String: Main/Cross Tension

Discussion in 'Badminton String' started by Toby, Nov 15, 2000.

  1. Toby

    Toby Guest

    I have a little question about the tension of string on a racket
    usually people would say that they string their racket at around 20-25 pounds...
    but does that apply to the cross section or the main section??
    Why would Yonex have recommendation on stringing tension for main and cross?
    What would the person that is doing the stringing do when u said that u want to string your racket at 22 pounds??
    will he do that for both main and cross?
    Thanks
     
  2. jerome

    jerome Guest

    Hello Toby,

    As a certified Yonex stringer. The 22lbs. means that you can string your racket 22lbs on both main and cross. But I recommend you to string your racket 20lbs on the main and 22lbs cross. Why? It's because stringing the racket the same tension on both will add pressure to the main string itself forcing the rackets top strings to cave in more frequently. So by reducing to pressure from the main string will shape the racket correctly when pulled on the cross a little tighter. You will see the shape of the racket form correctly.

    Thanks,
    jerome
     
  3. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    For a while, I tried stringing my graphite racquets 24 mains, 24 cross. It made no difference to the shape of the racquet and I strung them over and over again like this. The shape is still OK despite the "non-standard stringing method".
    I cannot say the same for racquets witha metal head.
     
  4. jerome

    jerome Guest

    Your stringing methods are basically made at your own will. I was just saying of what some of the top players of the world and coaches are recommending. It's basically up to you to make the call.
     
  5. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    did you use the side supports? if you use the side support, it is not neccssary to use higher tension for the cross strings. however, most shops don't use them because they get in the way and slow them down.
     
  6. jerome

    jerome Guest

    I don't use side supports. So I can freely string on whatever tension I want.
     
  7. zhijun

    zhijun Guest

    I believe your are right. Once I forgot to add one
    more pound to the cross after finishing the main
    string, (and I was too lazy to start over), my Ti10
    head because too 'fat' - the head was too wide and
    it became shorter. After using the raquet only
    once, I had to cut the strings, and did the job again.
    I have been using 24/25 Lbs. Maybe I will try 23/25
    to see if the raquet heads will be more beautiful:)

    I am wondering why people use 20/22, because I always
    feel that raquets at that tension level are too soft,
    and the sound is very dull. Do you have any suggestions
    or opinion on this issue?

    By the way, at 24/25 Lbs, the lifetime is very short,
    especially in this cold weather (I have killed three
    strings in the past 2 weeks).
    jerome wrote:
    >
    > Hello Toby,
    >
    > As a certified Yonex stringer. The 22lbs. means that you can
    > string your racket 22lbs on both main and cross. But I
    > recommend you to string your racket 20lbs on the main and 22lbs
    > cross. Why? It's because stringing the racket the same
    > tension on both will add pressure to the main string itself
    > forcing the rackets top strings to cave in more frequently. So
    > by reducing to pressure from the main string will shape the
    > racket correctly when pulled on the cross a little tighter.
    > You will see the shape of the racket form correctly.
    >
    > Thanks,
    > jerome
     
  8. Ricky

    Ricky Regular Member

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    One of the problem is - 22 lbs in shop A doesn't mean the same as 22 lbs in shop B. Even some said that they are using computerized machineries or stuffs like this, I still found that there are significant variation sometimes. As a result, I always try to string my racquets at my favorite shop (which doesn't have computerized machineries at all).
     
  9. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

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    As a non Yonex certified stringer, i say using higher cross tension than main is a poor man way to 'partially' re-shaping a racket. There are so many racket types of different shapes and materials, how do you know what is the optimum main to cross tension ratio for each racket? Yonex and carlton alike didn't conduct any experiment on this. Who is to say 2 lbs difference is a right combination? On some racket i've strung in the 27 to 30 lbs range, yonex stringing procedure don't apply anymore.
     
  10. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

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    ricky, very good observation. Stringing is an art. The computerized stringing machines does, however, help incompetent stringers to overcome some of their mistakes, but can't beat an experienced stringer with an older machine. I have seen many many rackets given to me for restringing because it was strung improperly by big sport shops.
     
  11. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    I used to use side supports but I just tried the same tension Mains and Cross as an experiment and no problems. It helped that I was using affordable racquets at the time so if any "warping" of the head occurred, it wasn;t a big deal.

    Cooler and Ricky have good statements:
    I myself don;t trust a computer controlled stringing machine. However, we have no evidence that any one method is more consistent than another.

    Machines vary from shop to shop.
    Stringing techniques vary as well - for the low tensions (arbitarily 23lbs and less) using the 2lbs more tension for the cross is OK. How about at the high tension, (27lbs or more)? A lot of stringers will pull the strings at the sweet spot at the higher tension but the more peripheral strings will be pulled at a couple of pounds less.

    I would be interested to know if Jerome does this technique if asked to string a racquet at >27lbs.

    Thanks
     
  12. jerome

    jerome Guest

    True! But, what is the lifespan of your strings before you break it? I have researched this stringing methods for years and have ask some of the top players in the world of how they like their rackets stringed. And they have concluded that certain players have different stringing methods than others. However, you do not have to bash wether I'm a certified stringer or not. I do not appreciate such a remark. I am here to help not to be judged by you. Thank you!

    jerome
     
  13. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    jerome,

    i think in his post, cooler meant that *he* is a non-certified stringer, he wasn't try to say whether you are or not...

    btw, i have strung my own racket every now and then, with varying success. what are the secrets to it stringing a good racket?
     
  14. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

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    It's nice to see this forum is so active and house many contributors. As for jerome remark about me bashing him, no thanks, i have no inclination to do that. If my previous post came across that way, well, it wasn't meant to. I also don't doubt u r a yonex certified stringer. Since i'm not a certified yonex stringer, i wouldn't know what yonex teaches anyway, but that doesn't mean there isn''t other and better way to string a racket. You said yourself that top players have their personal preference on stringing which is perfectly true. However, most pro players are good in playing badminton but not stringing their rackets.

    On your question about lifespan of my stringing, it depends on what tension the clients had specified, and they how long to expect. They also expect me to restring their rackets the next time, that's how long.
     
  15. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

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    kwun, thanks for the support.

    Secret of stringing a good racket is easy**. The trick is doing good stringing on a bad (cheapo) racket.

    ** Easy but still difficult to put it in words



    cooler
     

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