Hard to learn how to string?

Radicalized

Professional
Volkl PB 10 Mid and I use BHB7 as my main string.

volklpb10mid.jpg


Pattern for two piece. I will speak in regard to the machine mentioned by you in the first post. The pattern remains the same regardless of machine.

For an X-2/Progression 200, due to the thin beam, you would use the thinner mounting adapters (one at head, one at throat). I have never used or strung BHB7, but as a poly, with less stretch there are two important notes when using an X-2/200:
1. The bar (with weight) will normally have to be started closer to horizontal
a. either at an angle before inserting and wrapping the string around the rotational gripper before lowering it to horizontal,
b. or started down, then inserting/wrapping the string, holding the ratcheting rotational gripper and lifting the bar up to horizontal.

The amount of stretch the string has will be learned immediately as you determine, for example, where to place the bar (or amount to "ratchet" up) to get it to horizontal, but not far above.

2. With these Gamma rotational gripper machines there must be enough string to get out of the racquet and around the gripper. This is about 15 inches. This is important when tensioning the final mains. Therefore, you must determine how much BHB7 (which stretches less than say a syn. gut) it takes to reach. Also, in the event it does not reach, you can use a starting clamp to bridge/jump to the gripper to tension. If possible, on a first string job, be generous and measure how much you started with and how much you needed/had left at the end.

Of course, you have to have enough of any string to reach the gripper to tension, but polys stretch very little, while some synthetic guts seem like they are stretching forever.

Aside from that, after completing BHB7 mains, for example, you may have to adjust the clamp tightness for your different cross string (whatever it may be).

You may want to indoctrinate yourself with a full bed of synthetic gut just to get the process down, even if you cut out the free/few $ strings.
 
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pvw_tf

Rookie
I think stringing falls quite a bit short of the "craftsman" category.

But we all know that most of those mistakes have little effect on the way the racquet plays.

Here I think I disagree. A good string job (string itself and the job done) will play better then an average job. It will last longer, play better, gives the player more control over and feeling for the ball. And that will result in confidence and in the end in points won by the player.

When I started stringing when I was spectator on a top level ATP tournament and watch an official Babolat stringer, think his name was Lucien. The way he handled the gut string was amazing. He got the string in without one change of color. Blank and shining trough like gut in the package. And all who worked with gut know that one a bit more bending or twisting of the string will make it change color. Just weaving the crosses will quickly do that. I watch the guy for hours.

So back to the question. Should you start stringer for yourself. Yes if you break more than you can pay for. Same reason why I once started. Is it easy? yeaah you can get a string in and play with it. With interest and some practice (200 to 300) rackets you get to a pretty decent and playable job.

At the moment there are enough proper stringing machines on the market, and the times of the Wilson T2000, Fox Molded Hole Series, the SpinIn and other weirdo's are long gone.


Peter
 

gmatheis

Hall of Fame
Here I think I disagree. A good string job (string itself and the job done) will play better then an average job. It will last longer, play better, gives the player more control over and feeling for the ball. And that will result in confidence and in the end in points won by the player.

When I started stringing when I was spectator on a top level ATP tournament and watch an official Babolat stringer, think his name was Lucien. The way he handled the gut string was amazing. He got the string in without one change of color. Blank and shining trough like gut in the package. And all who worked with gut know that one a bit more bending or twisting of the string will make it change color. Just weaving the crosses will quickly do that. I watch the guy for hours.

So back to the question. Should you start stringer for yourself. Yes if you break more than you can pay for. Same reason why I once started. Is it easy? yeaah you can get a string in and play with it. With interest and some practice (200 to 300) rackets you get to a pretty decent and playable job.

At the moment there are enough proper stringing machines on the market, and the times of the Wilson T2000, Fox Molded Hole Series, the SpinIn and other weirdo's are long gone.


Peter

200 to 300 rackets ??????? I played with my very first string job and it was every bit as good as any other string job I've ever had that I paid for.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
Most of you think everyone should string their own rackets even if they are breaking one set of strings a month. I guess the meth works out and you should pay for your machine in a couple of years.

But there are reasons you should not.

1 String is not for everyone and you may not like it.
2 You will end up stringing more often when you find out how well different strings play. There goes the money you save.
3 You may play with much better strings because of the money you're saving. Again saving goes out the window.
4 If you buy a KM stringer and only string once a month you may become good at it in two years. But you spent hous and hours over that machine. Still it MAY take you an hour to string a racket.
5 A mis-weave is something most stringers do when starting out. You may think it is no matter and leave it that way. It is a illegal tennis racket. If you play a tournament someone may spot it and challenge you. You could have to default.
6 Then you need a starting clamp, Teflon tubing, extra grommets, more strings, grips, etc... It starts to add up after a while. What started out as a hobby to save money turns turns into a money pit. You start to think should I upgrade, and then you go into the next cycle

It's sort of like a bike for some young kid. Just got to have one. But once you get a driver's license those bikes (powered by foot) soon go by the wayside.
 

j1mw3b

New User
new stringer

Hi. I also recently got a Klippermate locally - luckily, very cheap and complete.

My first racquet I botched by not being careful on the crosses and missing the over/under pattern in a couple places.

2nd racquet I did it again but caught it and corrected it.
Also didn't realize the fan pattern should be used when weaving crosses so to relieve friction when pulling the crosses.

3rd racquet, I decided to use different colors for mains and crosses and watched the waving carefully. This one turned out good. BTW, re-strung the first racquet.
I am red/green color blind (well, color dumb I call it), and different colors help (I mean remarkably different, like black/white, not red/green).

It's rather relaxing to re-string. I will only be doing my own family racquet's however - do not want responsibility of other folks.
Also, will not do my wife's racquet either. :)

Excellent investment for me.

Jim
 

max

Legend
re: above. Yeah, for me, it's not an inconvenience but a pleasant pastime in its own right.

Not something I do very often, just perhaps twice a month in the season. But it's fun. A very mild activity; I listen to the radio, string outside and watch the outdoors go by.
 

eelhc

Hall of Fame
re: above. Yeah, for me, it's not an inconvenience but a pleasant pastime in its own right.

Not something I do very often, just perhaps twice a month in the season. But it's fun. A very mild activity; I listen to the radio, string outside and watch the outdoors go by.

As far as hobbies go it's not terribly expensive and has positive benefits. I just started stringing for friends. I'm happy to spend an several hours a month doing a friend a favor and I never take cash for favors... Instead, my "fee" is the cost of the string plus only if they wish to do something for me a six pack of beer (preferably a local IPA) or a bottle of table wine. Their choice, cost to not exceed $10... which is generally consumed when the racquet is picked up.
 

samarai

Semi-Pro
If u can afford it get a better stringer, will make the process much more efficient. However nothing wrong with klippermate. I had one for a year before upgrade. Not rocket science, string 2 rackets and unwill become pretty efficient.
 

eelhc

Hall of Fame
At the moment there are enough proper stringing machines on the market, and the times of the Wilson T2000, Fox Molded Hole Series, the SpinIn and other weirdo's are long gone.
Peter

There are oddballs still...

I've not done Prince O port racquets or fanout patterns yet. My wife's racquet is a Weed XONE25. This is a huge racquet which require that the outside mains and crosses tensions be dropped or their "live periphery" method be used (which according to her pro is nonsense and the tensions should not be dropped). One of the reasons that I have 6 point mount machines is her racquet. I'm a bit nervous with such a huge racquet on a 2 point mount.

Granted these aren't quite T2000s but oddballs today... any others?
 

gmatheis

Hall of Fame
Most of you think everyone should string their own rackets even if they are breaking one set of strings a month. I guess the meth works out and you should pay for your machine in a couple of years.

But there are reasons you should not.

1 String is not for everyone and you may not like it.
2 You will end up stringing more often when you find out how well different strings play. There goes the money you save.
3 You may play with much better strings because of the money you're saving. Again saving goes out the window.
4 If you buy a KM stringer and only string once a month you may become good at it in two years. But you spent hous and hours over that machine. Still it MAY take you an hour to string a racket.
5 A mis-weave is something most stringers do when starting out. You may think it is no matter and leave it that way. It is a illegal tennis racket. If you play a tournament someone may spot it and challenge you. You could have to default.
6 Then you need a starting clamp, Teflon tubing, extra grommets, more strings, grips, etc... It starts to add up after a while. What started out as a hobby to save money turns turns into a money pit. You start to think should I upgrade, and then you go into the next cycle

It's sort of like a bike for some young kid. Just got to have one. But once you get a driver's license those bikes (powered by foot) soon go by the wayside.

Are we stringing Andre Agassi style ?? :)

But seriously everyone who has any interest should at least give it a go, the initial investment is minimal (around $200 or less) and you can easily recoup at least half of that by reselling your machine if you find out it's not for you. And the most important part ... IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. It doesnt take you a year or two or hundreds of frames to produce a good string job.

Personally I love stringing my own rackets.
- Paid $75 for a gamma progression 200
- My string now costs me $5.62 per racket instead of the $22 I used to spend paying someone else to do it.
- I don't string any more than I did before i got the machine
- I don't have a starting clamp, tubing, grips etc
So I have long since saved more than the purchase price of my machine.
 

jgrushing

Rookie
Here I think I disagree. A good string job (string itself and the job done) will play better then an average job. It will last longer, play better, gives the player more control over and feeling for the ball. And that will result in confidence and in the end in points won by the player.

When I started stringing when I was spectator on a top level ATP tournament and watch an official Babolat stringer, think his name was Lucien. The way he handled the gut string was amazing. He got the string in without one change of color. Blank and shining trough like gut in the package. And all who worked with gut know that one a bit more bending or twisting of the string will make it change color. Just weaving the crosses will quickly do that. I watch the guy for hours.

So back to the question. Should you start stringer for yourself. Yes if you break more than you can pay for. Same reason why I once started. Is it easy? yeaah you can get a string in and play with it. With interest and some practice (200 to 300) rackets you get to a pretty decent and playable job.

At the moment there are enough proper stringing machines on the market, and the times of the Wilson T2000, Fox Molded Hole Series, the SpinIn and other weirdo's are long gone.


Peter

I am not a high volume stringer. I've strung for a long time and probably have strung 1000 racquets or so. 200 to 300 racquets to get good is ridiculous. My 5th racquet was probably basically as good as I do now. I would love to hear the things you do that make the job last longer and give the players more control. I'm not talking about tension; I want to know what you do to make the job better.

Beginning stringers, it's easy and with any ability to follow directions and act consistently, you'll be stringing racquets that are up there with the jobs you'll get most anywhere. No magic here.
 

struggle

Legend
yep, i've said it before, it's not hard to do.

if you use hand tools often, it's really easy.

consistency is key and use your noggin', no big deal.
 

spinovic

Hall of Fame
If you prepare, read the instructions, and take your time...it's not hard.

Being worried that it is too hard is not a reason to avoid stringing your own racquets. I'm far from a do-it-yourself handyman and I had absolutely no trouble. Again, the knots weren't perfect, but they were good enough and I'm sure I'll get better at that with a few more racquets under my belt.
 

v-verb

Hall of Fame
Hi. I also recently got a Klippermate locally - luckily, very cheap and complete.

My first racquet I botched by not being careful on the crosses and missing the over/under pattern in a couple places.

2nd racquet I did it again but caught it and corrected it.
Also didn't realize the fan pattern should be used when weaving crosses so to relieve friction when pulling the crosses.

3rd racquet, I decided to use different colors for mains and crosses and watched the waving carefully. This one turned out good. BTW, re-strung the first racquet.
I am red/green color blind (well, color dumb I call it), and different colors help (I mean remarkably different, like black/white, not red/green).

It's rather relaxing to re-string. I will only be doing my own family racquet's however - do not want responsibility of other folks.
Also, will not do my wife's racquet either. :)

Excellent investment for me.

Jim

Cool story.

I did my 3rd racquet last night. And learned I should NEVER string late at night because I misweaved the cross near the throat. Didn't catch it until I tied and cut off the excess damn it.

Anyhow yes it's an illegal string job but I'll use it for friendly play and remember not to string when I'm tired.

Anyhow it was tons easier than my 1st and 2nd string jobs.
 

beernutz

Hall of Fame
Are we stringing Andre Agassi style ?? :)

But seriously everyone who has any interest should at least give it a go, the initial investment is minimal (around $200 or less) and you can easily recoup at least half of that by reselling your machine if you find out it's not for you. And the most important part ... IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. It doesnt take you a year or two or hundreds of frames to produce a good string job.

Personally I love stringing my own rackets.
- Paid $75 for a gamma progression 200
- My string now costs me $5.62 per racket instead of the $22 I used to spend paying someone else to do it.
- I don't string any more than I did before i got the machine
- I don't have a starting clamp, tubing, grips etc
So I have long since saved more than the purchase price of my machine.
Yes, i agree just give it a go, you really have very little to lose and the upside is large. I paid $149 shipped for my Klippermate in 2005 and sold it 6 years later for $85 on Craigslist. It looked brand new when I sold it. I think I strung about 60 to 70 racquets with it, mostly for myself and my wife, but a handful for friends.

My fastest time was just under 30 minutes but I was (and still am) a slow weaver. Since before I started stringing for myself I was paying $15 just for the service before the cost of the marked up string was added, the money I saved on stringing paid for the Klippermate and for the used Neos I replaced it with.

As for Irwin's concern about a misweave, I think it is a bit overblown as I have now strung over 120 racquets and have yet to have one.
 

Dags

Hall of Fame
- I don't have a starting clamp, tubing, grips etc
The starting clamp is my favourite tool by far. So much so, I bought a second one. If you're ever in the mood to treat yourself, get a nice one. (mine are from R-A-B, and they've been rock solid)

I did my 3rd racquet last night. And learned I should NEVER string late at night because I misweaved the cross near the throat. Didn't catch it until I tied and cut off the excess damn it.
If all the mains are in place (which would be normal, unless you're doing an ATW pattern), then an easy check is that if a cross starts under a main, then it will end over it, and vice versa. This is a really quick way to check things as you go - unless you're so tired you manage to do two misweaves on the same cross!

(this tip came from one of the many good folk on this forum. I can't remember who it was initially, but if I could, I would credit them with it!)
 

max

Legend
I did a misweave on my Kmate about a dozen or so years ago, when I was just getting into it. I've probably done about 200 frames over this time, so the ratio of misweave to "done right" is pretty low for me. Just keep an eye on it as you do it.
 

pvw_tf

Rookie
very nice! its good to get non US perspective here

Yeah the European look and approach on stringing is for sure different.

Can recall pro players from the states looking at my stringing machine. Yes a long time ago. And I was not having an Ektelon and that was weird, bad, no good, not standard. No talks about i want double pulling....

But they had no choice, so had to win them.

Peter
 

pvw_tf

Rookie
I want to know what you do to make the job better.

Work with natural gut. Take a 1.2 or 1.24 string, and string a racket at 30+ kg. And get the natural gut in there without damaging it. When you damage it you will be able to see it instantly, it changes it color.

After that try to do the same with a 1.35 or 1.4 natural gut string. That is harder for sure the weaving.

With the technique developed to get gut perfect in the racket you should do any other none natural gut string.

Peter
 
I have an Alpha Pioneer DC Plus and it took me about 3-5 sets of strings before I got really comfortable and quit making mistakes. Started out taking 2 hours but now down to 40mins.

I even trained my 13yr old boy and now he can string his entire racquet from start to finish in 40mins. 2-piece, or 1-piece job no problem.

So if a 13yr old kid can do it, so can you! :)
 

jim e

Legend
So if a 13yr old kid can do it, so can you! :)

I started stringing back in 1968. I was 13 years old at that time when I purchased my first machine.

If you stick with it, it would be best to get as much machine as you can afford, as it does make the job easier, and the easier it is the more you will enjoy it, and the more you enjoy it the better the job is.
 
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beernutz

Hall of Fame
I started stringing back in 1968. I was 13 years old at that time when I purchased my first machine.

If you stick with it, it would be best to get as much machine as you can afford, as it does make the job easier, and the easier it is the more you will enjoy it, and the more you enjoy it the better the job is.

I starting playing during the tennis boom of the early 70s and I remember at the time wanting to buy a stringer (I probably saw a Klippermate in a magazine ad) but never went though with it. I really regret that lack of action as an adult because not only would I have saved a ton of money on stringing over the years, I think I would have focused more on tennis during my teens rather than distance running (also booming in the 70s) as I ended up doing. I don't regret my time and experiences spent running but I think I'd be a lot better tennis player now if I'd spent more time and gotten more instruction back then.
 

pvw_tf

Rookie
Hi

No more replies. I have heard and had this conversation over the years with many.

Stringing is easy and everybody can learn it.

The second part to me is right. Easy is a bit different for sure to be a good stringer. It is to me a craftsman work. There is more to it then just follow some guidelines to put a string in a racket.

You have be able to deal with different rackets and many different strings. I challenged over time several of these "Stringing is easy and there is no difference in result" people.

Ok, here is an natural gut string, put it in a mid plus size racket at 30 kg, no abnormal demand. And do it good. If you damage the string, even break or do a bad job you pay me the cost of the string. Most, if not all backed out. In Europe we are talking 40 Euro for top quality gut.

So in several cases I got the challenge back. String my racket, and let me judge you, if it plays better.
So with many of them I ended up stringing their rackets when they had big tournaments and matches. Some did stringing for others, by that making money, to pay me.

Again almost all people can learn to string, like all can bake a cake, cook dinner, drive a car (hmm bad example maybe :wink:). But it is to me a craftsman job. It takes "training" and experience.

Do not let you hold back on doing it yourself. There is ratio to be calculated if it makes sense for you. Get a quality enough machine. And with time you can get to a for you acceptable result and save cash if you do not spend more on more expensive strings or other reasons.

But do not expect to produce 3 rackets a hours regardless of type of rackets and strings at consistent high quality after 10 rackets done. I have seen stringers, stringing for years, doing, nicely stated, an average job.

Simplistic things, like having to take knots out of the string, damage (burning) the lengths by pulling the crosses through incorrectly or to fast for that type of string.


Peter
 

Radicalized

Professional
Hi

No more replies. I have heard and had this conversation over the years with many.

Peter

The thread wasn't titled, "Hard to become a tournament-level stringer in 10 racquets or less?" Hopefully, if those who ask questions here take advantage of the tips and techniques constantly added here as text or on youtube or the like, they will do just fine. There are plenty of players here who string their own racquets and don't complain, and are "craftsmen" in other fields, and comprehend the complexities beyond playing "connect the grommets" and "tie a knot." Anyone who reads the threads knows that speed as a factor on its own is not the focus here.
 

Big_Dangerous

Talk Tennis Guru
Update:

Went ahead and bought an Alpha Revo 4000 machine.

It was more than I wanted to spend, but what the hell, I figure it's an outstanding machine and it's so much more secure than one of the cheaper models with floating clamps. Haven't tried to string a racket yet, but I've figured out how to mount the racket, watched a video on how to tie tennis knots, and figured out the tension. I might try to string my first racket in the next few days.


Pics of the machine to come later.
 

Big_Dangerous

Talk Tennis Guru
volklpb10mid.jpg


Pattern for two piece. I will speak in regard to the machine mentioned by you in the first post. The pattern remains the same regardless of machine.

For an X-2/Progression 200, due to the thin beam, you would use the thinner mounting adapters (one at head, one at throat). I have never used or strung BHB7, but as a poly, with less stretch there are two important notes when using an X-2/200:
1. The bar (with weight) will normally have to be started closer to horizontal
a. either at an angle before inserting and wrapping the string around the rotational gripper before lowering it to horizontal,
b. or started down, then inserting/wrapping the string, holding the ratcheting rotational gripper and lifting the bar up to horizontal.

The amount of stretch the string has will be learned immediately as you determine, for example, where to place the bar (or amount to "ratchet" up) to get it to horizontal, but not far above.

2. With these Gamma rotational gripper machines there must be enough string to get out of the racquet and around the gripper. This is about 15 inches. This is important when tensioning the final mains. Therefore, you must determine how much BHB7 (which stretches less than say a syn. gut) it takes to reach. Also, in the event it does not reach, you can use a starting clamp to bridge/jump to the gripper to tension. If possible, on a first string job, be generous and measure how much you started with and how much you needed/had left at the end.

Of course, you have to have enough of any string to reach the gripper to tension, but polys stretch very little, while some synthetic guts seem like they are stretching forever.

Aside from that, after completing BHB7 mains, for example, you may have to adjust the clamp tightness for your different cross string (whatever it may be).

You may want to indoctrinate yourself with a full bed of synthetic gut just to get the process down, even if you cut out the free/few $ strings.

I actually went with the Alpha Revo 4000, so it's a different machine.

But I had a question about the tie-offs.

I'm looking at my racket that I had string from a shop, the one I'm going to restring since the strings in it are dead. But it looks like they tied it off in 3 places. 8 H Left and Right, and 11 T.

Also, since my racket is a two piece, that means I have to cut the string and just do the mains. Then use the other piece and do the crosses. How much should I cut to do the mains?
 
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Lakers4Life

Hall of Fame
What racket are you going to string?

I think you are missing a tie off if there are only 3 knots.

With a 16x19 pattern, most of the time you can get away with just cutting the string in half, 20 ft and 20 ft. You usually only need 18 feet for the mains, and less for the crosses. To answer your question bluntly, cut the set in half. If you are measuring from a reel, these instrutions may help. http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showpost.php?p=7310031&postcount=4
 
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struggle

Legend
I actually went with the Alpha Revo 4000, so it's a different machine.

But I had a question about the tie-offs.

I'm looking at my racket that I had string from a shop, the one I'm going to restring since the strings in it are dead. But it looks like they tied it off in 3 places. 8 H Left and Right, and 11 T.

Also, since my racket is a two piece, that means I have to cut the string and just do the mains. Then use the other piece and do the crosses. How much should I cut to do the mains?

perhaps they started the crosses at 8 H also (tie off, i mean)? Does one of the tie offs at the head look like TWO knots, one on top of the other?
 

Big_Dangerous

Talk Tennis Guru
What racket are you going to string?

I think you are missing a tie off if there are only 3 knots.

With a 16x19 pattern, most of the time you can get away with just cutting the string in half, 20 ft and 20 ft. You usually only need 18 feet for the mains, and less for the crosses. To answer your question bluntly, cut the set in half. If you are measuring from a reel, these instrutions may help. http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showpost.php?p=7310031&postcount=4

Volkl PB 10 Mid

Yeah upon closer look, I see the 4th tie off at 4 h.
 

Big_Dangerous

Talk Tennis Guru
likely, a starting knot was used instead of a starting clamp, and if the knot was not easily visible it likely was not bulky enough so that it pulled too far into the grommet.

With regards to knots, what kind would you recommend for starting and finishing knots. And also for that starting knot at 4h, do I tie the knot first, and then thread through the first cross?
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
There are four knots, two of them could be in the same hole but there are four knots.
 
it was hard for me to learn at first, but its so easy now.

i just strung a racket today and i didnt even have to think while i was doing it.

besides the beginning of the stringing and tying knots, its just one long pattern.
 

Big_Dangerous

Talk Tennis Guru
Okay I figured out how to tension the strings, but every time I disengage the brake, the tension completely drops. It doesn't matter how many clamps I have or where they are, it still won't hold the tension...
 

Tamiya

Semi-Pro
Clamps have to be adjusted to hold the string until you get no slip
but not so tight that you bruise or damage the string.

Different string = different diameter width
& they get skinnier under tension too.
 

Tamiya

Semi-Pro
btw... You bought your Alpha Revo 4000 brandnew?

Was it professionally delivered & installed,
or did you have to assemble it yourself?

First time commissioned these thing need to be installed right;
you'd want the machine properly cleaned then lubricated correctly,
all the friction surfaces must be adjusted correctly
and the tension head calibrated.
 

SwankPeRFection

Hall of Fame
I learned how to string during the time I wasn't playing because of a twisted ankle. I watched some videos on YouTube to answer some of the questions I had, but I still wasn't very clear on how skipping grommets worked. For some reason it didn't make sense to me what they meant by skipping 7 and 9. So, I strung my first racquet while using my other strung one as a visual guide and once I realized that all I had to do was count from the center grommet hole outward, it all made sense. It took about an hour and a half to string the first racquet, but I made no mistakes at all. From then on, it was pretty easy... now that something as simple as counting grommet holes makes sense to me. It's funny how something that simple was throwing me off... even now I don't worry too much about it because as you string, if you don't skip properly, it's pretty obvious because the spacing will look wrong since the further out you get, your strings space out more, not less.
 

Tamiya

Semi-Pro
lately with oldies that have no written guides I've been planning the bed
before mounting by marking every main grommet with a sharpie.

The ink cleans off easy enough with alcohol swab.
 

Big_Dangerous

Talk Tennis Guru
btw... You bought your Alpha Revo 4000 brandnew?

Was it professionally delivered & installed,
or did you have to assemble it yourself?

First time commissioned these thing need to be installed right;
you'd want the machine properly cleaned then lubricated correctly,
all the friction surfaces must be adjusted correctly
and the tension head calibrated.

No, it was slightly used so I got a bit cheaper than it would have cost new.
 

Tamiya

Semi-Pro
+ someone's strung on it before, so it's probably setup ok.

Not always, but close enough ;)


Now get some cheap string & donor frames, go crazy! :)
 

Big_Dangerous

Talk Tennis Guru
+ someone's strung on it before, so it's probably setup ok.

Not always, but close enough ;)


Now get some cheap string & donor frames, go crazy! :)

I'm getting how to clamp it right, but the problem I have is that when I go to tie it off, I can't get the string in the hole.
 

Tamiya

Semi-Pro
...but the problem I have is that when I go to tie it off, I can't get the string in the hole.

meh, that a problem? :twisted:

do you snip your loose string end to a sharp point?

make sure its the right grommet (designated tieoff is bigger than others)
if its correct & 1st string is in the way just use your awl to push it aside.
The grommet plastic & string has a bit of memory so it helps to leave
the awl in there for a minute or 2... then quickly remove & poke string in.

Or think ahead earlier, put a 2nd string into the tieoff hole
to hold place before tensioning that main string.


lately i'm mucking about with oldies that use shared holes
so i bought a string-guide tool, its like an awl with a hollow sleeve.
Poke both thru the blocked hole, remove middle awl and it leaves
the sleeve where u thread the string through.

Shouldn't really need it for modern racquets, unless you're nylon tubing
(patching tube for wornout broken grommets) which always gets in the way.
 

Radicalized

Professional
Volkl PB 10 Mid

Yeah upon closer look, I see the 4th tie off at 4 h.
As per the diagram I posted, 4H is where you would tie on the crosses. The string comes out, goes over the frame, and enters the frame at 7 for the first cross.
Assuming you don't have a starting clamp, a knot like #7 below (list) will work. There is another starting knot video there also. Of course, there are others.
volklpb10mid.jpg


As per the blocked grommet, see #10 below.
Basically, it shows something like this:
Make an awl out of your string. Cut the tip of the string to a very sharp point. Maybe even compress the point some with your pliers. You can even apply something to lubricate the tip. Perhaps you can simply push it through now. If not, insert the point into the hole. Grasp the string very close to the frame with pliers (so you don't bend the string trying to push it in). Push it in with the pliers. Repeat with very small lengths of string as appropriate until it is through.


I need to learn basic techniques. Where do I go?
Watch:
YULITLE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/yulitle
(Names of the videos in a general order of stringing use)
If your racquet is still strung:
Cutting Strings out of a Racket (racquet)
STRINGER USE:
1. Mounting - 6-Point
2. Swivel Clamps - Use and Operation
MAINS:
3. Getting Mains Started - Two-piece (Various methods available.)
4. How to Start Your Mains
5. Parnell Knot (To tie off--one knot of several to choose)--see #6
6. How to tighten your knots (shows Parnell in example)
CROSSES:
7. Bulky (starting) knot (there are others on the site to try)
8. Starting Crosses with a Starting Knot (Note: YULitle weaves his second cross first in the video, then weaves the first cross and puts string through the grommet where he will tie the starting knot around the main. Then he ties the knot, tightens it, and pulls tension.)
9. Intro to Main Skips and Cross Weaving
10. How to Pass String thru Blocked Grommets
11. Why to Pull Hard Weaves Twice
12. Weaving Crosses
13. Parnell Knot (To tie off--one of several)
14. How to tighten your knots
15. Mounting - 6-Point (remove the racquet properly)


As far as knots to use go, try any of the starting knots. The main thing is the knot should be large enough to not be pulled through the grommet. I like the Parnell as a finishing knot because the tail lies nicely against the frame.

The final main (left/right) or final cross is tensioned and clamped near the frame. Release tension. The string is now inserted into the tie off hole.

The easiest finishing knot to remember may be the double-half hitch. Just go O-U-T, O-U-T with the string tip. [O]ver the anchor string, nder the anchor string, [T]hrough the loop. Repeat. It is very common.

Get the basics down and the racquet strung. Then you can concern yourself with the details to improve your technique later and get knots "perfectly" snugged up.

Other reminders:

Remember to lace and pull tension on EACH main, alternating left and right as to equalize tension on each side of the frame, never getting more than two ahead. Remember to count the grommets for any main skips (See the pattern. These are grommets through which mains do not pass and are intended for crosses.).

Clearly, you could spend lots of time checking the under/over pattern of your crosses. A quick tip is if the cross starts under a main, it should end over a main, and vice versa, as long as you didn't do two (an even number) misweaves. Remember, a pattern will appear, as an example:
O-U-O
|-||-|
U-O-U

Weaving
Generally, you'll use one of two methods. Push weaving is where you place the tip of the string between a finger over the mains and one under, and push it along as you move the string over and under the mains. Pull weaving is where you create a loop of string and pull it across the mains, one hand over and one hand under the mains, moving the string under and over the mains. Also, weave on an angle rather than straight across. That way there is more space to move the string.

Weave under and over, fanning the string (moving it back and forth as you pull) as you pull it through to avoid friction burns. Again, there are Yulitle videos on pulling crosses and cross weaving. Weave one ahead when doing your crosses. Tension each cross. Lay any strings on the outside of the frame parallel (Don't cross over like an "X."). Yulitle also has a video regarding getting through blocked grommets.

Weave one ahead
This is good. Double-pulling is bad (tensioning two strings at once).
Explanation: You can weave one ahead when doing crosses, which means, weave the second and tension the first, weave the third and tension the second, and so on. This reduces time to weave and decreases some of the friction. Just leave a big enough "loop" so you have a long enough run of string to pull tension and to reach the tension head/gripper. Image below as example:
----
FULL CREDIT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The following image is from "YULitle" on this TT page:
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=216204&highlight=Weave+one+ahead
08-24-2008, 02:36 PM #19
YULitle
Hall Of Fame
2793636566_f327a45ce2.jpg


A Basic Starting Mains Method for Fixed Clamp Machines
Lace your center left and right mains (LM1 and RM1) from head to throat or vice versa depending on what your racquet requires. Check your pattern. See information above about one-piece vs. two-piece stringing.

Note: You can start on the left or right. The following is an example.
Clamp your RM1 (right main one) near the frame on the side of the starting loop (Loop in the center of the racquet that leads to LM1 and RM1.). Make sure you have the clamps clean and tight enough to hold the string.

Insert the LM1 (left main one) string in the gripper and pull tension. You are now pulling tension on LM1.

WHILE MAINTAINING THE TENSION, clamp LM1 (RM1 is still clamped near the side of the start loop near the frame.) on the side opposite the start loop near the frame. YOU MUST maintain tension until you've clamp the string. Then you can release tension.
Lace LM2 and tension after you've rotated the racquet. Move the clamp for LM1 to the opposite side on LM2 close to the frame.

Rotate the racquet. Pull tension on RM1. Move the first clamp you set on RM1 to the opposite side (side of the tensioner) of RM1, and clamp close to the frame. Remember, you must keep the string tensioned as you remove and move clamps.

Lace RM2, rotate and tension. Continue to lace, rotate the racquet, and tension each string, never getting more than two ahead on either side (alternate tensioning string on the left and right of center).

Remember to skip grommets (called "main skips") when necessary (used for crosses). After you've completed the mains left and right (final mains tensioned and clamped), insert the string in the grommet for the tie off anchor string and tie a finishing knot (Parnell, double half-hitch, Pro/Wilson, etc.).
 
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