I just did my first racket on a Pro's Pro Challenger III which was delivered today. (Very fast! 2 days after my payment arrived!) I payed 170 euro's for the Challenger III (±245 dollars). Pictures below : I also did my first racket on it (and my first ever). It took me about 2 hours to complete this... What do you guys think of this 4-knot stringing job? It's done at 20lbs (9kg).
whats the difference between the challanger 2 and 3? i have... 2 i think... the one with the clamp on the pivot of the arm. racket looks nice,hard to tell in photos. but you messed up the 3rd cross from the bottom
I see it now too! As you can see... the 3th bottom cross is exactly the same as the 2th bottom cross. So I have to redo it today.
Well, I'm very surprised by the machine... Everything was packed very well. The machine needs some configuration at the beginning because some of the inbus screws are too loose or too tighten. It took me 15 minutes to get the badminton weight removed from the tennis weight! As more said on this forum, a Pro's Pro does not include a manual. So you have to rely on other sources if it is your first time stringing. At first I had problems with a slipping string on the clamp of the arm. But by rotating the clamp the string fits perfectly. You also have to adjust the screws of the fixed clambs before using them. When well configured they do not slip nor damage your string! The 6 point mounting system works very well. And I had no drawbacks on it! I think it's similar to the one of the Alpha Pioneer DC Plus. I did this racket only with the fixed clambs, but it slows you down and you might loose some tension. That's why I'm going to get some flying Yonex clambs. As I said, I'm very satisfied with this machine. I'm going to take more pictures of the machine in use very soon!
Let me clarify. The drawback I am referring to is the movement of the badminton fixed clamps after you release the string from the tensioner. Swivel clamps have more drawbacks than glide bar clamps in general.
Sorry for the misunderstanding But the fixed clamps are doing well in general. When doing the crosses I didn't see any movement of the clamps after releasing the string from the tensioner. But when I was doing the mains, I could notice a very small movement of one of the clamps, but it was only approx. 1mm and only from time to time. I think it's just happening when I do not lock them strong enough. I'll watch it closely when I do my next racket!
The only difference I can see is the string gripper: on the 2 it's a linear bearing, while on the 3 it's a wind-around. Neither has the ratchet mechanism found on the 1.
may I suggest you straighten the crosses a little bit more before clamping off. I have an electronic constant pull which makes this a fairly simple procedure for me, not sure how this would affect a drop weight. Never used a drop wieght machine before but I suppose its possible the arm will go beyond horizontal if your not carefull. Regards Gary
Yeah, that's the problem at first sight of the racket....not straight crosses...Take a look at Dink's video in youtube, you can see how he straightened every cross. It's a simple work, but it will make your racket look much better. By the way, I am also new to string a racket. I started last weekends and have done a few cheap old rackets, one of which is exactly the same as your this Carlton...even that we have chips at same places. Before ordering the machine, I learned a lot from this forum and had done some rackets in imagination. This sort of preparation really helps. Now I am feeling good at stringing. Really good.
I know the crosses are not that straight... but I was a little in a hurry when doing the crosses... It became a little late in the night I learned also alot from this forum and also from a few people I know who string for a long time now. But they never wanted to teach me stringing because they are afraid loosing clients! This week I'm going to do another few test rackets. But I found the Cartlon harder to string then another racket because of the very very small grommets!
your knots are lovely and tidy. Especially for a beginner. I've seen rackets strung by very experienced stringers that looks fat and horrible.
Thanks for the compliment! But it's the way I like the knots to be! I just did another racket. It took me about 1 hour this time and I took the effort to straighten the crosses. I also think there is no error in it and the tensioning is much better this time. It's strung at 10kg(22lbs) and I only had the problem that my for the mains, my string was a few cm's too short to get it strung. But I had a 'clever' workaround for it. I think I'm going to take a little longer string next time. Here the pictures of my second racket I strung, a Victor Challenger TI70. (Don't mind the scratch on top of the racket... It's damaged by a precious stringer but I got a new one repaid for that, though this one is still usable for training and stringing practising).
Sorry to see the scratch. That look nasty. Did you start the cross from the throat and worked towards the head?
No, quite the opposite - Yonex always specifies crossing from throat to head nowadays, so it shouldn't be much of an issue to do the same for all manufacturers. With regard to straightening the crosses (or "setting off", to use the jargon), if you ever find yourself using natural gut string it will bite into the mains as soon as the cross is tensioned; you won't be able to set off after this, so do as much as you can while each cross is being pulled.
Just extend it with another leftover... so you can clamb it... Make sure it not slips on the knot and that the other piece of string is the same brand and type... It's not perfect, but it works. And you don't have to restart.
