So I was stringing just now. I finished all of the mains and started working on the crosses. However, I went lazy this time and didn't pre-string. When I got to the shared grommets, the string would not go through. I tried everything, but nothing worked. I was forced to take the racket off the machine and cut. But before I cut, I noticed that the racket was rounder than it was originally. Should it be like this? I mean there is only tension going up and down the racket and not left to right. So when the crosses are done, would it even out and the racket would be in normal shape? Sorry if I sound confusing.
yes, you are correct. the tension is not equalized, so the mains cause the frame to become rounder. warping, i have no idea.
A racket with only mains in it will definitely compress in the north-south direction, so what you observed is completely normal. If you have to cut the mains in future, do it BEFORE you take the racket out of the machine, as the support brackets do a great deal of work in stopping the racket from compressing even more. When the crosses are done the racket should return to its original shape - see the ever-present debate on adding 10% for the crosses - and may be very slightly smaller than an unstrung frame (like putting it through a tiny reduction in a photocopier).
Definitely agree. Put hundred pounds (20 x 22 pieces) of un-even force can damage the racket frame very badly.
