Video on Starting Mains

kenshireen · Mar 2, 2008

There is a sticky showing how to start mains with a fixed clamp.
He pulls the two main together with the loop at the throat and then puts an anchor clamp one of the string at the throat.
My question is why do you need to pull the mains before you clamp... Why not just clamp the string by the throat without pulling. After he let go of the two mains they were both loose anyway. Why can't we just set the anchor without prepulling

In otherwords why does it matter if you pull before clamping since you're only going to repull that string anyway

Ken

1012007 · Mar 2, 2008

It tensions the bit between the clamp and the frame aswell as the whole string. otherwise that bit would be "un-tensioned"

iplaybetter · Mar 2, 2008

1012007 said:
It tensions the bit between the clamp and the frame aswell as the whole string. otherwise that bit would be "un-tensioned"

no, you re tension that, it just sets it well and lets you get the clamp in, i have adapted it and find it quite nice

1012007 · Mar 2, 2008

iplaybetter what machine have you got?
Also are you willing to sell some t-fight 320's?

YULitle · Mar 2, 2008

Actually. What it does is tension the part of the string that is "inside" the clamp. Clamping the string as your very first step will allow you to tension the main before and after it just as well, but the string inside the clamp will remain un-tensioned. The obvious problem with that is you have a slightly inconsistent tension on your first two mains. The other, not so obvious, problem is that when you release the clamp, the string expands under the weight of the tension from both sides. When it expands it rubs up against the teeth of the clamp giving you string wear. This is especially prevalent on softer strings like gut, but not so noticeable with stiff strings like poly.

1012007 · Mar 2, 2008

Yeah, like i said above the string between the clamp and the frame (what yulittle describes as inside the clamp) doesnt get tensioned. Good to see yulittle backing me up on this one

YULitle · Mar 2, 2008

1012007 said:
Yeah, like i said above the string between the clamp and the frame (what yulittle describes as inside the clamp) doesnt get tensioned. Good to see yulittle backing me up on this one

Well, it's not really the string between the clamp and the frame. It's the string between, say tooth one and tooth 5.

This here
____|_____
|.............|
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
|..............|
|..............|

kenshireen · Mar 2, 2008

thank you
I knew there had to be some reason to tension a string and then release tension... It's the part inside the clamp itself... Normally this would not matter but on the two center mains I guess it does.

I also think that very few pro stringers tension the string and then release

Ken

YULitle · Mar 2, 2008

kenshireen said:
thank you
I knew there had to be some reason to tension a string and then release tension... It's the part inside the clamp itself... Normally this would not matter but on the two center mains I guess it does.

I also think that very few pro stringers tension the string and then release

Ken

You're probably right. This is a technique I picked up only within the last year and have enjoyed it's logical approach to tensioning strings.

MrBluefin · Mar 2, 2008

I had to watch the video to understand what you meant about tensioning the portion of string in the clamp, that really makes a lot of sense. I've been clamping my first main and just starting from there, but will use this technique from now on.

The little things I learn here, thanks!

iplaybetter · Mar 2, 2008

1012007 said:
iplaybetter what machine have you got?
Also are you willing to sell some t-fight 320's?

a revo, i am selling a 335 check the for sale section

1012007 · Mar 2, 2008

Sent you an email. Im on about the grip 3 one

almerickso · Mar 2, 2008

YULitle said:
Actually. What it does is tension the part of the string that is "inside" the clamp. Clamping the string as your very first step will allow you to tension the main before and after it just as well, but the string inside the clamp will remain un-tensioned. The obvious problem with that is you have a slightly inconsistent tension on your first two mains. The other, not so obvious, problem is that when you release the clamp, the string expands under the weight of the tension from both sides. When it expands it rubs up against the teeth of the clamp giving you string wear. This is especially prevalent on softer strings like gut, but not so noticeable with stiff strings like poly.

this is a very interseting reasoning. i just have a few questions/points maybe you could clarify them.

if i remember my physics correctly, when you tension two pieces of string at say 60lbs, each string will split the amount of force and will only hold 30lbs each. wouldn't there still be some slack in the string? if the slack in the string is an issue, wont it be better to clamp this way:

Please refer to the post below. Explanation removed cuz my brain wasn't awake yet when i wrote it.

also, for the clamp "slack", wont a constant pull machine take care of that when u release the clamp? although yes, i believe that if teh string stretches while on the clamp its a bad bad thing. but yeah if it doesnt slip in the clamp, upon release, shouldnt the constant pull compensate for the tiny bit of rather untensioned string?

YULitle · Mar 2, 2008

almerickso: That is a lot of clamping at the throat. I didn't catch any at the head. Is that what you intended?

Also, you are correct about there not being the same tension in the clamps as there is around. What this does is cut the gradient in half, so that the difference is, using your example, 30 lbs. instead of 60 lbs.

almerickso · Mar 2, 2008

YULitle: oh... hmm... i realized i could cut out a few more steps... sorry just got woken up so my brain hasn't booted up yet. i'll revise it and incorporate your method

on a racquet with 6 center strings, feed the two center mains as per normal.
tension both strings, clamp main #2 towards the throat, release, pull tension on main #1, clamp main #1 towards the throat, release, unclamp main #2 and resume regular stringing.

this ensures that the tension in the clamp is the same as the rest of the string and not half. as in pulling two strings.

it takes a bit more work. but given the reasoning of string slack and if ppl really want to get rid of it, i think this is the way to go? i realized there might not be space for two fixed clamps side by side so maybe leave a clamp's space when u clamp on main #2 after pulling two strings together.

i dont have a fixed clamp machine but this is how id imagine it going.

btw, have u decided which machine to get?

Richard Parnell · Mar 2, 2008

The main reason to tension both strings and then to release tension is to get the strings how they will be when they are under tension and place the clamp in the perfect position. The portion of string held in the jaws of the clamp will be tensioned once that clamp is released.
All the best,
Richard

YULitle · Mar 3, 2008

almerickso: I see what you are saying. This would only work to the level of your satisfaction on a glide bar system, like the Neos or Eag-300. Only on those type systems are you able to get clamps so close.

richard parnell: good point. Though, I always managed to achieve this fairly well before I started with this method. So long as you clamp very close to the frame, the untensioned string is usually taut enough to hold the clamp up at the right height.

PS I am borrowing a Prog. ES II+ from a nice guy from San Antonio. He's the same guy who runs Stringjob.com. I'll be re-shooting most of the videos with it. Then, I'll be shooting the rest (like drop-weight, flying clamps, etc.) on a Klippermate, I think.

themitchmann · Mar 3, 2008

YULitle said:
PS I am borrowing a Prog. ES II+ from a nice guy from San Antonio. He's the same guy who runs Stringjob.com. I'll be re-shooting most of the videos with it. Then, I'll be shooting the rest (like drop-weight, flying clamps, etc.) on a Klippermate, I think.

Stringjob.com is a great site. Glad you're videos are on there. Those guys are doing a fantastic job.

Video on Starting Mains

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