i was just rephrasing some points of others for peter. I'm not pro or against any method just as long as u know what ur going.
A racquet strung at very high tension will snap a string from one hard mishit at the top. A lower tensioned string can get away with it. The string that breaks from a mishit is a main string at the top which is above the first cross string. It breaks because it is in an area of 'you-are-on-your own' where the main strings have no support from the cross strings. A lower tensioned first cross string at the top doesn't help. It only helps if the crosses can fill up all the void at the top. You will notice that the void at the throat end is even larger, but it gets away because nobody hits it there. The top part is always more important than the lower part, the lower it goes the lesser it's role. If you don't want your strings to pop from mishits, you can either go for high tension + no mishits, or go lower tension and do what you want.
All I said is all of the above. I don't quite understand what Jug8man and Cooler are saying in response.
Ahh sorry for the confusion on this 1 (#2)... should read even after the initial 10% increase from the start of the crosses.
The 10% + 10% for the last cross works to a certain extent. For AT-800 and NS racquets, the extra 10% increase in tension for the last cross is not enough because the untensioned knot string has a longer distance. Here is another way that you might consider if you have lots of time. Try to attach a very thin but very strong string to the untensioned knot string, on the outside of the frame. Pull both cross string and thin string into and out of the knot grommet. Now tension the thin string. Next, tie the finishing knot on the cross string. This method should eliminate much of the tension loss.
I'm starting to get used to doing 2-piece bottom-up. I can complete the mains in about 15 minutes, including prestretching and measuring the string, which is about par with the pros at the WC whom I observed. But, I lose a lot of time on the crosses. Even when there's no snags, kinks, etc., it still takes me about 30 minutes to finish just the cross. And I can't figure out where I lose the extra 15 minutes compared to the pros. I've made sure I don't lose the end by keeping it between my lips; I weave one ahead, though may not be as quick as the pros. As much as I want to think so, I don't think the fact that I use a crank and they used an electronic make up for the additional 15 minutes. Primarily because a local long-time stringer I know can finish one using the same pattern on his old Ektelon glide-bar crank in about 30 minutes. And that's including dealing with snags and switching the glide-bars around. Is it just a matter of speed and efficiency of movement? Something that only improves with hundreds of completed frames?
Eh, the shared grommets substantially slow things down. Lots of shops use the awl for the speed reason .
You can ask the pros to use a 6-point machine, without disabling the 4 side supports, and without using the awl. It will be interesting to find out how long it will take them.
OK, boys and girls. Here is the proper way to use dental floss. (for stringing, not for your teeth) 1) Get a dental floss and a needle. (Guys, ak your wife or girl friend first or go out and buy one your self.) 2) Thread the floss through the needle and tide a knot near the end. 3) Insert the needle through the shared hole. (Be very careful, do not pierce the main with the needle.) 4) Insert a short end of the string into the dental floss loop and pull the floss. 5) Pull the floss through the hole and the string with it. Do not use regular sawing thread because they break after few uses.I will suggest bend the needle so it is a little bit curved. It will be easier to insert the needle through the shared hole.
No matter how careful you are, a sewing needle has a very sharp point, much sharper than even the sharpest awl, and you could knick the string and/or grommet. The dental floss will go through almost any shared grommet, irrespective of size, without any other aid except your hand. And it has no sharp points or edge to knick or bruise your string or grommet.
Thanks for the detailed info but isn't it easier to just pre-string the racket and avoid this? I pre-string the racket when I'm waiting for a court. It's so much easier.
Good points, definitely be very careful with a sewing needle. You can also dull the sewing needle point a bit.
Extreme Case There is a time when one has to use a sewing needle to indirectly insert the tooth floss. The safest way to insert a sewing needle is to use the non-sharp end . The thread hole end of a sewing needle is very smooth and has the least chance of damaging the main string. Here is the instruction: (1) Insert a sewing thread into the sewing needle; (2) Hold the ends of the sewing threads and tie a knot; (3) Use a piler to grasp the sewing threads and sewing needle; (4) Insert sewing needle and sewing threads into the shared grommet; (5) Once the rounded needle end comes out of the shared grommet, use another needle or your fingers to pull out a bit of the sewing threads; (6) Insert the looped floss into the sewing thread knot; (7) Now pull the sewing threads and sewing needle out completely until a small loop of tooth floss out; (8) Insert baddie string into tooth floss loop. BINGO!!! I hope everyone understand my poor explanation :crying: :crying: :crying: .
For yor info, I actually cut off the tip of the the needle and took about 30 min to make it a dull so it is rounded head. Yes, with patience and TIME, you can use dental floss without any aid. However, this is just a way to save 10~15 sec every time. For another improved method, take a longer piece of floss. (about 45 cm or 1.5 feet in length) Tide the knot in the middle. You need to insert one of split end of floss through the shared groment. This single floss will act as a guide just like a needle and it has no chance of damage string. I hope people will find this a safer solution than the needle method earlier. PS. I will not write a post in the middle of the night. It was stupid of me for doing that last night.
I use 10 cm of tooth floss. Make one end into a loop and insert the unlooped end into the shared grommets. Hey, I never try cutting off the sharp tip and grind it smooth . BTW, I use a very small sewing thread needle. Tooth floss can not even fit into the thread hole.
Hi Pete, I suggest using longer floss because it is easier to tie a knot and make a secure, bigger loop. If 10 cm floss is good for you, more floss for you to use after a good dinner. I was lucky to have a needle that works. I just feel it is easier to use a dull needle because it is easier to pick upper or lower to avoid cross string. I stated to ask your wife or girlfriend (some lucky guy might have both) for permission to use the needle because I did cut off the tip of my wife's needle and took over the possession after I was done... PS: Have a nice weekend
New Stringer Tool. Anyone familiar with this new toy? http://www.flare-it.com I just tried one out. It's a very simple tool and works quite well in repairing some "mashed up" grommets and creating flared ends on new replacements. I've always wondered how I'd recreate those flared ends when I have to replace them. Now I can.
