My first stringing machine

beernutz

beernutz

Hall of Fame
Nuke

Nuke

Hall of Fame
The Swing has a slightly better mounting system, and a clutch, which makes it easier to adjust things if you don't get the bar exactly horizontal on the first drop. The floating clamps are probably a draw. Yeah, the Swing is worth the extra money, but the Klippermate can still do a good job if money is tight.
 
S

sonicboi21

Banned
what really is the chance of a frame warping on a 2 point mounting system?
Is it a really high chance that the frame will deform?
If it is, i think getting the silent partner is the best option, if not i think the gamma x2 is the next best thing.
 
ryangoring

ryangoring

Professional
Well, I have been using the x2 from since January of this year, and no warping of any frame. You have to mount the frame properly, read your instructions, and you'll be ok
I am about to sell my x2
 
1st Seed

1st Seed

Professional
Hey Sonic If you can, spend a little extra and go for the Sp hip hop.Great machine for the price.My first machine,so glad I picked the HH.Spend a little more it's in you're best interest.

Take Care.
 
Nuke

Nuke

Hall of Fame
sonicboi21 said:
what is clutch btw?
Click to expand...

When you lower the weight bar, the goal is to get it to balance perfectly horizontal. If the bar goes past horizontal, you just have to grip the drum to hold it steady while you raise the bar a bit to try again. The clutch holds the string at that tension, so you don't have to play around with feeding some string in or out of the gripper to adjust the tension. The X-2 and some other drop-weight machines use a ratchet that has discreet clicks as you raise the bar, but the Swing's clutch works smoothly so you can hold the tension at any point instead of a limited number of clicks. The Klippermate, on the other hand, has neither a clutch nor a ratchet, so you have to raise the bar to release the string, then jigger the string in or out of the jaws to change the tension before trying again. It's a bit more of a hassle, but the Klippermate folks will tell you that you get used to it quickly, and they're probably right, but the clutch seemed like a simpler way to work for me.

sonicboi21 said:
what really is the chance of a frame warping on a 2 point mounting system? Is it a really high chance that the frame will deform? If it is, i think getting the silent partner is the best option, if not i think the gamma x2 is the next best thing.
Click to expand...

Probably not a big risk with the 2-point system if you mount it correctly. But six points is more than two, so the load is spread out a bit more, even if the Swing's 6-point system isn't really the same as what most 6-point systems use. If anything, you avoid marking up the racquet at the 6 and 12 o'clock positions, as all the tension is not being pulled against two tiny points on the frame.

BTW, the X-2 is a good machine and has many fans here, but most people will say the Gamma clamps are not the best (and replacement clamps are somewhat expensive). Both the Swing and the Klippermate have OK clamps.

So, bottom line: Klippermate has no clutch or ratchet. Gamma X-2 has inferior clamps. Swing has both a clutch and good clamps, and a marginally better mounting system. That's why I bought it, and I'd buy it again.
 
S

sonicboi21

Banned
Thanks Nuke, very in-depth explanation.
I think ill go for the swing.
Just asking, how accurate is the tensioning?
How large is the margin for error?
 
Redflea

Redflea

Hall of Fame
Nuke said:
When you lower the weight bar, the goal is to get it to balance perfectly horizontal.
Click to expand...

The good news is that it really does not matter if you don't get the bar perfectly horzontal. You can be off horizontal by quite a bit w/out affecting the tension of your racquet in any significant way.

Dropweight Accuracy said:
If you set your reference tension to 60lb and you are off by 10 degrees (above or below horizontal) you are still pulling 59lb of tension. See the table below.


Degrees From Horizontal.....Percent of Reference Tension.....Resulting Tension (60 lb Ref)
1.............................................99.9 8%...................................59.99
2.............................................99.9 4%...................................59.96
3.............................................99.8 6%...................................59.92
4.............................................99.7 6%...................................59.85
5.............................................99.6 2%...................................59.77
6.............................................99.4 5%...................................59.67
7.............................................99.2 5%...................................59.55
8.............................................99.0 3%...................................59.42
9.............................................98.7 7%...................................59.26
10...........................................98.48 %...................................59.09
11...........................................98.16 %...................................58.90
12...........................................97.81 %...................................58.69
13...........................................97.44 %...................................58.46
14...........................................97.03 %...................................58.22
15...........................................96.59 %...................................57.96

You will be accurate to +/- 1 lb of reference tension with the arm being off as much as +/- 10 deg from horizontal.

10 degrees equates to the arm being off horizontal by 3 inches up or 3 inches down assuming the arm is about 18" long.
Click to expand...
 
W

Wes_Loves_Dunlop

Professional
Well, im probably going to buy kal-el's old x2.
Thanks guys for all the help.
I am sonicboi21, but i got banned, so here i am.

I saw some vids on youtube and i think i can do this.
 
ryangoring

ryangoring

Professional
Wes_Loves_Dunlop said:
Well, im probably going to buy kal-el's old x2.
Thanks guys for all the help.
I am sonicboi21, but i got banned, so here i am.

I saw some vids on youtube and i think i can do this.
Click to expand...

It is not kal-el!! lol
I told you to go his post on photos of your stringer, mine is actually among the photos or post there. lol
Wes you're funny. :)
 
M

Molli

New User
Hey! I'm just about to buy my first stringing machine. The 45-model is about 100 dollars more expensive in my local dealer. Should I still go for it? All help is appreciated :)

TYGER StringEco-35
The Tyger stringing machine StringEco-35. Basic model, suitable for all types of tennis rackets ' Moving arms' for easy and safe pinching of every tennisracket Equipped with two loose RVS clamps.
Click to expand...

TYGER StringEco-45
The Tyger stringing machine StringEco-45. The StringEco-45 is a very user-friendly stringing machine. The best solution for home stringing with ' moving arms' for easy and safe stringing of every tennis racket. Equipped with permanent 2-Actions clamps.
Click to expand...
 
A

aussie

Professional
Nuke said:
When you lower the weight bar, the goal is to get it to balance perfectly horizontal. If the bar goes past horizontal, you just have to grip the drum to hold it steady while you raise the bar a bit to try again. The clutch holds the string at that tension, so you don't have to play around with feeding some string in or out of the gripper to adjust the tension. The X-2 and some other drop-weight machines use a ratchet that has discreet clicks as you raise the bar, but the Swing's clutch works smoothly so you can hold the tension at any point instead of a limited number of clicks. The Klippermate, on the other hand, has neither a clutch nor a ratchet, so you have to raise the bar to release the string, then jigger the string in or out of the jaws to change the tension before trying again. It's a bit more of a hassle, but the Klippermate folks will tell you that you get used to it quickly, and they're probably right, but the clutch seemed like a simpler way to work for me.



Probably not a big risk with the 2-point system if you mount it correctly. But six points is more than two, so the load is spread out a bit more, even if the Swing's 6-point system isn't really the same as what most 6-point systems use. If anything, you avoid marking up the racquet at the 6 and 12 o'clock positions, as all the tension is not being pulled against two tiny points on the frame.

BTW, the X-2 is a good machine and has many fans here, but most people will say the Gamma clamps are not the best (and replacement clamps are somewhat expensive). Both the Swing and the Klippermate have OK clamps.

So, bottom line: Klippermate has no clutch or ratchet. Gamma X-2 has inferior clamps. Swing has both a clutch and good clamps, and a marginally better mounting system. That's why I bought it, and I'd buy it again.
Click to expand...

Well done Nuke, pretty good summary. All these dropweights will give you a decent and replicable string job. 2 point mounting is fine so long as the racquet is mounted and clamped firmly and one of the advantages of a 2 point mounting system is that it is very simple and very quick to mount the racquet. I use a Klippermate and find the non-clutch gripper jaws tensioning system is painless to use and with a little practice, you can very quickly adjust the amount of string to achieve near horizontal rod position.

I believe that Klippermate is the only USA made stringing machine with the majority of the portable dropweights made in Taiwan. That may or may not influence your decision. Klippermate also offers a worldwide lifetime warranty on the machine and all tools to the original owner and that was an important factor in my decision to buy the klippermate.

Whichever way you go, good luck and you really can't go wrong with any of the portable dropweights.
 
A

AndrewD

Legend
aussie said:
I use a Klippermate and find the non-clutch gripper jaws tensioning system is painless to use and with a little practice, you can very quickly adjust the amount of string to achieve near horizontal rod position.
Click to expand...

Aussie,

As a fellow Brisbanite (West End - play at UQ) and someone who is considering the Klippermate I'd be interested to hear a bit more about your experience with it. I'm only interested in stringing for myself (plus the very occasional one for my fiancee or a clubmate) and don't think I need anything more elaborate.

Sorry for interrupting the thread.
 
ericsson

ericsson

Hall of Fame
Molli said:
Hey! I'm just about to buy my first stringing machine. The 45-model is about 100 dollars more expensive in my local dealer. Should I still go for it? All help is appreciated :)

TYGER StringEco-35


TYGER StringEco-45
Click to expand...

Yes it's worth it, take the 45 with the base clamps, solid machine.
 
max

max

Legend
Good question about the comparison. For me, I really don't think it would be worth the extra $65. No significant difference for the price.

If you want a better machine than a Kmate, you should plan on spending a few hundred more.

The X-2 is the equal of the Kmate. It SOUNDS better, but it comes with lousy clamps. Either one works fine for an individual; if you plan on doing quantity, plan on spending $500 or so.
 
A

aussie

Professional
AndrewD said:
Aussie,

As a fellow Brisbanite (West End - play at UQ) and someone who is considering the Klippermate I'd be interested to hear a bit more about your experience with it. I'm only interested in stringing for myself (plus the very occasional one for my fiancee or a clubmate) and don't think I need anything more elaborate.

Sorry for interrupting the thread.
Click to expand...

Hi Andrew, good to know that there are some Aussies posting here and I can see that you have done some posting!! Last time I played at UQ was a tourney some years ago but had a look at the tennis setup only 2 weeks ago when I was at the Schnoell to watch a musical. Looks impressive and the setting right on the river is very pleasant.

To answer your question, and you'll know this from my many postings, the Klippermate is a fine portable dropweight which will give you a decent and replicable string job. I had mine shipped out from Klipper surface mail, which was the cheapest shipping option at about USD$70. Took 10 weeks to get to me but I was in no hurry.

The machine itself looks quite agricultural, the floating clamps are modified vise grips and the 2 point mounting system looks very flimsy. But it all works very well and like I say, you will produce very good quality string jobs. Certainly, better jobs than I was getting at some well known tennis centres in Brisbane. The machine and tools are virtually indestructible - I think it is Max who always says the Klippermate is built like a tank and he's right.

One guy I string for was having his racquets strung at the UQ pro shop and although he was happy with the job, he only has me string for him now as my stringing is at least the equal of UQ's but I charge him a lot less. In fact I string for all my tennis playing mates now (about 8 of us) as well as lots of their freinds because the word gets around about quality at a good price.

Klipper are very good to deal with and respond to emails overnight. I had some minor issues with one of my gripper jaws and Klipper despatched new jaws to me no problems. Parts from Klipper get to you in 7 - 8 days. Their warranty is lifetime on the machine plus all tools so you can be assured if anything is to break you will be looked after.

The Aussie dollar is climbing against the greenback and right now is sitting at about USD.80 which makes the klippermate reasonably attractive. If you don't want to risk buying offshore, the TST Traveller 20 at Tennis Warehouse Australia is a good buy at $395 + $30 shipping. It is a clone of the Silent Partner Swing which many posters on these forums readily endorse.

The great thing about having your own machine is that you can string your own racquets with your choice of strings, experiment with tension, gauges, hybrids and so on at a fraction of the cost you'd pay at a pro shop. And don't buy strings in Australia - order online from TW (or other online stores in the US) and you'll get them in a week if you specify ordinary air mail. The price of string in australia is scandalous, but I guess we pay the price for a small market and no competition.

One other thing is that when you order your machine or string etc from the US, you don't pay GST. I always thought that GST or some customs duty would be applied, but that's not the case. The price you order online is the price you pay plus about a 2% international transaction charge on your credit card.

One word of advice is not to spend too much time mulling over this. I spent years agonising over whether it would be worth it to get my own machine and to this day, I regret not buying my own machine years ago when I was younger and a better player than I am now. So, don't delay, get yourself a machine and you won't look back.

One more thing - go QLD - smash those Blues on Wednesday night!!!
 
A

AndrewD

Legend
aussie said:
Hi Andrew, good to know that there are some Aussies posting here and I can see that you have done some posting!! Last time I played at UQ was a tourney some years ago but had a look at the tennis setup only 2 weeks ago when I was at the Schnoell to watch a musical. Looks impressive and the setting right on the river is very pleasant.

To answer your question, and you'll know this from my many postings, the Klippermate is a fine portable dropweight which will give you a decent and replicable string job. I had mine shipped out from Klipper surface mail, which was the cheapest shipping option at about USD$70. Took 10 weeks to get to me but I was in no hurry.

The machine itself looks quite agricultural, the floating clamps are modified vise grips and the 2 point mounting system looks very flimsy. But it all works very well and like I say, you will produce very good quality string jobs. Certainly, better jobs than I was getting at some well known tennis centres in Brisbane. The machine and tools are virtually indestructible - I think it is Max who always says the Klippermate is built like a tank and he's right.

One guy I string for was having his racquets strung at the UQ pro shop and although he was happy with the job, he only has me string for him now as my stringing is at least the equal of UQ's but I charge him a lot less. In fact I string for all my tennis playing mates now (about 8 of us) as well as lots of their freinds because the word gets around about quality at a good price.

Klipper are very good to deal with and respond to emails overnight. I had some minor issues with one of my gripper jaws and Klipper despatched new jaws to me no problems. Parts from Klipper get to you in 7 - 8 days. Their warranty is lifetime on the machine plus all tools so you can be assured if anything is to break you will be looked after.

The Aussie dollar is climbing against the greenback and right now is sitting at about USD.80 which makes the klippermate reasonably attractive. If you don't want to risk buying offshore, the TST Traveller 20 at Tennis Warehouse Australia is a good buy at $395 + $30 shipping. It is a clone of the Silent Partner Swing which many posters on these forums readily endorse.

The great thing about having your own machine is that you can string your own racquets with your choice of strings, experiment with tension, gauges, hybrids and so on at a fraction of the cost you'd pay at a pro shop. And don't buy strings in Australia - order online from TW (or other online stores in the US) and you'll get them in a week if you specify ordinary air mail. The price of string in australia is scandalous, but I guess we pay the price for a small market and no competition.

One other thing is that when you order your machine or string etc from the US, you don't pay GST. I always thought that GST or some customs duty would be applied, but that's not the case. The price you order online is the price you pay plus about a 2% international transaction charge on your credit card.

One word of advice is not to spend too much time mulling over this. I spent years agonising over whether it would be worth it to get my own machine and to this day, I regret not buying my own machine years ago when I was younger and a better player than I am now. So, don't delay, get yourself a machine and you won't look back.

One more thing - go QLD - smash those Blues on Wednesday night!!!
Click to expand...

Aussie,

Thanks for the information.

Did you buy your machine several years ago? When I contacted Klippermate, last week, they only gave me two shipping options - either $160 (5-10 days) or $190 US (3-5 days). However, even after converting to Australian Dollars, that still comes in cheaper than anything I can buy here in Australia, apart from the TST Traveller 20. With shipping to Qld the TST will be $415. Depending on which shipping option I choose, the Klippermate would be either $382 or $417Australian. Also, the TST's warranty would be somewhere between 2 and 5 years and only 1 year on clamps. That seems quite poor in comparison to the Klippermate's.

From what I can see, you need to spend another $200 to get 4-6 point mounting and then jump from that up to $800+ to get like fixed clamps. If the 2 point system is okay - and, based on your comments, I'm gathering that it is- then I can't justify spending more.

Actually, one of the reasons why I wanted to start doing my own stringing is because I've had such terrible work done by the people at UQ. I've had misweaves, tensions that were nowhere near what I requested, strings not pulled through a caps grommet and horribly inconsistent stringbeds. I know I'm not alone in that but, at least, I haven't had the knots come undone while I was playing (as has happened to clubmates). Had good work done by Everton Park but I just hate the drive out there and would rather save the petrol money.

LOL, I'm a displaced Victorian (came to Qld due to illness in the family, returned to study, met a local girl and am still here, 6 years later) so hadn't the vaguest idea there was any rugby on this week.
 
A

aussie

Professional
Hi Andrew. Bought my Klippermate in March 2006 and they gave me the additional shipping option of surface shipping at USD$70.60. They may still be able to do it that way but you may have to specifically request it.

The main reason I bought my own machine is that it is difficult to find competent stringers in Brisbane these days. Many tennis centres have closed because the interest in tennis has waned and it became a chore to locate a good one, get there and then pick up a couple of days later. My biggest bugbear was that the tension of the stringjobs I was getting was obviously way below what I requested. At $35+ per string job it was becoming very frustrating so eventually I bit the bullet and ordered a Klippermate.

The 2 point mounting system does the job if you mount the racquets securely as instructed. I string old, narrow beam flexible sticks and even an aluminium Prince Pro on my K'mate without dramas.

Whether you want to go the Traveller 20 route or the Klippermate, you'll be so glad you can be in control of your own stringing requirements and it is a great pastime. Best of luck!!
 
A

AndrewD

Legend
aussie said:
Hi Andrew. Bought my Klippermate in March 2006 and they gave me the additional shipping option of surface shipping at USD$70.60. They may still be able to do it that way but you may have to specifically request it.

The main reason I bought my own machine is that it is difficult to find competent stringers in Brisbane these days. Many tennis centres have closed because the interest in tennis has waned and it became a chore to locate a good one, get there and then pick up a couple of days later. My biggest bugbear was that the tension of the stringjobs I was getting was obviously way below what I requested. At $35+ per string job it was becoming very frustrating so eventually I bit the bullet and ordered a Klippermate.

The 2 point mounting system does the job if you mount the racquets securely as instructed. I string old, narrow beam flexible sticks and even an aluminium Prince Pro on my K'mate without dramas.

Whether you want to go the Traveller 20 route or the Klippermate, you'll be so glad you can be in control of your own stringing requirements and it is a great pastime. Best of luck!!
Click to expand...

Thanks again. I'm quite set on getting a machine this year but still haven't made up my mind what system to get. So far it seems that the options, once you move away from the basic Klippermate/Traveller20, aren't very good.
 
Last edited:
Y

Yoakim

New User
fellow Brisbaner

Hey aussie I have been reading some of your posts about stringing machines and the rest of it. Im in the market for either the Klippermate, ATS, X-2, or SP Swing. I live in Brisbane and i can tell you trying to get a worthwhile stringing machine over here is a real !@#%!$. You would know. Anyway If you know a place that sell a machine for under 350 in Bris or a good tennis shop in general please let me know so i can enquire my email is Yoakim_@hotmail.com
 
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