When people ask you to string their rackets at 24 lbs, do you do 24x26? I understand that crosses should normally be done higher than mains but should I only do it if they specifically request that? Thanks
i used to have my racket strung at 24x24 (for 7 years). Now I have it strung at 23x25 (just 5 months). It seems pretty good.
For higher tensions (eg, 27+), I think you might want to ask them if they want the extra 2 lbs, since you can assume they have played badminton for several years and know something about the extra 2 lbs.
My opinion is, don't do it unless they approve of it, which means you have to ask them first if that's what you want to do. 1. Person A asks you to string 24lbs, and you string 24x24lbs. Perfectly ok. 2. Person B asks you to string 24lbs, and you string 24x26lbs and IF something goes wrong (racket warp, crack etc etc) you are left with a moral dilemma. Are you going to admit that you went 26lbs on the cross? Even if the extra 2lbs may not be the cause of the warp/break etc, there is still a moral obligation for you to disclose it. 3. Person C asks you to string 24x26lbs, you string that. Perfectly ok. There may very well be advantages of going extra 2lbs on the cross, and if that's how you like to string rackets, ask before doing it.
If you notice no deformation at 24x24, string this way. If the rackets are slightly longer -> string +1 or +2 lbs on cross until no deformation occurs after stringing. This means no additional forces deform the racket ->safest en best situation for the frame. Very few clients notice the difference between 24x24 and 23x25, only you can tell when removing the frame from the machine. =>Trial and error until best setup is found
As a user of the racket (ie, as a client), is it better for me to have 23x25 instead of 24x24? or does it depend on the shape of the racket? I use Li Ning G Force Lite 3000 and BG-66UM..
If you know the client's preference, use that. If you don't know, ask them, and use that. If they don't know, take "X lbs" to be the cross tension, and use whatever mains tension results in the racket coming out undeformed with your machine.
I've never understood this kind of logic. If someone asks for 24lb, why does 26lb even enter your thought process. Surely the options should be 24x24 or 22x24 depending on your machine since 24x26 (and 23x25) will be tighter than '24lb'!?
Each stringer has his preferences, beliefs and setup. When someone asks me to string 24lbs, I string at 24x26 lbs unless they really specify 24x24 lbs. Why ? Because +10% on crosses has always kinda been a standard. Everyone has different reasons to think it's better or not (preserves frame shape, evens the tension because of friction, feels better, etc, etc, etc). I personally believe that +10% on crosses is better and feels better and 99% of people wouldnt even know what we're talking about when asking "24x26 ?". No one is going to notice or know that you did it. They only might notice (rarely) that it feels different. My advice would be to do what you prefer, as long as you always do it.
If they ask for "24lbs" and you string 24x26, you give back a racket with string bed at 26lbs. Correct?That's not what was asked for.
Depends whether they're thinking "24 minimum" or "24 maximum". For the record, I agree with you - if somebody asks for X lb, X should be the highest number that comes into play.
Let's push this then. If you want exactly 26lbs, then I should measure how much tension is lost from friction on the crosses and make sure the resulting tension when pulling crosses is 26 lbs, then it'll be exactly 26lbs My whole point is that for multiple factors, I think +10% on crosses is better, feels better and is probably more accurate. So there's no way I'll intentionally "gimp" 90% of my customers because they don't know that crosses should be strung 10% higher. If you're one of those that know exactly what you want, then it is your job to tell the stringer what you want. Else, let him do his job and what he thinks feels best and if you don't like it, either switch stringer or ask for something specific next time.
^ True, that's why I always stick to one or two stringers that I know well their handiwork . But iirc, from the cross +10% thread, when someone asks for 24lbs, the stringer would do 22x24lbs not 24x26lbs.
Yeah I remember reading that too, I just didn't agree Feels right to me to do 24x26, because if you factor friction with mains on the cross tension (26), it should result to something closer to 24, so it kinda becomes something like 24x24 minus grommet friction. That's in my head though, maybe cross tension with friction factored is far from 24. And even if it's exactly 24, nothing says that "24 lbs" has to be the resulting tension instead of simply the tension you set your machine at.
Well...as long as you as a stringer is consistent in your method and produce a lively stringbed with a reproducible dominant frequency, then that is all that is important.
unless specifically told...I have always interpreted "24 lbs" as 23x25.3 lbs instead of 22x24.2 (i see this as 23 lbs when i string) or 24x26.4 (i see this as 25 lbs when i string). Although this is not exact i let my new clients know how i interpret their specified tension.
chances are your 23x25,5 isnt the same as most other stringers' 23x25,5 anyways. Most important thing at this point is to offer consistency to your customers.