Stringing Machine Recomendation

[statetennis09]

I am looking to get a stringing machine. This would be my first stringing machine, but i have strung racquets before. Please no machines over $800, and my dad says no dropweights. If you could recommend me a stringing machine that would be awesome. Thanks in advance!

 

[dgdawg]

I am looking to get a stringing machine. This would be my first stringing machine, but i have strung racquets before. Please no machines over $800, and my dad says no dropweights. If you could recommend me a stringing machine that would be awesome. Thanks in advance!

Well, I've tossed this out there before so here it is again: I have a Silent Partner DG for sale within the price point you mention.
It's an electric, constant pull tensioner, stout-self centering mounting system, great clamp bases and great cs if you ever need anything. Lemme know. E-mail me for pic's
dan_lta@comcast.net

 

[tennisman917]

if you want a good decent crank machine you should go with the gamma progression st ll or the alpha revo 4000

 

[Technatic]

choosing a stringing machine

Stratetennis09,
I think you have to cut your problem down to some major questions:
- Are you used to a certain type of machine already?
- How important is the accuracy for you?
- Are you going to string mono’s or only multis?

What is the reason for no (quality) dropweight? If you want accuracy……………………???

The answers to these questions will make the choice easier.

 

[davidm]

I am looking to get a stringing machine. This would be my first stringing machine, but i have strung racquets before. Please no machines over $800, and my dad says no dropweights. If you could recommend me a stringing machine that would be awesome. Thanks in advance!

Does it have to be a new machine? If so, seems your only viable options would be cranks at that price point and since no dropweights allowed. I wouldn't personally recommend any low end electrics (under $800) over a good crank.

But if you are open to getting used machines, you might be able to get a good used electronic for within that budget. Look at this recent thread, a guy picked up a used Babolat Star 3 for $650, an amazing deal: http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=299232

If you are patient and poke around enough, you might find some good deals like that for yourself too.

 

[COPEY]

Actually he can get a new electronic machine in his price range. There are several others in his price range from Eagnas.

 

[tennisman917]

Actually he can get a new electronic machine in his price range. There are several others in his price range from Eagnas.

he could, but you really cant trust eagnas machines....

 

[jefferson]

I would recommend the alpha revo 4000. Pretty sweet machine that you will have for many many years. Made very well. If in the future you want to go electric, then you can add the wise tension.

 

[drummerdan]

I would recommend the alpha revo 4000. Pretty sweet machine that you will have for many many years. Made very well. If in the future you want to go electric, then you can add the wise tension.

+1

xxxxxxx

 

[Technatic]

drummerdan :
Originally Posted by jefferson
I would recommend the alpha revo 4000. Pretty sweet machine that you will have for many many years. Made very well. If in the future you want to go electric, then you can add the wise tension.

+1

Hi guys,

I would like to know where this conservatism in the stringing world comes from. A lot of stringers stay with a tool that was invented more than 25 years ago and reject all new developments.

My advise is: If you want to string monos stay away from the lockouts, they can not handle these strings.
The accuracy and consistency is very bad.

With so many strings with so many different elongation properties you need Constant Pull to get accuracy!
Even a bad CP machine (like cheaper electronics) should do better than lock outs.

Please understand: I am not saying that the lock out was a bad thing, I only say that it belongs in a museum now.

There are quite some discussions on this board that illustrate the importance of Constant Pull.

 

[COPEY]

he could, but you really cant trust eagnas machines....

Trust was never a part of his question, and moreover, your statement is flawed. Yes, there are quite a few posts on this board that suggest you should steer clear of Eagnas, but I've also seen posts (more than a few) where people have reported hassle-free, problem-free experiences. I think ddawg put it best when he said you have to understand what it is you're buying. You can't compare the quality and workmanship of an Eagnas to that of a machine by Gamma or Alpha, but it certainly doesn't mean that an Eagnas machine won't do what it's designed to do.

The bottom line is it was posted that he couldn't buy an electronic machine in his price range. I simply posted a link showing the op that he could.

 

[VGP]

My advise is: If you want to string monos stay away from the lockouts, they can not handle these strings.
The accuracy and consistency is very bad.

Can you explain further?

 

[Technatic]

Lock outs and monos.

VGP Quote:
Can you explain further?

The major difference between a lock out and a constant pull tensioner is that the constant pull unit keeps the tension constant during the slow elongation of the string and the lock out does not do that.

This means that the elongation of the string after locking causes a loss of tension in the string, because the string stretches while the lock out tension head stays in the same position.

The loss of tension depends on the elongation specs of the string that you use; a stiff string only looses a little tension and a string with a lot of elongation looses a lot.

The table below shows the elongations of different strings;

- The strings classified in the C1 to C3 are mostly nylons you can see that the maximum difference in total elongation (yellow column) is 1.4 %.
- The strings in C4 are monos and the max difference with the nylons is 2,7 %.
- The bottom 4 strings are also monos which are sold on the market; the maximum difference with the nylons is 7,7 %.these strings stretch 3 times more then the nylons in C2 and C3.

The graphs below show what happens when you tension the different strings:

- The first 2 graphs show a lock out system with monos:
* The upper one with 2,7 % elongation (shown at the left bottom corner), the loss is 10 lbs.
* The second one with 6 %, the loss is13,2 lbs (on 66lbs).

- The second graphs show the lock out with nylons.
* The upper one shows a slow stretching multi with 4,2 % elongation, the loss is of tension is 17,6 lbs.
* The lower one is a stiffer nylon (3,4 %), and the loss is 11 lbs.

- The third graph shows a "Smartweight" dropweight system (automatic dropweight), with a very bad mono, elongation is 8,4 %.
The loss of tension is ZERO.

I hope this explains the difference between a Constant Pull machine and a lock out system in the same price range.

 

[HitItHarder]

Hi guys,

I would like to know where this conservatism in the stringing world comes from. A lot of stringers stay with a tool that was invented more than 25 years ago and reject all new developments.

My advise is: If you want to string monos stay away from the lockouts, they can not handle these strings.
The accuracy and consistency is very bad.

With so many strings with so many different elongation properties you need Constant Pull to get accuracy!
Even a bad CP machine (like cheaper electronics) should do better than lock outs.

Please understand: I am not saying that the lock out was a bad thing, I only say that it belongs in a museum now.

There are quite some discussions on this board that illustrate the importance of Constant Pull.

I recently bought a Revo 4000 and several things went into my reasoning, because essentially I decide between a fixed clamp drop-weight or a fixed clamp crank.

The first thing that was important to me was getting something that would last, and this was the primary reason I opted against a cheaper electronic machine. It appears that a drop weight and a crank have less likelihood of a breakdown then something relying on cheaper electronic components. Also, many of the cheaper electronic machines were simply electric lock out tensioners (not constant pull) so the electronic component really just took the place of a typical crank.

The second consideration was wether I could get a repeatable consistent result with the machine I chose. This means that I can string my three racquets with the same string and end up with the same string bed stiffness. I believe that you can with either a drop weight or a crank so long as you clamp your string using the same time and motion after each pull. If you clamp consitently the same way, then the tension sould be similar on each pull as the elongation occuring would be the same for each pull.

The last consideration is whether being able to accurately say my racquets are at 57lbs justified getting a drop weight over a crank. With a drop weight, I believe you are more likely to pull tension that reflects the reference tension. The drop weight set to 57lbs should be a true 57lbs until the individual tension loss of a string starts to lower it after it is strung. At least you start at the same point each time. With a crank, I don't believe you can accurately say that a crank string job at 57lbs truely is at 57lbs because of the lock out and and tension loss before the clamp.

However, as long as you clamp the same way each time, the tension of the string job is consistent. 57lbs on the crank may mean to true 54lbs, but you can be consistent and it is repeatable. Since I string for myself, I am not worried about having someone bring a racquet to me and saying string this at 57lbs. Therefore, I like the convenience of a crank over a drop weight. Just my preference.

For each string, I can adjust the reference tension each time until I find what is my preference for each kind of string on on my specific machine. The true tension doesn't really matter to me. I know what I like for each string type and I can repeat that result on all of my racquets.

So I don't know that it is fair to say that cranks are obsolete. However, there are definately pluses and minus for both types of machines. Drop weights are a little more time consuming but give you constant pull. Cranks are a little faster and easier for a beginner to use, but your reference tension may not be your true tension. Electronic constant pulls are typically a lot more expensive but you get constant pull and speed and ease of use. As long as what you are getting suits your needs, then I don't think a crank is a bad machine.

 

[VGP]

I hope this explains the difference between a Constant Pull machine and a lock out system in the same price range.

Thanks Technatic. I recall seeing the figures you posted in another thread, but I didn't take the time to internalize it.

Seems to me that post-lockout, about 2-4 seconds the tension stabilizes, albeit a certain percentage below the reference tension.

I've heard about the "add 10%" approach when going from a CP to a lockout machine in setting the reference tension. Less for mids, more for oversizes, but it depends on the string type, clamping time, etc.

When you said previously that the [lockout] machine "cannot handle these strings" in reference to monofilaments, I got the impression that there was more to it than the initial dropoff in tension post-lockout.

Yes, constant pull is best for accuracy, but would you agree that it can be approximated on a lockout by dialing in a few more pounds on a lockout?......

All things being equal, I do like the idea of an automatic dropweight, but since I got my Tenex (Gamma) 4000 at a garage sale for $25 (but added new clamps for another $50) I'm hard pressed at the moment to purchase a new machine.

 

[VGP]

- The third graph shows a "Smartweight" dropweight system (automatic dropweight), with a very bad mono, elongation is 8,4 %.
The loss of tension is ZERO.

I assume you are referring to the type of tensioning mechanism found on current Stringway dropweight machines, right?

 

[Technatic]

I think that the major problems for the lock outs come up when you start to “string on stiffness” which seems to be seldom done in the US but is done very much in Europe because it is so much more logic and easier. You actually work from the result backwards:

You aim at a certain stiffness in the racquet and calculate the tensions for that specific racquet with the Tension Advisor system.
This item comes up in some other discussions on this board.

This means that there must be a good relation between the tension on your machine and the stiffness that you want to realize. INDEPENDENT of the type of string that you use.

It is absolutely impossible to string on stiffness with a lock out!

This means:
A lock out is ok when you string your own racquet and after some racquets you have found the tension that you need for the playability that you like.

BUT as soon as you start to string all kind of racquets with different stringbed sizes and different stringpatterns there is no way you can work accurately to a certain result in stiffness.

Yes, constant pull is best for accuracy, but would you agree that it can be approximated on a lockout by dialing in a few more pounds on a lockout?......

No I not agree, you can compensate “ a little” on a lock out and get the good result:
And how much is a little, 5 lbs, 10 lbs or 15 lbs?
You do not know what you need because it depends on the type of string. It may be 10 % but also 20 %.

All things being equal, I do like the idea of an automatic dropweight, but since I got my Tenex (Gamma) 4000 at a garage sale for $25 (but added new clamps for another $50) I'm hard pressed at the moment to purchase a new machine.

What do you mean?
You mean you can not order an automatic drop weight next Monday but you can order a lock out?????

 

[Technatic]

I assume you are referring to the type of tensioning mechanism found on current Stringway dropweight machines, right?

Yes Stringway has it and Laserfibre "borrowed" it from SW, but he seems vanished.

 

[VGP]

I think that the major problems for the lock outs come up when you start to “string on stiffness” which seems to be seldom done in the US but is done very much in Europe because it is so much more logic and easier. You actually work from the result backwards:

You aim at a certain stiffness in the racquet and calculate the tensions for that specific racquet with the Tension Advisor system.
This item comes up in some other discussions on this board.

This means that there must be a good relation between the tension on your machine and the stiffness that you want to realize. INDEPENDENT of the type of string that you use.

It is absolutely impossible to string on stiffness with a lock out!

I'll keep this in mind should I ever enter the world of professional stringing and/or would like to be able to string on stiffness, but....

A lock out is ok when you string your own racquet and after some racquets you have found the tension that you need for the playability that you like.

This is where I am at the moment. I string for myself with my preferred string type, so....

...you can compensate “ a little” on a lock out and get the good result:
And how much is a little, 5 lbs, 10 lbs or 15 lbs?
You do not know what you need because it depends on the type of string. It may be 10 % but also 20 %.

....I am willing to experiment on my stringjobs and perhaps those for a few friends.

What do you mean?
You mean you can not order an automatic drop weight next Monday but you can order a lock out?????

I could order an automatic dropweight or another machine, but at the moment, am not willing to spend the money since I string for myself on my lockout that I bought last year for $25......which for my needs is fine. Not the best, but fine.

I do appreciate the graphs as it does show the changes in tension with different types of machines and string. I recall from other graphs being able to visualize an electronic constant pull machine adjusting for tension loss over time.

 

[Technatic]

What ever the intention it is nice to learn from each others experience in this way.