Last night I strung one of my friend's racquets, a HL-8800 "Dragon", with BG-85 at 28x29 (his request). I strung it using a 1-piece ATW pattern and, after I got done, I noticed that the racquet was warped ever so slightly three dimensionally. It's a little hard to explain. The 2D shape was perfect, but if I laid the head on a flat surface, one bottom corner was off by a couple of mm's. I could also see it if I looked down the shaft. All right, no problem. I cut it and re-did it again using a BG-85 and the same 1-piece pattern. This time I got to the last cross and I was so intent on making sure I didn't cross the string in the grommet and on the outside of the racquet when I tied the final knot that I went ahead and tied it WITHOUT TENSIONING THE FINAL CROSS FIRST!!! Great, that's 2 BG-85s in the bin and I still haven't strung his racquet. Lucky for me he's OOT and not around to play, anyway. What's your worst mistake to date?
Doh! Usually, I pre-string all the mains off the machine before tensioning, but one time, was doing an experiment to see if a pre-string on the machine was significantly easier. That time, between the two center mains, wasn't paying attention and strung the string around the frame clamp. Finished the entire racket, (beautifully done might I add) all the mains and crosses, before realizing that the racket had been tied to the machine.
I string on a ms200tt, worst mistake was a couple times i didn't tighten the hlod down all the way...... but my racket never budged, i cut it anways, and i string AROUND the post a couple times..... i hate that. other then that stringing badminton rackets have been fun and easy
Maybe I made too many, especially in earlier days, can't really remember how things happened. More like always forgot lil details here and there, then... :crying:
i have quite a few when i first started. but these 4 tops them all: - cut the wrong length, realized at the end of the cross that i am 3 cross strings too short.. - mounted the racket wrong - this is a dumb one, didnt' look at the 12 o'clock marker, and mounted one hole off. - over tighten the top cross string. the top cross are so short that very little pull is needed to get it into the correct tension, don't try to press the weight down. i have cracked a racket that way - 4/8 o'clock support for slim frames. when strining a slim (ie. weak frame) racket, make sure you use the 4/8 o'clock support. there are a lot of outward pressure on that part of the frame when you are tensioning the cross from the top down, some weak slim frames may not be able to take that stress.
The top-down cross string places tremendously amount of outward pressure at the 4 & 8 o'clock area. It's like a projectile entering and exiting a solid object. During the exit phrase, the frame is pushed outward , momentarily.
Done that. Haven't started, though. Had that "something's off" feeling, double-checked the mount and found out that it is off. I've never used a dropweight, but I read in another stringing board that in addition to pressing down on the weight---despite of the name---you're not suppose to drop it that it bounces either. That could put double or triple of the amount of tension on the string and racquet. I've been wondering about this, is it better to string the crosses from the throat to the head for badminton racquets? Some stringers I know claim that doing that maintains the shape of the racquet better. Makes it less of an egg shape. But, the MRT and USRSA tester who taught me said that the head area of a racquet is much weaker than the throat and more prone to breaking. Then again, we were practicing with a tennis racquet when he told me that. Is it also the case with badminton racquets? What's your opinion on this one?
This is the safest if you use a 2-point machine, but you end up with a weaker tie-off knot instead of a starting knot.
the benefit of having a balanced racket shape and symmetrically balanced tension outweighs the possbility of a weaker tie-off knot. best is to learn how to tie a knot properly and get the best of both worlds.
1- weave 2 adjacent cross in the same pattern 2- pinched a pack of bg 85 with a starting clamp 3- with a tennis racquet, i made a wierd knot and it untie :crying:
Unlike in Tolkien, I don't think there is one rule to string them all. For tennis, some manufacturers specify top-down or bottom-up. Some do not specify. For badminton, Yonex specify top-down, 2-piece. (for oval and iso) All the oval Carlton racquets I've seen have come pre-strung bottom-up and 1-piece. (I haven't seen the new Carlton iso head yet)
This problem could be reduced (not completly solved) by add another 2-3 lb of tension, when u tension the last crosses (same as the last mains).
Ok, my experiences are sort of similar to Kwun's. The ones I remembered are: 1. Cut the string when trying to loose the string reel (lucky, just a single pack). So, a pack of BG85 smoked in 2 sec. :crying: 2. Started main diagnally, instead of vertically, due to mis-counting. 3. String piece is too short (always a pain to string prince Y shape rackets, with low tension) to pull tension or tie off. 4. Forgot to increase by 2 lb on cross, then have to cut the string right after the process is done.
About a month ago I completed stringing one of my rackets at 4am. I was very tired and sleepy. I went to cut the excess string on the last knot and heard "ting". I thought, "Hmmmm, 'ting' didn't sound right. Oh whatever, I'm so tired I must be hearing things." Then I went to straighten out the strings and noticed the main string... Moral of the story: never string rackets at 4am.
I was borrowing the machine in sports experts in White Rock and noticed that my frame was "not happy" Let the tension off - then realized I had set the dial based on metric units - so the "21" I had on the setting was actaully over 30 lbs Things is that was the second time - first time was at the GP about two months ealier and I broke the procae I had bought from Cooler. Hey, I are intelligent, no one ever said I be smart...
