I just re-activated (strung) an X2 Gold. This time I used Dink's advice and did the cross proportionally: Main 33 lbs Cross 1st and 2nd 33 lbs 3rd and 4th 34 lbs 5th and 6th 35 lbs 7th onward 36 lbs The string was originally BG-65 Ti. Due to breakage at the 4th cross string, I had to use BG-70 Pro to finish the string job. The frame came out okay. The top wasn't that narrow compared to full 36 lbs from top to bottom.
in the Victor 2011 catalogue : - 1st - 5th Cross (from top) : similar to Main - 6th onward up to before last 4 Cross : Main + 2 lbs - last 4 Cross : similar to Main
it is already here boss : http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php/95306-Victor-72-76-80-holes-stringing-pattern
In this last two weeks I strung two racquets at 30 and 31lbs constant tension on a two point support hold down machine, with a little help from my local stringer. To his and my surprise the racquets held down very solidly with no significant flexing of the racquet frame during the process, which is interesting considering the high tension and lack of side supports. What I did which has relation to the proportional tensioning technique is that I first tensioned the centre eight main strings at the desired tension (for eg 31lbs). These centre main strings are located on the frame where the frame is physically held down and supported by the two point supports. Then I dropped down by 2lbs for the remaining side main strings (29lbs). If you average the sum of the centre main string tension (31lbs) and the side main string tension (29lbs), you get a tension which is 1lb lower (30lbs) than the desired tension (31lbs). After that I started the cross strings bottom up with the averaged main string tension (30lbs) for the first five cross strings. Starting at the sixth cross string, I raised the tension back to the desired tension (31lbs) for the remaining cross strings, to finish. The resulting tension on the racquet is very similar in hitting feel and string resonance (ping) to a 30x31lbs string job (overall 31lbs) using an electrical constant pull, six point support machine. The racquet frames also measured exactly the same as the original unstrung frames. I am not sure what the maximum tension is that can be done using this method on a two point hold down machine, although I am guessing that perhaps I would not be doing more than 32lbs overall constant tension. Your comment?
If the point of the proportional method is to get the same dynamic tension/pitch on each string, rather than just reduce frame stress a bit, then a 1 lb drop at 30 lb ref. isn't enough, but the required differential is pretty drastic... On an OSP racket (my TPro, for reference) the outer main is 125 mm. From a centre main of 240 mm @ 30 lb you'd need 15.5 lb on the outside main; NSP is even worse: 238 vs. 116 mm (Arcsaber 008) i.e. 30 vs. 14.5 lb. The top and bottom crosses are just over half as long as the middle cross, so similar figures apply there. If anybody's willing to give these numbers a try, let me know how they play, but I ain't. @Blitzz, dropping the tension on the outer mains will make off-centre hits less jarring and reduce the likelihood of breakage there, but I never bother with that on the mains. However, when going over 28 lb I do "glide in" on the crosses - I did my TPro @ 30 the other day with 28, 28.5, 29, 29.5, 30 to the bottom.
Mark, so you're saying that there is not as much distortion of the racquet frame during stringing of the main strings as compared to the cross strings, especially on a machine lacking side supports (please remember I do not have access to a six point mount machine)? In fact with what I did, I could simply just strung all the main strings at 2lbs lower than the cross "desired" tension, but by stringing the centre eight main strings at the same tension as the cross "desired", I felt that the sweetspot impact feel is as stiff as with a uniform tension strung racquet due to the woven strings there having the same tension. For my case it seems that doing a (for e.g.) 30x31lbs string job gives a better shape than a 29x31lbs one, so I apply the formula I came up with above at the spur of the moment and it seems to work with no hassle. I have a little doubt when doing uniform tension using a two point [only] hold down machine especially when I see the frame become more oval after each strung main string
^^Two-point machines are almost a different species, and require - if you care at all about preserving racket shape - the utmost care; in this case sliding down on the outer mains is probably a good idea.
Going through most of this thread, what I understand to the best of my knowledge is that proportional stringing is best used on 2-pt machines, for medium-high tensions, but the strings will creep eventually and the overall tension would be lower than requested originally (of course strings will sit, but it seems like this method sits faster?). Is this still a valid method? I just bought a stringing machine and am not sure on which stringing technique is currently being used in the current decade.
Since this thread has already been necroed, I don't feel as bad. To my mind, proportional stringing is like pouring water into the left hand side of a cup - it's all going to even out in the end. Just pull everything the same and have done with it.
^Classic! When I first started stringing, I fiddled with extra pounds here and there. But with a 6 pt, I soon realized that careful mounting and careful pulls are what's necessary for a good job. Thanks to all the awesome stringing mentors on BC.
In my opinion, the only use for proportional stringing is to prevent the racket from breaking during stringing or shortly after. If you suspect a racquet wouldn't be able to take 30lbs, you could try proportional stringing to localize the stress on the supports, which reduces the chances of the racket breaking. The end result is a softer stringbed and a larger sweetspot, which can be achieved by reducing the overall tension instead.
This wouldn't really apply to the mains, I don't think - they're all in the same direction, so the stress "vectors" are going to point to 3/9 however much you fiddle with the individual tensions. A stronger case can be made for fading in and fading out on the crosses (if you're using a starting knot, especially).
I haven't analyzed the situation thoroughly, but I'd say the further to the center the force is applied, the higher the chance for the racket is to break. Just like an egg, its's incredibly strong if you apply forces directly at the top/bottom, but the more you move from the center, the easier it breaks. Also, if you were to string only one side of the mains at say 45lbs, it'd probably be the other side that would break and the further the force is to that breakage point, the bigger the stress would be at that point, kind of like a lever principle.
I've thought about doing exactly this. Measure frequency of Middle main and then make strings ping the same. Not sure how I'd manage crosses. I take it no one has tried this yet?? More effort than its worth I'll bet.
I really can't see how this would ever work - you've got one string at 30 and the next at 27... what happens in between? It's like trying to sculpt something out of treacle: you're going to end up with a flat plate of treacle in the end.
I'll start them at 26 depends how much difference the grommets can handle. It would be very subtle difference in feel and not with the effort i imagine. Not saying I've ruled out giving it a go sometime. It would have to be string that's very unforgiving on the misshit - would hope to make it more forgiving but keep the sharpness on good contact. Vs850 starting @ 2lb over what I can comfortably handle??
