My tension is all over the place when I string. What's going on?

I recently cut out my crosses and restrung them with poly. This is my first time using the Tourna StringMeter during the process of stringing and I'm quite confused by the StringMeter results.

Before Cutting Crosses:
55-60lb mains (reference had been 62lb), 40-45lb crosses (reference had been 55lb)

After Cutting Crosses:
30lb mains! (reference had been 62lb)

In the middle of stringing crosses with reference tension of 57lb:
57lb for the cross held directly by the crank
50lb for the cross immediately before the crank, the one held by my two fixed clamps.

After Stringing:
55lb main (it was 30lb before the crosses were introduced), 35-45lb crosses (reference tension 57lb)

What the hell is going on? Are my two fixed clamps just completely screwed up? Mains are Rip Control 17g and crosses are some cheap poly 16g.
 

esgee48

G.O.A.T.
[1] Stringmeter is not accurate, good only for relative tension loss.
[2] 30# mains are due to you using a LO, normal tension loss and lack of support that used to be provided by crosses.
[3] 50# - That is normal for LO where tension starts to drop as soon a the tensioner locks out; after clamping, string continues to stretch.
[4] New crosses pushed the 30# mains up and down thereby increasing tension but you did not get all the inter string friction out when doing crosses so crosses ended up at much lower tension.

Read up on the different tension behaviors between lock out and constant pull. You should also have measured the crosses at the 1st main and last main intersection. If you did, you would see that they are significantly lower at the 1st main. Measuring at the crank or near it means nothing.
 
[1] Stringmeter is not accurate, good only for relative tension loss.
[2] 30# mains are due to you using a LO, normal tension loss and lack of support that used to be provided by crosses.
[3] 50# - That is normal for LO where tension starts to drop as soon a the tensioner locks out; after clamping, string continues to stretch.
[4] New crosses pushed the 30# mains up and down thereby increasing tension but you did not get all the inter string friction out when doing crosses so crosses ended up at much lower tension.

Read up on the different tension behaviors between lock out and constant pull. You should also have measured the crosses at the 1st main and last main intersection. If you did, you would see that they are significantly lower at the 1st main. Measuring at the crank or near it means nothing.

Wow, I just read about the differences between Lock Out and Constant Pull machines. Ok, now everything makes way more sense.

So my fixed clamps aren't really the issue here? I do see them moving a bit (maybe 3mm?) when the tension is released on the crank.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
You cut out the crosses and not the mains. I'm sure you mounted the frame on your machine to hold tension on the mains as you cut them out. Bad practices produce bad results.
 
Last edited:

BlueB

Legend
It's safe to cut out the crosses if the frame is mounted. I've done it many times.
Yeah, the tension of mains would read less as there are no crosses weaving through, pushing up and down.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk
 

esgee48

G.O.A.T.
Your bases may be slipping. 3 mm IMO is a lot. 1 mm is 'OK.' Adjust them. If using double action clamps, clamp the string, nudge the bases toward the tension head, then set bases. If using single action clamps, you definitely have to adjust the bases. FWIW, now you know why redoing just crosses (or mains) is not good practice. Your tensions are not what you think they are. Unless specially asked for by a client (such as saving the gut mains, tying crosses off on crosses, etc.) I won't do it. But since this is your racquet, you can do whatever you want. 3 cents.
 
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