Delray Beach and Tecnifibre stringing team
- Thread starter Irvin
- Start date
I'd like to watch their technique to see where they're getting that much speed. 5 racquets per hour is about 2 more racquets per hour than me. Wow.
MAX PLY
Hall of Fame
At that speed, watching their technique would require that you wear a welding mask!
lidoazndiabloboi
Hall of Fame
Irvin
Talk Tennis Guru
5 rackets an hour is fast if you don't include mounting, dismounting, stenciling, and bagging.
12 minutes! How do they weave that fast? What I want to see is how they manage to do the crosses without destroying the mains when they finish a frame in 12 minutes. The fastest ever (for me start to finish just stringing) was 35 minutes. I FEEL SO SLOW.
Don't feel bad. I quality string job in 35 minutes by someone who doesn't string for a living is good.
I've been around a lot of fast stringers, and Plenty of us are able to pound out an emergency racquet in 12-15 minutes, but I've never seen a stringer be able to maintain that speed for any extended amount of time without quality suffering. Like I said, I'd like to see them work.
Irvin
Talk Tennis Guru
When I think of a fast string job for me I'm thinking an open string pattern with a soft slippery string. You have to remember the pros play with a lot of 18x20 frames and use poly. I'd be lucky to get the strings cut out, the racket mounted, and the mains strung in 12 minutes.
WisconsinPlayer
Professional
Ive only strung about 10 racquets but I still take an hour for just one racquet Cant imagine finishing 5 within the same amount of time
Cant imagine finishing 5 within the same amount of time
Irvin
Talk Tennis Guru
I'm guessing someone other than the stringer removes the old strings, collects the string to to used, stencils the frame, and bags the racket. All the stringer is actually doing is stringing the frame.
WisconsinPlayer
Professional
"It takes the Delray Beach Open professional stringers just 12 minutes per racquet (including the stenciling and packaging)"
am1899
Legend
Impossible to do for the long haul. I'm calling shenanigans.
To the Delray string room: Let's see some video.
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Tee1Up
Rookie
It doesn't say that the stringer is doing the stencil and bagging. It just says it takes 12 minutes to do everything.
Irvin
Talk Tennis Guru
You right anyone can stencil and bag rackets. But I have to agree an average of 5 rackets an hour is very fast.
chrisingrassia
Professional
I'm not convinced at 12 minutes per frame "including stenciling and packaging" for a single stringer (not to mention cutting, mounting/unmounting/remounting, weaving, knots, the time it takes to just pull the right tension, what about measuring for 2pc jobs?, etc). No way. That article is weak on details, makes it sound like they just published what someone told them. Post a video, unedited, proving it.
chrisingrassia
Professional
This is very very obvious to anyone who watches this that numerous sections of the clip have been sped up even though the clock/timer remains constant. This is also not even remotely the method that is being done on pro sticks, so not sure its relevance here. I still say 12min is BS for a pro level job, that's not even the time needed to allow the string to elongate accordingly for the material, of which the vast vast majority of pros are using poly.
Also, 14x18? Pfft.....
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It's easier to string faster on a crank machine, since the stringer doesn't have to wait for the tension head to fully go back. That's beside the point here though. That video is really showing stringers that value speed over quality. There is almost zero straightening of crosses while stringing, and at the speed they pull the strings, I'm pretty sure they are melting the grommets somewhat. I'm going to be honest, that video makes me cringe.
Actually, that story never happened. It's total creative license.
Irvin
Talk Tennis Guru
Don't believe anything you hear (read) and only half of what you see.
I have personally strung with the majority of that string team. They were either misquoted or misstated the facts. Maybe the question was how fast can you string a racquet?
They are all good stringers.
Lets see them or anyone do this:
racquet-Prestige mid 18x20 with cap system
cut the strings out
String- gut mains; BBO rough crosses
10% pre stretch with machine on mains and crosses
find the end of the BBO buried in the reel
string the racquet careful not to damage the gut while pulling the BBO rough
Get the strings perfectly straight!
Head logo
Luxilon logo
Let the ink dry!
Tag it and bag it.
A few stringers MIGHT be able to do 1 in 12 minutes but doing 4 would not be possible in an hour much less 5.
I never said that they couldn't. I'd like to watch them though because it would be very impressive if the time is real.
ElMagoElGato
Semi-Pro
It takes me 15 minutes to get a Prestige Mid unstrung.
skydog
Professional
I could not find it in my search last night, but I do recall an interview with Nate Ferguson where he mentioned doing such a thing at Wimbledon. He is BS'ing us?
Obviously dramatized for the commercial, but I would like to think that there is some hint of truth behind it.
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Irvin
Talk Tennis Guru
Maybe @uk_skippy can chime in here. Did Nate Ferguson and Liam Nolan both string at Wimbledon in 2001 (on site?) I doubt if N Ferguson was even on site stringing.
EDIT: If Ron says it didn't happen I'd bet it didn't happen. LOL
When Pete would need an on court racquet strung, the Wimbledon stringers were kind enough to let Nate use one of their machines. The fact that Pete strung his sticks at 33-34kg with 1.22mm gut on the grass may have had something to do with that
I asked Nate how "real" this story was when the ad came out. He says he doesn't have any recollection of stringing a racquet at the same time as Liam Nolan. He certainly doesn't ever remember racing someone to finish a racquet. Basically, the closest he may have come to this is that he strung a racquet for Pete at some point durning a match, and Liam strung a racquet for Federer at some point during that same match.
To be honest, I seem to remember Frank Messerer being Roger's personal stringer at the time, and would think he would have strung any racquets for Roger. Roger also used a method of proportional stringing back then, so stringing his sticks back then took a bit of extra time.
One of Federer's 2009 French Open racquets is at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and from when I saw it there, I recall that some of the cross grommets were grooved at the bottom part. I think that the grooving was from the crosses being pulled across the mains in a "V" maybe a bit faster than the grommets liked. I recall the main string tie-off grommets being somewhat split too, and that it looked like it was at least partly from the type of knot used.
The French members of the Tecnifibre stringing team have a reputation for speed. I have no idea who they had stringing at Delray Beach - French, American, a combination, neither? Somebody told me of a French Tecnifibre stringer stringing 3 of the same racquet a while ago, same string, same reference tension, in barely 30 minutes, but the ERT readings not within +/- 1.
Journos butcher enough of these type of stories, but here you can't completely blame this journo for writing that racquets are strung in 12 minutes. When you see interviews of tournament stringers like some of the Wilson guys they've said stuff like their usual pace is a casual 15 minutes per racquet.
The French members of the Tecnifibre stringing team have a reputation for speed. I have no idea who they had stringing at Delray Beach - French, American, a combination, neither? Somebody told me of a French Tecnifibre stringer stringing 3 of the same racquet a while ago, same string, same reference tension, in barely 30 minutes, but the ERT readings not within +/- 1.
Journos butcher enough of these type of stories, but here you can't completely blame this journo for writing that racquets are strung in 12 minutes. When you see interviews of tournament stringers like some of the Wilson guys they've said stuff like their usual pace is a casual 15 minutes per racquet.
I know. I'm down to about two beers per racquet.
skydog
Professional
Yeah, I never thought they would be sitting across from each other racing, that's obviously for dramatic effect in the commercial. But I am pretty confident that Nate could string up a PS85 in about 12 minutes during a match if needed.When Pete would need an on court racquet strung, the Wimbledon stringers were kind enough to let Nate use one of their machines. The fact that Pete strung his sticks at 33-34kg with 1.22mm gut on the grass may have had something to do with that
I asked Nate how "real" this story was when the ad came out. He says he doesn't have any recollection of stringing a racquet at the same time as Liam Nolan. He certainly doesn't ever remember racing someone to finish a racquet. Basically, the closest he may have come to this is that he strung a racquet for Pete at some point durning a match, and Liam strung a racquet for Federer at some point during that same match.
To be honest, I seem to remember Frank Messerer being Roger's personal stringer at the time, and would think he would have strung any racquets for Roger. Roger also used a method of proportional stringing back then, so stringing his sticks back then took a bit of extra time.
For sure grommets will get deformed over time, especially when a racquet is mounted and strung the same way over and over. I've also certainly split a tie off grommet in my time due to pulling the knot a bit too tight. If I were able to never damage grommets, then I wouldn't have to travel around with replacement ones.
Again, my point to my posts is that I'd be impressed with that speed if it were done with quality remaining high. When someone asks me how fast I normally string, my answer is my usual pace when I'm not trying to go fast. That pace for me is about 4 racquets ever 1.5 hours. I can keep that pace for hours on end, and still do what I believe is a good job. I can increase speed to a racquet every 18 minutes or so, but can't keep that pace for more than an hour or two.
Maybe. Not sure how fast Nate can do it,but I'm pretty sure not 12 minutes. More like 15 minutes or so. You need to remember that all the mains were tubed at the top, and you need to allow the gut to stretch to 33-34kg. Those two things take time. I'm guessing I may also have more of an idea on how fast Nate strings than you as well.
skydog
Professional
No doubt. You are the expert in the field.
I would not suggest that this was a normal stringing time for a professional. All I was suggesting is that a top pro stringer realistically could get to 12 minutes in a pinch. Not the way they would want to string a pro's reacquet for top quality, but possible if required.
I also need to clarify what Nate and I call "stringing a racquet." We consider that to also include the time it takes to properly straighten the strings when it comes off the machine. That alone takes at least 1-2 minutes. We take great pride in our straightening(it also lets us sit down since we're old men). So when I say I can keep a pace of 3 racquets per hour, that includes straightening. It doesn't include stenciling or bagging though since I do all of that at the end of a batch of sticks.
skydog
Professional
That level of detail keeps the world's best knocking on your door. One could surmise that the level of service/quality varies enough by stringer and/or tournament that those players looking for the ultimate in consistency need to look elsewhere.
(While I am no where near the level of player nor stringer on the pro tour, one of the main reasons I started to string my own was the inconsistency of other stringers and curved crosses when the racquets were returned to me.)
SanJoseState1975
Rookie
GREAT Post !!!
How many pounds to you estimate you lose when a stringer returns a racquet to you with Curved crosses and you straighten them back yourself??
How many pounds to you estimate you lose when a stringer returns a racquet to you with Curved crosses and you straighten them back yourself??
skydog
Professional
Don't care, it looks bad. If they did not spend the time to straighten the crosses, what else did they not pay attention to while stringing my racquet? Was it just another quick stringing job or someone who took care of my racquet and followed my requested tensions? Maybe it's just some OCD, but I prefer my crosses straight, knots done on the the same grommet holes, and the rackets to look identical when returned to me. With someone else stringing, it was hit or miss on the results so I do it myself now.
It does not bother some folks, but it bothered me so I learned to string.
chrisingrassia
Professional
You're not losing any tension by straightening them yourself.
insiderman
Semi-Pro
JCB is rolling his eyes, beating-up his machine, saying 'something' in French that you don't want to share with your kids... he just finished a '365' for the Angel who had an emergency 'stick' ran in by the ball boy @ the Heaven Open... all in just 11-minutes. Time for a smoke, and a scotch!
R.I.P., JCB...
For sure no one was faster and with your unique 'flair'..
R.I.P., JCB...
For sure no one was faster and with your unique 'flair'..
chrisingrassia
Professional
Literally watching Indian Wells on TV right now, Wertheim interviewing the head guy for Head, who is also the stringing team for the tourney. He was asked, "how many racquets a day is the team doing, and how fast are they getting them done at this point in the tournament?"
He responded, "we did about 270 yesterday, and we're getting them done in 20-25min"
He responded, "we did about 270 yesterday, and we're getting them done in 20-25min"
SavvyStringer
Professional
We're not actually all that fast. Steph (the head stringer for TF) certainly is. I watched him slap together an on court this year in D.C. in less than 10 minutes and it looked effortless. I would say normal pace is a pretty standard 15-20 mins so that you aren't wearing yourself out. On courts are a whole different story. A 15 minute on court and Lisiki's coach is at the machine barking at you (trust me, I know).
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