Gabriel, congrats on getting your own machine.
The recommendations above aren't necessarily "bad" or "wrong", but here's a little more detail for you.
The PS 85 has mains 16 mains and the mains start at the throat. By virtue of these 2 facts, your mains will end at the throat.
So, this means you essentially have 3 options...
a 2pc. job (which means the outer mains, on both sides, will be tied off at the throat)...
a 1pc. job (stringing the crosses from the bottom to the top)...
a 1pc.
Around
The
World pattern (which would allow you to string the crosses
top down).
If you are doing any sort of hybrid, you're forced into doing it as a 2pc. job.(and it doesn't sound like you are, since you referenced bottom up stringing of the crosses).
If you are using the same string for mains & crosses, then all 3 choices, mentioned above, are
possible.
2pc.
2pc. is normally the most simple/easiest for people to learn. However, the PS 85 (and many other racquets) will pose a few more difficulties, if you
do choose to do it 2pc.
Namely, there will be a total of 6 blocked holes - and
2 of those holes will be "double blocked" by 2 strings, rather than a single string, on the outside of the frame.
Since the PS 85 has "double skips" at the throat (7T & 9T) and the mains tie off at 6T, you are going to encounter issues later, when installing the very bottom cross.
That bottom cross string will need to pass through each of the 7T grommets, which you will disappointingly find blocked by 2 strings covering those holes (due to where the mains were previously tied off).
Navigating that bottom cross past a double blocked hole (on
both sides of the frame) isn't really a fun endeavor...
especially if you are using a soft type of string.
You'll encounter this issue regardless of whether you choose to employ the use of a "Yonex Loop" or not.
Now, you will also have a blocked hole at both 9T grommets too, but they will only have a single string covering them, which isn't nearly as much of an issue to get around.
Note: When stringing 2pc., you will have a blocked hole at both 9H grommets at the head of the frame (that is... unless you pre-weave the top 2 or 3 crosses,
before you finish tensioning the outer mains. Personally, I
highly recommend doing this anytime/everytime you're doing a standard 2pc. job).
1pc. (crosses bottom up)
As for doing a 1pc. job and stringing the crosses bottom up... I would never do it that way, but there are some people who don't care.
So, for completeness, I have mentioned it as a
possible option... even though, personally, I never would.
1pc. (Around The World)
Note: a starting clamp (or additional floating clamp) is needed. However, this is the case with most, but not all, ATW patterns.
When not doing a hybrid job, this is the method that I prefer (for a PS 85) - and would recommend (for those that have a good sense of what they're doing).
An ATW pattern allows you to install the crosses from head to throat, even when the mains (ordinarily) end at the throat.
However... ATW patterns aren't really "one size fits all". It's not a great idea to know only one ATW and then use it on any/all frames.
If you attempted to do that, it's likely that you would eventually damage a frame.
Different ATW patterns have certain pros/cons, so it's a
very good idea to know multiple ATW patterns (in addition to
why one pattern is better suited than another).
The UKRSA ATW is the specific ATW pattern that I personally use (and would recommend) for the PS 85, and here is why...
- Most importantly, the transition areas (going from a main to a cross, or a cross to a main) have sufficient spacing between the grommet holes. If this spacing is insufficient (as it might be with a different ATW pattern), then there would be a risk of collapsing the small amount of graphite that resides between the 2 grommet holes.
- Fewer blocked holes are created, therefore you will have fewer to contend with later on. In fact, there will only be 4 blocked holes (none "double blocked"). Of these 4 blocked holes, 3 will be on the same side of the frame (the Short Side) and 1 will be on the Long Side. Example: if you designate the LEFT side of your frame to be the Short Side, then 10H, 10T and 7T will be the 3 blocked holes on the left half of the frame. The right half of the frame (Long Side) will have 7T as it's only blocked hole. Note: Just prior to tensioning the 3rd cross... if you push several inches of the end of the Short Side string through the grommet at 10H, it won't even get blocked at all - thereby reducing blocked holes to a total of just 3.
- Unlike some other ATW patterns, the UKRSA ATW pattern does not have a bottom cross installed early on, so there is no counting crosses (i.e. same weave as top cross for odd # of crosses, opposite weave as top cross for even # of crosses etc.) - thus no potential misweave.
- Unlike some other ATW patterns, the UKRSA ATW pattern does not have a bottom cross installed early on, so there aren't any true "hard weaves". It has only 4 "semi hard weaves", all of which are at the periphery of the frame (the outer main on each side, top cross, and bottom cross).
- Since there are only 2 knots (rather than 4) you will have no tension loss (drawback) on the outer mains, and only have a slight tension loss on the top and bottom cross (the last 2 strings before tying off).
- Since there are only 2 knots (rather than 4) you will only need enough string, for the final pulls, to reach your tensioner TWICE, rather than 4 times. If you are using a set of string (rather than cutting from a reel) then this won't matter very much.
- If you are cutting string from a reel, it will save you some string. It will require about 2 feet less string to do an ATW pattern versus a 2pc. job. This will depend on how much string is normally required for you to reach your tensioner. If you only need 1 foot to reach your tensioner (like my machine) then it will save you 2 feet. If you need 1.5 feet to reach your tensioner, then you'd save 3 feet of string. The last time I strung a PS 85 (at 60lbs with a very stretchy multifilament), I only needed 29 feet of string (just under 9m) using this ATW pattern.
If you've strung a few racquets before, and have a good sense of what you're doing, then I would recommend using the UKRSA Around The World pattern. It works very well on this particular frame.
A few questions of importance...
- Have you strung ANY other racquets yet, or are you trying to do your PS 6.0 85 as your very first string job? It may not be the easiest/best choice for one's very first frame.
- Exactly what kind of machine are you working with? Specifically, does your machine have fixed clamps or are you using floating/flying clamps? Regardless of whether you choose to do 2pc. or 1pc. ATW, things will be easier with fixed clamps - and trickier if you have floating/flying clamps.
- Exactly what type of string are you planning to use? Stiffer strings are easier to navigate past blocked holes than softer strings are.
- Assuming you do have a fixed clamp machine, does it have swivel clamps or glide bar clamps?
- Do you have a starting clamp or extra floating/flying clamp available?
- Are you cutting string from a reel, or using sets of string?
