Stringing Machine

How often you will string? What's ur usual tension range? If say, no more than 2 per day, and 25lb or below, a decent 2 point drop weight machine can very well handle the job. This type of machine costs between US$100-200 range, but you might need to consider the extra shipping / duty charges.

 

Hi Brian

All of the answers are to be found right now if you do a search & read up what lots of BC members have experienced in the past.

Happy Searching !

RAMADA77

 

Shuttle Express is very good one. US $350
http://www.alphatennis.com/badminmachine.html
Eagnas => pool quality

 

Make sure count in S&H (machine is heavy) and possible duty (unless shopping within CAN) charges as well.

 

The Prince Neo 1000 is a very good 4-point spring tention machine. It has about over a $1000 price tag for this machine. The local store which I go get my rackets stringed up, uses this machine mainly for badminton.

http://www.princetennis.com/product/product_detail.asp?categoryID=143&Product=765

 

Nope, but if you want it to consider it, do as you wish. The machine is very reliable. You could look up the reviews as well.

 

No, not true, as both the Eagnas ST200 and the Shuttle Express are 6-points machines. However both machines are suspension mounting machines, meaning that the two polar points do not play any part in securing the racquet and preventing it from distortion.
The Eagnas ST-250 is identical to the Shuttle Express but heavier and more solid. The ST-200 has 'C' mounts instead of V-shaped mounts. 'C' mounts are better in preventing distortion from extremely high tensions but they are slower than the ST-200 and Shuttle Express because their 'C' mounts get in the way that V-shaped mounts don't.
Also the Shuttle Express's two legs do get a bit loose from the constant dismantling. I used to own a Shuttle Express but gave it away.

 

So which stringing machine are you using now?

 

A qualified yes, provided it is not much more expensive than the Shuttle Express and that portability is not required. The Shuttle Express and the ST-250 are badminton-only machines (a very good thing) and are almost 99% similar in the important parts that are required for stringing. The Shuttle Express is , however, lighter because it is built for easy assembling and dismantling, which is great if you want to take it to a badminton venue to do stringing on the spot.
However, both machines come with only two floating clamps, which are not good enough for high tension stringing or even high quality low tension stringing, and neither machine comes with a starting clamp, which is necessary for these two machines.
Please note that the V-shaped supports of both machines will still distort, albeit slightly, if strung to very high tensions. You don't get this problem with the more messy ST-200 or Easy-3 with their 'C' mounts. This is because the V-shaped supports only prevent outward distortions but not inwards. The 'C' mounts or supports prevent distortion both ways but are are pain sometimes when they get in your way.

 

This is a tipical scale from Eagna lock off machine.
The ranges between 20 to 26 Lb has only one at middle = 23 Lb.
Hard to set quickly to 21, 22, 24, 25 ... when you have to set one tension to main and other to cross strings. (main=22; cross=24)
Each turn of the adjustment screw will increase or decrease by 1 Kg. not Lb.

Shuttle Express only has Lb. The screw will adjust 1 lb each turn.

ST-200, ST-250 or Easy-3 with case will past US $350.

 

No, not true on all Eagnas badminton-only machines, which actually have 'two' scales, one as shown above in 3lbs markings on the main scale, the second fine scale goes down to 1/2lb. If you turn the smaller fine scale in between the 1/2lbs markers you can even get down to 1/4lb or 1/8lb.
The Eagnas scales go up to 50lbs whereas the Shuttle Express goes up to about 32lbs if my memory is correct, the difference is due to the smaller and lighter tensioner of the Shutter Express. I think the Shutter Express weighs about 8kg whereas the Eagnas is at least 50% heavier.