need is something about 1/2" thick to do that. I used a 3/8" ratchet extension at first.

String your racket with a 2 piece 50/50 pattern and you don't need anything but a stringer.

[SwankPeRFection]

Or you could lock your table from turning. A lot of us also just let the handle of the racquet rest against our outside hip to keep it from turning if it's really an issue. Most of the time, with one hand operation of an electric head, I usually just hold it with my other hand and pull tension/clamp with my right. Not too much of an issue, but I don't know a lot of people who play with Princes, so it's not as important for me.

[bosssauce]

Just called today

[Susak]

You can use a pen cap instead of a prince boomerang.

[bosssauce]

Originally Posted by Susak

You can use a pen cap instead of a prince boomerang.

Why they are free

[Lakers4Life]

Pen caps and hip method are for the brake challenged stringers of this world.

[Irvin]

Originally Posted by Lakers4Life

Pen caps and hip method are for the brake challenged stringers of this world.

You're an engineer, so I'd like to ask a question. If you're pulling in one direction with 60 pounds of tension at various angles to a string how much tension is on the string?

[Lakers4Life]

Originally Posted by Irvin

You're an engineer, so I'd like to ask a question. If you're pulling in one direction with 60 pounds of tension at various angles to a string how much tension is on the string?

60 lbs, but Not as precise as if you were using a brake. One of the factors we strive for in stringing is consistency. Though the pen cap, socket extension, and S-hook method, are probably more consistent than using your hip and arm to hold the racket. You are also putting undo stress on the handle of the racket.

[Irvin]

I have made some tests before in a conventional racket and the friction of the frame and strings make a big difference but I don't think you understand my question. The direction of the tensioner is always away from the pivot point of the turntable. If you use a brake you will need to turn the racket so that the cross string is perpendicular to the to the center line of the racket and in line with the bottom of the O Port which creates an angle going into the tensioners gripper. That angle will vary depending on which cross string you are tensioning and how far the cross string is from the center line. If the cross string were far enough it so that the string were perpendicular to the line of pull there would be 0 lbs of tension on the string.

When you are tensioning a cross string in a Prince racket (in an O Port) the string always exits the frame in the bottom of the port and when you are string the top half of the racket that port is between the racket and the tensioner so the string naturally wants to pull to the top of the O port. Putting a spacer like a boomerranf or sharpie cap hold the string in the bottom of the port. Or you could use an S hook to connect the string to a lower port which hold it down.

When using a brake the far side of the racket holds one end of the string which goes straight to the gripper in the tensioner and enters that gripper at on angle and that angle varies depending on how far the cross is the the pivot point. The turntable is then locked with a brake to hold e string in the lower part of the port. What I am having trouble understanding is how pulling in one direction enables you to put the same tension on every string because of the different angles of the string.

[Susak]

Originally Posted by bosssauce

Why they are free

Sure but in case somebody needs to string a racket urgently. Then they can (of course not ideal) I have three boomerangs.

[Lakers4Life]

The string will always want to go where there is least resistance. When you string mains or do a 50/50 Cross, you never have to use a boomerang, because the string will naturally follow the path of least resistance, in this case friction.

Ideally we would like to pull directly straight out of each grommet path, but that rarely happens, because the paths of the string are not always directly inline with the tension head gripper path.

[Irvin]

Originally Posted by Lakers4Life

The string will always want to go where there is least resistance. When you string mains or do a 50/50 Cross, you never have to use a boomerang, because the string will naturally follow the path of least resistance, in this case friction.

Ideally we would like to pull directly straight out of each grommet path, but that rarely happens, because the paths of the string are not always directly inline with the tension head gripper path.

Actually the string when it is tensioned will take the shortest path (outside the frame) between the turntable pivot point and the tensioner (the gripper.) the only exception to that will the the bend through the grommets in the frame.

If the ideal condition is to pull straight out the grommet why don't stringing machine manufacturers make stringers so the tension moves around the racket instead of the racket turning in relation to the pulling force?

[Lakers4Life]

Originally Posted by Susak

Sure but in case somebody needs to string a racket urgently. Then they can (of course not ideal) I have three boomerangs.

Prince recommends using the brake in conjuction with the boomerang whenever possible. For those without a TT brake, this was a big problem. At one point Prince was out of stock of boomerangs. Before they started producing them again, the stringers without, found other solutions.

[Lakers4Life]

Originally Posted by Irvin

Actually the string when it is tensioned will take the shortest path (outside the frame) between the turntable pivot point and the tensioner (the gripper.) the only exception to that will the the bend through the grommets in the frame.

If the ideal condition is to pull straight out the grommet why don't stringing machine manufacturers make stringers so the tension moves around the racket instead of the racket turning in relation to the pulling force?

That's true, but in the case of O-ports it does not follow the intended line of the cross, but the path of least resistance. There is no grommet to keep it on it's intended path.

I can understand what you are saying as far as the string having 0 lbs tension when it is pulled perpendicular out of the grommet. That's basically 90 degrees or more. How often does that happen in stringing? When stringing O-port rackets, I will usually try to set the brake where the string is barely touching th side of the O-port. I try to reduce the angle as much as possible.

[Irvin]

Originally Posted by Lakers4Life

That's true, but in the case of O-ports it does not follow the intended line of the cross, but the path of least resistance. There is no grommet to keep it on it's intended path.

I can understand what you are saying as far as the string having 0 lbs tension when it is pulled perpendicular out of the grommet. That's basically 90 degrees or more. How often does that happen in stringing? When stringing O-port rackets, I will usually try to set the brake where the string is barely touching th side of the O-port. I try to reduce the angle as much as possible.

If you use your brake the cross string will follow the intended line of the cross straight across the racket out the port and into the gripper. There is no bend anywhere except for the slight bend (the smile) from the opposing force of alternate mains.

Now if that cross were equally distant from the pivot point of the turntable as the entry point into the gripper of the string there would be a 90 degree bend going into the gripper and it would be impossible to tension the string without moving the tensioner farther away from the pivot point (or moving the pivot point of the turn table away from the tension) which is impossible. If the angle of the string going into the gripper is 90 degrees to the direction of pull there is no tension, if the string goes into the gripper without having an angle the tension on the string is the same as the pull of the tensioner. If there is any angle it seems to me the tension on the string is not reference tension and that is what happens when you use a brake.

[Irvin]

I am not trying to start an argument here so if anyone can help me to understand L4L's position or L4L understand my position please chime in.

[tbuggle]

you both understand each other. Irvin is being anal about actual tension (a fine argument, if you must based on angles etc..) whereas L4L is going with consistent, repeatable stringing,
IN THE REAL WORLD.

edit: everyone knows, grommets, turns, angles, etc take away from actual tension being pulled.

next.

[jim e]

Originally Posted by Lakers4Life

Prince recommends using the brake in conjuction with the boomerang whenever possible. For those without a TT brake, this was a big problem. At one point Prince was out of stock of boomerangs. Before they started producing them again, the stringers without, found other solutions.

I have never heard of using a brake in conjuction with boomerang. If brake is used that is all needed. I don't use a boomerang. I string my share of racquets, and the boomerang increases more friction.I used the boomerang just one time, and that was enough. Brake works just fine, no issues and stringing as normal.
If you have a good brake system, that is all that is needed.