***Stringway Machine Users Club***

elkwood

Hall of Fame
Figured it out. After removing one side of the stand/legs, I was able to fully visualize the locking pin and the spring.
<a href=" "><img src=" " title="source: imgur.com" /></a>


It looks like when the pin is in the non-locking position or down position, the knob/lever and pin is supposed to hold the spring down, under compression. In other words, the spring should always be pushing the pin up. My spring had coiled up the pin and around the knob/lever enough so that it was no longer under compression and therefore unable to push the pin up.

Simple Fix: Simply unscrew the knob/lever from the pin, push the spring down below the level of where the knob/lever screws into the locking pin, screw knob/lever back into the pin, keeping the spring compressed below the knob/lever.
<a href=" "><img src=" " title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
<a href=" "><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vVMIYhX.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

Hope this helps others. I do wonder how long it will take for the spring to coil itself back up past the level of the Knob/Lever...

-Br.


Thanks for posting all this !! It inspired me to fix my ML-100. I had an issue where the lock wouldn't function. Though
i had a different problem your journey helped me to figure it out.

Mine had to do with the Center pivot that the turn table goes into.

The two big nuts on the side allow u to center that part. Mine came out of Alignment which prevented the pin from engaging into the
holes correctly. It been like that since shortly after i got it. I just ignored it till u posted in this thread.

Its nice since I now string up some O port prince racquets.
 
From a user in Trinidad and Tobago I received this picture which shows how to support a Squash racquet in the best way.

pnErx4kDj
 

BravoRed691

Semi-Pro
Thanks for posting all this !! It inspired me to fix my ML-100. I had an issue where the lock wouldn't function. Though
i had a different problem your journey helped me to figure it out.

Mine had to do with the Center pivot that the turn table goes into.

The two big nuts on the side allow u to center that part. Mine came out of Alignment which prevented the pin from engaging into the
holes correctly. It been like that since shortly after i got it. I just ignored it till u posted in this thread.

Its nice since I now string up some O port prince racquets.

Thanks to the community and to Stringway for being so active on here! Here's to hoping for theirs and everyones continued support.

-Br.
 
Very often solutions are simple but not when you do not know the details of the design. Therefore it is often very easy and nice to support users.

Mine had to do with the Center pivot that the turn table goes into.

Keep in mind that it is not the intention to lock the table in the Concorde situation!

po5pkUHFj
 
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BravoRed691

Semi-Pro
Hi all! Another Question on the ML100-T92 ...seeing if anyone has come across this:

One day, I noticed the tensioning head and bar/arm leaning laterally to one side of center whenever I lower the tension lever/arm. Upon inspection, this pin had slid in out of its hole and almost thru to the other side of the tension head; the washers had fallen off as they were no longer being held in place by the pin. I did not take a pic of that, hope this makes sense:

6UdPHvQ.jpg
qubLAKp.jpg


I did manage to put the pin (centered it) and the washers back in place. But after only 2 string jobs, the pin has moved this much:

I just realized that i don't have a before and after pic from the same side but the position of the pin in the before pic is the same from both sides.
VK1Tphq.jpg
DmVcFFZ.jpg


Any ideas guys?

Thanks in Advance!

-Br.
 
po5pkUHFj



Some more information about the use of the Concorde system.

- The machines are also available without the Concorde system. For Badminton and squash the system is not needed.

- When there is no Concorde system on the machine we advise to do a double pull towards the head for the strings ending in the bridge.
Depending on the roughness and stiffness of the string the tension should be raised then by 3 to 5 kg.
 
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There are a lot of old Stringway in use so it could be good to know how to overhaul a clamp.
It is seldom necessary to buy new clamps.

D. OVERHAUL OF A STRINGWAY CLAMP.
After extensive use the clamps of the Stringway machines can be overhauled quite easily. Figure 1 shows the parts of the clamp.

pnUapTRhp


DISASSEMBLY
For the disassembly and assembly it is easy to use a vise or a special piece of wood with a slot in it to hold the clamp as shown in figure 2.

porwmSfkp


To disassemble the clamp unscrew the Alan bolt and take of the closing mechanism.

GRINDING THE CLAMP PARTS.

po4HERsOp


To clamp the string with a minimum clamping force the clamping surface must be equally rough.
Grind the clamping surface by moving the clamp up and down over a piece of grinding cloth.
Support the grinding cloth on a flat surface like a table.

THE ASSEMBLY OF THE CLAMP.
- Put the spring in the hole between the front and the back of the clamp.
- Clamp both castings on top of each other in the clamping device.
- Put the Alan bolt in from the back.
- Put the square nut on the Alan bolt and screw the bolt into the nut until the nut is level with the surface of the clamp.

pnSGV2tIp


- Slide the spring washer over the Alan bolt.
- Turn the pull rod of the eccentric set on the Alan bolt until it compresses the spring washer completely.
- Turn the pull rod ¼ revolution backwards.
- If the eccentric is in the right position, with the handle downwards, turn the Alan bolt into the pull rod until the nylon washer hits the surface of the clamp.
If the closing mechanism is in the wrong position:

pmiWVRxLj


- Unscrew the Alan bolt holding the eccentric, so that the square nut comes out of the hole in the clamp.
- Turn the pull rod / eccentric in the right position.
- Turn the Alan Bolt into the pull rod until the nylon washer hits the surface of the clamp.

GREASING THE CLAMP.
For easy up and down sliding of the clamp it is advised to insert a thick layer of grease into the hollow that clamps the clamp on the pin of the sliding system.
 
Stringway machines with flying clamps can easily be upgraded to single action fixed clamps by the owners themselves.

pmyG5chTj


For older machines this can only be done when the main beam has a T-slot and the distance between the cross holes is 400 mm.

This is how that goes:
* Unscrew one of the crossbars that connect the main guiding bars to the turntable.
* Slide the sliding units onto each guiding bar as shown on the photo.
* Fix the second crossbar to the guiding bars again.
* Unscrew the bolts that fix the crossbars to the main bars ONLY ONE TURN.
* Mix the epoxy glue in an ration of 1 : 1.
* Insert a layer of glue all round into the holes in the turntable.
* Move crossbars into the holes in the turntable until the sliding unit can be hooked into the T-slot in the beam.

6PmDZC.jpg


* Move EACH crossbar back until the piece of wire (diameter = 1,5 mm) fits between the hook and the casting as shown on the photo.
CHECK THIS ON BOTH CROSS BARS
* Carefully slide the sliding unit over the main bar from one end to the other and check if it moves freely.
* Let the hole system untouched for 24 hrs to harden the glue.

If you have any questions just let me know.
 

BravoRed691

Semi-Pro
Hello BravoRed691
The solution to your problem is easy and small.

Just tighten the little locking bolt shown on this picture.

pnY6Qt6Rj
Hi Stringway Official,

Unfortunately, tightening that little locking bolt has not done the trick. Perhaps I didn't tighten it enough? Is there a danger of over-tightening it?

-Br.
 

Binatang

Rookie
Thank you for the add to the group. Here are two videos that I have made hope you can use it to improve your own stringing proocess with MS140
1. main strings
2. Bird's eye view

Just some observations on your stringing technique.
1) You are not tensioning the 2 center mains. You start tensioning from the 2nd left & right mains only. Learn the Yusuki method & getting a starting clamp or make a dummy string starter.
2) At 4.46 of the main string video you are re-pulling after you had released the flying clamp. You will lose tension this way as you are releasing the jaw each time you re-pull. The reason the tension drops so much is because you didn't tension the center mains so you were essentially double pulling.
 

gkhitrov

New User
Here is the video for cross strings. I'm stringing for my son and myself only so if you have a constructive advice, happy to learn from the pros.
 

Binatang

Rookie
Here is the video for cross strings. I'm stringing for my son and myself only so if you have a constructive advice, happy to learn from the pros.

This is more personal preference more than anything else.
1) After pulling tension, I would not clamp off immediately. I would tension & string the next cross before clamping.
Eg. If I were pulling Cross No. 3, I would leave it tensioned while I string Cross 4. Only after stringing Cross 4 would I clamp Cross 3
This will allow you to take advantage of the Stringway's constant pull to remove all the elongation from the string. Which takes about 6 secs according to Stringway. Needs some getting use to as you can't move the turntable while tensioning.

2) For the last 2 crosses I would do something akin to the Yonex Loop with an additional 4kg for the last 2 crosses. Assuming a 16X19 frame, after tensioning Cross 17, I would string the last cross 19 (+4kg) before looping back to do Cross 18 (+4kg) then tie off. This reduce tension loss at tie-offs. If you were doing 2 piece, I would do the Yonex Loop on the last 2 L &R mains also.
 

gkhitrov

New User
This is more personal preference more than anything else.
1) After pulling tension, I would not clamp off immediately. I would tension & string the next cross before clamping.
Eg. If I were pulling Cross No. 3, I would leave it tensioned while I string Cross 4. Only after stringing Cross 4 would I clamp Cross 3
This will allow you to take advantage of the Stringway's constant pull to remove all the elongation from the string. Which takes about 6 secs according to Stringway. Needs some getting use to as you can't move the turntable while tensioning.

2) For the last 2 crosses I would do something akin to the Yonex Loop with an additional 4kg for the last 2 crosses. Assuming a 16X19 frame, after tensioning Cross 17, I would string the last cross 19 (+4kg) before looping back to do Cross 18 (+4kg) then tie off. This reduce tension loss at tie-offs. If you were doing 2 piece, I would do the Yonex Loop on the last 2 L &R mains also.
1. Great point!
2. That's exactly what I do for both mains and crosses
Thank you your for the suggestions
 

Binatang

Rookie
1. Great point!
2. That's exactly what I do for both mains and crosses
Thank you your for the suggestions
Yes I see that you're adding extra pounds to the last 2 mains & crosses.
But if you want to do the Yonex Loop you would need to string the last main or cross 2nd to last.
Eg. For 16x19 Mains. The stringing order would 6H, 8H, 7H then Tie-off.
This avoids tension lost on the last main or cross that will affect the stringbed.

The Yonex Loop was developed for badminton & Yonex stringers adapted it for tennis.
I think Richard Parnell was the 1st to start adding 4kgs (not lbs) to the last 2 mains & crosses & its known as the Parnell Loop in some circles.
If you try adding the 4kgs to the last 2 mains using the Yonex Loop, you will find the tension of all the mains remarkably similar when you press down on them after you have completed the mains. You will be pleasantly surprised!
 
Concerning the videos of the MS140.

We are against the use of awls therefore 2 solutions which might work better.

Use a hook to pull a string away to make room for the second string.

pn6NT57Yj

Use a hook to pull tension on the piece of string between the clamp and the knot.

poOHHnDxj



When a string covers another hole in the grommet, put a little piece of string under that string.
With this piece of string in a plier you can pull the string away so that you can insert the other string in the hole.
 
When a string covers another hole in the grommet, put a little piece of string under that string.
With this piece of string in a plier you can pull the string away so that you can insert the other string in the hole.

Another widely used trick is to place a short piece of scrap string - a stiffish poly works best - through the grommet holes which are about to be covered by newly tensioned strings. The scrap bits will provide a clear pathway which will be sufficient for strings to pass through as the scrap bit is slowly pulled out of the hole while the new string is being inserted from the opposite side of the hole.

The good thing about this method is that it does not require any additional tools and no direct force is applied to the strings blocking the hole.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
Another widely used trick is to place a short piece of scrap string - a stiffish poly works best - through the grommet holes which are about to be covered by newly tensioned strings. The scrap bits will provide a clear pathway which will be sufficient for strings to pass through as the scrap bit is slowly pulled out of the hole while the new string is being inserted from the opposite side of the hole.

The good thing about this method is that it does not require any additional tools and no direct force is applied to the strings blocking the hole.
Any 15 gauge (thick) string will work.
 
Hi Guys,
We have customer who wants to string old-day racquets with a cross stringer.
He can do that with the mk1 cross stringer.
Is there anybody who has such a tool, does not use it and wants to sell it?

pnXVTl8Kj
 

kabrac

Professional
Sounds kinda weird when the company that develops the cross tool wants to buy it back. You mean you ain't got a spare around the shop? C'mon now I'm losing confidence in Stringway here. Selling dropweights for $700- almost $1000 a pop........ And you don't even offer a tension bar that has tension markings, like Gamma, or your knock off supplier Eagle? You people better get with the times before you become a dinosaur.....don't give any, "it costs too much to indent the tension bar with tension ranges. Nobody uses a ruler anymore, so why don't you get out of the ice age or go the way of the dinosaur if you can't adapt and offer a product that is at least least along the lines of current offerings or have usefulness that seems you're superior to current offerings at more than half the cost..... $669 for a basic dropweight with flying clamps.... And you have to use a ruler to measure tension.....you should be ashamed when gamma offers a product below/@ $279 that is better/faster than yours. Iv' e always wanted to be a Stringway owner but you people get it wrong time after time. You make really good double and triple flying clamps. Other than that get, out of the business or be competitive with other companies at their cost. I don't care what your costs are, get them down in relation to other offerings or you're not going to be around.
 

MathieuR

Hall of Fame
Sounds kinda weird when the company that develops the cross tool wants to buy it back. You mean you ain't got a spare around the shop? C'mon now I'm losing confidence in Stringway here. Selling dropweights for $700- almost $1000 a pop........ And you don't even offer a tension bar that has tension markings, like Gamma, or your knock off supplier Eagle? You people better get with the times before you become a dinosaur.....don't give any, "it costs too much to indent the tension bar with tension ranges. Nobody uses a ruler anymore, so why don't you get out of the ice age or go the way of the dinosaur if you can't adapt and offer a product that is at least least along the lines of current offerings or have usefulness that seems you're superior to current offerings at more than half the cost..... $669 for a basic dropweight with flying clamps.... And you have to use a ruler to measure tension.....you should be ashamed when gamma offers a product below/@ $279 that is better/faster than yours. Iv' e always wanted to be a Stringway owner but you people get it wrong time after time. You make really good double and triple flying clamps. Other than that get, out of the business or be competitive with other companies at their cost. I don't care what your costs are, get them down in relation to other offerings or you're not going to be around.
- he is referring to the first generation string tool, ~35 years old. The present one is in stock....

- the ruler has been discussed in extenso

- it is your choice if you find the Stringway-quality worth the money. I think it is....
 
Sounds kinda weird when the company that develops the cross tool wants to buy it back. You mean you ain't got a spare around the shop? C'mon now I'm losing confidence in Stringway here.

We do not want to buy it back we want to bring the customer in contact with some one who has one.
 

eagle

Hall of Fame
I have a number of tennis gear I'm willing to part with easily .... tennis racquets, extra strings, string thing straighteners, string tension tester, dampeners, head tape, overgrips, and even the Laserfiber/Stringway MS200 ECO with Dual Action clamps (in storage).

The Stringway Cross Stringer is not one of them. That one is a keeper. :)
 

onehandbh

G.O.A.T.
Sounds kinda weird when the company that develops the cross tool wants to buy it back. You mean you ain't got a spare around the shop? C'mon now I'm losing confidence in Stringway here. Selling dropweights for $700- almost $1000 a pop........ And you don't even offer a tension bar that has tension markings, like Gamma, or your knock off supplier Eagle? You people better get with the times before you become a dinosaur.....don't give any, "it costs too much to indent the tension bar with tension ranges. Nobody uses a ruler anymore, so why don't you get out of the ice age or go the way of the dinosaur if you can't adapt and offer a product that is at least least along the lines of current offerings or have usefulness that seems you're superior to current offerings at more than half the cost..... $669 for a basic dropweight with flying clamps.... And you have to use a ruler to measure tension.....you should be ashamed when gamma offers a product below/@ $279 that is better/faster than yours. Iv' e always wanted to be a Stringway owner but you people get it wrong time after time. You make really good double and triple flying clamps. Other than that get, out of the business or be competitive with other companies at their cost. I don't care what your costs are, get them down in relation to other offerings or you're not going to be around.
I wish the tension bar had markings, as well.

As to your other comments... Totally disagree. My Stringway ML90 that I've had for over 10 years has been one of the best purchases I've made. I've used the Gamma and other dropweights and they don't compare. Way easier and more accurate to use my stringway. One of my biggest complaints with dropweights is that if the bar is not close to parallel then the amount of tension it pulls can be a bit far off with each pull. The stringway is much more accurate. I even did a test.

 

kabrac

Professional
I didn't disagree about it being a good machine. I'm just saying Eagle offers a knockoff, same design, at about $300 less, and it may...I think, have tension markings just like gamma and others. I love the quick mount and rotational gripper of the gamma. It's no problem getting the bar parallel. I think both are good machines but I'm not paying $500 more or less from the price of a gamma. I can get 3 gamma drop weight machines for almost the cost of 1 Stringway machine. I'm sure they make them with pride and they work well. I'd be happy to own the ms200 foot controlled model with flying clamps, but they don't make it anymore. Not using a ruler to measure out tension. That's that. Maybe they could make the ruler like a sticker and wrap it around the rod. It would be cheaper than sending off rods and having them indented probably. Idk
I wish the tension bar had markings, as well.

As to your other comments... Totally disagree. My Stringway ML90 that I've had for over 10 years has been one of the best purchases I've made. I've used the Gamma and other dropweights and they don't compare. Way easier and more accurate to use my stringway. One of my biggest complaints with dropweights is that if the bar is not close to parallel then the amount of tension it pulls can be a bit far off with each pull. The stringway is much more accurate. I even did a test.

 

eagle

Hall of Fame
Stringway addressed the rod markings question early in this thread. I too was wondering why the rod wasn't designed to have a notch or some visible marker that eliminates the ruler. I even suggested a crude suggestion for a design. LOL.


I wish I had gotten a model with a stand though vs. a table top.

If I had done that, I'd still be using it. My fault, not the vendor's.

Solid machine nonetheless.
 
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AceyMan

Professional
I don't care what your costs are, get them down in relation to other offerings or you're not going to be around.
You don't know sh** about making specialized tools, do you?

Actually, you probably don't know much about ... anything.

Didn't think so.
 

kabrac

Professional
You don't know sh** about making specialized tools, do you?

Actually, you probably don't know much about ... anything.

Didn't think so.
You don't know sh** about making specialized tools, do you?

Actually, you probably don't know much about ... anything.

Didn't think so.
It's a fact when you have a business, even if you think you have a good product, and if you have competitors that offer similar at a lower price, you do what you can to keep offering that product at the best price to stay in competition. If you can't, people are going to buy from your competitor.

It's very simple, would you buy a car that didn't have gauges on the dash(speed, rpm, temp, oil pressure, battery, etc)?

If you do and there are vehicles that are cheaper, and still get you to point A and B....and back, and it has everything......if after all that you still buy the vehicle with no gauges....I think I could talk you into giving me all of your money and it belongs in my pocket more than it does yours.

Good luck getting pulled over and explaining to the officer when he asks you how fast you were going...

Jabroni: " hello officier"

Officer: "have any idea how fast you were going?"

Jabroni: "well, you know officer.....it's the damnist thing........"...."see the thing is..."

Officer: :confused:

Jabroni: "it seems I've lost the darn ruler":censored:

Officer: W.T.F.:cautious::mad:

Officer: " And you bought this vehicle knowing this?"

Jabroni: " hhhheeeehhhee:p(Peter Griffen) yyyyeeaaahhh":confused::rolleyes::censored:

Officer: "Smh:cautious:.....here's your ticket"...
"get the hell outta here":cool:

Now suppose you string a racquet for someone..

Jeanine: taps racquet....."hey whats this strung at?"

Jabronie: "that's a good question":unsure:
 
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kabrac

Professional
I think if I owned one of these things, I'd just use the ruler one time and then get a sharpie and mark it myself. :sneaky:
 

PrinceYonex

Semi-Pro
It’s silly how controversial this ruler has become. It takes maybe ten seconds more to use the ruler than it would with markings on the bar.
 
Hi Guys,
Maybe it is useful to tell you our arguments about the ruler:
- There are 3 scales on the ruler 1 for 1 weight, 1 for the combined weight and one for 3 weights over 62 lbs.
- The scales on the ruler are much better than would be on a round bar.
- To engrave the scales in the bar is very expensive, we manufacture in the Netherlands
- Sliding weight up and down damages the scales on a bar.
- We sell machines in lbs and kg’s

Hereby some pictures:
pnAHnsTfj


pn2yBK0Zj


pnz6p7HUj
 
I still do not understand how the drop weight is the same tension at any angle.

Hi Sfrazeur,
Of course I would like to inform you about this:

Theory.

This is the theory of the calculation for our system
pn4fbrlQj




This is the theory for a “standard” drop weight:
pnHRoQyHj


In words:
* The tension of the Stringway system is the same for every angle because the relation between H en V is the same for every angle.
* The tension of a normal dropweight is different for every angle because H differs for every angle and R is the same.

In praxis:
Every Stringway tension system is tested after assembly this list shows the tensions with the lever upwards (<90) horizontal (=90) and downwards (>90)
The bigger difference in tension for <90 is caused by the fact that the radius of the upper jaw pushes the string downwards to a smaller distance V.
It is less important because that situation does not occur during stringing.

poBo12M5j


This picture shows the test.
pnpaG54Pj
 

mucat

Hall of Fame
Hi all,
My old drop weight (Silent Partner Swing) just broken and I am in need of a new machine. I am interested in getting a ML100.
Between fix clamps and flying clamps. Is there an actual advantage using fix clamps?
From this video, it sounds like there are no difference
How about speed between fix clamps and flying clamps on the ML100, is there a difference?
Thanks.
 

mucat

Hall of Fame
Fixed swivel clamps my much more gooder.

What kind of gooder? Is it faster? Smoother? Or sweeter?
If using fix clamps is faster, how much faster?
So I read thru all 24 pages in this thread. It seems there could be a limitation of fix clamps not reaching the first/last string in the main and have to work around it? How often is that?
 

MathieuR

Hall of Fame
fix clamps not reaching the first/last string in the main and have to work around it? How often is that?
I use SW, one dinosaur with glidebars (~35 years old, still going strong), and one with double-action clamps.
"Not reaching first or last cross-string" is rare. First is never a problem, as I always pull first 2 crosses in one pull.
For the occasions where last cannot be reached I use a separate flying clamp
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
What kind of gooder? Is it faster? Smoother? Or sweeter?
If using fix clamps is faster, how much faster?
So I read thru all 24 pages in this thread. It seems there could be a limitation of fix clamps not reaching the first/last string in the main and have to work around it? How often is that?
It is just more convenient to use fixed swivel clamps IMO. If you e ever end up with wide spacing the fixed clamp always fit. And if you have gooder clamps there is lesserer drawback as the clamps are not twisting on you.
 
Between fix clamps and flying clamps. Is there an actual advantage using fix clamps?

I think that it is more a preference than an advantage for the fixed clamps:
- To grab the string with fixed clamps is easier and starting a string job is easier starting in one clamp.
- Flying clamps can be used from the top and the bottom and can be moved easier without the need to follow the guiding system.
- The triple clamps have very little drawback with the mains. Best option is therefore 2 triples and 1 double.
- A machine with flying clamps is €245 cheaper.
- A user can always add the fixed clamp system later if he likes that.

I hope this helps.

If you have anymore questions just let me know.
Fred
 

mucat

Hall of Fame
I think that it is more a preference than an advantage for the fixed clamps:
- To grab the string with fixed clamps is easier and starting a string job is easier starting in one clamp.
- Flying clamps can be used from the top and the bottom and can be moved easier without the need to follow the guiding system.
- The triple clamps have very little drawback with the mains. Best option is therefore 2 triples and 1 double.
- A machine with flying clamps is €245 cheaper.
- A user can always add the fixed clamp system later if he likes that.

I hope this helps.

If you have anymore questions just let me know.
Fred

Thank you for the reply. Is it possible to order the ML100 with 2 triple clamps instead of 1 double and 1 triple?
 
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