Stringing one cross ahead, benefits and the proper way to do it.

[Issle]

This is a personal opinion based on my findings when stringing one ahead. I'm a club player self-stringing, not a stringer.

As per what I've read and what I have figured out myself, when stringing one cross ahead of the one being tensioned you:

1)Can weave faster and easier because the vertical misplacement of the main strings due to crosses weaving is optimal to the weaving process.

2)When tensioning a cross, the mains tend to push it towards the throat of the frame. This is a tension loss side-effect since once the next cross gets weaved, the previous one will straighten up (the push wont be there) and thus lose tension due to different elongation. One-ahead weaving prevents this from happening as it guarantees that your cross being tensioned will be pulled in a straight line and not forced towards the throat by the mains.

There's a side effect I noticed yesterday and it would be nice if the professionals weight in:

When weaving one ahead, if the string is too close to the previous cross (that is being tensioned), the one-ahead cross will notch. That's because the one-ahead is not under tension and it's forced by the weaving (up and down the mains) to bend. The points where it bends (where it touches the mains) tends to notch by the harder mains. The mains are harder because they are under tension. The material that's under tension has higher stiffness by nature. So the loose cross gets notched if it stays for enough seconds under such conditions.

To prevent this from causing notching at the final result of the stringing process, I weave one ahead, but don't pull all the string through the grommet. I pull just enough to allow me toweave and pull the rest later and to get the benefits of the one-ahead weaving. This makes only the 30-40 last cm of the 6.2m of cross string to notch, which is part of the string that will be cut off at the end of the crosses as there's always extra string when you cut about 6.2m of string for the crosses. That way you get both the benefits of the one-ahead stringing while avoiding notching on the parts of the string that will actually end up at the racquet.

Any opinions ?

 

[esgee48]

I string at least one cross ahead. I have not noticed my crosses notching because I always leave slack in the untensioned cross strings. Your cross before you pull tension should be straight. If it curves after you apply tension, straighten it before clamping.

 

[Jster]

I string at least one cross ahead. I have not noticed my crosses notching because I always leave slack in the untensioned cross strings. Your cross before you pull tension should be straight. If it curves after you apply tension, straighten it before clamping.

Max 1 for me. Zero (90% of the time) for the last 2 cross ( assuming I pulled 5.8 metres instead of 6m by mistake. )

 

[struggle]

Never had any notching issues as you speak of (if i'm understanding correctly).

Never heard it mentioned before either (i don't think).

Even if it did, after tensioning those notched would move......AND after that they will notch abit nonetheless, once tensioned.

I've never really known notching to be an issue on crosses as they don't slide on the mains much.

 

[Ryebread]

I stopped weaving ahead after the first few times because I thought it was taking me much longer.
And I had yet to realize the benefits of it.

but then I read this thread. today I tried it again, and I noticed that the crosses stay straight, better. Constant pull machine.

 

[Irvin]

I stopped weaving ahead after the first few times because I thought it was taking me much longer.
And I had yet to realize the benefits of it.

but then I read this thread. today I tried it again, and I noticed that the crosses stay straight, better. Constant pull machine.

It depends a lot on the strings you are using. You want to weave under high strings and over low string to reduce the wear on the string and make it easier to weave. The stiffer and thicker the string is the closer you want the next string to be tensioned up against the last tensioned cross. Also I try to leave only a loop long enough to tension a cross. The more string you pull through on that 1 ahead cross the better. Many people like to leave the tip of the string up where they can grab it faster. That’s harder on the string because you’re pull against more main to cross friction. Harder on the string but it can save you a little time if you yank fast enough.

 

[Steve Huff]

As you pull that last part through, "fan" it--push the untensioned cross away from the tensioned cross as you're pulling it through. You shouldn't get any notching.

 

[Rabbit]

@Steve Huff - fanning has become an automatic learned process for me. One hand pulls, the other pushes string up and then waits for it to come back.

 

[graycrait]

@Rabbit , If one uses Ash Kev mains x Zyex crosses there is no notching, debilitating burning and the bed lasts 4X+ as long as anything else. OK, if one is UTR 9+ maybe fullbed poly is called for with a new string job every 4-10 hrs if the string is not broken in 2-4 hrs. Caveat on this comment: I am day drinking red wine while watching Berrettini v Djokovic

 

[Rabbit]

@graycrait - what I meant to indicate is that I now fan regardless of string or consequence. If the string doesn't notch or burn, no harm no foul. If the string does notch or burn, then fanning is necessary. In either instance, I'm good.

Have another glass on me. I'm debugging code while listening to the match and sneaking a peak every now and again.