Recently I used my friend's crank machine (Easy 3) to string a couple of badminton racquets and decided to buy one for myself. I like the crank tension system for its speed but it seems the drop weight machine is less expensive. I am temping to buy a Flex 740 but not sure how slower it will be to string a racquet using the drop-weight tension system. The other reason to get Flex 740 is to string tennis racquet too. I think I will keep the swirl tennis clamp for starting clamp purpose for both tennis and badminton, remembering people using tennis clamp for starting clamp. Is this possible? Also I plan to buy two badminton flying clamps. How slow it will be using a drop-weight compared with crank?
Once you get used to the machine, the time you can save on a crank machine is limited when compare to a drop weight machine (15-20 min at most). Unless you going into business, and doing 10+ rackets per day, I don't think it's going to make any significant difference, if more likely to be personal usage. Plus, constant pulling is a big advantage for drop weight machine.
LB, Thanks for replying. I just want to string my own racquets and 15-20 minutes seems OK to me. Anyone knows whether I can use the tennis swivel clamps for badminton starting clamps . I will buy two floating badminton clamps but don't want to pay $80 for two badminton swivel clamps (Eagnas).
FYI, no, you can not use Eagnas tennis swivel clamp for badminton. It will slip. I will suggest you to buy 2 additional wide Eagnas badminton clamps and one small one when you order your machine. They are ok for up to 25lb. If you live in So Cal, go to the store and inspect the wide clamp before you buy it, those wide clamp has QC problem sometime (can be fixed by yourself). Small clamp is to clamp the last 2 strings if you srting 1 piece or strat from buttom.
Thank you. I was just thinking use the tennis clamp at the very begining and maybe at hole 10-12 (thinking about puting something in between to hold the badminton string) and then use two badminton floating clamps for the rest of the jobs. Is the small clamp you mentioned the starting clamp? Can it be used as the fixed clamp for the first main?
as it is for personal use then i don't see the need in you needing to save an extra 15mins, but i would question the accuracy of the drop-wieght. you won't get the an acurate tension with a drop wieght as a crank... but the constant pull could make up for it.
Exactly the opposite way. Unless gravity changes, drop weight is always more accurate than crank (need calibration).
If you have money, go with 2 PN-1007 and swap it between tennis and badminton. If money is an issue, get 2 PN-3050. I string racquet up to 27lb easily with 2 of these. Get a PN-3091 for clamping he 2 top strings. I persoanlly don't like to use strating clamp. It scratch frame if you are careful. Use strting Pin method. If you need the instruction on how to use starting pin, PM me your email address and I will email it to you.
Why you don't string some racket on a Drop weight machine, your own experience will help you take better decision on which machine. General speaking, with Crank machine will be 44 crank (speed and precision). with drop weight no less than 88 balancing the weights (slow). Constant pull is no a problem, with practice will achieve the same constant pull job.
Anyway to string a racquet with just 2 flying clamps and a start pin without any fixed clamps? I heard that a start pin can be used as the start for the main, but can it also be used when string goes from T12 to T10 where a flying clamp won't work?
Yes, you can. It works better with low tension than high tension, as just 2 flying clamps might suffer some tension lose in high tension job (especially main). It's better to get another 1 or 2 flying clamps, to help with the job quality. For the last 2 pieces of main, you can simply tension them in 1 shot, just give a bit more time to let the weight/rod to settle and to be leveled. Re-adjust if necessary.
This solves my final confusion for the main. As for the starting of the cross, sould I also string the first two in one shot or is there a better way to do it without fixed clamp. Thanks!
Depend. If the tension is not too high (imo <22lb) it is ok to pull first 2 strings when you tide the starting knot. You can also use the starting pin method and strat from from the middle of the racquet and you will get a better and even tension at the end. Try both methods after you get your machine.
I never tried to string the cross from the center but it does seem like I can use start pin this way. I will try this. Thanks again!
