Stringing w Gamma x-2 - not matching reference tension at completion

[Jamieson27]

Hi all, i have been stringing my raquets for almost a year - recently i've switched to a poly main/syn gut cross hybrid for my Pure Strike 16x19s.
I am finding that the stringbed tension (tested post strining on raquettune) is no where near the expected given my reference tensions i am using on the dropweight (52 mains/56 cross)

I am watching for any slippage in teh clamps and not seeing any; there is slight movement when i lift the drop to release the string for the next main/cross but is that enough cumulatively to drop tension to the mid 40s (45ish) at completion?

I didnt have the same issue string fb multi or syn gut so wondering if i am doing something wrong with the poly?

Thanks for any help.

PS i have cleaned the clamps and grip mechanism per Gamma after contacting them.

 

[eah123]

What poly are you using? Many softer polys like Volkl cyclone tour will continue to elongate after clamping, so you need to prestretch or wait longer before clamping. If it doesn’t affect the player, I wouldn’t worry about it, or just increase reference tension by 5#.

 

[Jamieson27]

I recently strung mains with RPM Rough and Diadem solstice black - i did notice the DW continue to drop slowly once tensioned so i waited for it to stop then retensioned (gripping the ratchet) etc.
As a reference my Solstice black/Wilson Syn gut power was strung at 52 main poly/56 cross syn gut and the raquettune came out at 45lbs (strung yesterday). Played 1.5 hour match last night on it and measured it this morning on raquettune at 39.5lbs. It will be a struggle to control the power and trajectory at these and any lower levels (i realize it will prbably stop losing tension soon)

Ideally ~50lbs +/-2 in the stringbed after full tension loss would be acceptable.

I don't want to pull the poly over 52 lbs as dont want to potentially stretch it further - perhaps I try lowering it to 50 to reduce potential stretching?

 

[struggle]

String factor in RT could be the issue?

I don’t like RT for “absolute” accuracy. It’s fine for tracking relative tension loss over time.

IMO, if you’re trying to be accurate, use DT and an instrument like ERT-300, if you can find one….

 

[Irvin]

@Jamieson27 if you clamp is falling after you remove tension you clamp is slipping. You could try using 2 clamps to string the crosses? Are you using a hybrid string setup In RacquetTune?

 

[Jamieson27]

@Jamieson27 if you clamp is falling after you remove tension you clamp is slipping. You could try using 2 clamps to string the crosses? Are you using a hybrid string setup In RacquetTune?

Hi Irvin thanks yes RT is set up as hybrid - the DW arm is continuing to fall beyond parallel then I ratchet it back to horizontal (where it holds) - when i move the arm up (to remove the string) the clamp (and string does come in about 1/4-1/2 cm from the frame - i have not been able to stop this despite having the clamps set very tight - and i do use two clamps for mains and crosses

Thakns for any assistance - wondering if it is the slickness of the poly/syn gut

 

[Irvin]

Hi Irvin thanks yes RT is set up as hybrid - the DW arm is continuing to fall beyond parallel then I ratchet it back to horizontal (where it holds) - when i move the arm up (to remove the string) the clamp (and string does come in about 1/4-1/2 cm from the frame - i have not been able to stop this despite having the clamps set very tight - and i do use two clamps for mains and crosses

Thakns for any assistance - wondering if it is the slickness of the poly/syn gut

Your clamps are slipping, clean them very good. I’ve found composite clamps need to be much more that metal clamps.

 

[LOBALOT]

I agree with others here about making sure you have correct string factors and the exact surface area plugged into RT. Even then as others have noted I would use it as a comparison tool. If RT says 45 and you like it you are all set. Go with it. If the next time you string it with the same settings and you get 40 you know you messed something up.

 

[struggle]

I disagree with Irvin (gasp). He said in the OP that the clamps aren't slipping. They are twisting as any floating clamps tend to do, it seems.

In theory, the next pull corrects that (for the most part). It's essentially "drawback" just like we have with fixed clamps, but to a larger
degree. Nothing new...

 

[Irvin]

Hi Irvin thanks yes RT is set up as hybrid - the DW arm is continuing to fall beyond parallel then I ratchet it back to horizontal (where it holds) - when i move the arm up (to remove the string) the clamp (and string does come in about 1/4-1/2 cm from the frame - i have not been able to stop this despite having the clamps set very tight - and i do use two clamps for mains and crosses

Thakns for any assistance - wondering if it is the slickness of the poly/syn gut

If you’re using 2 clamps to string you crosses, I can’t imagine how the DW arm could fall when you move the clamp. Seems like the far clamp (which is closer to the DW tensioner) would hold tension on the string. For the DW arm to fall, a loss of tension must pass the clamp that isn’t being removed. That means the string must slip through the clamp as though the clamp isn’t even there. Can you confirm that it is does not make sense.

EDIT: Unless you’re talking about the DW arm only falling when you move the clamp on a main where there is only 1 clamp per side.

 

[Rabbit]

I disagree with Irvin (gasp). He said in the OP that the clamps aren't slipping. They are twisting as any floating clamps tend to do, it seems.

In theory, the next pull corrects that (for the most part). It's essentially "drawback" just like we have with fixed clamps, but to a larger
degree. Nothing new...

Amen.

 

[Jamieson27]

If you’re using 2 clamps to string you crosses, I can’t imagine how the DW arm could fall when you move the clamp. Seems like the far clamp (which is closer to the DW tensioner) would hold tension on the string. For the DW arm to fall, a loss of tension must pass the clamp that isn’t being removed. That means the string must slip through the clamp as though the clamp isn’t even there. Can you confirm that it is does not make sense.

EDIT: Unless you’re talking about the DW arm only falling when you move the clamp on a main where there is only 1 clamp per side.

Thanks for your reply. When i am stringing my corsses i tenison a string then place the clamp. Weave the next - then tension that string and place the second clamp. there are always 2 clmaps in the bed. When i make my next weave and tension the string i move the clamp down from above - which was tensioning the first string.

 

[Jamieson27]

Thaks all for your replies - i did just string a fb of Multifeel 16 - had tension set at 55 and RT came out at 53lbs! so much better result -
I did a few things different - Better knots (double knots to strat and close), Pulled string taut before tensioning mains/crosses, did 3mains one side, then 3 other then back forth till finished - normally i was doing one side complete then the other (maybe totally wrong!).

On my crosses - i placed the clamps differently so they were mainly residing in the bed rather than all the way to the edge of my raquet - ON the strike there is a huges gap between the mains at teh edge - i did notice that the clamp was being pulled into the bed in the prior stringings - perhaps stretching the bed.

I cleaned the clamps and the ratchet wiht rubbing alcohol - seemed to help with grip - though i admit i have done some ghosting marks by likely clamping too tight this round.

Really appreacite all teh replies - if anythign i did above in the changes may have been the culprit for a better tensioning let me know. Could be i just suck at knots on poly and really slippery syn gut.

 

[Irvin]

Thanks for your reply. When i am stringing my corsses i tenison a string then place the clamp. Weave the next - then tension that string and place the second clamp. there are always 2 clmaps in the bed. When i make my next weave and tension the string i move the clamp down from above - which was tensioning the first string.

I understand that but is the DW arm falling when you move the clamp?

 

[Rabbit]

Thaks all for your replies - i did just string a fb of Multifeel 16 - had tension set at 55 and RT came out at 53lbs! so much better result -
I did a few things different - Better knots (double knots to strat and close), Pulled string taut before tensioning mains/crosses, did 3mains one side, then 3 other then back forth till finished - normally i was doing one side complete then the other (maybe totally wrong!).

On my crosses - i placed the clamps differently so they were mainly residing in the bed rather than all the way to the edge of my raquet - ON the strike there is a huges gap between the mains at teh edge - i did notice that the clamp was being pulled into the bed in the prior stringings - perhaps stretching the bed.

I cleaned the clamps and the ratchet wiht rubbing alcohol - seemed to help with grip - though i admit i have done some ghosting marks by likely clamping too tight this round.

Really appreacite all teh replies - if anythign i did above in the changes may have been the culprit for a better tensioning let me know. Could be i just suck at knots on poly and really slippery syn gut.

If you're getting a reading of 53 after stringing at reference of 55, you've got no issue. Flying clamps inherently have more tension loss than fixed clamps. I would encourage you to focus more on the feel of the string bed when playing rather than what Racquet Tune gives you. All things being equal, you'll gravitate to the number on your machine that feels right to you. From there, you can produce string jobs that are right for you.

I remember when I had a drop weight, I would do one side then the other. It wasn't until I moved off of one that I did two mains a side. The best remedy for any perceived deficiency in stringing is repetition and it sounds like you're well on your way to not only learning the lesson, but producing good stringing results from it.

Good luck!

 

[Jamieson27]

If you're getting a reading of 53 after stringing at reference of 55, you've got no issue. Flying clamps inherently have more tension loss than fixed clamps. I would encourage you to focus more on the feel of the string bed when playing rather than what Racquet Tune gives you. All things being equal, you'll gravitate to the number on your machine that feels right to you. From there, you can produce string jobs that are right for you.

I remember when I had a drop weight, I would do one side then the other. It wasn't until I moved off of one that I did two mains a side. The best remedy for any perceived deficiency in stringing is repetition and it sounds like you're well on your way to not only learning the lesson, but producing good stringing results from it.

Good luck!

Thanks for the encouraging words - trying a few things differently and the advice here has been great. Really appreciate it.
And i agree wholly that RT is not the be all end all. How it plays for my stlye is what ultimately matters.

Cheers.

 

[Jamieson27]

I understand that but is the DW arm falling when you move the clamp?

It has done that at the beginning on mains but not on crosses. only the first couple of strings - i usually set up with one clamp in the middle to top (given i start there on a strike) tension a main then clamp it - so it is very possible there was some slipping through the clamp but it tendss to dissapear when there are more strings tensioned. There are always two clamps on the raquet bed moving from top to bottom. The cleaning did seem to help on the full bed of Multifeel so i wonder if i am just wrongly stringing teh poly and its stretching too much.

 

[esgee48]

53# when shooting for 55# is pretty good. That means only a very few tweaks are required to get another pound of tension. Just make sure that clamp drawback is pulled out on the next pull and that frictional losses are minimized. If you release the clamp and the tension bar drops, you are removing drawback. Clamp and relevel the bar. Ideally, the bar should not move. If you have to relevel a lot, let the bar come to a rest one click above horizontal rather than at horizontal. Do this also for crosses when you move the string down/up [a few times].

 

[Irvin]

It has done that at the beginning on mains but not on crosses. only the first couple of strings - i usually set up with one clamp in the middle to top (given i start there on a strike) tension a main then clamp it - so it is very possible there was some slipping through the clamp but it tendss to dissapear when there are more strings tensioned. There are always two clamps on the raquet bed moving from top to bottom. The cleaning did seem to help on the full bed of Multifeel so i wonder if i am just wrongly stringing teh poly and its stretching too much.

That’s understandable. When stringing the mains there will be some drawback when you clamp the mains And the tension drops. The next main you pull on that side will not pull out that lost tension so I try to always stop tensioning my main with the DW bar on the high side of level knowing the bar will drop slightly. Then when the bar fall you won’t have to tension again with no clamp. If you find you do have to tension clamp first because when you lift the bar it’s almost impossible to hold reference tension just holding the drum with your hand. An extra clamp would help so you can use 2 clamp on a side when stringing a main.

I still can’t figure out why you’re dropping so much tension with your poly mains. Sounds to me like you have an inaccurate string factor with the poly string. If it feels ok play on and don’t worry about it.

 

[riddick]

What poly are you using? Many softer polys like Volkl cyclone tour will continue to elongate after clamping, so you need to prestretch or wait longer before clamping. If it doesn’t affect the player, I wouldn’t worry about it, or just increase reference tension by 5#.

Right answer

 

[Jamieson27]

Final update: Thanks to everyone who posted here. I made various adjustments to how I was stringing and it appears I have solved the issue. I recently strung a hybrid job on my Pure Strike using Head Lynx Tour 17g in mains with Gamma Syn gut 17g in crosses. I strung Lynx at 47lbs and Gamma at 52lbs. Raquettune (purely indication) came out at 50.7 at end so I would say that was a massive success for me. I tend to use raquettune more for measuring tension loss after stringing over time.

What changed?
1. I alternated stringing mains vs doing one side in full then the other
2. better knots (two loops then through and taut)
3. double clamping my crosses in the string bed vs a single on the outside to avoid stretching/puishing in on the poly mains from the outside

Don't know if any of these contributed but with everyones help and comments i was able to get a good stringbed tension. Thanks all!