Need stringing help!

[BobbyGeneric]

Hi all, I just got a Klippermate M140 Badminton stringing machine and this is both my first stringing machine and using it was my first time ever actually stringing a racquet myself. I bought it after seeing that people here had recommended it as a good, cheap first stringing machine. For those that don't know it, it is a drop weight 2-point machine, however from my experience seems to be quite a good quality one!

At first I started out with a cheapo $10 racquet for practice. I strung it at a relatively low tension and the head was a little distorted but other than that it was fine, I then restrung it at 23/25 and it was fine altough the racquet head was quite distorted to a more circular shape. This was completely understandable though as this racquet couldn't come close to realistically holding that much tension normally since it had a steel head. It was probably designed for about 14-15lbs tension!

Anyways so I considered this a success and moved on to my MP99 but as I still have next to no experience stringing to be on the safe side I strung it as carefully as possible and only at 18lbs on the mains and 20lbs on the crosses. Everything went okay but after stringing the mains the racquet head went somewhat more circular, as I think it should on a 2-point machine, but after doing the cross strings at 20lbs, it didn't seem to revert much more to it's more natural ISO head shape. After stringing I compared it to my other MP99 that had strung on a professional 6-point electronic machine at 22/24 and comparing the vertical middle of the head of the racquets, the one I strung was about 1cm wider on either side. Afraid for my racquet, as I definitely don't want this to break, I cut the strings and will try again after some advice.

Sorry for the long read but if anyone has any suggestions as to what I may have done wrong or what else I might try, I'm all ears! Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

One last thing for those whom have bought this machine in the past: It appears that Klipper has listened and now includes a leather-ish material on the grippers so that they should grip better.

[Nick]

bobbygeneric what you might want to do is when your stringing. String the mains at 18 and the cross at 21. You'll notice that the frame of the racquet will pretty much revert to the original shape.

Hope this helps.

[LazyBuddy]

Originally posted by Nick
bobbygeneric what you might want to do is when your stringing. String the mains at 18 and the cross at 21. You'll notice that the frame of the racquet will pretty much revert to the original shape.

Hope this helps.

I am not sure whether it is the case.

Here are my thoughts:

1. Make sure ur convert the chart into "baminton tension". The machine was original designed for tennis racket, therefore, whatever being listed on the scale are for using tennis weight, and if u using baminton weight, u need to use the little chart to convert. i.e. 65 = 22lb, etc

2. Did u dis-mount the racket after strung the main? Never do that. Never dis-mount the racket unless u strung both main and cross.

3. If the 1st 2 don't apply, u might consider put a little bit extra "force" when u first mount the racket. What I mean is, over-stretch the racket a little bit (main direction) when u mount it. Be carefuly, don't put too much force. For me, I will have the 6 o'clock just against the lower support pole, and let the 12o'clock barely sitting on the edge of the little black piece (compare to the large brown supporting pieces). Therefore, once u screw down the knob, u will feel the racket being "stretched" a little bit. Be careful with it, if u don't feel confident, don't overpush for it. If possible, u can put both of ur hand on the 2, 10 o'clock position, and ask someone else to tighten the knob. To me, this seems provide a little bit more balanced force on teh racket.

4. 1cm is not accpetable. But if just off by 2, 3mm, u should not worry too much. Each racket is different, even the same brand/model.

5. My suggestion is still to run more tests on cheap rackets. Demo does not need to be 23, 25 lb. 18, 20 on demo is good enough. Overall, u need to get the feeling, but not the max tension. Do demo more, as soon as u get the good shape, u can move on.

6. MP99 is still too pricy and risky (consider it's known to be fragile) for the 1st real "run". If possible, use a cheaper all graphite racket, such as lower end cab, mp rackets, etc.

[LazyBuddy]

sorry about double post.

[BobbyGeneric]

thanks for the replies, when I wanted to string the crosses starting from the top the gripper for the frame was in the way somewhat so I *did* dismount the racquet! Oops!

Also I will try what LB said about overstretching the racquet a little bit first, and also I will probably try it with a cheaper racquet first as you had recommended. I'll let you know how it goes!

[LazyBuddy]

Originally posted by BobbyGeneric
thanks for the replies, when I wanted to string the crosses starting from the top the gripper for the frame was in the way somewhat so I *did* dismount the racquet! Oops!

Also I will try what LB said about overstretching the racquet a little bit first, and also I will probably try it with a cheaper racquet first as you had recommended. I'll let you know how it goes!

So, u did dismount the racket... Never do that again.

I can understand, sometimes, it's hard to see the tiny gromment when u string the top ones. An alternate choice (instead of dismount racket) is to use the flash light / lamp on the side. This way, u can see the "hole" much easier.

For the stretch issue, I am not sure whether it's a good suggestion at this moment. Maybe u still can do it, without over strech it (but make sure racket frame are closely agains the poles). For my own expereince, if u over strecth it, u might need to add 1.5 for cross. If not, u might need to add a little bit more, like 2-2.5? for cross.

However, it's hard to just tell a number. U need to try several times, and once u get ur own "feeling", u go. ;)

[BobbyGeneric]

well today i strung a cheaper racquet, making absolutely sure NOT to loosen the grippers until finished stringing and as well i put the racquet on the very edge of the black plastic part on the gripper, with the top being *right* flush with it, as opposed to before where i had just put them somewhere around the middle of the gripper. i strung the cheaper racquet at 18/20lbs as recommended and it turned out great! i was amazed at just how much difference there was between when i first strung it and this time.

after some lectures i came back home and proceeded to make another attempt at my mp99 at 19/21lbs, using the new techniques, and it worked out great, after stringing i compared it to my other mp99 and it was nearly identical, very little difference at all in the head shape, perhaps 1-2mm on either side, though without seeing them together i couldn't see the difference.

thanks for the help! another thing i noticed is that i got a few of the klipper overgrips to try out, i put some on a couple of my racquets and they seem very sticky and like they'd give some good grip! i'm curious to see if they'll last reasonably long as well but i think they're probably better than the yonex grap i mostly use

[Pecheur]

Originally posted by BobbyGeneric
thanks for the replies, when I wanted to string the crosses starting from the top the gripper for the frame was in the way somewhat so I *did* dismount the racquet! Oops!


Did anyone else cringe when they read this? Also when he said he made the MP 99 more circular *sobs*

[Nick]

Yeap lazybuddy is right. In anycase each racquet does have particular gives and takes when it comes to stringing. If you can get a membership with the USRSA. They have alot of important information about each racquet.

Nick

[LazyBuddy]

Originally posted by BobbyGeneric
i strung the cheaper racquet at 18/20lbs as recommended and it turned out great! i was amazed at just how much difference there was between when i first strung it and this time.

after some lectures i came back home and proceeded to make another attempt at my mp99 at 19/21lbs, using the new techniques, and it worked out great, after stringing i compared it to my other mp99 and it was nearly identical, very little difference at all in the head shape, perhaps 1-2mm on either side, though without seeing them together i couldn't see the difference.


Good to know.

Just apply several more tries on the cheap racket using low tensions. Once u feel like to increase the tension, always use the cheap one for the "1st demo". I am sure after several tries, u should get more used to it, and start to enjoy the progress.

To me, anything less than 24 lbs should be safe with this machine (assume the racket is in good condition), anything above that might be a little bit risky though.

[david14700]

I'm glad it worked out for you.

I've got the same machine and I like it a lot too. Being able to string your own rackets is a lot of fun and you get more satisfaction from doing a good job.

You might want to see a professional stringer doing a racket so you can see all the correct techniques. I had a friend show me and it made a big difference because the instruction booklet that comes with the machines is not great.

A good tip for the Klippermate, when you do the cross strings, start in the middle (you have to count the holes so you know which two holes are dead center) and work outwards, just as you do with the main strings. If you start from the top, you'll see some bulging at the bottom half of the head as you string downwards towards the T-joint.

Best of luck

[BobbyGeneric]

Originally posted by david14700
I'm glad it worked out for you.

I've got the same machine and I like it a lot too. Being able to string your own rackets is a lot of fun and you get more satisfaction from doing a good job.

You might want to see a professional stringer doing a racket so you can see all the correct techniques. I had a friend show me and it made a big difference because the instruction booklet that comes with the machines is not great.

A good tip for the Klippermate, when you do the cross strings, start in the middle (you have to count the holes so you know which two holes are dead center) and work outwards, just as you do with the main strings. If you start from the top, you'll see some bulging at the bottom half of the head as you string downwards towards the T-joint.

Best of luck

that sounds like a good idea as i do certainly notice some bulging in the bottom of the racquet as i string down, i may try it out next racquet i do. i thought of that but wasn't sure it would be safe as there aren't supports at the sides like there are for the top and bottom when you're doing the mains, so i thought it might cause too much stress along the sides at the middle. have you tried this and found it to be safer though?

[LazyBuddy]

Originally posted by BobbyGeneric
i thought of that but wasn't sure it would be safe as there aren't supports at the sides like there are for the top and bottom when you're doing the mains, so i thought it might cause too much stress along the sides at the middle.

That's exactly what I thought before.

With no support in the middle horizontally, I was afraid it will further more provide "un-balanced" force to the racket, especially for higher tension. Unlike the main, which has the supports at the spot with longest distance (middle), the cross does not have any supports anywhere. It might be a risk as well.

[david14700]

I understand what you mean, but so far, there's been no problem with additional stress on the head. I do various rackets at high tensions, but the last one I did was a MP99 at 28 lbs, near the limit of the machine's weight. I did an old Carlton racket with an oval head at over 29 lbs as a test (of the machine more than the racket) and it was fine, though it doesn't play too well - but it's a crappy racket with a cheap string!

When you first do the mains, the two supports stop the head from caving in under the tension. But once you've done the mains, then the main strings themselves act to support the racket against the tension from the cross strings, holding the frame inwards as the cross strings put outward pressure on the top and bottom of the frame. Think of the mains as trying to push the sides of the racket head out, and the cross strings as trying to push the top and bottom of the racket head outwards. What you need is for these two tensions to be in balance, so there is no overall stress on the head.

When you do the cross strings, it makes no difference to stress levels on the frame whether you start at one end of the head or the middle. But for each cross string you do, you'll see the sides come in a fraction more. So if you start from the top and work down, it causes that funny bulge at the bottom, which can't be good for the racket, and you'll notice it doesn't play that well when it's finished.

If you start the cross strings in the middle and do alternate strings, one up, one down, and work outwards, the head stays in perfect shape.

Recently, I've been experimenting with proportional tension stringing and leaving out the second string from bottom. I've strung a few of my own rackets like that, and I'm waiting for the season to start so I can try them out. I may lend some to my team mates for feed back as well.

[Cheung]

lucky the MP99 can survive such trauma. Other rackets may not be so forgiving:)

[LazyBuddy]

Originally posted by david14700

So if you start from the top and work down, it causes that funny bulge at the bottom, which can't be good for the racket, and you'll notice it doesn't play that well when it's finished.



Does not play well? It still the same piece of string, after a while of hard hitting, I assume the tension will be "pulled" to be even. Why it could not be "play well"?

I agree with ur point of view in general, and somehow, I think that will be a better choice for ISO head rackets (more even shape for top and bottom). Still holding on some question marks for OVAL head though.