teflon tubing

[stapletonj]

I have some plastic tubing, but it is too thick to use, especially in double holes.
I am in the tennis hinterlands where the nearest true tennis shop (or even golf and tennis superstore) is hundreds of miles away.

Teflon tubing is mentioned several times, but I can't seem to find it on any of the Big 3 sites.
Places where it is sold? Am I not using the correct search terms?

Any and all assistance appreciated!

 

[Dags]

Have you tried stretching the stuff you've got? I have to do that for the majority, and sometimes enlarge the grommet too. My stretching technique:

Cut a piece of tubing
Put a piece of scrap string inside
Starting clamp either end
Pull

The scrap string is because when I first started using tubing I had a tendency to overstretch it and could no longer get the string through it. If it's thick string, sometimes it still won't fit into the grommet and hence step two is to enlarge.

 

[SavvyStringer]

I have some plastic tubing, but it is too thick to use, especially in double holes.
I am in the tennis hinterlands where the nearest true tennis shop (or even golf and tennis superstore) is hundreds of miles away.

Teflon tubing is mentioned several times, but I can't seem to find it on any of the Big 3 sites.
Places where it is sold? Am I not using the correct search terms?

Any and all assistance appreciated!

TW sells tubing. It's under stringing --> tools and supplies. A 10' tube is like $5. It'll last a really long time. I think I'm on my second tube in the last like 6-7 years.

 

[10shoe]

I like teflon tubing but I can tell you that it isn't the toughest stuff and not always the ideal solution. Other stringers I have worked with have told me they think it's worthless. It IS getting harder to get, so when I saw a 1000 ft reel of it available on the Bezos website I snatched a reel up. The product was 15 gauge, thin wall, teflon tubing, also known as PTFE tubing. The manufacturer was Zeus. It looks like the stuff I used to get from the tennis supplier that was the retail arm of Gamma Sports, now defunct.
I just contacted Zeus and they suggested for small quantities to try one of their distributors. Here's a link: https://www.zeusinc.com/preferred-distributors/

 

[stapletonj]

TW sells tubing. It's under stringing --> tools and supplies. A 10' tube is like $5. It'll last a really long time. I think I'm on my second tube in the last like 6-7 years.

I just looked and it listed nylon tubing, not teflon. Are they the same thing?

 

[SavvyStringer]

I just looked and it listed nylon tubing, not teflon. Are they the same thing?

Close enough, both will protect the frame and grommets. Honestly when I end up sharing my tubing at tournaments, most of the guys like it better because it's firmer than the teflon and easier to navigate tight grommets.

 

[stapletonj]

Close enough, both will protect the frame and grommets. Honestly when I end up sharing my tubing at tournaments, most of the guys like it better because it's firmer than the teflon and easier to navigate tight grommets.

I wanted to try the teflon because every time I have tried the nylon, it is too thick.

 

[jim e]

Nylon is too thick, that is why I like the Teflon. You can also stretch the Teflon tubing to make even thinner if necessary . Granted replacement of a grommet or replacement of grommet set would be best, but it's not always practical in all situations. I remember once , I had limited time to string a racquet, noticed a split grommet, used a grommet grinder to remove that single grommet, and a small piece of plastic fell inside the frame. Naturally that racquet did not have the trap door on the but cap, so grip and but cap had to come off to shake out that piece. Had to put it in real high gear to finish that one with the time I had .
Now if I have time restraints, I use the Teflon tubes. It's fast and easy.

 

[struggle]

Determining the right size/thickness (as has been marketed previously) is key. Then it shouldn’t be too hard to find? I still have part of coil, but will need some at some point.

I have nylon but much prefer the teflon.

 

[10shoe]

I just looked and it listed nylon tubing, not teflon. Are they the same thing?

No.

I wanted to try the teflon because every time I have tried the nylon, it is too thick.

PTFE Tubing Thin Wall AWG Sizes | Component Supply

PTFE tubing in AWG sizes of various lengths or custom cut pieces. Used in electrical insulation or low friction applications.

componentsupplycompany.com

 

[stapletonj]

No.

PTFE Tubing Thin Wall AWG Sizes | Component Supply

PTFE tubing in AWG sizes of various lengths or custom cut pieces. Used in electrical insulation or low friction applications.

componentsupplycompany.com

YIKES! That's a lot of tubing and a lot of $$$$!!!! Wanna get a few of us together and buy a 100 foot coil and divvy it up 5 ways?

 

[struggle]

Gotta figure out the proper size.

I’ll try to find my calipers and measure. I think I’ve done this before and posted it somewhere, but I don’t have a very good luck with the search engine on this site.

 

[10shoe]

YIKES! That's a lot of tubing and a lot of $$$$!!!! Wanna get a few of us together and buy a 100 foot coil and divvy it up 5 ways?

I found that listing by googling "15 ga thin wall PTFE tubing". You can try it too. Further scrolling found this result: https://www.****.com/itm/333830702481

I think if you go with the auction site listing you should probably select what they refer to as the "T" type. When I put a caliper to the stuff I am using, the outer diameter is roughly 2mm. The inner diameter... 15L nylon fits comfortably. Dimensions are roughly 1.4mm I.D x 2.0mm O.D x .30mm wall thickness.

 

[MAX PLY]

Have you tried stretching the stuff you've got? I have to do that for the majority, and sometimes enlarge the grommet too. My stretching technique:

Cut a piece of tubing
Put a piece of scrap string inside
Starting clamp either end
Pull

The scrap string is because when I first started using tubing I had a tendency to overstretch it and could no longer get the string through it. If it's thick string, sometimes it still won't fit into the grommet and hence step two is to enlarge.

I find this method typically works for me as well. Rarely do I need to enlarge a hole to insert the tubing (and before you enlarge try a little chapstik on the tube as a lubricant). Teflon tubing is already slick but as some have mentioned in this thread, it is not as durable. Good luck.

 

[shug]

Teflon Tubing

 

[Radicalized]

How to get teflon tubing to work????!!!

If I get it thin enough to (barely) fit through the grommet, then the 1.25mm round string won't fit through the teflon tube???

tt.tennis-warehouse.com

@stapletonj

See last post in above.

 

[Radicalized]

Gotta figure out the proper size.

I’ll try to find my calipers and measure. I think I’ve done this before and posted it somewhere, but I don’t have a very good luck with the search engine on this site.

You posted in the above linked thread in September 2023. That one I knew because I found it in my "content" in my account info.

 

[shug]

The YouTube video show's you how to thin out the tubbing.

Teflon Tubing

 

[Radicalized]