cutting string to length

Lejanius

Rookie
So I just got a Klippermate stringer and have strung three of my racquets with it.

The first one I did with a spool so I cut the string a bit long to make sure I had enough

the second two I used packaged string, so 40 feet. According to my trusty manual I should cut it at 22 and 18 feet. However I seem to be having an issue running short on the 18 foot piece.

so it is possible I a complete moron and cannot measure (unlikely but possible).

Is there a good way to measure length of string? Also is the 18 foot mark just a bit off? I ran into issue stringing two head liquidmetal radical's OS. 18x20 pattern.

Any thoughts? Just seemed a bit close, like if I cut the string a foot one way or another then the other piece wouldn't fit if that makes sense. Again I could be a moron.
 
If you're not hybrid-ing string, you might as well string a one piece instead. It doesn't require as much string to string a racket, therefore prevents running up short.
 

rich s

Hall of Fame
If you're not hybrid-ing string, you might as well string a one piece instead. It doesn't require as much string to string a racket, therefore prevents running up short.

Head 18 x 20 and 18 x 19 patterns are meant to be strung 2 piece not one piece.

So I just got a Klippermate stringer and have strung three of my racquets with it.

The first one I did with a spool so I cut the string a bit long to make sure I had enough

the second two I used packaged string, so 40 feet. According to my trusty manual I should cut it at 22 and 18 feet. However I seem to be having an issue running short on the 18 foot piece.

so it is possible I a complete moron and cannot measure (unlikely but possible).

Is there a good way to measure length of string? Also is the 18 foot mark just a bit off? I ran into issue stringing two head liquidmetal radical's OS. 18x20 pattern.

Any thoughts? Just seemed a bit close, like if I cut the string a foot one way or another then the other piece wouldn't fit if that makes sense. Again I could be a moron.

Radical OS's are usually 18x19 not 18x20. I've found 21 feet for the mains to be sufficient leaving you 19 feet for the crosses, which is more than sufficient.

To measure string I put marks on my stringing table that are 2 feet apart. As I pull the string off the reel with one hand I grab the string with the other hand and measure out two feet at a time, then, I pull two more feet thru the second hand and so on until I measure out 20 feet or 18 feet or 40 feet or etc. It works very well.
 

Lejanius

Rookie
yeah I misstyped it is a 18x19 pattern and as Rich says it is meant to be strung in 2 pieces not one.

I will try 21x19, I am just coming up a bit short which could be poor measurement as well

thanks for the help I will try measuring the string that way and see if it helps me out
 

Spatula

Semi-Pro
Could be (and I say could, loosely) that the measurement were given by manufacturer using a linear gripper which would take less string than a rotational gripper.

I don't konw, that almost sounds far fetched to me, but what the hell
 

x5150

Rookie
maybe depends on what kind of string. i got a klippermate and string flexpoint and microgel radicals with 19' for main and 17' for the cross.
I had some poly polar 17 string and used 17' for main and 14' for cross. Did that 3 times because I couldn't believe 14' made it, but it did on 3 string jobs!
 

x5150

Rookie
how much extra string are you leaving on the cross at the start tie off point? should be less than a foot.
 

itsstephenyo

Semi-Pro
maybe depends on what kind of string. i got a klippermate and string flexpoint and microgel radicals with 19' for main and 17' for the cross.
I had some poly polar 17 string and used 17' for main and 14' for cross. Did that 3 times because I couldn't believe 14' made it, but it did on 3 string jobs!

I'm gonna go ahead and call BS on the 17' mains.
 

hotseat

Rookie
when doing radical os's on a dropweight it's important to be as precise as possible when measuring your string. if you had a crank you wouldn't have to worry about it as much
 
The method I use:

When i hold my arms apart, I know the width between the finger tops is approximately 1.5 m.

For a Head Pro Tour for instance, I need 11m. So I just take the end of the string and take 7 times my arms length plus a little bit.

Since I also string for many others, I store information of each stringjob such as string used, tension, string length and the used pattern in an excel file.
 
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-Kap-

Rookie
I've strung up two OS Radicals so far on my Klippermate, with 22' for the mains and 18' for crosses, and both worked out fine, but my string may have also stretched a little more than yours.

If you go 21' and 19' and find that the mains are now cutting it close, you can always fine tune it and shoot for 21.5' and 18.5'

Also, like x5150 mentioned, try to minimize the amount of wasted string when you tie your starting knot for the crosses.
 

topspin

Semi-Pro
I put two stickers on my stringing table; one is at 1' from the right edge and the other is 0.5'. When I unwind the string, I pass it from my right hand to the left and measure as I go along.

As for the lengths, I keep notes on how much I need for each racket I string. Normally, 20 feet is perfect for the mains; only a couple of frames are better off with 21 feet.

For the crosses, it is usually 18 or 19 feet. So you can't really go wrong if you use 21' for the mains and 19' for the crosses.

The reason why I keep notes is so that I handle the minimum amount of string. I always use 2-piece stringing; I find it is easier on me and easier on the string with less potential to tangle.
 

Lejanius

Rookie
I think it is the Head Radical OS more than anything.

I strung my wilson and had zero issues, then strung my 3rd radical and it was very close again. 21 x 19 still cuts it very close, I think it is the racquet more than anything. I think I just have to be very precise in measuring for the radical.
 

rich s

Hall of Fame
I think it is the Head Radical OS more than anything.

I strung my wilson and had zero issues, then strung my 3rd radical and it was very close again. 21 x 19 still cuts it very close, I think it is the racquet more than anything. I think I just have to be very precise in measuring for the radical.

What kind of string are you using? An OS does require more string than a Mid/Mid-plus. And poly doesn't stretch nearly as much as syn gut or a multi.
 

Lejanius

Rookie
The last time I used a Head poly, the times before it was a synthetic gut.

When I cut it to 21x19 I had just barely enough to do the crosses and load the string into the arm. I could probably do 20x20 and still have enough enough for the mains on the radical OS and may try that
 

rich s

Hall of Fame
The last time I used a Head poly, the times before it was a synthetic gut.

When I cut it to 21x19 I had just barely enough to do the crosses and load the string into the arm. I could probably do 20x20 and still have enough enough for the mains on the radical OS and may try that

How much is barely? If you shorten the mains from 21 to 20 that means you will lose 6" off each of the mains and you might end up in the same situation as the crosses.

Maybe try 20'6" for the mains and 19'6" for the crosses. You'll only lose 3" per main but you will also gain 3" per cross which may be enough to get you where you need to be.

Being a Poly doesn't help because of its lack of elasticity.
 

mikeler

Moderator
I'm a short guy with an arm span of 5'-3". I use the 40' synthetic gut string packs with my oversized rackets. I measure off exactly 4 arms lengths for the mains or approximately 21'. I then use the remainder of approximately 19' for the crosses. There is always leftover string for the both the mains and crosses.
 
There has to be a mechanical way to accurately measure the string without having to use a ruler. I went to the hardware store today to buy copper wire for some electrical work around the house and they use a machine where they pass the wire through two metal wheels and a hole and a counter counts out the length. After looking at this machine for a while I went looking for replica parts. Here's what I got, found a walking measuring wheel, the one you push along the ground and has a counter on it, bought another misc rubber wheel. I plan on mounting these to thing to a board and then passing the string between the wheels and then have the counter count the length (reads out in feet). Has anyone else done this before or any tips or comments?
 

mikeler

Moderator
My arms length way has never shorted me. Granted, I do waste a little bit more string than necessary.
 
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