String keeps snapping when stringing

Discussion in 'Badminton Stringing Techniques & Tools' started by Mwesty, Jan 8, 2009.

  1. Mwesty

    Mwesty Regular Member

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    I've started stringing and using the Professional XP Plus machine. I do the mains ok.. but when I get onto the crosses towards the end, the string always snaps on me. It's when I try and put the string through a hole and the outside of the hole is covered with a mains string. Not sure if I've explained that right.. When I put the string through the hole, a string on the outside covers it, so I end up having to use some pliers or that long pointy thing to try and move the outside string up or down a bit so I can pass through the hole. The string is so tight though I end up having to use too much force and it snaps, forcing me to start from the beginning again. Stringing at 23lbs.

    Is there any techniques or special tools to help this?
     
  2. silentheart

    silentheart Regular Member

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    Do a search on dental floss or pre weaving.
     
  3. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    Yes, that special tool is the string mover. The reason why your string snap often is because you are using an awl (that pointy thing). You should not use an awl. However, you need some care and experience in using the string mover when pushing a string through a common grommet.
    Or you can pre-weave the string and then either use a string mover (faster and without friction) or failing that dental floss (some friction on the strings).
     
  4. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    If you really have to use an awl, try to use the ones have round tip, rather than the needle like sharp ones. When you use it, slowly insert the awl, and try to move string as gentle as possible. Forceful action will damage the string. Also, use a nail cutter to cut the cross tip to be a sharp angle, will definitely help you to go through the shared gromment.

    Never use a piler. It will kill the string in no time. ;)
     
  5. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    I would advise against even gently inserting an awl into a grommet, because metal (awl) that is in contact with an existing string that is under tension in a tight and almost closed environment, will generate heat. The awl has no place in a badminton stringing machine unless you are contend with low tensions.
     
  6. illusionistpro

    illusionistpro Regular Member

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    Agreed. There is no need for an awl in badminton stringing. Search the floss technique and also try preweaving. To break a string by pulling it you need to exceed 35lbs and probably 40lbs. There is an issue with your tools against the strings either sharp edges or friction.
     
  7. coachgary

    coachgary Regular Member

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    Moving a string that is covering the outside of the grommet shouldn't be too much of a problem as long as you use something that is smooth not serrated. You should only need a small amount of pressure to move this external string out of the way.
     
  8. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    In theory, it does generate heat due to friction. However, will it really affect the string life, if the awl has a smooth surface, non-sharp point and use it in a very gentle way? I doubt it. If so, then summer weather of 110+ F might do even more damage regardless what you use. :rolleyes:

    Also, talking about heat due to friction. String cross can not avoid friction to begin with. The cross going through 22 main, and the tensioning process will let the cross generate friction (heat) against all 22 mains. If you don have to worry about friction at 22 places, why you care about 1? Remember, the clamps are metals, and the surface are nowhere near as smooth as the awl pin. When you clamping, you are using the friction to prevent tension loss. Do you think there's heat as well?

    Personally, I think the most damage the awl doing, is either the point is very sharp, and/or insert with a very brutal and fast action. As long as you can avoid the above 2, the so-call damage will be very limited, which means, no effect.
     
    #8 LazyBuddy, Jan 9, 2009
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2009
  9. silentheart

    silentheart Regular Member

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    I second what LB said and I want to add, won't the friction of you pulling the cross through share hole produce more friction than the awl by compressing the string down? If that is the case, the pulling of the cross will produce more damage to the string than use of awl? How are you going to string cross with out pulling the cross?
     
  10. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    Any friction from stringing the crosses over the 22 mains is being cooled by lots of open space. When you poke an awl into a grommet the 33lbs of tension is loaded onto the awl, and with the existing main string already inside the grommet, the friction and heat is limited to a more enclosed space.
    You can try the following test easily: String the last cross at 36lbs, hold it with an awl at the common grommet, and then do a tie-off. The string will snap at the point of the awl in perhaps a third of the time.
    The best string job is to pull/tension the mains first and then the crosses without any pre-weaving, using only the string mover to guide your strings into common grommets. For the less experienced stringers, suggest you pre-weave, plus use the string mover or if still cannot use a string mover then use dental floss. But the use of dental floss does generate some heat and friction inside the common grommet (confined space).
     
  11. silentheart

    silentheart Regular Member

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    Please stop compair apple to orange. I am talking about friction heat of the string you pull through the share grommet hole vs the compression heat an awl poke through the share hole. In addition, your argument hold 0 ground, steel contact on the string is a better heat conductor than the air passing through the share grommet. What are you talking about? Dental floss generate heat? How much? Please stop making any up any thing.
     
    #11 silentheart, Jan 10, 2009
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2009
  12. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    Look, only bad stringers use the awl when stringing badminton racquets. The awl was invented for use in the early days when stringing a badminton racquet was by hand. I have two friends who still use manual stringing, including one who was an ex singles champion of a province in China, and they must use an awl, else there is no way they can string the racquet. But we are in a new era of high tensions and there is no place for an awl, although old habits are sometimes difficult to discard for some.
    A grommet is a fragile thing and only strings are allowed near them. Having an awl poking a string through is a no no. Use a string mover, which is ideal for easing a string into a common grommet.
     
  13. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    Of course when a dental floss pulls a cross string into a grommet already occupied by a mains string, it generates friction. Sometimes the grommet hole is large enough for the dental floss pull to be smooth; but there are other times, especially when the common grommet is small, when a dental floss pull will meet with resistance, varying from slight to strong, as you pull the string through. That is heat.
    I would suggest to players to be more picky when sending their racquets to be strung. If you see an awl in the stringer's set-up, move to another with no such tool. Also choose a stringer who does not pre-weave and who only use a string mover.
     
  14. silentheart

    silentheart Regular Member

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    1) I am not suggest using of awl. I just want to point out the reason is because of puncher damage, not friction. You are using the wrong reason.
    2) Did you ever use dental floss method on a shared grommet before? If you feel any friction while pulling dental floss through the shared hole, you are doing it wrong. So please, stop embarrassing yourself.
     
  15. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    An awl is a hardened steel rod sharpened to a point with a wooden handle. It is designed specifically for marking surfaces, scribing lines, punching holes in soft materials like leather or paper, or making small holes in wood for starting nails, drill bits, and screws.
    Early badminton stringers found this tool could be used as a manual string clamp when stringing was done by hand. Today, we can even find stringers using the awl to tie the final knot-a dicey thing if it is high tension. Some stringers even extend its use in badminton stringing by using the awl to make space to guide a string into a shared grommet-a hidden cause of premature string snapping as well as unseen micro cracks inside the grommets that are the precursor of sudden racquet death.
    Re use of dental floss, yes I have used this before. Why not use a string mover, which is the best tool as it will enable you to easily push a string with your thumb/index finger through a shared grommet with the same ease as inserting a string through an empty grommet? A string mover unblocks a blocked grommet; dental floss cannot do that. All a dental floss does is to use a thinner leader (the floss itself) to get into the grommet hole but it cannot make the string as thin as itself-thus the resistance as you meet the string head.
    The best is to hear what others-those who use dental floss exclusively-say.
     
  16. Pete LSD

    Pete LSD Regular Member

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    I have no problem with using dental floss to get the cross string through the shared grommets :D. What is the big deal? :p
     
  17. extremenanopowe

    extremenanopowe Regular Member

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    Thats why most will do 2 knots. hehe. ;)
     
  18. BadFever

    BadFever Regular Member

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    I had no problem with dental floss or awl or string mover. But now I have been pre-weaving all my rackets before tensioning. Problem solved. :)

    Kong-19 showed me another way, that's by using a cutter to slice the string very thin. Point the cutter about 120 to 160 degree and slice the string about 3cm applying more pressure at the end. The result is a very close to having a dental floss. This takes a bit practising.
     
  19. 2-YOTA

    2-YOTA Regular Member

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    Good points ... heat is the violent killer for our badminton rackets/strings. Especially when you have U-grommets on your racket frame around the T-joint area. There is so much air friction generated when an elite player with super wrist snap makes a swing that it can be theorized the U-grommets heat up inexplicably and transfers to the string run through them. Premature string breakage will be evident. Low-level players who cannot generate this amount of wrist snap will not be able to create enough air drag friction on the U-grommets so they won't need to worry about this phenomenon.

    Likewise, once you have the racket strung up on the frame, under no circumstance shall you bring it with you on a plane. The air pressure created at high altitude acts directly upon the prestrung racket at a molecular level causing heat build-up which in turn could transfers to the string bed. You've been warned.

    That being said, turbo stringers generate the most heat of all. Usually the pressure being built-up in the turbines upon a stringing session is so great that at times, smoke can almost be seen coming off the cross strings as they're ripped through the grommets. Next time you drop off your racket at your local shop, always ask whether the stringer is turbocharged, supercharged, or naturally aspirated. The latter is usually slower however it results in better durability due to the absence of force induction.

    Note to self: next time I visit my dentist, I need to have him thoroughly inspect my teeth for deterioration. I feel there is friction when I run the dental floss through which must be generating heat. I'm worried ...
     
  20. weeyeh

    weeyeh Regular Member

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    Superheated Hilarious!!! :D:D
     

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