allowing time between mains and crosses?

[jk175d]

I use a 6 point dropweight stringer. Sometimes if I'm crunched for time I'll string the mains (copoly) then come back to do the crosses (syn-gut) a couple hours later. I leave the frame clamped in place of course. It occurs to me that there may actually be a benefit to the time break because it may allow the mains to even out just a little more freely than when the crosses are in place. The 6 point clamps keep the hoop scurely holding its shape, so I don't feel hoop distortion is an issue.

I'm sure there will be divided views on doing this, but what are your thoughts? Only stringing my own racquets btw...

 

[esgee48]

Should be no problem. What's bad are when racquets only have their mains or crosses partially finished when you step away for hours. That will put stress on the frame.

 

[jim e]

It really does not take that much time to string up a racquet. If you only have a few minutes, then why not string it when you have the proper time to string it? I do not see any benefit to not complete what you start to do. Stringing a racquet places a great deal of stress on the racquet. It's best to complete it as soon as you can to your ability.

 

[jk175d]

lol, as I guessed, divided views on this. Jim, it takes me about an hour and 15-30 minutes to do my racquet. I *could* do it faster but I prefer to take my time. I like to pull the co-poly mains in such a way that I never over stretch them and that they sit for 20 or 30 secs before I clamp each one. So for example, tonight I received the EXO3 Tour I bought through these forums, but I was tied up this evening and didn't have time to string until I got home. But I didn't want to stay up late doing the whole stringjob. But I also want to have it ready when I go out to play in the morning. So I just finished the mains, I'll go to bed and in the morning do the crosses and head out to play. That is one scenario as to why I might need to do half at a time.

I still think there may be something to be said for the notion that the mains have the opportunity to even out more uniformly if left alone for a while. I'm curious if anyone has thoughts on that or if any tests have been done.

I can do the unscientific pitch test tonight. I can pluck the mains now and hear the range of pitches, maybe tomorrow morning the range will be narrower.

 

[Donny0627]

lol, as I guessed, divided views on this. Jim, it takes me about an hour and 15-30 minutes to do my racquet. I *could* do it faster but I prefer to take my time. I like to pull the co-poly mains in such a way that I never over stretch them and that they sit for 20 or 30 secs before I clamp each one. So for example, tonight I received the EXO3 Tour I bought through these forums, but I was tied up this evening and didn't have time to string until I got home. But I didn't want to stay up late doing the whole stringjob. But I also want to have it ready when I go out to play in the morning. So I just finished the mains, I'll go to bed and in the morning do the crosses and head out to play. That is one scenario as to why I might need to do half at a time.

I still think there may be something to be said for the notion that the mains have the opportunity to even out more uniformly if left alone for a while. I'm curious if anyone has thoughts on that or if any tests have been done.

I can do the unscientific pitch test tonight. I can pluck the mains now and hear the range of pitches, maybe tomorrow morning the range will be narrower.[/QUOTE]

maybe, or maybe the racket will have a nice crack in it

 

[MarinaHighTennis]

Is it okay to leave the mains only if you string in 2 parts?
20ft for mains and 20ft for crosses

but i only did the mains

 

[esgee48]

He is leaving the frame mounted and supported on the sides. Doubt it would crack, though there is a remote probability. (due to catastrophic metal fatigue failure)

As an aside, I don't wait hours between doing the crosses and mains. But I do take my time (less than 40 min) because I'm watching TV and having a beer.

 

[Dags]

The one agreement you'll get in this thread is that you can do whatever you like with your own racquets.

Personally, I'm in the jim e camp - don't start unless you know you can finish. If you are interested in equalising the tension of the mains, there are a number of people here who use a technique where they either push or pull on the mains. I can't remember who (maybe Ash was one of them?), but there are a few threads around if you wish to search.

Should be no problem. What's bad are when racquets only have their mains or crosses partially finished when you step away for hours. That will put stress on the frame.

This seems illogical to me. You appear to be saying that installing the mains but no crosses is fine, but doing the mains and some crosses isn't? With just the mains in place, all the tension is pulling in the same direction. As you install the crosses, you begin to balance this out by the tension pulling at 90 degrees. How can this be worse for the frame?

 

[jk175d]

He is leaving the frame mounted and supported on the sides. Doubt it would crack, though there is a remote probability. (due to catastrophic metal fatigue failure)

exactly. the 6 point clamps leave no room for deformation, I had no worries about that. In any event... I do believe that this morning the pitch test revealed an evening of tension across the mains. Strung up the crosses, no problems, time to go play.

 

[onefromcov]

It is not recommended to leave a frame with the main strings only strung.If we take a frame 16 x 19 and you string the mains at 55lb that is 55lb x 16 or 880lb.
I and many others would not want to take the risk.

 

[JackB1]

I have often wondered about this myself. If the frame is locked into the mounting system of the stringer, how is letting it sit there any longer going to damage the frame?

I have never let it sit overnight, but often take a half hout to hour break in between the mains and crosses just to break things up a bit.

 

[Power Player]

I take 5, but from the better guys I have talked to, the frame is still under a lot of uneven stress and it is much better to get the string job done as fast as possible.

 

[JackB1]

I take 5, but from the better guys I have talked to, the frame is still under a lot of uneven stress and it is much better to get the string job done as fast as possible.

Naturally this sounds logical, but I wonder if any scientific research was ever done to prove or disprove this?

 

[zapvor]

It really does not take that much time to string up a racquet. If you only have a few minutes, then why not string it when you have the proper time to string it? I do not see any benefit to not complete what you start to do. Stringing a racquet places a great deal of stress on the racquet. It's best to complete it as soon as you can to your ability.

i agree with this. if you dont have 30min, just wait.

 

[dadozen]

I wouldn't start stringing my racquets( or any racquet ) knowing that I wouldn't be able to finish the job.

 

[TennisCJC]

I think it is best to string the whole job but at lower tension with a good mounting system you are probably not doing any harm.

By the way, JayCee is a pro stringer who writes a lot on stringforum.net boards and he recommended applying pressure on the mains before starting the crosses to even out the tension. He also recommends string crosses higher to account for friction against mains. When crosses are tensioned, the mains actually become tighter the the crosses lower. So, there may be something to your theory that letting the mains normalize tension has a benefit. I don't do this and try not to take any significant breaks while stringing.

 

[Rabbit]

Like many others in this thread, I agree that frames should not be left partially strung. This is bad for the frame and puts undue stress on them.

 

[user92626]

I'm in the same boat with the OP. I only have like 45 mins or less each weeknight free to my own and I hate to spend 1.40 to 2 hrs on stringing. I was thinking of doing the same.

An alternative to saving time is I pull tension on every other string, but it's frowned by the stringing police here (pun intended)

Hey OP, I think we need to start our own "industry standard".

 

[GPB]

An alternative to saving time is I pull tension on every other string, but it's frowned by the stringing police here (pun intended)

As long as it's your own racket, do whatever makes you happy. I hope you never charge anyone for that, though I guess if you raised your reference tension it would even things out. Still...

 

[jim e]

I'm in the same boat with the OP. I only have like 45 mins or less each weeknight free to my own and I hate to spend 1.40 to 2 hrs on stringing. I was thinking of doing the same.

An alternative to saving time is I pull tension on every other string, but it's frowned by the stringing police here (pun intended)

Hey OP, I think we need to start our own "industry standard".

I saw a stringer in a big box store doing just that, tensioning every other string, (no way the string bed stiffness would be even) , all while the customer was there, as he was explaining how fast he strings, and the great # of racquets he strings. Was a terrible sight to see.
If you hate to spend 1.4-2 hours, just keep plugging along, and that time will drop a great amount even if you string the proper way!In a short time, you should have your time down to your target of less than the 45 min. you have, and string it properly.

 

[fortun8son]

When I first learned how to string at a 'big box store', I thought 'working one ahead' meant pulling every other cross!
Oops! My apologies to everyone I strung that way.
I'm still at that store BTW, in addition to my home business.
I do it correctly now Most big box string jobs are a crap shoot, however.

 

[benxten]

Since you are leaving your mains time to even out, I assume you are doing a two piece or you have a starting clamp. From the testing I have done using a tourna stringmeter, there's probably not an evening out effect if you are referring to string tension as I did a full stringing without waiting in between mains and crosses then took the tension of each individual main string and they were all within 1-2 lbs of each other which is common according to the tourna stringmeter manual. I have done this on a two piece and one piece with similar re****s. You would exclude taking the tension of your tie off strings of course. From my experience if the tension of individual main strings especially those in the sweetspot are more than 5lbs apart then you should probably get a different stringer if you dont string your own or you should probably redo your stringing.