Help for tired grommets

P

petercoffey

Rookie
So I just got a couple new old Head 237.2s & want to bring them to my specs...as is they are 12.4 oz strung & need to be closer to 11.6...cut out the strings, pull the grommets, remove the lead then add it where I want it then try to put the grommets back...not so easy... flared/damaged ends etc...so I'll just buy a couple sets right? nobody has them, not for a 16 x 19 mid...so long story short I figured out a way to "renew" the grommet tips so they pop back into place without the battle & ugliness

bearsy030.jpg
before & after

bearsy031.jpg
before & after

and it cost me $1.27

bearsy032.jpg
The tools

You just need some 5/32 brass tubing from your local hobby shop.. cut off 2 3" pieces & put one into a drill with the good/open end out. You need to flare the end slightly on one & more so on the other...I used 1/2 of my needle nose pliers to flare them both slightly first, while turning them with the drill. then I used my blunt awl to flare the second one enough to fit over the larger tie off grommets, again while turning it with the drill... they should just fit over the tip of the grommet by about 1/16th of an inch. one for the smaller & one for the larger grommets...now choose the proper size and insert it in the drill, insert an awl through from the outside of the grommet strip in each grommet you want to renew, place the end of the brass tube over both the awl & the grommet & while turning on the drill gently force the flared brass tube towards the grommet strip. the friction from the rotation will heat the grommet, while the flared tube shape will restore the damaged end back to it's original shape. Using an awl inside keeps the proper inside diameter for stringing clearance ...repeat as needed with the proper size brass tube for each grommet...you might need to tweak the flare of the brass tubes to make it work right, but it only takes a few minutes to renew the grommets & have them back in and ready to string... Hope this helps
 
MayDay

MayDay

Semi-Pro
Crazy idea: With the renewed grommets, go to some plastic prototype company and make some copies. Personal use, of course - in case some head lawyers are reading this. :p
 
Carolina Racquet

Carolina Racquet

Professional
Awesome solution! I have a racquet I've restored that is sitting without its grommet strip because of this... Michaels, here I come for my brass tubing.
 
dgdawg

dgdawg

Professional
Dude....awesome!! I like to think of myself as a "master cobbler"....this is pure ingenuity!!
I'm surprised you were able to get the stripes out.
GOOD JOB...thanks for sharing!!
 
P

Peppershaker

Rookie
Phenomenal....I'm constantly amazed at the ingenuity of the posts on this board. Have to figure out a way to save this stuff.

Have not been stringing too long but have already tried to replace grommets on a racquet that no sets were available. Took me three hours, swore I'd never do it again....but then someone asked. This looks a solution to the grommets now what about the bumper?
 
Lakers4Life

Lakers4Life

Hall of Fame
Don't you have to heat it to reshape it?

A tube flaring tool would be useful to make the flare more smooth and even. If you happen to have one of those.
 
P

petercoffey

Rookie
the friction from the spinning tube produces enough heat to reshape it...tried the flaring tool first but it wasn't a gradual enough flare...
 
4sound

4sound

Semi-Pro
I got some brass tubing yesterday and tried this out. This works great. Thank you so much.

I've also build my own CAP grommet set using the Prestige Pro Mid Plus set and Tenex individual grommets. Exacto blade into sections and punched holes where they didn't line up. It works but I'm still figuring out the best method.

The Dunlop AG100 head guard also fits perfect but is a MM or 2 thinner than the Head CAP. I've used this one one of my 237.2 and cut the CAP where it was worn to the frame.

Head really needs to make a Prestige Pro Mid so we don't have to go through all of this madness! I love these rackets. I have mine dialed in right around 12oz. 8pts HL.

If anyone wants to get rid of theirs, let me know. They will go to good use with me. This is the only racket I play with now.
 
P

petercoffey

Rookie
Glad to hear it's working out...I'm now fighting the urge to cut out perfectly good strings because one of the grommets is a little suspect....

I'll have to try a Dunlop grommet next time I peel the 237.2s apart, but right now they are prime at 11.8 oz...still messing with the strings a bit, but sweet sticks!

One thing I've found is the awl isn't absolutely necessary if the damage to the grommet isn't too severe...you can also elongate a grommet slightly if the awl is big enough & you apply enough pressure while spinning...not too much though...it seems to thin the grommet in the middle & not at the end which is nice....
 
J

jim e

Legend
Those that do use this, keep in mind that you do not want to do this as a routine, as only if necessary, as stated it does thin down the grommets .If the walls are thinner, the string will cut through them at a faster rate. This is a great way to give new life to grommets that would otherwise be useless, but I would not do it just to make them look better, as a thinner wall will break down faster.
 
4sound

4sound

Semi-Pro
has anyone tried a small plastic washer around the grommet to keep it from flaring out from knots?
 
P

petercoffey

Rookie
You're right jim e I still tube the tie off grommets to insure string integrity because those grommets are weaker initially from being mushroomed out & then squeezed and pulled through when removing... this technique just helps you get the grommet strip back in after modifying/weighting... otherwise there's hopefully no need to actually remove the grommets till they wear out & get replaced.

never tried the washer thing 4sound...sounds interesting
 
user92626

user92626

G.O.A.T.
Interesting technique.

Is this done after you have successfully removed flared grommets from the frame, right?

I found that task (removing) to be quite impossible. In the end I destroyed (tore up) the old grommets. They wouldn't come out nicely in one piece. :cry:
 
P

Peppershaker

Rookie
Have seen this referenced several times, but I'm not familiar with it and can't seem to find a good reference on any search.

What is a Head Cap Grommet, and can someone provide a photo?

Thanks
 
diredesire

diredesire

Adjunct Moderator
Peppershaker said:
Have seen this referenced several times, but I'm not familiar with it and can't seem to find a good reference on any search.

What is a Head Cap Grommet, and can someone provide a photo?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Any (modern) prestige grommet strip is a "bumper guard" all the way around the HEAD (pun intended) of the frame. Other grommet strips/bumper guards typically only protect the tip end of the frame. CAPs grommets are a full coverage type.
 
P

petercoffey

Rookie
Yes, Quite often you do need to "deflare" some of the grommets before you can remove the strip...usually at the corners...this can be accomplished by squeezing the mushroomed grommet with some needle nose pliers so it can be removed and then reconditioned...I use a butter knife to persuade the more stubborn ones...

user92626 said:
Interesting technique.

Is this done after you have successfully removed flared grommets from the frame, right?

I found that task (removing) to be quite impossible. In the end I destroyed (tore up) the old grommets. They wouldn't come out nicely in one piece. :cry:
Click to expand...
 
diredesire

diredesire

Adjunct Moderator
petercoffey said:
Yes, Quite often you do need to "deflare" some of the grommets before you can remove the strip...usually at the corners...this can be accomplished by squeezing the mushroomed grommet with some needle nose pliers so it can be removed and then reconditioned...I use a butter knife to persuade the more stubborn ones...
Click to expand...

Another point to make is that flaring grommets wasn't very common until relatively recently. For most of the frames with flared grommets, you can (still) find replacement grommets. I see this technique as a 'saving grace' for old stock frames where grommets can't be easily found.
 
esgee48

esgee48

G.O.A.T.
Good find. Could never find this thread. Nowadays, I either tube the grommet or use FITTEX grommets. For old frames, aside from the usual sites, you will not be able to find old replacement grommet strips.
 
S

SoodS

New User
esgee48 said:
Good find. Could never find this thread. Nowadays, I either tube the grommet or use FITTEX grommets. For old frames, aside from the usual sites, you will not be able to find old replacement grommet strips.
Click to expand...
How do you "tube" a grommet?
 
esgee48

esgee48

G.O.A.T.
If the tube/hole is NOT a tie off grommet, you can use Teflon/Nylon tubing to keep the string away from the frame. You can push the tubing thru the old grommet or remove the grommet before using the tubing. That is the quickest way to repair a grommet. TW sells this stuff as do others. If the problem is a tie off hole, you need to [1] remove the old grommet tube [2] replace the tube with a properly sized FITTEX individual grommet and you should be good to go. I found 3.7 mm or larger work well for tie offs. But you should measure. The diameter of the FITTEX is the outside dimension of the tube, so it must be smaller than the diameter of the hole in the frame. FITTEX is a more permanent solution if you cannot find grommets.
 
S

SoodS

New User
esgee48 said:
If the tube/hole is NOT a tie off grommet, you can use Teflon/Nylon tubing to keep the string away from the frame. You can push the tubing thru the old grommet or remove the grommet before using the tubing. That is the quickest way to repair a grommet. TW sells this stuff as do others. If the problem is a tie off hole, you need to [1] remove the old grommet tube [2] replace the tube with a properly sized FITTEX individual grommet and you should be good to go. I found 3.7 mm or larger work well for tie offs. But you should measure. The diameter of the FITTEX is the outside dimension of the tube, so it must be smaller than the diameter of the hole in the frame. FITTEX is a more permanent solution if you cannot find grommets.
Click to expand...

Dags said:
Click to expand...

Thanks guys. This should solve my problem.
 
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