Natural Gut on a drop weight machine

[Racket-Junkie]

I think I am going to attend stringing natural gut for the first time this weekend. I have been trying all sorts of hybrids on my sp tours, but I just can't find a poly that I like and that is comfortable on my arm. I use a drop weight machine and with polys they also get a little roughed up by the tension head. Will thus be a problem with the natural gut? Also, I've readither posts about stringing ng in general so I have some idea, ie take my time and be careful win the awls, but I was wondering what the general thought is about pre stretching, I will probably be using either klip legend 17 or bab tonic.

 

[iplaybetter]

what machine is it

 

[NoBadMojo]

If using Legend I suggest a gentle prestretch only. if unsure, better to not prestertch at all. The Tonic is a bit more stretchy and you could prestretch that a bit more.
I dont suggest using an awl when stringing gut unless absolutely necessary, and have never needed one when stringing Volkl or becker frames.
Stringing on a dropweight is fine..just avoid kinks and pay special attention to not kinking the string where it loops around grommets.
I think it is a lot easier and more accurate to string gut on a drop weight than poly

 

[Zhou]

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=186542&highlight=natural+gut+tips

 

[Racket-Junkie]

it is a gamma progression II 602 (not confident on the model number, but it has flying clamps and 6 point frame mounts).

Thanks for the tips, my hitting partner can't wait for me to just settle on a string and to stop talking about strings and stringing every day, hopefully the ng ends my search.

 

[iplaybetter]

i think that whould be fine, i would be woried wihta klipper though

 

[AmericanTemplar]

I've strung ng several times on my Klippermate. On my machine, the tension head does rough up gut a bit, but I haven't seen any evidence of it affecting the performance of the durability of the string. The other thing is, you should make sure to test out your clamps on a small piece before starting.

 

[scotus]

If using Legend I suggest a gentle prestretch only. if unsure, better to not prestertch at all.

Listen to this man.

 

[max]

Not blathering here, but I've strung gut 2 or 3 times on my Klippermate and have not noticed any damage or roughing up.

I HAVE sorely been disappointed by not having properly pre-stretched the stuff, or made some kind of adjustment for the softer feel of it. Next time I string gut, I'm going to do a really good prestretch (I have been a bit afraid of tearing the stuff), and maybe give it 3 more pounds tension than usual. This for me might make it feel about right.

 

[2handsbothsides]

I have strung natural gut many times on a Klippermate with no problem at all. It is my experience that both Legend and BDE Professional play best without any prestretch. Babolat gut is softer, more powerful initially and seems to loose tension quicker than the Legend or BDE. Prestretching the Babolat will make it play more like the lower cost guts mentioned if you like a bit less power and more consistent string tension.

 

[lethalfang]

Is it really necessary to pre-stretch when you use dropweight? When the dropweight is pulling the string for 10 sec., it's equivalent of prestretching.

 

[max]

I don't know. Maybe my feel on the thing is just feeling a difference between synthetic gut and the softer real thing.

 

[TreyS]

Klippermate and Babolat VS Team

I began using my Klippermate and VS Team (17) and had no problems. Did not pre stretch, but I tend to work slowly.

The jaw on the stringer does leave a "white" mark on the gut where it is "pinched," but the Klipper guys assured me this is OK, and I have never broken a string.

I do notice a big difference in "strechiness" or resilience between gut and synthetic strings, but that is the nature of the strings. With gut, the weighted arm of the machine can "bounce" whereas with synthetic, like Luxilon, it just sort of sits there. Not a bad thing, just different.

 

[AmericanTemplar]

Yes, the white mark that is left on the string is what I was referring to. I wonder if linear grippers leave that mark?

 

[ledor]

i string my Babolat VS Team 17g on a klippermate as well, and have no problems, other than the clamps pinching the string. I have broken strings naturally after a number of hours playing.

 

[officerdibble]

If you want an alternative, try TopSpin CyberPower at 20% (yes twenty percent) less than the gut tension. I can barely tell a difference.

Of course everyone feels these things differently, but that's my experience.

 

[TonyB]

I find it incredibly hard to believe you can't tell the difference between low-tension poly and natural gut. What level player are you?

I can tell the difference between different polys strung at the SAME tension. To me, the difference between gut and poly is night and day.


To the OP: I string both Legend 17 and Tonic+ on my dropweight (Mutual Power Hercules 680) and have no troubles whatsoever. You should be fine.

 

[tsmcauliffe]

I'm glad I came across this thread. I have a SP Swing and my coach wants a full NG job and was afraid the bend around the tensioning drum and the diamond coated gripper would screw up the whole job. Whew!

 

[tennis50]

Hi Tony,

I just bought a 680. Could yo contact me at Caswelldan@hotmail.com. I have a few questions. Like to learn from your experience. thanks

 

[rasajadad]

Just one other suggestion- Make sure your flying clamps are clean and properly adjusted. You don't want to have them so tight they're crushing the string.