if you charge peopel for stringing, how much do you charge?

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DX_Psycho

Semi-Pro
i'm new to stirnging other people's racqeuts but i don't know what to charge them.

i usually do 10 dollars total (strung with duraflex) for non-close friends and 7 dollars for close friends (for duraflex)

i buy the strings for 4 bucks so i get like 3 dollars "profit" but i usually spend an hour stringing and 3 dollars an hour is pretty shabby. even for strangers that's about 6 bucks an hour and that's still below minimum wage.

i'm getting a og sheep reel so i'll still charge 7 dollars so i'll make around 5 dollars profit on friends and i'll charge 10 dollars for strangers, giving me 8 dollars an hour wage which is pretty good.

but yea. i see some people charge a lot and i just can't bring myself to doing that. doh. when they ask me how much i charge i don't nkow what ot say so i just say 8-ish.

just wanna know how much you guys charge.
 
What I do is I charge people $10 for the stringing to be done with a string if they bring it to me. I charge $15 with some crappy synthetic.
 
My cost for the string rounded up to the next whole dollar plus $12 to string it.

So Duraflex would be: $3.79 rounded up to $4.00 + $12 to string it for a total of $16.
 
Charge what ever you think you time is worth. If your don't mind doing it for $3.00 an hour for close friends, go for it. I have close friends also, but I still charge them full price.

If your in high school or college, $10 profit a string job is fair. You are providing the equipment, having stock on hand and the expertise. That is not including the machine you are using. I think 14 an hour for PSG with Duraflex is a bargain. Shops probably charge 18-22 for the same. They have additional expenses, but basically it comes down to your time - and what is your time worth....
 
i charge $10 for a hybrid of polylon ice 17 and crappy synthetic. i got the synthetics for free...and it usually takes me a good 40-45 min. to string so...i think it's somewhat worth my time cuz im making $9 profit.
 
I charge $10 total. This is only due to the fact that if i charge $15, the local sporting goods store costs the same, they MUST know more, right? :rolleyes:
The pro shop costs about $20 for a syn job, so it's not that great for money. This is stringing at home.

We also had one or two stringers on the team, all about the same price, all competing. When they graduated i just kept the prices the same. I think like 10+ string money just gives weird dollar amounts (i don't want a ton of loose ones).

It all depends on how much your time is worth. I can string a racquet in 20 minutes (from cutting out string to banging out a job, i string three an hour). So i'm obviously not losing too much of my life.

I string for a college team now, and i'm getting a straight 7$ labor per racquet. Not bad.
 
20 minutes. wow. i wish i could go that fast. do you use one piece or two piece?

it's mostly the mains that slow me down. how do you weave through so fast?
 
for me, it's about the same time...about 20 min. each lol but im watching tv at the same time...
 
well when i strung while watching it took me about an hour and i messed up weaving the crosses like 3 times cause iw asn't paying attention.
 
DX Psycho; Sam Machine

DX_Psycho said:
well when i strung while watching it took me about an hour and i messed up weaving the crosses like 3 times cause iw asn't paying attention.
Click to expand...

Hey DX, I know that my question is "off subject" to tennis stringing, but you mentioned in an earlier post that your club has the Sam Robot Ball Machine. Can you please tell me the name of your club because not many clubs have this machine. I assume that it's in the Bay Area because you're listed as being in San Jose. The information would be much appreciated because I'm trying to locate a club that might let me use the machine on an hourly basis.

Thanks in advance.

Orson Welles.
 
DX_Psycho said:
well when i strung while watching it took me about an hour and i messed up weaving the crosses like 3 times cause iw asn't paying attention.
Click to expand...

lol...for me it's more like a radio than a TV
 
DX_Psycho said:
well when i strung while watching it took me about an hour and i messed up weaving the crosses like 3 times cause iw asn't paying attention.
Click to expand...
Psycho, there are quite a few tricks you must learn to shorten your time on the stringing machine. The secret I've learn is to never to look for the end of the string, thus losing time fumbling and getting it tangled all the time.

1. Use your wing span to guestimate the length of strings. For example, if your wing span is 6 ft, then cut your mains by covering it 3 times and give it a little more for slack. It will be less than 20 feet.

2. After tying down the first main (starting clamp), weave all the mains but leave a loop (slack) for the 2 center strings so you can start stringing. By now, you'll have all the mains weaved except the last row.

3. Start tighening mains to tension. After the first 2 on the right, then string the left side 4 strings... alternating each side 4 at a time to make sure you don't put too much pressure on one side of the racquet. I know it's obvious but I've seen some shops done this.

Tie off the knots and you should have the mains done in less than 10 minutes.

4. Repeat step 1 for cross string but cut it about 2 feet shorter.

5. After tying down the knot for the cross string, weave the first row but do not tighten it yet. Weave the 2nd row but leave the end of the string few inches protruding out of the other end.

6. Now pull the first string and clamp it. Now pull the rest of the string from the 2nd row through but do not tighten it yet. Instead, weave the 3rd row through. Since the 3rd row is the same pattern as the first, you'll find it already prepared gaps for you to follow through smoothly, like water flowing down stream. Again, leave the end of the string sticking out the other end.

7. Repeat step 6 for 2nd string... and on and on.

Finished!!! The cross should take you a couple of minutes more than the mains.

If you try what I described, you'll only have to find the end of the strings no more than 3 times. And weaving a string ahead for cross will make it much faster and reduce mistakes.

Good luck... you'll be doing 20 minutes in no time.
 
DX_Psycho said:
20 minutes. wow. i wish i could go that fast. do you use one piece or two piece?

it's mostly the mains that slow me down. how do you weave through so fast?
Click to expand...

mellofellow made an excellent post about minor tips that will MAJORLY speed up your stringing time. I whiz through my mains and let the crosses slow me down. It also takes a lot of "muscle memory," or just practice. If you don't string often, it's hard to keep up a consistent level of stringing (especially weaving).

Read and reread mellofellow's post and learn it well. There are a few other things that i would suggest, but that is a GREAT basic start. A big tip i have for weaving is (besides weaving one ahead) to always have enough slack. If you are always trying to weave against friction, it's going to slow you down.
 
well i've been doing 1-ahead with the crosses but i haven't done the mains that way.

is that how you were saying it? i'm kidn of confused. do you weave all the mains and then use the loops to tension?
 
DX_Psycho said:
well i've been doing 1-ahead with the crosses but i haven't done the mains that way.

is that how you were saying it? i'm kidn of confused. do you weave all the mains and then use the loops to tension?
Click to expand...
Yes, the loops are there so you can start stringing.
 
ok. soudns good. i'll try it tomorrow. how big should the loop be? i should not weave the last mains before tensioning, correct? i assume this leaves some space for the loop.
 
DX_Psycho said:
ok. soudns good. i'll try it tomorrow. how big should the loop be? i should not weave the last mains before tensioning, correct? i assume this leaves some space for the loop.
Click to expand...
Trial and error on how long the loops should be... and it depends on the machine also. The reason you can't weave the last 2 (outer) mains because you won't have enough string left. The loop we are talking about took up the length of the last row.
 
DX_Psycho said:
the club is called Decathlon. good luck.
Click to expand...
I played their about 10 years ago. Husband/wife tournament, regional winner went to the US OPEN...

Used to have a creek running thru the lobby. Don't remember much, but it sure must cost a fortune to join. The silicon valley club of choice. Might have to give up your first born son to hit their...
 
Wow, I should start charging more. I usually only charge $5.00 for a stringing job. It usually takes me about 25 mins to string a racquet.
 
yea there is a creek in the lobby. it really costs a fortune? my dad's company pays most of the price so we pay like 60 bucks for the family per month.

i don't go there a lot though. (my friends can't get in, and i'd rather play with friends than a ball machine or random people)
 
Psycho, since you're up in the San Jose area, do you know if they're still running the big annual Asian tournament in Sunnyvale during the summer? Tournament site is at a club on Mathilda.

10 to 15 years ago when I played they drew major players all over the world. One year they had a couple of Davis Cup players from China. NCAA finalist Steve Jung, Carl Chang (Michael's brother) played also.

Just curious if you're familiar with this event.
 
nope. sorry. i only started playing tennis last year so i'm pretty limited to tennis knowledge around here. what i do know is there are no indoor courts that i can find and no clay courts.
 
DX_Psycho said:
yea there is a creek in the lobby. it really costs a fortune? my dad's company pays most of the price so we pay like 60 bucks for the family per month.

i don't go there a lot though. (my friends can't get in, and i'd rather play with friends than a ball machine or random people)
Click to expand...
I just went to the website for kicks, It is so expensive, they don't even list the membership costs...If you have to ask - you really can't afford it!!!
 
I charge $10 plus enough for the string so I can replace it.
I am trying to pay for the machine at the moment, but someday the $10 will be net profit(sort of). I think I'd charge more, but I enjoy stringing.
I am about $5 to $7 cheaper than the local sports shop and I give better service.
 
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