Drop weight & tension calibrator don't match up. not even close

ls206

ls206

Hall of Fame
Hey,
I got my tension calibrator today and thought I'd see how accurate the tension meter is on my drop weight.

I measured the tension of the drop weight at the top of the weight at 30Kgs
(ignore the 15, it's for badminton tensions)
DSC00733.jpg


and the calibrator showed 55lbs...

DSC00731.jpg


it should've showed ~66lbs

Do I add 10 because the scale starts at 10?

Hmm...shouldn't have been so quick to post, would seem that I need to make up the 10lbs that's missing from the scale.

just measured 25Kgs and got ~45lbs, seems right.. more testing..
 
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P

projects

New User
Most spring calibrator isn't that accurate. I have a gamma, I have to calibrate it fisrt with standard weight before use it. some digital fishing hang scales are more accurate.
 
K

kirtar

New User
Unless I'm mistaken, you're supposed to measure using the bottom of the weight (side closer to the gripper). Otherwise, I've been stringing quite a bit high 0.o
 
J

JamesBond

Rookie
ls206 said:
hey, thanks guys, but I've concluded that I have to just add the 10lbs
Click to expand...

I've just concluded that you prefer to think that the machine is crap rather than to think that you may be making a mistake.

Not only are you a beginner, any stringers knows that you read the tension settings on the tensioner side of the drop weight (you are looking at the wrong side to make your readings, that explains the 10lbs difference), and you have a lot to learn, starting with the basics.

You will need some humumity and a dose of common sense if you really wan't to learn to be a good stringer.

Good luck, if you can get on top of it, stringing can be a very satisfying past time, especially if you can do it well.
JB.
 
ls206

ls206

Hall of Fame
Wow....thank you for a that awe inspiring post.
do you get off insulting people?

I orientated the weight as shown in the brief manual,
nothing however was said about where to record the tension, so where I took the reading had nothing to do with common sense but a lack of information provided. Don't be so hasty to label people morons.
If you are going to respond JB, please think about what you are going to say first. If you have nothing nice to say don't say anything at all.

Edit: I've just called the distributor who has confirmed I take the reading from the bottom of the weight.
I'll try to find a 10kg weight to check the calibrator :)
 
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J

JamesBond

Rookie
ls206 said:
Wow....thank you for a that awe inspiring post.
do you get off insulting people?

I orientated the weight as shown in the brief manual,
nothing however was said about where to record the tension, so where I took the reading had nothing to do with common sense but a lack of information provided. Don't be so hasty to label people morons.
If you are going to respond JB, please think about what you are going to say first. If you have nothing nice to say don't say anything at all.

Edit: I've just called the distributor who has confirmed I take the reading from the bottom of the weight.
I'll try to find a 10kg weight to check the calibrator :)
Click to expand...

I see that some friendly advice to be more humble has been interpreted well and applied perfectly. I feel sorry for you more than anything else . . . but with time you may well learn the hard way, experience is very hard to transmit. . . .:cry:

As for your opinion of me "thinking about what I'm going to say first", not only did I think about it, I even slept on it because I felt that it would really be a waste of time to try to give advice to a "know-all". Unfortunately I was right in the first place, I would have been better off to leave you figure it out for yourself, life's a ***** sometimes.
JB.:shock:
 
ls206

ls206

Hall of Fame
apologies if your post was misunderstood, your mention of my need of common sense seemed a little rude is all.
maybe I read it wrong.
I didn't say that I'm a "know-all" nor did my actions show this. I read what you said and questioned my initial assumption and called the distributor.
thanks
edit: let me try to clear up why I was so adamant that I was to measure from the top...
I have this machine:

Pros_Pro_Challenger_I.jpg


and the manual says to put the weight on as in the picture. (with the screw at the bottom)

I then went to string a racquet and though "uh oh, where do I set the tension."

I found this picture of an Eagnas weight (as my machine is a re-branded eagnas)

dropweig.jpg


and made the assumption that I measure from the top.
I was wrong, but it explains why I thought I was doing it right
 
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J

JamesBond

Rookie
ls206 said:
apologies if your post was misunderstood, your mention of my need of common sense seemed a little rude is all.
maybe I read it wrong.
Click to expand...
Appologies accepted.

In Europe, we know these Pro's Pros machines very well, they have been sold over here by the thousands, today they are so cheap you couldn't believe it (less than US$200) and dispite lot's of complaints especially about the clamps, the machines continue to sell well.
I did some tests on the calibration of the Challenger 1 for a friend of mine who owns one, it was perfect, there are no problems there.
Most stringers don't know that it is easier to put the weight on the table (rather than with the weigh in the upper possition), put the string in the gripper, lift the weight to about the 2 o'clock position, then slowly lower the weight to gently apply the tension to the string as the weight drops. If the weight drops lower than the horizontal position, thanks to the ratchet system, you simple lift the weight a little higher than 3 o'clock, then let it pull on the string again as you let it drop down.
In 2 or 3 movements you will get the right tension at the horizontal position. There is no easier way to do this.

Hope this is helpful.

By the way, I don't like these stringers from Pro's Pro, but their value for money is hard to complete with. I use a Stringway ML.100 (SW Flying Clamps) with a drop weight and I believe that drop weights a great way to string. Yours is fine, it's the rest of the machine that is not so good.
JB. :)
 
ls206

ls206

Hall of Fame
Thanks for accepting the apology :)
I'm actually in the UK

haha, you know these machines too well! I've just strung a racquet and whilst doing so, the little (I think it's plastic) screw that holds the bar at the 10 o'clock position has stopped working (and is inaccessible unless I take off the whole weight arm)
the technique you outlined will prove to be very useful thank you.
 
W

wksoh

Semi-Pro
ls206 said:
Thanks for accepting the apology :)
I'm actually in the UK

haha, you know these machines too well! I've just strung a racquet and whilst doing so, the little (I think it's plastic) screw that holds the bar at the 10 o'clock position has stopped working (and is inaccessible unless I take off the whole weight arm)
the technique you outlined will prove to be very useful thank you.
Click to expand...


Hello 1s06, I've been following your footsteps looking for a new stringer. I need to ask the same question about the challenger as you once did. Now you have the Chellenger 1 - it's a perfect opportunity.

1) Do you have to grap hold of the string gripper when raising the rod to re-tension? (like those in a rotational string gripper).

Someone gave me an answer before but a 2nd opinion would give assurance. I see the unidirectional ratchet lock system in your picture above and I'm trying to guess it's function.

2) Am I correct to say the Eagnas Flex 100 does not have this ratchet lock system - and I have to grab hold of the string gripper whenever I raise the rod to do re-tensioning?

Thanks,
WK
 
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ls206

ls206

Hall of Fame
Hey,
I'm not sure about the Eagnas Challenger 1,
for the Pro's pro - which I have,
If the bar drops too low, you lift it up with one hand and lower it again. You do not need 2 hands to re-tension, however you do need 2 hands to get the string free.
(you have to lift the ratchet off to get some slack in the string).

I hope that helped
 
W

wksoh

Semi-Pro
ls206 said:
Hey,
I'm not sure about the Eagnas Challenger 1,
for the Pro's pro - which I have,
If the bar drops too low, you lift it up with one hand and lower it again. You do not need 2 hands to re-tension, however you do need 2 hands to get the string free.
(you have to lift the ratchet off to get some slack in the string).

I hope that helped
Click to expand...

Thank you for your quick answer...! Now I have to calculate shipping cost.. Thanks!
 
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P

princemidplus

Semi-Pro
hi.I've got a pros pro challenger 2 without a ratchet system and if my case I do need to hold the string gripper down when lifting the bar arm if it goes past horizontal.sad to say my little screw that holds the arm at 10 o clock over the machine also broke and I have not tried to get the weight arm off to replace it - just living without the use of it and resting weight on table like mentioned by jamesbond
 
W

wksoh

Semi-Pro
ls206 said:
Hey,
I'm not sure about the Eagnas Challenger 1,
for the Pro's pro - which I have,.......

I hope that helped
Click to expand...

Have another question for ya.. how many minutes do you get a racket strung on this machine (average, not fastest)..... thanks a million...
 
ls206

ls206

Hall of Fame
I've been practising with some cheap nylon string which is very easy to string. it takes about 50-60 minutes.
But stringing poly takes a little longer.

My first string job took 2hrs but after that it takes under 1 1/2 hrs from measuring the string to releasing the frame form the clamps
 
W

wksoh

Semi-Pro
ls206 said:
I've been practising with some cheap nylon string which is very easy to string. it takes about 50-60 minutes.
But stringing poly takes a little longer.

My first string job took 2hrs but after that it takes under 1 1/2 hrs from measuring the string to releasing the frame form the clamps
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply.. I'm doing something like 1 hr (include measuring & cutting strings, setting the racket) on my drop weight after 11 years. 2nd racket would speed up to 45min due to familiarity. 3rd will take 1hr again due to fatique and backache. 4th racket sometimes take up to 2 hours due to mistakes in the crosses and eye strain + time off and some cursing...

I need a crank machine like Eagnas Flex840 but the price jumps a lot from a dropweight. Have not decided to settle for a new drop weight at $150, or Flex840 at $399 or something in between like the challenger at $299.

I will seriously consider the Challenger I if I can string around 30min.
 
ls206

ls206

Hall of Fame
IMO the challenger won't get you to a consistent 30mins.
the ratchet system will probably get your first racquet to about 45-50mins, your second might be closer to 30 if you can hit the horizontal first time most of the time. Though I don't think that the ratchet will save you 30minutes.

I may be wrong
 
W

wksoh

Semi-Pro
ls206 said:
IMO the challenger won't get you to a consistent 30mins.
the ratchet system will probably get your first racquet to about 45-50mins, your second might be closer to 30 if you can hit the horizontal first time most of the time. Though I don't think that the ratchet will save you 30minutes.

I may be wrong
Click to expand...

Thanks very much... you have provided a lot of information for me.. thanks!
 
P

princemidplus

Semi-Pro
i have challenger 2 (no ratchet). i can do my first racquet in about 45-50min including setting up and measuring/cutting string. if I do two frames at once second frame takes slightly shorter at about 40min. most of the time a frame is between 45-50min. been stringing for 4months now but only done about 25 frames or so
 
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