For All Those Who Need Patterns When Stringing

[thomas martinez]

Well, after the recent crop of various posts requesting stringing patterns, here's a little guide to doing it without a pattern. First off, don't cut the string out yet! Make a note of how many mains and crosses there are, along with what holes the knots are in, and what holes to skip. If the frame is unstrung but has been strung before, look where you see the grommets flared and in which direction. You can count mains and crosses this way along with which holes to skip. You can also make notes as to where tie offs are from the crushed grommets if you will where knots were made previously. If the frame is unstrung, it's a bit trickier. Many frames you can sort of see where there are holes skipped, hard to explain, but I shall try. You'll see for example on a Wilson N4 OS, three consecutive holes on the bottom, after #6 main. you skip the middle hole there, which will be #7, and go up in # 8. You'll see more holes close together like that, where you skip one more on your way down, completing your mains on either side. PREWEAVE if you are unsure of the pattern and that should give you an idea as to if the pattern looks "right" or not. Using this method can get a little tricky with fan pattern frames such as the Wilson W2, Head TiS6 amongst others. In those cases, you might have a run of 4 holes, where you skip over two before going into your next main. Your tie offs, they'll be the larger then normal holes. Now lengths of string. If you're working with a coil of string, ususally 10' on the shortside will suffice for most frames. Another idea is to count out lengths of each main strings and leaving off a bit extra for a tie off. For example, you have a Wilson nBlade MP, you cound off 18 mains and an extra half to a full main so you can make your tie off. The rest will see you through to the end. Since most coils are 40' these days, if you want to do two piece, you can prety much get away with cutting it in half. If you're working with a large head densely strung frame such as a Radical OS, go to the half point, and leave off an extra foot and half to be safe and you'll have your lengths for mains/crosses easily done. If cutting from a reel, Most mid sized frames will require no more then 36'. Measure short side by counting mains again, and you should be set. For many OS frames, you can get away with 38' and measuring your short side again the same way. For two piece, 20' for the mains suffices for the majority of frames out there(you can even make it work on the aforementioned Radical), and 18' for the crosses again. It is rare to see something requiring more then 21' for the mains, usually only rather large densely strung frames will need more then 21' for the mains and 18' for the crosses.

Hope this helps

 

[govols]

Thanks for the valuable info. A digital camera can also come in handy to take pix of a strung racquet before cutting the strings.

 

[c_zimma]

Nice thread. It is pretty much common sense. Once you start stringing, you should see if you make an error pretty quick. And usually, the cross grommets are kind of bet, or molded, so you can see where to skip. Nice thread though.

 

[ace of spades]

I take a pic with my camera phone.