2 Mains From 40 Feet of String

I play with 2009 Prince Rebels which are 18x20. I want to use hybrid stringing but, 20 feet is too short to string the mains. How do you do this without wasting the rest of the string?

You can string the " middle" 16 mains with one string, and the outside mains when you do the crosses.

1. Exactly how many inches long are your longest (2 center) mains (from outside edge of frame to outside edge of frame)?

2. Exactly how many inches of string do you need to reach the tensioner on your machine (i.e. last string tensioned prior to tying a knot)?

3. Do you own a starting clamp?
If so... using it to bridge to the tensioner, just before any tie-offs, will allow you to use less string than you normal need ( i.e. not bridging).

4. Since various strings stretch greatly differing amounts... exactly what type of string are you wanting to use for your MAINS (natural gut, multi, poly, kevlar)?

5. Have you actually measured PRECISELY how long your set of string is? Don't assume that it's exactly 40 feet.
You MAY actually have more than 40 feet to work with. Some sets are a bit longer than 40'... and some can be a bit shorter than 40'.
Be SURE of the exact length before doing anything!

Answer all 5 of these questions and we'll be much closer to having an answer.

It MAY be possible to get mains twice...
and it MAY not.
Need your answers first.

DON'T cut your string yet!

There will be a good likelihood that you will need to string the mains using the FULL length of string - tying off one side's knot as per normal and tying off the other side's knot with a VERY long piece of string (i.e. the remaining ~20ish feet of string).
It's only AFTER you've tied that knot (with the super long tail) that you will finally cut the string.
This tactic eliminates you cutting off (and therefore wasting) the "tail" that normally goes into the trash can after you've tied/trimmed a knot.
This tactic saves about a foot (or possibly more) of string and can make the difference in squeaking out 18 mains (for 2 racquets) from a set or not.

DE19702 said:

I play with 2009 Prince Rebels which are 18x20. I want to use hybrid stringing but, 20 feet is too short to string the mains. How do you do this without wasting the rest of the string?

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Why not, it always works for me.

Here's what I do in situations like this:

• Determine exactly how much you need to string 1 side of the mains (since you've strung it before I assume you know how much you need).
• Measure out that length on the short side, but DO NOT CUT IT.
• String half of the mains w/ the short side, string the other half w/ the remaining length.
• Cut the long side only after tying it off.

This should give you ample string remaining since you are now able to 'reuse' the length that extended from the frame into the gripper on the last pull.

Also, as @Wes noted, a starting clamp is an essential tool and is great for bridging the gap between the remaining string & the gripper.

Irvin said:

Why not, it always works for me.

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Perhaps because we don't use the same machine. There is not enough string to go around the gripper. You have never found 20 feet of string too short to string the mains on a racquet or has this never happened to you. If that's the case why do hybrid string sets always come with 22 feet of mains?

DE19702 said:

I play with 2009 Prince Rebels which are 18x20. I want to use hybrid stringing but, 20 feet is too short to string the mains. How do you do this without wasting the rest of the string?

Click to expand...

Irvin said:

Why not, it always works for me.

Click to expand...

DE19702 said:

Perhaps because we don't use the same machine. There is not enough string to go around the gripper. You have never found 20 feet of string too short to string the mains on a racquet or has this never happened to you. If that's the case why do hybrid string sets always come with 22 feet of mains?

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Rebel is a 98sqin frame. I've strung plenty of 100sqin 18main patterns... 20 ft should be enough unless the string is really stiff and/or the tension is really low. If you have enough string to tie off but just can't reach the gripper, it's time to buy a starting clamp.

DE19702 said:

Perhaps because we don't use the same machine. There is not enough string to go around the gripper. You have never found 20 feet of string too short to string the mains on a racquet or has this never happened to you. If that's the case why do hybrid string sets always come with 22 feet of mains?

Click to expand...

If I were using your machine I would not have a problem. Hybrid strings usually come in 22 foot lengths because some people, some times need longer string because of the type racket they are stringing or because of the type of string or both. What seems to be your problem other than the fact that you may have cut the string in half before you actually knew how much string you needed? BTW just because a set of string says it is 40' long does not mean it is some sets are shorter and some are longer. I'm just trying to understand your problem.

EDIT: ^^@eelhc well done. kind of hard to give someone a solution if you don't know the problem.

EDIT: Also @McLovin's solution works most of the time.

amazing how many times this question has been asked and answered. Sometimes by the same people but different forums.

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/babolat-tonic-set-length.585142/

DE19702 said:

Perhaps because we don't use the same machine. There is not enough string to go around the gripper. You have never found 20 feet of string too short to string the mains on a racquet or has this never happened to you. If that's the case why do hybrid string sets always come with 22 feet of mains?

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You're absolutely correct in everything you've said here.
However, that conversation isn't really finding a solution for you.
Closer to being a debate.

Do you want a debate, or do you want an actual solution?

Before you can arrive at a destination, you first have to know how you're going to get there.
So...

Would you like to answer the 5 questions that I posed, and actually make some headway on this, or would you prefer to keep spinning your wheels - getting no closer to a formalized plan of action?

Help yourself by providing additional info.
Hard to help someone who doesn't appear to help their own cause.

I have an 18x20, the only reasonable way for me was to purchase a reel.

Wes said:

You're absolutely correct in everything you've said here.
However, that conversation isn't really finding a solution for you.
Closer to being a debate.

Do you want a debate, or do you want an actual solution?

Before you can arrive at a destination, you first have to know how you're going to get there.
So...

Would you like to answer the 5 questions that I posed, and actually make some headway on this, or would you prefer to keep spinning your wheels - getting no closer to a formalized plan of action?

Help yourself by providing additional info.
Hard to help someone whole doesn't appear to help their own cause.

Click to expand...

Also when the frame is mounted so the throat is closer to the tensioner you need less string if you don't have a starting clamp but I think the OP is looking to keep us guessing. I have a couple of 18x20 mid plus rackets and I can easily string them 2 piece with 36' of string.

Look, I have tried to use 20 feet of string to do the mains on this racquet and there is not enough string to wrap around the tensioner. I usually don't use hybrids so its not a problem. When I do that I usually cut 22 feet for the mains and 18 for the crosses. There is plenty of string left on the crosses when using 18 feet. Even the Prince stringing instructions for this frame says you need 21 feet for the mains. Stringing with mains with all of the string is a good idea as is the use of a starting clamp. Moving the racquet closer to the tensioner is also something I did not think of. And the suggestion that the string may elongate may help. Or it may not be possible. Thank you for your suggestions. If anyone actually has experience stringing a 2009 Prince Rebel 95 please chime in. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.

Starting clamps are cheap, and as used like in photo, you can now easily reach tension head by using starting clamp as jumper.
I have 3 starting clamps, and keep one with a string through the loops just for jumper use when I sometimes cut string a little short.
It is one of many uses for a starting clamp.
For many years I strung without one of these, back in 1960's-70's.
Today I would not want to be without one, as I said there are many uses for one.

Just to set the record straight, I took out a tape measure and measured the length of all of the 18 main strings from the outside of the frame. This was 18.65 feet. I then measured the distance of the arc at the top of the frame from the main #1 to main #9 which was 9 inches and measured the bottom arc which measured 10 inches. Because you can't count the width twice, I used 10 inches instead of 9. This resulted in a total string length in the racquet of 19.5 feet. This leaves 6 total inches or 3 inches on each side to pull and to stick into the tie off hole and tie off. From this I conclude that I cannot use a 40 foot piece of string for stringing two set of mains in a hybrid setup in this racquet.

strings stretch as you pull tension, how much it stretches depends on the string. but regardless 3 in should be enough to tie off, assuming the tie off grommet is close by. so if you have a starting clamp as a bridge, 20 ft should be enough.

Sent from my LG-H950 using Tapatalk

DE19702 said:

Just to set the record straight, I took out a tape measure and measured the length of all of the 18 main strings from the outside of the frame. This was 18.65 feet. I then measured the distance of the arc at the top of the frame from the main #1 to main #9 which was 9 inches and measured the bottom arc which measured 10 inches. Because you can't count the width twice, I used 10 inches instead of 9. This resulted in a total string length in the racquet of 19.5 feet. This leaves 6 total inches or 3 inches on each side to pull and to stick into the tie off hole and tie off. From this I conclude that I cannot use a 40 foot piece of string for stringing two set of mains in a hybrid setup in this racquet.

Click to expand...

New alert - string stretches. But different types of string stretch differently that was @Wes's question #4 above. But I don't think you're looking for an answer.

DE19702 said:

Just to set the record straight, I took out a tape measure and measured the length of all of the 18 main strings from the outside of the frame. This was 18.65 feet. I then measured the distance of the arc at the top of the frame from the main #1 to main #9 which was 9 inches and measured the bottom arc which measured 10 inches. Because you can't count the width twice, I used 10 inches instead of 9. This resulted in a total string length in the racquet of 19.5 feet. This leaves 6 total inches or 3 inches on each side to pull and to stick into the tie off hole and tie off. From this I conclude that I cannot use a 40 foot piece of string for stringing two set of mains in a hybrid setup in this racquet.

Click to expand...

There is another solution. You can string all but the outside mains using your string. Then you can string the two outside mains using your cross string. I've done this before. So you'd start your outside main at the top, string the bottom cross, then the other outside main, then come down. You'd need to make sure your weave is right.

I did it all the time with my MG Radical MP's (95, 18x20) using cheap gut (it already comes in two pieces).

1) Gut stretches a good bit.

2) I never measured the half sets, so don't know their actual length(s).

3) I had to bridge sometimes as the length obviously varied, but it always worked out.

Seems to me a starting clamp is the obvious answer, but then again.....perhaps knot.

Rabbit said:

There is another solution. You can string all but the outside mains using your string. Then you can string the two outside mains using your cross string. I've done this before. So you'd start your outside main at the top, string the bottom cross, then the other outside main, then come down. You'd need to make sure your weave is right.

Click to expand...

Good idea!
This is almost similar to Universal ATW one piece stringing.

jasonfoong said:

Good idea!
This is almost similar to Universal ATW one piece stringing.

Click to expand...

Sounds like a good idea until you start stringing two mains and 20 crosses with another half set of string. Back in an earlier post the OP said he needed 18 feet of string to string the crosses and now you're adding more. Also you're going to have three tie offs now where there used to be only one at the head, two mains and one end of the the string used for the crosses. Assuming the OP is never going to give us any information on what the real problem is the best solution for him is just buy reels and he can cut off what he needs. One reel can be used for 30 String jobs using 22' at a time.

jasonfoong said:

Good idea!
This is almost similar to Universal ATW one piece stringing.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I've done it plenty of times without any problem. Some people just like to crap on anything that they didn't think of.

Rabbit said:

Thanks, I've done it plenty of times without any problem. Some people just like to crap on anything that they didn't think of.

Click to expand...

I didn't have to think of it, it was already mentioned in post #2.

Rabbit said:

There is another solution. You can string all but the outside mains using your string. Then you can string the two outside mains using your cross string. I've done this before. So you'd start your outside main at the top, string the bottom cross, then the other outside main, then come down. You'd need to make sure your weave is right.

Click to expand...

You also need to make sure you start with the outer main that is opposite the tie off grommet on the top of the racket or it won't work. Not to mention the fact that the tie grommet is on the eight main that you will be finishing up with so you cant use the normal tie off at the top at all therefore you will have to open up three grommets for tie off holes at the top. If you have any problems contact rabbit he does it all the time with no problem.

If I were you @DE19702 I would try it with some junk string first just to see if there is a problem for you.

Irvin said:

If I were using your machine I would not have a problem. Hybrid strings usually come in 22 foot lengths because some people, some times need longer string because of the type racket they are stringing or because of the type of string or both. What seems to be your problem other than the fact that you may have cut the string in half before you actually knew how much string you needed? BTW just because a set of string says it is 40' long does not mean it is some sets are shorter and some are longer. I'm just trying to understand your problem.

EDIT: ^^@eelhc well done. kind of hard to give someone a solution if you don't know the problem.

EDIT: Also @McLovin's solution works most of the time.

Click to expand...

I have a similar issue with my Graphene Speed Pros when stringing on my X-2. I would think stringers with rotational grippers like that would require more string length than an electric or crank tensioner.

If that is the case, only a starting clamp or reel would be a solution imo.

Doc Hollidae said:

I have a similar issue with my Graphene Speed Pros when stringing on my X-2. I would think stringers with rotational grippers like that would require more string length than an electric or crank tensioner.

If that is the case, only a starting clamp or reel would be a solution imo.

Click to expand...

If I were stringing with any machine that used flying clamps I wouldn't string without a starting clamp. How do you start crosses and clamp it without a starting clamp and get tension on the top and second cross? IMO the best solution is a starting clamp AND a reel. When you start stringing an EXO3 frame and get the crosses started the wrong way sooner or later you find out something is terribly wrong.

Irvin said:

You also need to make sure you start with the outer main that is opposite the tie off grommet on the top of the racket or it won't work. Not to mention the fact that the tie grommet is on the eight main that you will be finishing up with so you cant use the normal tie off at the top at all therefore you will have to open up three grommets for tie off holes at the top. If you have any problems contact rabbit he does it all the time with no problem.

If I were you @DE19702 I would try it with some junk string first just to see if there is a problem for you.

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Like I said, it's never been a problem for me. I'll be happy to help anyone who needs it (which is what I thought the boards were for).

Some men, you just can't reach.


I asked 5 very simple and direct questions.
Not a single one of which was answered.
How, exactly, does being evasive help your cause?

DE19702 said:

Just to set the record straight, I took out a tape measure and measured the length of all of the 18 main strings from the outside of the frame. This was 18.65 feet. I then measured the distance of the arc at the top of the frame from the main #1 to main #9 which was 9 inches and measured the bottom arc which measured 10 inches. Because you can't count the width twice, I used 10 inches instead of 9. This resulted in a total string length in the racquet of 19.5 feet. This leaves 6 total inches or 3 inches on each side to pull and to stick into the tie off hole and tie off. From this I conclude that I cannot use a 40 foot piece of string for stringing two set of mains in a hybrid setup in this racquet.

Click to expand...

Perhaps, if we asked you what time it is, you might regale us with the tale of how the watch had been invented.

None of the above answered any of the questions I posed to you. Furthermore, none of the above is a response to what anyone else has asked either.
As Joe Friday best put it... "just the facts, ma'am... just the facts".

By the way, you may have concluded that you can't get a pair of mains out of a (presumably) 40' set... but that doesn't necessarily make it so.
It is possible that you've concluded incorrectly.
We'll never be able to know for sure, since you refuse to supply the information that would actually be useful in making the requisite determinations.

DE19702 said:

If anyone actually has experience stringing a 2009 Prince Rebel 95 please chime in.

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Umm... many of us have... and we are trying to help you. However, it seems quite clear that you don't actually want to listen to those who possess the very experience you speak of.

A wise man learns from his mistakes.
A wiser man learns from the mistakes of others.

Seems you prefer to adhere only to the former, and none of the latter.

You can lead a horse to water, but...

Doc Hollidae said:

I would think stringers with rotational grippers like that would require more string length than an electric or crank tensioner.

Click to expand...

Yeah, that would be a fair assumption... if all grippers (linear or rotational) were the same distance from the mounted racquet... but that isn't the case.
Even in the absence of a diabolo/roller guide, the distance from racquet to tensioner varies quite a bit.
Then, when you also account for a diabolo/roller guide (which are not always the same diameter/circumference), you have yet one more variable.
Hence why I asked the OP exactly how many inches of string is needed (with his machine) to reach the tensioner. Post #3 above, question #2.

Doc Hollidae said:

If that is the case, only a starting clamp or reel would be a solution imo.

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Not necessarily. Those aren't the only solutions. There are other methods/solutions.