Lockout vs spring loaded?

[ByeByePoly]

I have not spent any time in this forum or used search. Sorry if it's a repeat question.

OK ... I need some stringer education. I know there are constant pull stronger and lockout. I guess those are both electronic ... and have to be plugged in. I thought just constant pull machines were electronic so I assumed my stringer had a lockout. I asked him ... and he says he has a spring loaded stringer. What is that? Is that a version of lockout? Alerts1

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[esgee48]

Lockout are generally cranks; spring loaded stringers are generally cranks. They pull to a set tension and then stop pulling. Cheap electric stringers (excepting the WISE) can also be lock out in nature. They will pull to set tension, then stop. Expensive electronic stringers (gotta say constant pull) will pull to set tension, then PAUSE, then pull again if the string relaxes, then pull again if the string relaxes some more. Will pull for a long time trying to maintain set tension. Drop weights are always constant pull.

 

[ByeByePoly]

Lockout are generally cranks; spring loaded stringers are generally cranks. They pull to a set tension and then stop pulling. Cheap electric stringers (excepting the WISE) can also be lock out in nature. They will pull to set tension, then stop. Expensive electronic stringers (gotta say constant pull) will pull to set tension, then PAUSE, then pull again if the string relaxes, then pull again if the string relaxes some more. Will pull for a long time trying to maintain set tension. Drop weights are always constant pull.

Edit: oh, you were saying lockout and spring loaded are two types of crank stringers.

Thanks. I think my stringer has a lockout, but doesn't like that term for some reason.

Read a little here ... and like you said, lockout has spring mechanism to ... for lack of better term "caps the pull".

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...zs-guide-to-buying-stringing-machines.213946/

 

[Irvin]

LOCKOUT a brake engages to lock the tensioner in position when a set tension is reached.

SPRING imagine a spring scale connected to a bolt and the bolt has a crank. A the crank is turned the scale (connected to the string) moves away from the racket. When the scale read the tension you want stop turning.

 

[Wes]

Concisely:

Dropweight = Constant Pull (a.k.a. CP)
Spring tensioner (this is a crank machine) = Lockout (a.k.a. LO)
Electric motor= Lockout
Electronic motor= Constant Pull (but sometimes also may feature an optional Lockout mode, in case one prefers Lockout rather than Constant Pull)

Big difference between "electric" and "electronic" (keep reading the "stickies"). Many buyers assume the terms are synonymous/interchangeable... and the companies who manufacture electric machines gladly capitalize on this ambiguity, so caveat emptor.

 

[ByeByePoly]

Lockout are generally cranks; spring loaded stringers are generally cranks. They pull to a set tension and then stop pulling. Cheap electric stringers (excepting the WISE) can also be lock out in nature. They will pull to set tension, then stop. Expensive electronic stringers (gotta say constant pull) will pull to set tension, then PAUSE, then pull again if the string relaxes, then pull again if the string relaxes some more. Will pull for a long time trying to maintain set tension. Drop weights are always constant pull.

LOCKOUT a brake engages to lock the tensioner in position when a set tension is reached.

SPRING imagine a spring scale connected to a bolt and the bolt has a crank. A the crank is turned the scale (connected to the string) moves away from the racket. When the scale read the tension you want stop turning.

Concisely:

Dropweight = Constant Pull (a.k.a. CP)
Spring tensioner (this is a crank machine) = Lockout (a.k.a. LO)
Electric motor= Lockout
Electronic motor= Constant Pull (but sometimes also may feature an optional Lockout mode, in case one prefers Lockout rather than Constant Pull)

1. Big difference between "electric" and "electronic" (keep reading the "stickies"). Many buyers assume the terms are synonymous/interchangeable... and the companies who manufacture electric machines gladly capitalize on this ambiguity, so caveat emptor.

Thx guys ... got it. More than one type of LO. Electric does not automatically mean constant pull ... sneaky bastards.

When I pick my racquet up this morning I will quiz my stringer about calibration and crank mechanism. I'm just curious ... not buying a stringer and my stringer is great ... consider a friend. It's great fun to aggrevate him with questions from ttw. You guys that string constantly amaze me that you avoid rsi.

 

[Wes]

Since your stringer is using a crank/lockout machine, your query into calibration will be a rather relevant one.
BTW, it's the spring in the tensioner (that he mentioned to you) that is what's actually getting calibrated/re-calibrated.

And what, perchance, is "rsi"?

 

[ByeByePoly]

Since your stringer is using a crank/lockout machine, your query into calibration will be a rather relevant one.
BTW, it's the spring in the tensioner (that he mentioned to you) that is what's actually getting calibrated/re-calibrated.

And what, perchance, is "rsi"?

RSI ... repetitive stress injury ... like tennis elbow. I was thinking more carpal tunnel. I gave myself brief carpal tunnel once from a diy project. I was wiring new outlets in my garage and turned a 30 minute task into a 2 hour frustration. I felt some mild carpal tunnel for a couple of weeks. Stringing tennis racquets has a lot of repetitive tasks ... but doesn't seem to cause problems. I asked my stringer ... and he has never had any problems.

 

[eelhc]

The "spring loaded" machine could be a Stringway MS200TT which is a different mechanism than a lockout.

The MS200TT uses a heavy, calibrated, spring to pull the tension.
With a lockout, the tension is pulled by moving the gripper along a track until a spring mechanism disengages the crank at the reference tension.

Both machines could be referred to as "Spring Loaded"

 

[ByeByePoly]

The "spring loaded" machine could be a Stringway MS200TT which is a different mechanism than a lockout.

The MS200TT uses a heavy, calibrated, spring to pull the tension.
With a lockout, the tension is pulled by moving the gripper along a track until a spring mechanism disengages the crank at the reference tension.

Both machines could be referred to as "Spring Loaded"

Did not look like that. The gripper mechanism looked like one on a drop weight stringer. I will ask him what he has next stringing.

 

[ByeByePoly]

The "spring loaded" machine could be a Stringway MS200TT which is a different mechanism than a lockout.

The MS200TT uses a heavy, calibrated, spring to pull the tension.
With a lockout, the tension is pulled by moving the gripper along a track until a spring mechanism disengages the crank at the reference tension.

Both machines could be referred to as "Spring Loaded"

My stringer uses a Prince Neos

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Prince_NEOS_1000_Stringing_Machine/descpageTM-NEOS.html

 

[Wes]

When I pick my racquet up this morning I will quiz my stringer about calibration and crank mechanism. I'm just curious ...

You didn't mention what came of your inquiry regarding calibration.
Did you remember to ask him/her about it?

My stringer uses a Prince Neos

Regarding the machine being used, did your stringer specifically say "Neos 1000"?
Yes, I realize that you posted a photo of the Neos 1000 (it is the most common/prevalent one).

However, if he/she simply said "I use a Prince Neos", it could also conceivably be the Neos 1500.

Just so that you're aware... "Neos" could be any one of a number of different machines. There's a Neos 1000 and Neos 1500 (both of which are crank machines).
There's also the Neos 2000, Neos 3000, Neos 4000, Neos 5000, Neos 6000 and now the Neos 7000 (all of which are electronic constant pull).
However, since we already know that your stringer's machine is a crank/lockout, that leaves only the 1000 or 1500 as a possibility.

 

[ByeByePoly]

You didn't mention what came of your inquiry regarding calibration.
Did you remember to ask him/her about it?


Regarding the machine being used, did your stringer specifically say "Neos 1000"?
Yes, I realize that you posted a photo of the Neos 1000 (it is the most common/prevalent one).

However, if he/she simply said "I use a Prince Neos", it could also conceivably be the Neos 1500.

Just so that you're aware... "Neos" could be any one of a number of different machines. There's a Neos 1000 and Neos 1500 (both of which are crank machines).
There's also the Neos 2000, Neos 3000, Neos 4000, Neos 5000, Neos 6000 and now the Neos 7000 (all of which are electronic constant pull).
However, since we already know that your stringer's machine is a crank/lockout, that leaves only the 1000 or 1500 as a possibility.

I asked him about calibration a couple of weeks ago. He said every 100 racquets is a good rule of thumb.

This is his stringer. From my brief Googling, I assume the double tray is on the 1000, and the single tray 360 turn is the 1500. I assumed his is the 1000. I think he has a couple of them.

 

[Wes]

I asked him about calibration a couple of weeks ago. He said every 100 racquets is a good rule of thumb.

This is his stringer. From my brief Googling, I assume the double tray is on the 1000, and the single tray 360 turn is the 1500. I assumed his is the 1000. I think he has a couple of them.

Your assumption is correct. It is a 1000 (like I said... the most common).
As you can see, the 1000 has fixed clamps on glide bars.
The 1500 has fixed swivel clamps (and therefore also has clamp bases).

 

[Rabbit]

I asked him about calibration a couple of weeks ago. He said every 100 racquets is a good rule of thumb.

You can do it every 100 rackets if you want, but it's not going to move. The unit is a tank!

 

[graycrait]

You can do it every 100 rackets if you want, but it's not going to move. The unit is a tank!

Every once in a while I get the notion to calibrate my Neos 1000 and every time I check it doesn't need calibration. The first couple of times it surprised me, now I look at is a good reason to have one for the home stringer.