Is the Diablo/gripper too far below the string bed?

[PedrosCousin]

So after posting here looking for advice I picked up a Gamma Progression II 602FC and replaced the drop weight tensioner to a Wise. Had to drill one hole in the base to install the wise and overall it was very easy. I've strung a few racquets and this setup works great.

I have 360 degree rotation which is nice, but I'm wondering if I should add a spacer under the Wise mounting bracket to lessen the height difference between the diablo/gripper and the string bed. It's about 1 inch. Should I put a half inch spacer of some sort to raise the Wise up a bit or not worry about it? By the way, I should mention I met a local master racquet tech last weekend who generously offered to help me improve my stringing and build a customer base. I emailed him this photo and he said it looks fine as is as long as the string doesn't touch anything on its way to the diablo. Since I just met the guy, I figured I'd get a second (or more) opinion from you guys.

 

[Steve Huff]

Well, you do get 360 degree turning now. But, it does sit a little low. What machine is it?

 

[PedrosCousin]

It's a Gamma Progression II 602FC. I figure I can raise the Wise half an inch and still maintain 360 rotation with any racquet I'd mount on it. I just don't know if it would make an appreciable difference or be necessary at all.

 

[jim e]

It would seem to me that if it is too much low, that you would be getting more friction of string against the grommet. I would think that you should keep the gripper just below to get 360 clearence for minimal friction. You can always check with tension gauge with gauge set inside racquet for center main strings and see if friction is causing an issue the way it is now.

 

[PedrosCousin]

It would seem to me that if it is too much low, that you would be getting more friction of string against the grommet. I would think that you should keep the gripper just below to get 360 clearence for minimal friction. You can always check with tension gauge with gauge set inside racquet for center main strings and see if friction is causing an issue the way it is now.

Good idea. I'll have to get a gauge of some sort and do that.

 

[NADAL_VS_FED]

I just received the Wise 2086 and noticed the same thing. Have you done anything to raise the gripper to the height of the string bed?

 

[PedrosCousin]

I just received the Wise 2086 and noticed the same thing. Have you done anything to raise the gripper to the height of the string bed?

No. I haven't tested for tension loss due to friction (haven't gotten a scale), but at this point I'm not worrying about it. I may look into it in the future.

 

[Gamma Tech]

You can add the spacer to the machine to get the tensioner a little higher but you really do not need to do that. The reason the diablo/roller guide is there is to provide a consistent angle of the string to the gripper jaws. As you string a racquet you will notice that as you get closer to the frame the angle that the string comes out from a grommet to the gripper changes dramatically. The length of string from the racquet to gripper also changes. If the Diablo was not used that string would come into the gripper at some very tight angles that could impinge the string as it intersects the front edge of the gripper. The Diablo eliminates this situation. The string still will come in at various angles, but the diablo cushions the string and ensures that the string enters the gripper jaws exactly the same way every time. That would include the string coming from the left, right up, or down.

 

[Irvin]

You can add the spacer to the machine to get the tensioner a little higher but you really do not need to do that. The reason the diablo/roller guide is there is to provide a consistent angle of the string to the gripper jaws. As you string a racquet you will notice that as you get closer to the frame the angle that the string comes out from a grommet to the gripper changes dramatically. The length of string from the racquet to gripper also changes. If the Diablo was not used that string would come into the gripper at some very tight angles that could impinge the string as it intersects the front edge of the gripper. The Diablo eliminates this situation. The string still will come in at various angles, but the diablo cushions the string and ensures that the string enters the gripper jaws exactly the same way every time. That would include the string coming from the left, right up, or down.

Exactly the reason Herb Wise came up with the Diablo for the Wise tensiohead. When the Wise was mounted on a Gamma Lockout machine the gripper on the Wise was 2" below the center of the string bed. The reason for this is because of the Gamma roller guide. Gamma's roller guide is higher than the tip of the angled gripper on a Gamma Lockout machine, and because the Wise unit was made for any lockout it would sit much lower on a Gamma machine than any other type of machine (only Gamma has the roller guide.) At first Herb Wise came out with a Gamma Adapter to raise the Wise up 2" so the gripper pulled at the level of the string bed but many people that owned a Wise did not like loosing 360 rotation so Herb designed a few iterations of the Diablo before deciding on the current one.

No using the Diablo or the Gamma adapter with the Wise on a Gamma machine results in damage to cut and some multi strings as the string would tend to slip up in the front of the gripper when the string is tensioned.