First time stringing questions/help

[strcmp]

Hey

I have a gamma x-2 dropweight machine and was doing the stringing the first time.

1. When you are moving the flying clamps, should you have 1 hand holding the dropweight horizontal, while the other hand moves the flying clamp? If i let go of the dropweight to use both hands to move the clamp it makes the dropweight drop even further past horizontal. I am assuming you have to have one hand for each.

2. When the manufacturer states that you should use 2 piece stringing and it says 18' for mains and 17' for crosses. Should you cut EXACTLY that length or give it maybe an extra foot for each? I cut it to exactly that length and I think it may be too short. When I reached the end for one side of the mains I couldn't reach the string gripper on one side. The only way i'd be able to reach it is if i moved the gripper closer. Is this string wasted and should I use another set with some extra margin for error?

Thanks

 

[mitchell_ota]

Hello,

I can't answer your first question regarding the flying clamps/dropweight since the only machine I've ever owned is my Alpha Revo 4000, which has fixed clamps and a crank tensioner, but in regards to the measuring string issue, the standard measurements given in the pattern should be enough to finish the racquet and have enough to tie knots, etc. Since you are starting out, it may be good to give yourself maybe an extra foot or two just so you know that you'll have enough. It's better to end up with too much than to come up short. With experience, you'll know how much exactly you'll need.

Hope this helps...

 

[dancraig]

The bar must rest near horizontal without anything touching it or holding it up. If the bar drops below horizontal when you lower it and let go, you must bring the bar back up and remove the string from the gripper and put it back with less slack. You will get the feel for it and be able to make these little adjustments quickly and almost automatically. You must be able to slowly lower the bar and have it rest near horizontal. Then you have both hands to use the clamps. After you have moved the clamps, you raise the bar and move on to the next stringing step.

 

[dancraig]

If you are holding the bar at horizontal, you aren't getting the tension that you are going for. You would probably be way off with the tension.

 

[kooguy]

Hey

I have a gamma x-2 dropweight machine and was doing the stringing the first time.

1. When you are moving the flying clamps, should you have 1 hand holding the dropweight horizontal, while the other hand moves the flying clamp? If i let go of the dropweight to use both hands to move the clamp it makes the dropweight drop even further past horizontal. I am assuming you have to have one hand for each.


Thanks

I came across this posting note from somewhere which is very useful for people using drop weight machine.

"
If you set your reference tension to 60lb and you are off by 10 degrees (above or below horizontal) you are still pulling 59lb of tension. See the table below.


Degrees From Horizontal.....Percent of Reference Tension.....Resulting Tension (60 lb Ref)
1.............................................99.9 8%...................................59.99
2.............................................99.9 4%...................................59.96
3.............................................99.8 6%...................................59.92
4.............................................99.7 6%...................................59.85
5.............................................99.6 2%...................................59.77
6.............................................99.4 5%...................................59.67
7.............................................99.2 5%...................................59.55
8.............................................99.0 3%...................................59.42
9.............................................98.7 7%...................................59.26
10...........................................98.48 %...................................59.09
11...........................................98.16 %...................................58.90
12...........................................97.81 %...................................58.69
13...........................................97.44 %...................................58.46
14...........................................97.03 %...................................58.22
15...........................................96.59 %...................................57.96

A dropweight is about as true as a constant pull machine as exists. you don't need electricity, you don't need and fancy electronics

you will be accurate to +/- 1 lb of reference tension with the arm being off as much as +/- 10 deg from horizontal.

10 degrees equates to the arm being off horizontal by 3 inches up or 3 inches down assuming the arm is about 18" long.

"

 

[strcmp]

Sorry, I wasn't too clear when I made the first post regarding the 1st question.

I'm talking about after I set the dropweight to horizontal.. and i'm ready to move the clamp to set the tension..

It is set at perfectly horizontal. As soon as I lift the clamp off the adjacent string to the newly tensioned string.. then the bar goes below horizontal.. Before that it was at horizontal. Is that supposed to happen?

To me it seems if i move the clamp off.. it will make it even more tensioned since now the weight is pulling without a clamp holding it.

Thanks,

 

[strcmp]

I came across this posting note from somewhere which is very useful for people using drop weight machine.

"
If you set your reference tension to 60lb and you are off by 10 degrees (above or below horizontal) you are still pulling 59lb of tension. See the table below.


Degrees From Horizontal.....Percent of Reference Tension.....Resulting Tension (60 lb Ref)
1.............................................99.9 8%...................................59.99
2.............................................99.9 4%...................................59.96
3.............................................99.8 6%...................................59.92
4.............................................99.7 6%...................................59.85
5.............................................99.6 2%...................................59.77
6.............................................99.4 5%...................................59.67
7.............................................99.2 5%...................................59.55
8.............................................99.0 3%...................................59.42
9.............................................98.7 7%...................................59.26
10...........................................98.48 %...................................59.09
11...........................................98.16 %...................................58.90
12...........................................97.81 %...................................58.69
13...........................................97.44 %...................................58.46
14...........................................97.03 %...................................58.22
15...........................................96.59 %...................................57.96

A dropweight is about as true as a constant pull machine as exists. you don't need electricity, you don't need and fancy electronics

you will be accurate to +/- 1 lb of reference tension with the arm being off as much as +/- 10 deg from horizontal.

10 degrees equates to the arm being off horizontal by 3 inches up or 3 inches down assuming the arm is about 18" long.

"

.5-about 1 lb tension difference is good enough for me.
However, I would be worried if it was a .5 lb tension diff between all the strings.. That would magnify the error of a .5 lb tension diff right?

As it is right now, I definitely don't have it off by more than 3-5 deg.

Thanks for the chart btw.

 

[dancraig]

Sorry, I wasn't too clear when I made the first post regarding the 1st question.

I'm talking about after I set the dropweight to horizontal.. and i'm ready to move the clamp to set the tension..

It is set at perfectly horizontal. As soon as I lift the clamp off the adjacent string to the newly tensioned string.. then the bar goes below horizontal.. Before that it was at horizontal. Is that supposed to happen?

To me it seems if i move the clamp off.. it will make it even more tensioned since now the weight is pulling without a clamp holding it.

Thanks,

Yeah, it's probably just pulling some slack out from the other side of the clamp. You might try clamping as close to the edge of the frame as possible.
Also, you might want to make sure the clamps are adjusted tight enough to hold the string without slipping. Be sure they are clean, dirty clamps will allow the string to slip and lose tension.

 

[tennispr()]

they told me to cut 18x17 as well but i was awfully short i had to cut a little string to make up for the space which made me do 6 knots it was my first time but it takes more like 20x18-19

 

[Gaines Hillix]

I'd wouldn't worry about it too much if the arm drops a few degrees after you remove the clamp. If it's 10o or over there is something wrong like excessive twisting or drawback in the clamp or string slippage that is being taken up when you release the clamp. On the string lengths, I've found the USRSA stringers guide to be pretty accurate. On OS frames with an 18X20 pattern or any frame that calls for over 20' for the mains and 17' for the crosses I'm very careful and I'll usually string these one piece. Also, be extra careful with polys because they stretch much less than nylon or gut.

Edit - it's also a good idea to keep records of how much string you actually use on a frame. Many of the string patterns on the websites and in the USRSA book are generous and you can save string by keeping a record of what you used.

 

[max]

Oh my God! I'm thrilled to see that chart! It means I can be sloppier than I thought with my string jobs and still do okay!

 

[Gaines Hillix]

I don't want to start anything here, but I don't believe in relying on "it's close enough for government work" as a stringer. It's still important, IMO, to achieve as close to 100% consistency as possible when tensioning a frame. There are lots of variables and they can add up. As far as I am concerned attention to detail and consistency are the holy grail of stringing.

Edit - consider this. String 1 is done with a 10o "error" above horizontal. Results in about a 1 lb. error in actual vs reference tension. No big deal, right? Now, the next string is done with a 10o error below horizontal. Again, only a 1 lb. error, right? Correct, but now you a 2 lb. difference between these adjacent strings in the string bed. Extrapolate that across the rest of the stringbed and you have a lot of inconsistency, IMO.

 

[MotoMD]

If the tensioner arm goes down after releasing the clamp, reapply the clamp to the same strings and adjust the string placement or clutch on the tensioner. Next time you release the clamp it shouldn't go down. If it happens consistently, the same amount, then try to compensate beforehand by leaving the tensioner up by a few degrees.

 

[Mr. Blond]

I don't want to start anything here, but I don't believe in relying on "it's close enough for governement work" as a stringer. It's still important, IMO, to achieve as close to 100% consistency as possible when tensioning a frame. There are lots of variables and they can add up. As far as I am concerned attention to detail and consistency are the holy grail of stringing.

Amen brother......its good to see you posting again Gaines, your expertise was missed. Gaines is right, a stringer should be meticulous with his/her results, and always try to minimize variables. Consistant stringing comes from exacting procedures.

 

[max]

re: sloppiness. Yeah, I'm talking about my own work, and I've always wondered what the upshot was if the arm was, say, 2 degrees off. At 99 percent, that's fine for me, although I like to keep it at dead level.