It has been a while since I made a video. After the failure a couple of days ago, I managed to make a complete video with no major screwups. Personally, the past few years has been pretty low volume with stringing. Partly due to lack of playing, and also I managed to teach my wife so she now handles all her own and the kids' stringing, which is around 2 per week. There have been times where I don't even need to touch the machine for span of weeks. The past few months I started picking up more jobs from friends. That gave me a bit more time on the machine and brain and fingers more tuned to stringing. After the failure with the AX99, the wife needed her racket strung so I volunteered to string for her. The flow is nothing special, just the quickest and least in complexity. Honestly I have been so busy I have had much free brain cells to think about stringing like I used to. Hope to fix that in the near future. Clients seems to like the result so this is what I have been doing. Overall, I am happy with the video, although I must admit that the camera being on there is more pressure and less smooth as a result. And there were a couple of flaws as a result which I am sure you guys will spot. In terms of speed, I was a bit surprised to see 18min 37sec. Perhaps a bit rushed, I will try to slow down and be a bit smoother next time. My usual speed is around 20-21min when everything goes smoothly. Comments welcome and hope this won't get sent to this thread.
Smooth as silk. A joy to watch. Interesting sequence transitioning from mains to the crosses. That’s always the point I feel most uncomfortable going 2-piece. I’ve been doing it the @kakinami way so far, but I will try your version next time. And I’ve just noticed that I’m always using both hands on the clamp/base for the unclamp-clamping move.
I think I learned the transition from sensei @kakinami . He must have evolved since. As for 1vs2 hands for the clamp. I think 2 hands is faster. I tried doing it but my dumb fingers cannot handle operating the clamps while holding onto the string end at the same time.
Nice flow! Really impressed by the accuracy of your movements... Seems to be slow, but the final time is impressive! (I would have just began the first crosses by the time you have the whole racket stringed ). I note that your tensioning sequence of the first mains is not symetrical (thread-tension for the left mains and tension-thread for the right ones).
Thanks. And finally someone noticed the mains start. Usually I do it symmetric. I think a combination of this is the first thing I did after I woke up (coz the wife need it for lunch games), and that there is a camera running made me make that mistake. Yeah. I was happy with the time. But the flow didn't look smooth. Next time I will tape in the evening to see if that makes a difference.
Nice video. As mentioned very smooth workflow. What I don't like is: -your start of the mains (tensioned by hand. Look how the string is not going straight through the clamps. At least pull both strings with the Wise together and then use your workflow with fixed clamp and flying clamp and pull each individually). -pulled last 2 crosses together, but I guess that this is personel preferance. -please don't stick the awl in the grommets (at 13:40). My eyes are bleeding But anyway nice video
Kwun, what happened to this? And for starting crosses, shouldn't clamp be at the other end of the 2nd cross and then 2nd cross be pulled again?
Guilty as charged. I should practice what I preach. Not sure what you mean regarding the 2nd cross. Elaborate?
What I meant is after pulling the first 2 crosses together, I clamp at the far end of the 2nd cross and then re-pull so somewhat regain the tension loss due to double pulling. I thought seeing you did that before but it's probably my mistake.
Re 2nd cross. Im not sure if that'll help. It's already constant pull and pulling it twice in theory shouldn't add much. Furthermore string was massaged and left there while knots are tied and 3rd cross was weaved. Should be plenty of tensioning time. It still won't get the 1st cross to full tension but that's never a goal.
Wow!! I saw that awl go in too and I cringed! Don't you use a string mover? I use my awl as a string mover =) Sent from my LG-US998 using Tapatalk
Awl is fine as long as it is done properly. 1) I use the Gamma awl, which has a finer tip than the Yonex one. Yonex awl is more appropriate for tennis while Gamma is more appropriate for badminton. The fine tip means it goes around the main string easily while opening a pathway for the cross string. 2) Technique is important here. Insertion has to be done in an angle instead of just jamming it in. Awl is my default method once using barehands fails. I have done hundreds of it without any issue. I used to use the stringmover, was even an advocate of it. However, for the last main the angle is too tight and sometimes trying to use the stringmover there means a pretty drastic bend on the main string and I'd cringe thinking the resultant increase in tension might snap the mains. Furthermore, one has to be very careful with the stringmover as it might mar the inner surface of the frame.
Yeah, I never use an awl inside the grommet, but I do use it instead of an extra piece of string to nudge a grommet-blocking string. It just feels weird to me to push it in, worry I might break a string! I use the string mover a lot, though. Never broke a string with that (or have breaks in that area), yet.. You pushed me to finally record one myself, thanks for that!
I am bit scared of using the awl to move string out of covered grommet. I never feel there is enough grip/leverage to not slip and damage the string. Can you show a video how you do it?
