bengilmore01
New User
Does anyone have (or had) a pros pro stringer and whats your thoughts on it
Pro's Pro
- Thread starter bengilmore01
- Start date
I also own a comet. Very satisfied with it. No problems with its clamps, though I string mainly polys (their cheap starting clamp can hold a poly well but with multis I have noticed slippage issues). The machine seems robust. I have not encountered any dysfunction or any flaws in its mechanical parts. If you are on a budget and seek a reliable crank machine, it is a great option.
WYK
Hall of Fame
Comet here as well.
I was looking long and hard at a NEOS, a Gamma lockout, and the Stringway because of the foot thing and foot print, but they had a stupid Christmas sale on the Comet I couldn't ignore. I got a new one delivered to my door for €350 or so with a few tools thrown in. That was about 5 or 6 years ago now. During our short tennis season I string a few dozen racquets. During winter, I test strings if I get bored.
What I like:
Short throw, and short cranking. Loads of feedback when you make a pull. It is a fast, consistent machine. Requires very little lead string from the racquet to anchor a pull. Love the feel and action.
5 finger clamps that actually work very well and don't molest the strings.
Heavy, solid, simple build. Also, very solid. And it's also solid, yet simple.
Super reliable.
Still calibrates same as new.
The stringing platform is the perfect height. Just barely clears the puller, and it allows you to avoid ever going over the frame and pulling off of the frame to tension. It always allows a clear pull.
It has a table lock so you can do up a stupid, stupid, stupid Prince O-port if you are stupid enough to take one in to string.
Stupid. You wanna know why you failed, Prince? This is why.
Full height stand is available, and affordable.
ProsPro actually answer emails. At least they answered all mine before I purchased. Haven't needed to email them since.
What I don't like:
Guide rails and clamp design are a bit more grabby than they should be, so moving clamps can be a pain until they are worn in. They are chrome plated, so they take a while to wear in.
The clamp release can fight you on occasion. Just often enough for me to mention it here. They can be adjusted, tho.
Starting clamp not the best. Get a babolat. Still, tho, I can get away with the ProsPro clamp on 48# and lower string jobs. Not bad for a 5 year old clamp that came with the stringer. I still use it on occasion to clamp off if I am getting creative with a string job, or need to extend a string to anchor it in the puller...so long as it's below 48#...
When the crank stops at tension, the spring causes the entire mechanism to sing. You can silence it a bit, and I have, but it's always there a little bit still. It's fine now, but unsilenced, it really sings. You're not gonna do any late night stringing in a house full of sleeping family unless you have a basement.
Having said all that, this thing paid for itself before it saw it's second year of life. And, in all honesty, I rarely consider upgrading. Though I do love the look and feel of the Gamma lockouts.
I've used a couple of electronic stringers, and though they are a bit more compact, something about no feedback always bothers me. But I love countervail racquets? Crazy, no?!
I was looking long and hard at a NEOS, a Gamma lockout, and the Stringway because of the foot thing and foot print, but they had a stupid Christmas sale on the Comet I couldn't ignore. I got a new one delivered to my door for €350 or so with a few tools thrown in. That was about 5 or 6 years ago now. During our short tennis season I string a few dozen racquets. During winter, I test strings if I get bored.
What I like:
Short throw, and short cranking. Loads of feedback when you make a pull. It is a fast, consistent machine. Requires very little lead string from the racquet to anchor a pull. Love the feel and action.
5 finger clamps that actually work very well and don't molest the strings.
Heavy, solid, simple build. Also, very solid. And it's also solid, yet simple.
Super reliable.
Still calibrates same as new.
The stringing platform is the perfect height. Just barely clears the puller, and it allows you to avoid ever going over the frame and pulling off of the frame to tension. It always allows a clear pull.
It has a table lock so you can do up a stupid, stupid, stupid Prince O-port if you are stupid enough to take one in to string.
Stupid. You wanna know why you failed, Prince? This is why.Full height stand is available, and affordable.
ProsPro actually answer emails. At least they answered all mine before I purchased. Haven't needed to email them since.
What I don't like:
Guide rails and clamp design are a bit more grabby than they should be, so moving clamps can be a pain until they are worn in. They are chrome plated, so they take a while to wear in.
The clamp release can fight you on occasion. Just often enough for me to mention it here. They can be adjusted, tho.
Starting clamp not the best. Get a babolat. Still, tho, I can get away with the ProsPro clamp on 48# and lower string jobs. Not bad for a 5 year old clamp that came with the stringer. I still use it on occasion to clamp off if I am getting creative with a string job, or need to extend a string to anchor it in the puller...so long as it's below 48#...
When the crank stops at tension, the spring causes the entire mechanism to sing. You can silence it a bit, and I have, but it's always there a little bit still. It's fine now, but unsilenced, it really sings. You're not gonna do any late night stringing in a house full of sleeping family unless you have a basement.
Having said all that, this thing paid for itself before it saw it's second year of life. And, in all honesty, I rarely consider upgrading. Though I do love the look and feel of the Gamma lockouts.
I've used a couple of electronic stringers, and though they are a bit more compact, something about no feedback always bothers me. But I love countervail racquets? Crazy, no?!
WYK
Hall of Fame
I had some questions on how to silence the Comet in PM. I'll also add them here for posterity.
This is your culprit on the Comet - this spring under the crank cover likes to sing(please pardon the dust):
Here I have already fitted a thick piece of leather underneath it. I removed the old piece of leather I had previously installed, which was still very well seated after 5+ years, to show how I did it. I pull the spring up to allow me to place the strip of leather under the spring, on top of the drum, securely. This mechanism rotates maybe 10*, so the strip will stay in place for years once installed.
You can also tell by it's construction that these things are literally hand fitted from a parts bin. Like I said before - very simple. This usually means reliable and easily maintained and adjusted, with no need to purchase expensive proprietary parts for repair most of the time(if any).
Trimmed:
The bracket mount is a thin but strong piece of steel. Just to make sure it doesn't add any harmonics, I add a few grams of lead.
I then add more lead to the arm(about 4-5 inches in two pieces).
I also place a #65 rubber band on the external spring just to be safe, although this one doesn't sing anything like the internal spring.
Now when it locks, it simply goes 'thunk'.
This is your culprit on the Comet - this spring under the crank cover likes to sing(please pardon the dust):
Here I have already fitted a thick piece of leather underneath it. I removed the old piece of leather I had previously installed, which was still very well seated after 5+ years, to show how I did it. I pull the spring up to allow me to place the strip of leather under the spring, on top of the drum, securely. This mechanism rotates maybe 10*, so the strip will stay in place for years once installed.
You can also tell by it's construction that these things are literally hand fitted from a parts bin. Like I said before - very simple. This usually means reliable and easily maintained and adjusted, with no need to purchase expensive proprietary parts for repair most of the time(if any).
Trimmed:
The bracket mount is a thin but strong piece of steel. Just to make sure it doesn't add any harmonics, I add a few grams of lead.
I then add more lead to the arm(about 4-5 inches in two pieces).
I also place a #65 rubber band on the external spring just to be safe, although this one doesn't sing anything like the internal spring.
Now when it locks, it simply goes 'thunk'.
OldManStan
Rookie
Earlier this year, I bought a used pros pro pilot for less than $300 to supplement the stringings this summer. It’s pretty easy to maintain and take apart. A couple of months ago, one of the bearings that holds the gripper head to the arm popped off, but it was easy to find the replacement. I also had an issue with the lockout brake mechanism and the rotor where it would catch or have heavy resistance. I found that there was about a .15mm difference in thickness on the rotor, so I sanded it down as much as I felt comfortable with and now it rotates much more smoothly. I also did have to adjust the height of the tension spring screw so that the spring wouldn’t bow outward when under compression. A little sewing machine oil on the base, also did wonders for the clamp. Overall, despite the little things I had to fix, there’s not much wrong with it. I do wish the tolerances were a bit tighter in spec however.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I would agree.
Fortunately it sounds like Pro’s Pro doesn’t have the same abysmal customer service that Eagnas owners enjoy (ahem...or not).
I had one for awhile (eagnas). Victor was sort of a pain, but with the proper approach he was no big deal. But yes, I would agree
in general.
CharlottesHead
Rookie
I also own one and it's also my first machine!
Do you know how to calibrate it? The "manual" says nothing except spring measures aren't accurate enough and it's calibrated in the factory, but the Pros Pro tension calibrator I have says it's off by +3kg when set to 25kg. At 10kg it's on the mark. ALSO adding to my confusion is the rackets I've strung don't feel too tight when playing with them but do register as high with racquet tune (not that I trust it much).
Any help would be appreciated.
Folsom_Stringer_Musa
Semi-Pro
Try another measuring tool first. Something digital (they're cheap) perhaps or at least another spring calibrator.
After that, it likely works like many other lockouts as far as calibration. I have a eagnas 910 Combo manual i can send
you and since i think many pro's pro and eagnas machines are "the same" i'd at very least say the tension heads are
the same/similar enough.
anarosevoli
Rookie
It's all the same, I have a Superstringer and a Pro's Pro, mostly same parts (did buy the second one mainly for spare parts). Same clamps and bases also found on Spinfire and Gamma machines. Pro's Pro has the best prices for the same parts it seems.
CharlottesHead
Rookie
Thanks, I actually did this yesterday. I bought some digital fish scales and the Pros Pro seems to be on the mark. LESSONS LEARNED: Don't trust Pros Pro spring calibrator or phone apps, lol.
CharlottesHead
Rookie
Follow up question...
I don't know (for lack of experience) if this happens on all machines, but I've noticed that when releasing the string from the tension head (while clamped and locked in) it appears the clamp moves back a few millimeters. What's that all about? It feels really solid when I try to move it while locked with my hand.
(Machine: Pros Pro Tomcat MT-400)
I don't know (for lack of experience) if this happens on all machines, but I've noticed that when releasing the string from the tension head (while clamped and locked in) it appears the clamp moves back a few millimeters. What's that all about? It feels really solid when I try to move it while locked with my hand.
(Machine: Pros Pro Tomcat MT-400)
it is normal to have very little drawback. i recall @Irvin has a video explaining about that.
i recall you were asking about the ops manual - if you still want one, ping me your email address. i can send it over. it is by no means a detailed one, but thats what the PP head office sent me.
Irvin
Talk Tennis Guru
There are ways to reduce drawback. Using knot tension is not one of them. When you apply a knot tension you are applying a higher tension to the string then clamping an equalized string. At the point where you apply the clamp you have the same tension on both sides of the clamp. When you remove the tension applied to one side the tension on the other side draws the string and clamp back. The higher the tension you applied to the string greater The drawback. But because you stretched the string a greater distance the end result is a higher tension after drawback.
A way to cut down on drawback is to preload the clamp a little by pushing the base of the clamp in the direction of tensioner. That way the clamp applies some resistance to the string as the tensioner is removed and reduces some drawback. Using a good starting knot eliminates any drawback in the top cross. There should be less drawback in the bottom cross because of the redpaced string tension because of string to string friction. Stringing 1 piece reduces drawback (especially if you tie off crosses only) because you eliminates 2 knot sources of drawback and both strings you’re tying off have string to string friction. Removing as much slack between the knot and clamp will also reduce drawback.
Drawback is normal but you can minimize bit.
A way to cut down on drawback is to preload the clamp a little by pushing the base of the clamp in the direction of tensioner. That way the clamp applies some resistance to the string as the tensioner is removed and reduces some drawback. Using a good starting knot eliminates any drawback in the top cross. There should be less drawback in the bottom cross because of the redpaced string tension because of string to string friction. Stringing 1 piece reduces drawback (especially if you tie off crosses only) because you eliminates 2 knot sources of drawback and both strings you’re tying off have string to string friction. Removing as much slack between the knot and clamp will also reduce drawback.
Drawback is normal but you can minimize bit.