Premium Stringer 3600 reviews

Discussion in 'Badminton Stringing Techniques & Tools' started by diverdan, Feb 3, 2013.

  1. diverdan

    diverdan Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2012
    Messages:
    510
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    graduate
    Location:
    England
    Hi guys,

    I was wondering if anyone has experience of this machine?

    http://www.watdon.co.uk/wd-strings/acatalog/info_A064.html

    premium stringer.jpg

    If so what are your opinions? I have recently sent back another brand which I found to be low in build quality and assembly so looking for another machine. Things were sticking out, overly tight, too loose, kept working loose, not adjusted properly..etc. :mad:

    I already have the dual clamps and custom side supports.
     
  2. vienly

    vienly Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2004
    Messages:
    226
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Networking
    Location:
    London
  3. kwun

    kwun Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2002
    Messages:
    41,043
    Likes Received:
    2,066
    Occupation:
    BC Janitor
    Location:
    Santa Clara, CA, USA
    i think Pete LSD bought one too. maybe he will chime in.
     
  4. diverdan

    diverdan Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2012
    Messages:
    510
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    graduate
    Location:
    England
    I was recommended Michal Ch by another member of BC. He makes custom side supports for almost any machine.

    http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/member.php/15028-Michal

    I have bought some and they have a nice large hole behind for easy threading and cushioning to stop the paint from chipping. PM him and he will help you out :)
     
  5. vienly

    vienly Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2004
    Messages:
    226
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Networking
    Location:
    London
    Ah yes, I literally found the thread about Custom-Made Stringing Machine Parts and ordered a set from him couple of hours ago, thanks :)
     
  6. nws56

    nws56 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2012
    Messages:
    47
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    guitar maker
    Location:
    Derbyshire UK
    3600 user experience

    Hi, been using this for 8 months or so. You get a LOT of metal for your money, and it's machined to a reasonable standard. I had to open out one of the holes in the side arms with a file before the side support would fit in, but that's all. The supplied side supports are fine, but that can't be said of the standard (tennis) fixed clamps which will destroy any badminton string you try to use. Robin at W and D will recommend the WA3242 clamps, but these are useless at gripping anything over 22lbs in tension. Over time I have waxed this and greased that to make things run smoother, and the overall solidity pleases me every time I use it. Because it is built for the higher tennis tensions it feels much more solid than those cheaper, entry level machines. And yes, I'd choose it again. (Without those blasted clamps !)
     
  7. diverdan

    diverdan Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2012
    Messages:
    510
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    graduate
    Location:
    England
    Thanks for the review :)

    I wouldn't use tennis clamps for badminton stringing as they are designed for higher tensions and thicker strings. Have you contacted Robin about the Penta clamps? He offers really good after sales service and will have some good ideas about the clamps.
     
  8. Mark A

    Mark A Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2005
    Messages:
    7,170
    Likes Received:
    695
    Location:
    St Helens, UK
    He did - via me:).

    I had a quick go of it (with permission), and I quite liked it. The clamp stems were a bit short for my liking, but it's built pretty solid.
     
  9. vienly

    vienly Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2004
    Messages:
    226
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Networking
    Location:
    London
    I been using these WA3242 clamps and they grip the string perfectly fine, well they seem to hold 24lbs (haven't strung anything higher). Maybe you need to adjust the knob in the middle of the clamp for it to grip better. Not sure but mine are fine

    I been dealing with Frances at W&D, she is a delight!
     
  10. diverdan

    diverdan Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2012
    Messages:
    510
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    graduate
    Location:
    England
    Could I raise the clamps by using a couple of springs?
     
  11. vienly

    vienly Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2004
    Messages:
    226
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Networking
    Location:
    London
    You could take the springs off the tennis clamps, and use them on the badminton clamps, a bit short but still does the job
     
  12. Mark A

    Mark A Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2005
    Messages:
    7,170
    Likes Received:
    695
    Location:
    St Helens, UK
    There's no need, really - the stringing plane is very low compared to most machines. The clamps sit on the bottom of the bases anyway, so I doubt the usual springs would even reach:).

    She certainly is. In fact, they all are. I have the 3242 clamps myself, and they are fine to 32 lb at the very least.
     
  13. nws56

    nws56 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2012
    Messages:
    47
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    guitar maker
    Location:
    Derbyshire UK
    WA3242 clamps

    No, I only tried the tennis clamps in desperation when the WA3242 clamps kept breaking sets of Ultimax 66 at 24 lbs. Thicker stuff at 22 or below had been fine. It seems that there has been several incarnations of the Penta badminton clamp. Mine are the most recent (summer 2012 ) 4 prong variety , of which Robin has received no other complaint . His suggestion - and I **** you not - was to take a file to the inner mating surfaces of those prongs....... Well, what did I have to lose ... he wasn't offering to swap them or take them back, so file I did. Which showed the problem straight away - only the 1st and 4th prongs were meeting flat together , the inner two prongs may as well never have been there. Much filing later I had all four prongs mating nicely , but they still wouldn't grip Ultimax at 24 . The final solution was to superglue 600 grit silicon carbide to those nicely flattened surfaces , and this bodge has lasted for around 40 string jobs so far. It won't last forever though, so I need to find an alternative . No, I won't be asking Robin . Anyway, are you still going to get this thing ?
     
  14. diverdan

    diverdan Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2012
    Messages:
    510
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    graduate
    Location:
    England
    Sorry to hear your experience wasn't the best. I bought the dual clamps and they seem to be working fine. I am thinking about buying the machine but wanted to know what others thought of it.
     
  15. vienly

    vienly Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2004
    Messages:
    226
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Networking
    Location:
    London
    The clamps you bought were clearly faulty and you should of been offered a refund or exchange. Unless they state specifically no refunds/no exchanges on their site you should of persisted.
    Last resort would of been to contact your credit/debit card company and raise a dispute.

    Section 75 for credit cards / or Chargeback for debit cards (depending on value spent)
    http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/section75-protect-your-purchases

    Albeit my first contact with Robin wasn't the best, I called W&D and got through to Robin, explained the stringing tools were not dispatched, checking at least 4-5 times both boxes I insisted it was not there and she wasn't having any of it until I would hang up the phone and call back later. She kept saying it was packed in the box and that I should check again..... ridiculous!

    Called again and luckily I got through Frances who I've been dealing with, got the tools out the next day.
     
    #15 vienly, Feb 4, 2013
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2013
  16. nws56

    nws56 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2012
    Messages:
    47
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    guitar maker
    Location:
    Derbyshire UK
    Being a complete novice at the time I didn't feel able to argue the toss with them. If only I'd ordered earlier in the year I might got the previous 5 prong version which every one seems to like..... As it stands at the moment, the clamps coming out of the casting mold will all have the same fault, so even though they ducked the issue with me it must only be a matter of time before others users notice and raise it with them.
     
  17. vienly

    vienly Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2004
    Messages:
    226
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Networking
    Location:
    London
    The ones I have are the 4 prongs one aswell, what 5 prong version do you speak of?

    2013-01-30 13.21.17.jpg
     
  18. nws56

    nws56 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2012
    Messages:
    47
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    guitar maker
    Location:
    Derbyshire UK
    They aren't in the current catalogue or website , but Mark A ( I think ) posted a picture of one of them - in a thread about clamps, would you believe - when he was looking for a companion for it. Yours, unfortunately, look like mine . You can find out if they are from the same inaccurate casting mold by clamping a piece of card between the jaws. Examine the pattern in angled light - if the centre two prongs are not making any impression then it is the same casting mold. If all four leave the same degree of indentation then they have fixed it .
     
  19. vienly

    vienly Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2004
    Messages:
    226
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Networking
    Location:
    London
    I think I understand what you mean, I just ran a quick test with both my clamps and they hold up to 30lbs each no problems, didn't wanna go any higher just incase something goes wrong.
     
  20. nws56

    nws56 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2012
    Messages:
    47
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    guitar maker
    Location:
    Derbyshire UK
    Sounds like they fixed it , so no need for worry.
     

Share This Page