Always anchored - never had a starting knot sink (or a main snap) even with a 32+ single pull. The key is to make it big, but without increasing the friction on the anchor main, I found.
I haven't experienced that yet. Always use 4 times Gudgeons knot and anchor my starting knot, even with Aerobite (boost) at 32 lbs. But I double pull the first two crosses (twice for that matters). I just tried the unanchored starting knot like Tim Willis (the right one, next to a anchored Gudgeons), but only twisted the loop 2 times. BG80 at 32 lbs. A bit small, but doesn't seem to sink any further and looks like it will hold it. Aesthetically I don't like that the tail isn't flush against the frame. I also tried this with Aerosonic and twisted the loop 4 times, but it's hard to get a nice compact and bulky knot this way. It's more like a stretched, thin and ugly knot. So I decided to cut the end and just anchor it with a Gudgeons knot. Maybe with more practice you can get a nice knot when twisting the loop multiple times.
Well, here it is! In this video Halim explains his finishing knots and starting knot. Finishing knots seem to be a Gudgeons, except going 2 times through the created loops. Maybe same one as @ucantseeme? Starting knot looks the same, only going 3 times through the created loops. All anchored. Looks quite good to me, except for the tail not flush against the frame. But that's just aesthetics. BTW, here's the video clip where Tim Willis does the unanchored starting knot.
Nah, he just make the gudgeon in a different way as finisching knot. If there were 2 loops through the created loops, he need to tighten both loops seperately, otherwise he won't be able to pull the slack out and the knot would slide on the main. This would result in a bad finishing knot. The starting knot is the same as mine from #30 and just an update due strings get thinner and thinner from my 2 loop version which I shared here back in 2016. In 2016 there was no Aerosonic and Kizuna. I was first.
His is a reverse Gudgeon Knot, his 2nd loop is in front of his first and he goes from shaft to head instead of head to shaft. His tail is away from the frame instead of laying next to the frame like the Gudgeon Knot. He made a video for me explaining his knots.
There's a different thing I've noticed in the video. He has the racket almost at chest height there which is clearly the highest setup I've seen. Out of curiousity - how high have you guys set up your machines normally? My OCD is sitting in the shower in fetal curl, silently rocking back and forth while tears are streaming down its face.
I like my machine with my mounting arms maybe level with the crease bend of my elbows, so my arms are slightly bent with my arms. Sent from my LG-US998 using Tapatalk
The arms of my machine are at the same height as my elbow joint. So a weave the strings with a close 90° bend arm. I had also thoughts to lower my machine a bit, but didn't find the spot yet to keep my back upright and straight.
That's where I have mine as well. I was thinking thought about raising it a bit to see if I can keep a more upright position overall. Especially after doing 2 or more jobs in a row, I can really feel my upper back afterwards. Question is if it won't result in similar issues with neck/shoulder area when I have to basically lift the elbows and arms higher than before. I think I simply have to go for a test to get a feel for it.
The more you raise, the more you need to bend the elbow and wrist of the arm which weaves the cross above the stringbed. I'm prone to tendinitis and nerve issues of my right arm, so raising would bring for me only disadvantages.
I tried to make a video of my new method =) I think 1 minute and 10 seconds searching for my cross =(
