ALU Rough causing frame cracks?

[Kenny022593]

Hey guys I wanted to get some opinions on this. One of my teammates uses full ALU rough at 52 in a pure storm tour. He has been having problems with the frame cracking at the top and bottom hoop stress points. Could the high resiliency of the lux be causing this? He does restring pretty frequently and he just got the racquets this summer. He also had the same problem with the k blade tours. Are there any preventive measures besides ditching the lux? Power pads?

thanks in advance

 

[bcart1991]

If he was stringing at 70+, he might have some slim argument. At 52, that's not the cause of his frames cracking.

 

[MAX PLY]

I would be shocked if the type of string is causing this, particularly at that tension. Honestly, if it were just one frame, I might suspect the frame itself. But since this is happening to all of the Babolat and the Wilson frames, I suspect poor mounting/stringing technique. Who strings these frames? Oh, I don't think power pads are the answer here either.

 

[Kenny022593]

I would be shocked if the type of string is causing this, particularly at that tension. Honestly, if it were just one frame, I might suspect the frame itself. But since this is happening to all of the Babolat and the Wilson frames, I suspect poor mounting/stringing technique. Who strings these frames? Oh, I don't think power pads are the answer here either.

I have strung them, but not nearly as much as his stringer back home. This was happening prior to me ever touching his frames as well. I will re-evaluate techniques, though.

 

[MAX PLY]

The concern I have would be with how the frame was mounted. It really only takes one time to produce a crack and subsequent stringings will just add to the strain.

 

[Kenny022593]

The concern I have would be with how the frame was mounted. It really only takes one time to produce a crack and subsequent stringings will just add to the strain.

Thank you for the information. The one time produces that small strain and that strain just keeps getting expanded upon as time goes on, correct? The two machines that I have been stringing on are the Axis Pro and the Neos 1500. I am assuming I should just stick straight to the Axis Pro since it is a 6 point. Any other small advice? I am going to be looking into it more myself as I said.

 

[Lakers4Life]

Is it cracking between the grommet holes? On the same plane as the string bed or perpendicular to the string bed plane.

I've seen it happen to a couple of APDGT.

 

[scotus]

Go watch your friend play matches.

He might be a racquet smasher.

 

[Kenny022593]

Go watch your friend play matches.

He might be a racquet smasher.

Since I watch every one of his matches I know he isn't a racquet smasher haha.

This is where the crack is on one of his frames. On the other one, it is at the 2,5,7, and 10 o clock positions.
Sorry about the giant picture, I don't know how to make it smaller when taking it off of my phone.

 

[Lakers4Life]

I think that's normal wear. I would send it to see if they will replace it.

 

[fortun8son]

He may not be a smasher, but he is a scraper.
I don't see that being caused by the string or the stringer, unless you or the previous stringer use the tension head to pull knots.

 

[ellipticality_224]

I had this happen to me on a PS LTD a few years back, the frame was one I bought to try and hit with it a little and sell it on CL and move on. I had it stung the right way, and everything. But I am a racket balancer like murray, I stick my racket on the ground to help me balance when Im stopping quickly or taking off to pick up a low drop shot.

 

[Lakers4Life]

He may not be a smasher, but he is a scraper.
I don't see that being caused by the string or the stringer, unless you or the previous stringer use the tension head to pull knots.

Though I've never seen a racket crack from using the tensioner, and I don't recommend using the tensioner to pull knots. I can see that happening in this case.

But I am a racket balancer like murray, I stick my racket on the ground to help me balance when Im stopping quickly or taking off to pick up a low drop shot.

I think you mean to say, you use your racket as if it were a cane.

 

[ellipticality_224]

Though I've never seen a racket crack from using the tensioner, and I don't recommend using the tensioner to pull knots. I can see that happening in this case.



I think you mean to say, you use your racket as if it were a cane.

I guess... yes, but just to keep my self from making a fool of my self, especially on clay, murray does do that doesnt he?

 

[Irvin]

He may not be a smasher, but he is a scraper.
I don't see that being caused by the string or the stringer, unless you or the previous stringer use the tension head to pull knots.

I don't think that is true. When the racket is scraped on the court it is normally scraped on the court the wear is normally at 2 & 10 o'clock which is not the case. If you have the original receipt you may send it back it it was purchased in the last year but chances are slim and none you will get it replaced and you have to pay shipping. I'd go back to where you got the racket and have them send it for you.

 

[Clintspin]

Is he a baseliner or serve and volley player?

 

[mmk]

I don't think that is true. When the racket is scraped on the court it is normally scraped on the court the wear is normally at 2 & 10 o'clock which is not the case. If you have the original receipt you may send it back it it was purchased in the last year but chances are slim and none you will get it replaced and you have to pay shipping. I'd go back to where you got the racket and have them send it for you.

I guess I'm seeing the racquet differently than you are. When I look at the photo, I see scraping from around the 2nd cross down to the end of the bumper guard, so how is that not around 2 & 10? And the crack is between the 3rd & 4th cross, again right around the 2&10 position. Plus the guy is having the same problem with a Wilsons & Babolats, lending further credence to his style of play being the root cause.

 

[Irvin]

I see scraping in the center of the racket on the sides starting around the 8th cross down near the bottom of the picture. My guess if if you seen the bottom of the racket you would see a frayed grip around the butt cap. I also see scrapes on the side of the racket in the red painted areas and some denting which are not caused by digs.

When a racket cracks on it own it normally starts as a small thin crack in one place not all around the racket. I think it is racket abuse but that is my personal opinion.

 

[MAX PLY]

From the picture, it clearly looks like the racquet came into contact too many times with the court or was bounced a bit. The fact that this has happened to two different types of frames leads me to suspect the player, rather than how the racquet was strung/mounted. Whatever it was, I am pretty sure it was not the ALU Rough--rather it was the Player Rough.

 

[RogerRacket111]

It might depend on how you string the cross. If you start at the center/bottom and do the top last you will put a lot of stress on top.

If you want to reduce that stress you can do top first and then the bottom. The other way is the balanced approach like how you do the mains so the stress is evenly distributed.

As you can see from any racket the throat is stronger region than the top so string accordingly

 

[fortun8son]

The whole bumper guard is scraped as well as 9 and 3 o'clock.
Given the history, I see this as a mishit into the ground.

 

[Irvin]

I'm not going to be the one to inspect it so send it back.

 

[diredesire]

If it's repetitive, and has happened on multiple frames, I can't see this problem happening strictly from racquet abuse, especially if the player is not abusive on his frames. If I was forced to guess it'd be from poor mounting. OP, can you check the frame shape against an identical racquet that has never been strung by you NOR the other stringer that the player has dealt with? Do you see any rounding of the hoop? I'd measure the frames and make sure they're at spec. Repeated breakage indicates a systematic shortcoming, to me.

As far as which machine you should be using -- it shouldn't matter too much, although in this case, it'd be safer to use the 6 pt. The NEOS mounting system is fine -- and is adequate, but there is a lack of support further from the 6/12 positions, and you WILL see flexing on flexier frames (Head Prestige MPs comes to mind). On a 6 point machine, you should be adjusting the mounting stocks based on the 6/12 position first, and you should get a finger tight (not too firm) mount. Once you've done this, get a finger tight mount on the support mounts. You should NOT be torquing down the mounts too hard. These should be only finger tight. I'd use your pinky and thumb to tighten down to get a feel. (In case you aren't familiar with mounting).