So, I could see that this wasn't going perfectly as I was stringing, but it looked like it would do until I tried to force the string (I was using the one string method) into the final hole (A9 or so, can't remember), and eventually resorted to an awl...and the string (predictably) snapped (I was stringing at 24lbs). The picture is after I then cut the strings to avoid any warping - that picture is attached. The even funnier thing is that it was going well while my almost 5 year old son was helping (picture also attached). Which seems to say something about my stringing technique... But I think that my lack of experience aside, the main problem I faced was trying to use a generic pattern, but this racket feels a bit different with a lot of holes close together, so I almost certainly put strings in the wrong places. I searched all over the place for a stringing pattern but was unsuccessful. Can any of you help? Thanks !
That is a single pass through pattern like all the new racquets such as Yonex etc. Fairly easy to do. If you have problems, check the Yonex website for the patern like the Nanospeed 9000 or 9900. If you really get stuck and need it done, send it to me. I can do it for you.
I assume your wonderful son has strung it up to the point where a lot of grommets are bunch together. Anyway, if you can take a cleat picture of where the top part of grommets, we can prob tell you which one to skip. Also, a general rule of thumb for the newer grommet system. The main strings are usually parallel to each other and approx same distance not in an angle.
from my experience, the easiest way to tell is the following. The gap between the strings, unless it's the last 2 main on the side of the racket, it should be the same width. the gromet will tell you which one is single and which one is double. or you can simply count the number of cross/main. I don't think string pattern matter much, as long as you have cover all the holes correctly.
Thanks for all the above. You've given me some good clues there. I'm going to try again tomorrow, and ask my son to keep an eye on me!
a picture of the grommet holes will help. unless carlton is on some drugs, 95% of all the rackets can be done with 1 of 2 pretty standard patterns.
A new pattern can really throw you. I was given a racquet a while back with only 20 mains.. Didn't bother to check first and obviously ran out of holes using a traditinal pattern. Yonex.com have some string patterns that are fairly transferable/useable. P.S. Your a brave man stringing a badminton racquet with a drop weight and only two clamp down positions...
I'll try and get a pic of the grommet holes...but I do also have a (restrung by someone else) Fireblade that I should look at again... The sad thing is that I did the restringing on my Powerblade Tour with no problems (with only two practices beforehand, on a waiting-to-become-fully-broken Superlite). This one just didn't feel right from the get-go in comparison. But I'm not going to give up. I'm finding the Klippermate is OK to use when following their directions to string an up and down before applying tension - and as I say, the Powerblade came out well - better than the factory strings IMHO...
alot of people done it, I've done it myself, it's not like we're putting 30+ pounds on the racket, I only do it at 22/24 or 24/26 max.. the racket takes up to 30 according to the label. Plus there's a few of stringing machine out there for badminton with only 2 holder and drop weight.
And there still seem to be too many grommet holes. My Powerblade has 72 in total whereas this Fireblade has 80. Perhaps I just need to be skipping more holes, because the thing that led to the string snapping was me trying to put a string in a hole that already had a string in it from the mains. I'll post a slightly blurry pic or two of the number of grommets in a moment. My Fireblade that was strung by someone else skips holes at both ends, so only has 21 cross strings, but 22 main strings...
from my understanding, unless the racket is special, it should have 22X 23 (22main 23 cross)... I see it in alot of my rackets from different brands. 80 grommet isn't alot (that comes out to 20X20 if you're doing all single string per grommet)... so that racket has alot of single holes and maybe 4-8 doubles... take a look at this picture, this is how the racket is suppose to look like once you string it up... i would use a pre weave method to get it look like that, you waste like an extra 6' of string but it's worth it to get it right so you know what to do next time. http://www.badmintonalley.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=RACKET-C-FIREBLADE-TOUR
found a better picture, i think it's the same racket. ok you see the gap between the grommets, if it's too close it's a single, there's like 4 double on that racket (which is a little low compare to regular ones) but that makes stringing easier (some what)... with rackets like that you most likely end up with string covering the holes but still easier than the trying to get the string through the doubles.
I think the second racket is a Carlton Elite. The other one *is* a Fireblade. I just need to figure out which holes to skip to make the pattern. The other one I have used the two string method, whereas the one that I was using was the one string method. And the 80 grommet thing is just that it is more than the other Carlton rackets I have (although I don't have my Vapour Trail Tour in front of me). I just don't know which holes are supposed to have a string go in twice. It was all making sense to me until I hit that last hole!
Success (I think)! I went all Luke Skywalker on it and *trusted my feelings*. Unfortunately I got almost done before realizing that I had strung one of the mains that needed a cross string into a grommet hole that would not take both strings. So I took the string a long way out and did the last 2 mains and then successfully restrung the cross strings. I know one part of the string got a little ding in it, so I'm not expecting this restringing to last forever. But I'm glad I got it done. Thank you everyone who gave their advice!
