technique question - lock turntable on pulls? weaves?

[stapletonj]

Hey all! I have been stringing more and more (maybe 1 a week or so)

I have hit a wall, I think, at about 30-35 minutes from the 1st main pull to tying off the last cross.

I have used the turntable lock for knots and perhaps for the bottom cross push through.

I weave crosses pushing with 1 hand over the stringbed and one hand under. (One ahead of course)

preweave the top 3 crosses usually with a starting clamp, tie off at the end.

I have a gamma electronic.

My question: I figure having the turntable lock on when pulling tension on crosses is not the best idea unless it is a perfectly straight pull (which it rarely is PERFECTLY) (?)

But, should I engage the turntable lock when weaving to keep it in place and I can kind of push harder on the weave to gain speed?
Are the seconds lost while reaching down to flip that little switch more than made up by being able to push or pull the weave more quickly and accurately?

 

[esgee48]

When doing crosses, I push the loose end thru a grommet so I don’t have to search for it. As for turntable lock, I don’t use it unless the racquet requires it such as O ports. I think you’re fine at your timing.

 

[Irvin]

I never use the turntable lock.

 

[ichaseballs]

lock after finishing in order to straighten strings.

 

[am1899]

But, should I engage the turntable lock when weaving to keep it in place and I can kind of push harder on the weave to gain speed?
Are the seconds lost while reaching down to flip that little switch more than made up by being able to push or pull the weave more quickly and accurately?

Could try it I suppose and find out.

For me, I couldn’t be bothered though.

 

[cks]

I have hit a wall, I think, at about 30-35 minutes from the 1st main pull to tying off the last cross.

Home stringer here. My best time is 24 minutes from 1st pull to tying off the last cross. Would love to get under 20 someday. I guess I just need more reps.

I weave crosses pushing with 1 hand over the stringbed and one hand under. (One ahead of course)

I started with the pushing my weaves, but now I use the pull method for weaving crosses.

But, should I engage the turntable lock when weaving to keep it in place and I can kind of push harder on the weave to gain speed?

I don't locked the turntable when weaving crosses.

 

[struggle]

My turntable lock is only used when the machine isn’t.

Your time is fine. Trying to intentionally trim stringing time for a home stringer isn’t really necessary and could sacrifice quality.

 

[PRS]

The only times I have ever used a table lock were with the prince o-port racquets, pulling the first few crosses. Outside of that, I never use it.

 

[stapletonj]

thanks all!

 

[lidoazndiabloboi]

Hey all! I have been stringing more and more (maybe 1 a week or so)

I have hit a wall, I think, at about 30-35 minutes from the 1st main pull to tying off the last cross.

I have used the turntable lock for knots and perhaps for the bottom cross push through.

I weave crosses pushing with 1 hand over the stringbed and one hand under. (One ahead of course)

preweave the top 3 crosses usually with a starting clamp, tie off at the end.

I have a gamma electronic.

My question: I figure having the turntable lock on when pulling tension on crosses is not the best idea unless it is a perfectly straight pull (which it rarely is PERFECTLY) (?)

But, should I engage the turntable lock when weaving to keep it in place and I can kind of push harder on the weave to gain speed?
Are the seconds lost while reaching down to flip that little switch more than made up by being able to push or pull the weave more quickly and accurately?

i've never used the turntable lock for the weaving aspect. The more you string, the more you will feel what is the best angle to place the racket to weave smoothly. There are also times where i might lean towards the racket/turntable to us my body to support and keep it from turning, but that is situational.

 

[diredesire]

I'm (apparently) in a minority that thinks a healthy degree of table drag is preferred when weaving. I think most turntable designs freewheel too much, and I end up having to hold the frame from rotating with a hooked finger on my bottom hand. @Wes showed me on his newer Gamma machine that there's a set screw that can be used for this purpose. I have no idea what the mechanism is, though. If it's just the screw then I wouldn't love using it, but if there's a small brake-like pad it's pushing, I'd definitely be cranking it down a bit.

Edit: With that said, I don't bother engaging the brake when stringing because on my machine it's in an inconvenient location. If you had a simple switch like the Gamma geared designs, I'd actually guess over long periods of time, the locking would work out to be marginally faster. It's a bit of a pfaff to actually bother with it, though.

 

[am1899]

It's a bit of a pfaff to actually bother with it, though.

Yeah my thoughts exactly.

Everyone is different though of course.

 

[Irvin]

I'm (apparently) in a minority that thinks a healthy degree of table drag is preferred when weaving.

That puts us both in the minority then. I guess I got spoiled on my Babolat. When I moved to the Tourna the first thing I did was call Tourna to see if I could dampen the turntable. I ended up just resting my torso against the frame while weaving the crosses.

 

[Cobra Tennis]

The only times I have ever used a table lock were with the prince o-port racquets, pulling the first few crosses. Outside of that, I never use it.

So glad those O-Port racquetsa are pretty much gone.strung a many of them, but never wanted to.

 

[esgee48]

I still see them one in a while. TW still sells the O3 Legacy 110/120 series and once in a Blue Moon, I see something else with ports.

 

[fritzhimself]

I always had the turntable locked on my Prince 6000 when I was weaving the cross strings and I still do that on my Head 3300.
I can string a 16/19 in 16-17 minutes without haste.
The automatic locking mechanism is also always active during the tensioning process.
I would miss this if I had a machine without this feature.

 

[dr325i]

I have the Auto lock enabled on my 3600, but that is off when weaving.
My best for 16x19 is 17 min., on average I do 20-22 min with a sip of wine every 5th row or so...

 

[Rabbit]

When I began using the Mighty Sensor, it took a bit of an adjustment to keep from chasing the turntable while weaving crosses. I guess I unconsciously made the adjustment cause it’s not a problem any more. Ergo I wouldn’t lock the turntable on a new machine.

 

[thenewbig3]

When I got my used machine it had more table drag and it was not an issue. But after 40 or so stringing the table drag went away and the table would spin on my diagonal weaves. I changed my weaving technique (by pulling a little string in advance and re-initiating the weave to reduce friction) and also changed the weave angle slightly and the table no longer spins when weaving.

 

[WYK]

That puts us both in the minority then. I guess I got spoiled on my Babolat. When I moved to the Tourna the first thing I did was call Tourna to see if I could dampen the turntable. I ended up just resting my torso against the frame while weaving the crosses.

The clutch on my comet ever so slightly engages even when released. At first it bothered me, but now I am used to it dampening the table some.

 

[LocNetMonster]

So glad those O-Port racquetsa are pretty much gone.strung a many of them, but never wanted to.

I get a pair every three weeks to restring. I get one or two a year from high schoolers who found one in the garage.

 

[jim e]

So glad those O-Port racquetsa are pretty much gone.strung a many of them, but never wanted to.

I still get a few every so often. They are easy enough to string. I don't care for the speedport ones, as the throat section is only a replaceable grommet that is not supported by the actual frame. Over time I have seen players come in with the string pulled right through the grommet on that throat piece, especially on the Speedport Red. And naturally that grommet is no longer available. Before I string a Speedport now, I let the player know about that flaw as if it pulls through when I string it, they are aware of that issue, even though it hasn't happened to me yet. I do put the so called power pads on those throat grommets to help minimize it.
Other than that issue , they are simple to string, as I just lock the brake on the angled pulls.

 

[Phriapatius]

I only use the lock when I move the machine between rooms on caster wheels.