Wilson steam 99s stringing question

mrj1813 · Jan 22, 2013

Hello all,

Hit with the 99s yesterday and am considering buying one. I own a klippermate and am wondering if I will have problems stringing it with the kippermate floating clamps due to the extreme open pattern/distance between strings?
Any opinions or experience with this?

Thanks

Sam

racertempo · Jan 22, 2013

mrj1813 said:
Hello all,

Hit with the 99s yesterday and am considering buying one. I own a klippermate and am wondering if I will have problems stringing it with the kippermate floating clamps due to the extreme open pattern/distance between strings?
Any opinions or experience with this?

Thanks

Sam

That is a great question as I have a Eagnas with floating clamps as well, I suspect it will be okay but I have not strung mine as I had TW do it since they don't charge labor for their stringing. I am even more worried about the 105s which I own as well. I know tons of people on here have strung the 99s in the past couple of weeks and I have not read of any problems, but I am sure you will get some more definitive replies.

Rabbit · Jan 22, 2013

As a former drop weight owner, I can unequivocally say "maybe".

I remember, particularly on Wilson frames the last two crosses being difficult to clamp due to their spacing.

mrj1813 · Feb 7, 2013

bump. anyone out there with a klippermate string the 99s??

is it difficult with the floating clamps, especially near the throat?

cork_screw · Feb 8, 2013

Try to string it full poly with Weiss Cannon. They are notoriously known as a poly that holds tension very well. I like to string it at 54. But with something that rewards string movement for grip like the 99s, you might like to try to string it lower because the tension will maintain its point better with these strings.

Also try Signum Pro, their polys are good too and a lot of people say they are a bit of a stiff poly which might bode well for a racquet that needs more tension maintenance.

racertempo · Feb 8, 2013

cork_screw said:
Try to string it full poly with Weiss Cannon. They are notoriously known as a poly that holds tension very well. I like to string it at 54. But with something that rewards string movement for grip like the 99s, you might like to try to string it lower because the tension will maintain its point better with these strings.

Also try Signum Pro, their polys are good too and a lot of people say they are a bit of a stiff poly which might bode well for a racquet that needs more tension maintenance.

The point of the thread has NOTHING to do with what string to use of what tension, the question is do people have problems with the hanging/floating clamps that are used on drop-weight machines......due to the open pattern.......ie, will the clamps actually work.

I have a drop weight with 2 floating clamps, but have not restrung yet as it has been so cold that I have not hit much recently. Anyone with feedback, I know lots of people have been restringing.

pvw_tf · Feb 8, 2013

racertempo said:
I have a drop weight with 2 floating clamps, but have not restrung yet as it has been so cold that I have not hit much recently. Anyone with feedback, I know lots of people have been restringing.

Only in the case a racket does not fit in the machine you will not be able to string. In all other cases it is just (maybe a lot) harder to do it right. So yes you will be able to string it with 2 floating clamps, but not as easy. You have to move the strings together to use the clamps and adjust to get the tension right and consistent. Not easy, not the best way, but can be done.

Peter

racertempo · Feb 8, 2013

pvw_tf said:
Only in the case a racket does not fit in the machine you will not be able to string. In all other cases it is just (maybe a lot) harder to do it right. So yes you will be able to string it with 2 floating clamps, but not as easy. You have to move the strings together to use the clamps and adjust to get the tension right and consistent. Not easy, not the best way, but can be done.

Peter

Have you actually done it? We understand that it can theoretically be done, but neat the throat those last few string and almost too far apart to bring together with the clamp.......have you done that?

pvw_tf · Feb 10, 2013

racertempo said:
Have you actually done it?

No I did not.

If I have to, it can be done. Did the Snauwaert Dyno Hi-Ten with 1.8 that way and several other weird rackets which had the big distances.

But in general I would not recommend a stringing machine with floating clamps at all. Working with fixed clamps since my starting days of stringing (1980)

I still have floating clamps, and used them, when I had to do emergency jobs on other borrowed machines.

Peter

mrj1813 · Feb 11, 2013

thanks for the replies. maybe i'll bring a floating clamp with me to the local tennis center and see how it looks when held up to the racket. It seems like I'd have to move the strings so much to get the clamp on that one would lose a lot of tension when the clamp was removed, at least on the last crosses near the throat.

of course, maybe i need a fixed clamp stringer

racertempo · Feb 11, 2013

mrj1813 said:
thanks for the replies. maybe i'll bring a floating clamp with me to the local tennis center and see how it looks when held up to the racket. It seems like I'd have to move the strings so much to get the clamp on that one would lose a lot of tension when the clamp was removed, at least on the last crosses near the throat.

of course, maybe i need a fixed clamp stringer

fixed clamp stringers aside, you can always go up 10-15% on that last cross near the throat to make up for the lost tension with the knot and moving to clamp.

gameboy · Feb 11, 2013

I've strung my Steam 105s twice now with my Gamma dropweight stringer with flying clamps.

It is a bit more difficult, but it is not that bad. You just can't put the clamp right next to the frame like I usually do on crosses (mains are just fine). You just need to squeeze the string together before you clamp it.

Lakers4Life · Feb 11, 2013

gameboy said:
I've strung my Steam 105s twice now with my Gamma dropweight stringer with flying clamps.

It is a bit more difficult, but it is not that bad. You just can't put the clamp right next to the frame like I usually do on crosses (mains are just fine). You just need to squeeze the string together before you clamp it.

Doesn't that create more tension? Though it might not be a bad thing.

gameboy · Feb 11, 2013

Not really since the next pull will even it out.

pvw_tf · Feb 13, 2013

mrj1813 said:
maybe i need a fixed clamp stringer

I think you should. Loose clamps was just a way to save money on getting a cheaper stringer, but at the moment there are enough well priced machines with fixed clamps.

I had a fixed clamp on my first machine in 1980. I am getting old.....
That was the era of the wooden rackets (18*20) and the first "weirdo" rackets like Wilson T2000

Peter

racertempo · Feb 13, 2013

gameboy said:
I've strung my Steam 105s twice now with my Gamma dropweight stringer with flying clamps.

It is a bit more difficult, but it is not that bad. You just can't put the clamp right next to the frame like I usually do on crosses (mains are just fine). You just need to squeeze the string together before you clamp it.

Thanks for the update on the flying clamps!

ttwarrior1 · Feb 13, 2013

if the closest stringer to me is 45 min away ,i assume i shouldn't get this racket? if i did what strings would you get to not restring for a season.

ps: use a warrior racket and haven't restrung in 7 years , no idea what the strings are but they don't move ever, came from here

brownbearfalling · Feb 13, 2013

I realize that you are looking for a yes or no answer but i think that all that matters is that you can get the job done. EVERY stringer is going to produce a different result whether slightly or drastically. You just need to find a string type, tension and method of stringing your racquet that suits your tastes. If you are absolutely "in love" with the 99s, I don't think your stringing machine should keep you from getting it.

Mongolmike · Feb 14, 2013

ttwarrior1 said:
if the closest stringer to me is 45 min away ,i assume i shouldn't get this racket? if i did what strings would you get to not restring for a season.

ps: use a warrior racket and haven't restrung in 7 years , no idea what the strings are but they don't move ever, came from here

Unless you hit really soft, I don't think you are going to find a string that works with this racquet the way they are supposed to and that will last you all season. Most of us (and I am not a big hitter.... lot of spin, but not a ball crusher) are just trying to find a good string that will last 10-12 HOURS of play!

You could try kevlar, but the nature/design of the racquet is to get the strings to slide/move on contact with the ball- then snap back into place. This WILL cause notching, but you have to be swinging hard enough to get the strings to move. If you aren't, then this racquet really isn't what you should be using. And since you haven't restrung in 7 years... and would only want to string once a season... this probably isn't the best stick for you IMO.

mrj1813 · Feb 15, 2013

thanks for the comments everyone. i bought the 99s today and we'll see how it goes

NMTennis · May 14, 2016

Any new thoughts on this? I have an alpha drop weight with floating clamps... And it is REALLY tough to string the last 2 crosses on my steam 99s. Any tips or suggestions?

loosegroove · May 14, 2016

NMTennis said:
Any new thoughts on this? I have an alpha drop weight with floating clamps... And it is REALLY tough to string the last 2 crosses on my steam 99s. Any tips or suggestions?

If you want to spend a little dough, Stringway triple clamps are great for this.

Chingoo1255 · May 15, 2016

I'm new to stringing and have a Klippermate and the clamps. I got it as a gift/hand-me-down. I strung to SO's 105s and it is possible to do it no problem. But it is not the best. I usually string poly as a cross, and the angles of the string when clamped is pretty severe but I haven't had issues. Note, I do string at pretty low tensions(44-48). I don't know how it would be if I strung at higher tensions. My issue is do I spend half to get the string away clamps, or save and get the Alpha drop weight stringing machine. I'm thinking of getting the better machine and making do with the Klippermate floating clamps for now.

Wilson steam 99s stringing question

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