String Measurement vs. String pattern....

dekkyboy

New User
Hi There Forum....

First time poster, novice stringer!

Although I'm getting a better feel for string measurement, there are still a few things I'm yet to understand.

One of them is, many tutorials suggest that string should be measured out according to the length of the racquet.

In this case, surely the pattern can make a huge difference ?

I mean, a 16x18 will need less than an 18x20 on the same sized head...right?

I got caught out badly on a Head Gravity 2021 the other day....now I'm paranoid.

I had used the measurement from Klipspringer and it was way short.....HELP!!
 

jim e

Legend
I typically use the following.

Racquet length = 27". (most racquets)
9 racquet lenghts = 20'3" = most mains
8 racquet lengths = 18' = most crosses

You can tweek the above to fit your racquets specs, your machine, and needs. This just speeds up the process. If beginning stringing it's best to measure, until you get a feel for it.

But remember, a percent of length also can depend on machine used. Having a starting clamp to bridge so you can reach tension head is a must for me. Some of the players have nat gut mains and poly crosses, and want one set of gut to string 2 racquets, and I use the starting clamp every time to bridge those jobs, so cutting the gut in half will work on my machine, but string is about 2 inches short of reaching linear plates of tension head. I typically keep one of my 3 starting clamps with a scrap poly string threaded through so it always ready to bridge a short string.
 

esgee48

G.O.A.T.
What is Klipspringer?

If measuring, add all the lengths for mains and crosses, then add 1-1.5’ for getting to gripper.

Klippermate does have data on string lengths which I have found to be very generous. Their lengths say to add 1’ for mains and crosses if installing poly. They get their data from the USRSA Digest.

How much string is needed depends on your machine and how you go about installing the string. If you cut lengths for mains and crosses, you will need more string. If you cut after you tie off mains, you need less overall.

I generally use less than specified cuz i cut from reels and keep notes on what each frame requires. If new to me, then I use what is specified and note what was required.

If you came up short, you’re doing something wrong. So what’s your method of stringing? Cut for mains and crosses? Center the length for mains? I recommend you do searches on Wes or me cuz both of us are miserly on string lengths AND we are rarely short. How short were you and where?
 

tjanev

Rookie
i keep it safe. i will pull the length of the racquet head in the direction that i'll be stringing. so a 16x19 racquet, i'll pull mains at the longest point ( across the middle ) 16 times, then cut. then i'll do the same for the cross and pull 19 times at the longest point of the cross racquet head when i'm ready to start in that direction. hasn't failed me yet. this method almost always leaves me with just enough extra length to pull the last length without needing to use the starting clamp.
 

dekkyboy

New User
What is Klipspringer?

If measuring, add all the lengths for mains and crosses, then add 1-1.5’ for getting to gripper.

Klippermate does have data on string lengths which I have found to be very generous. Their lengths say to add 1’ for mains and crosses if installing poly. They get their data from the USRSA Digest.

How much string is needed depends on your machine and how you go about installing the string. If you cut lengths for mains and crosses, you will need more string. If you cut after you tie off mains, you need less overall.

I generally use less than specified cuz i cut from reels and keep notes on what each frame requires. If new to me, then I use what is specified and note what was required.

If you came up short, you’re doing something wrong. So what’s your method of stringing? Cut for mains and crosses? Center the length for mains? I recommend you do searches on Wes or me cuz both of us are miserly on string lengths AND we are rarely short. How short were you and where?
You didn't kno
What is Klipspringer?

If measuring, add all the lengths for mains and crosses, then add 1-1.5’ for getting to gripper.

Klippermate does have data on string lengths which I have found to be very generous. Their lengths say to add 1’ for mains and crosses if installing poly. They get their data from the USRSA Digest.

How much string is needed depends on your machine and how you go about installing the string. If you cut lengths for mains and crosses, you will need more string. If you cut after you tie off mains, you need less overall.

I generally use less than specified cuz i cut from reels and keep notes on what each frame requires. If new to me, then I use what is specified and note what was required.

If you came up short, you’re doing something wrong. So what’s your method of stringing? Cut for mains and crosses? Center the length for mains? I recommend you do searches on Wes or me cuz both of us are miserly on string lengths AND we are rarely short. How short were you and where?
Is your question about Klipspringer rhetorical?
Although new to stringing, the rest of the game is second nature to me.
Presumably others, less facetious, will know what I meant to say, and perhaps what Klipspringer is/was.
Thanks anyway.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
@dekkyboy more often than not the Klippermate site has very ample string lengths, but there are times when you will get burnt. The are 5 Gravity racket patterns on the KM site. Four have 16 mains one has 18 mains. All five say you need 20’ for mains. 20’ feet will work for a 16 main gravity with no problem, but depending on the string stretch and head size 20’ will not work for all 18 mains.

Solution for MP frames - use an extra 3’ more than the number of mains to string your mains. Have a starting clamp handy to bridge your string if needed. Keep a record of the head size, pattern, and string length needed until you become more familiar with what you actually need. If you have an oversized racket you will need more string.
 
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Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
@dekkyboy it seems like the length of string would be proportional to the head size but more important is the length and width of the head. Assume you have a 16 main racket where head is 14” long. Multiply mains * main length / 12 for length of string. For instance 16*14/12 = 18.6 feet of string is needed. You could use the head width and number of crosses for cross string length.

For an 18 main racket with a head length of 14” 18*14/12 = 21’ which BTW is what you probably needed for your gravity pro.
 

Wes

Hall of Fame
For an 18 main racket with a head length of 14” 18*14/12 = 21’ which BTW is what you probably needed for your gravity pro.

True.
However, you are assuming that @dekkyboy's 2021 Gravity is a Gravity Pro.
He has not (yet) clarified specifically which iteration/model he actually has.
We don't yet know if he has a Gravity Pro or, perhaps, a Gravity MP.
It makes a difference (as do several other factors).

As usual, you've interjected your own assumptions, before getting all of the information required for an accurate assessment.

@dekkyboy, please check your inbox.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
True.
However, you are assuming that @dekkyboy's 2021 Gravity is a Gravity Pro.
He has not (yet) clarified specifically which iteration/model he actually has.
We don't yet know if he has a Gravity Pro or, perhaps, a Gravity MP.
It makes a difference (as do several other factors).

As usual, you've interjected your own assumptions, before getting all of the information required for an accurate assessment.

@dekkyboy, please check your inbox.
If it wasn’t an 18 main Gravity (Gravity Pro) he would have been fine. All the other Head Gravity rackets on the KM site are 16 main rackets. 20’ is more than enough for a 16 main Gravity racket.


EDIT: If it wasn’t a Gravity Pro it was another 18 main Gravity that isn’t listed.

EDIT: I’m also assuming the problem he had was lack of enough string and not that he had too much string following the KM site suggestions.
 
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Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
One of them is, many tutorials suggest that string should be measured out according to the length of the racquet.

In this case, surely the pattern can make a huge difference ?
Here’s your first question I’d like to clarity. Racket length if normally 27” but could be longer. If you use racket length, instead of head length, you‘re going to get the wrong result. Also the pattern 16/19 or 18/20 is too much information. Only the number of mains and head length are the primary determining factors for main string length. Of could the tension force and how much the string stretches plays a part but unless you’re going to extremes like a stiff poly at very low tension you should be safe.
I mean, a 16x18 will need less than an 18x20 on the same sized head...right?
Makes sense to me. All the Gravity rackets call for 20’. If an 18 main requires more string KM has the wrong length then for the Gravity Pro.
 

MathieuR

Hall of Fame
For 16 mains I just measure out headlength centre 5× + length shortest main 3× + length to get from head to gripper and double this (measure using the string from reel)

For 19 crosses: 5 times longest cross + 5 times shortest cross, double, done! (I use a starting knot)
 

MaxSwing

New User
I have always been paranoid about getting the right length and so measure out for each as required as per
- never failed me but yes it takes a little longer - however I am only doing a few racquets a week but I could imagine if you were doing more then the time would add up.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
I have always been paranoid about getting the right length and so measure out for each as required as per
- never failed me but yes it takes a little longer - however I am only doing a few racquets a week but I could imagine if you were doing more then the time would add up.
17.75’ of poly for a 107 si 16 main racket. I think he would come up short. I‘m sure he has a starting clamp for bridging so he will be ok

EDIT: @AM Stringing are you confident that length was correct? I’m curious, what was the length of the head on that racket?
 
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PRS

Professional
Hi There Forum....

First time poster, novice stringer!

Although I'm getting a better feel for string measurement, there are still a few things I'm yet to understand.

One of them is, many tutorials suggest that string should be measured out according to the length of the racquet.

In this case, surely the pattern can make a huge difference ?

I mean, a 16x18 will need less than an 18x20 on the same sized head...right?

I got caught out badly on a Head Gravity 2021 the other day....now I'm paranoid.

I had used the measurement from Klipspringer and it was way short.....HELP!!
Here's how I do it:

I consider an average racquet to be 27" long with a 16x19 pattern. I also string with poly strings the majority of the time, so that's what I'll be using for my initial process.

For an average racquet, I know I have enough string if I measure off 8.5 racquet lengths for the mains, and about 8 + an extra handle length for the crosses. This generally gives me enough without having a ton of extra string, but also enough that I'm not worried about coming up short at all.

From there, I adjust accordingly. If I have more mains or crosses (18x20, 18x19, 16x20, etc) I will increase the string I pull accordingly. If I have fewer mains or crosses (16x18), I have an extended length racquet (over 27" long), or I have a string that will stretch more (a multifilament or synthetic gut), then I decrease my pulls accordingly.

If it's my first time stringing that racquet/string, I will err on the side of too much string rather than too little. When I'm done, I make a note (either physical or mental) about how much extra string I have, and try to minimize the extra string on future string jobs. I may waste a couple feet of string on the first string job, but it's worth it for the peace of mind and never having to worry about coming up short and wasting almost 40 feet of string.

For example, on a 100" 18x20 with a stiff poly, I might say "9+ mains, 8.5 crosses" meaning I need a little over 9 racquet lengths to comfortably string the mains, and 8.5 for the crosses. But for a 16x19 racquet that's 28" long with a multifilament I might adjust it to 8 mains, 7.5 crosses.

The more you string, the better you'll get at estimating how much you need, because you're right, not all racquets and strings will need the same amount of string.
 

Soundbyte

Hall of Fame
i keep it safe. i will pull the length of the racquet head in the direction that i'll be stringing. so a 16x19 racquet, i'll pull mains at the longest point ( across the middle ) 16 times, then cut. then i'll do the same for the cross and pull 19 times at the longest point of the cross racquet head when i'm ready to start in that direction. hasn't failed me yet. this method almost always leaves me with just enough extra length to pull the last length without needing to use the starting clamp.
Same. Done this for 20+ years
 
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