tighter tension on tie offs?

[10s99]

I have seen stringers pull slightly tighter tension (2-4) lbs last pull before they tie to account for any tension lost on the tie-off.

Is there a down-side to doing this? Would you all rec. doing it or not?

Thanks for your feedback.

 

[Gaines Hillix]

10s99, there is nothing wrong with raising the tension on the tie-off strings, but it is technically unnecessary. No one is supposed to hit the ball on the tie-off strings anyway. Even the USRSA says it's unnecessary in their stringers guide. However, if you have a customer that insists on pushing around on the strings and perceives that looser outside strings are a problem, by all means raise the tension on those strings. BTW, they will also be tighter if you hold tension on the tie-off knot with your pliers while you are releasing the clamp. Release the clamp first, then the pliers.

 

[David Pavlich]

Gaines is right. It isn't necessary.

Having said that, my machine has a "knot" button, which adds 10% to the reference tension and unless the frame I'm stringing is already at max tension or over, I don't use it. It's not that I think it'll crack the fame, but it might crack the frame (if that makes any sense). It's not my frame, so I don't chance it.

David

 

[Steve Huff]

I usually add 3# unless I'm near the max tension. I have a few guys that ask for me to make sure the outside strings are tight, but mostly, I do it because that's how I learned. Like Gaines and David said, it's really not needed as few people ever hit the ball there.