How to use a Starting Clamp ?

Told u just stick with the self-made "starting kit". I am sure some experts can answer the question, though.

 

Don't worry, I will guide you on this later. Meantime, I would like to wait a little while for input from others.

 

If possible, I would like Taneepak's tutorial can accompany with pictures. I also have a starting clamp and read the thread from Taneepak, but I cannot get it exactly.

Look forward for Taneepak's information.

 

is a starting clamp that little thing that seperates the strings when you string it??

 

A starting clamp is one of three types of clamp, the other two being flying clamp and the fixed clamp. The fixed clamp also comes in the fixed glide clamp or the swivel clamp. Unlike the fixed and flying clamps, the starting clamp clamps the string outside the frame (not inside) and it can be used to tension a string that is too short to reach the gripper. The starting clamp is a must if you string your cross string from the middle and the cross string has been pre-weaved. It would be more appropriate to call the starting clamp a utility clamp.
I will explain its use as a starting clamp for machines with only flying clamps. I am assuming you have two flying clamps, although it is best to use 4 flying clamps if you want minimal tension loss that is as good as the best fixed clamp if not better. I will confine myself to the use of 2 flying clamps for this example.
You mount your racquet on the machine and thread one end of the main string into the top left grommet 1, and thread the other end into the top right grommet 1. Both ends of the main string are then threaded through their respective bottom grommets. You then use the starting clamp to grip the string in the bottom left grommet, outside the frame, making sure
the string is held deep inside the starting clamp grip. Place a small piece of cloth between the frame and the starting clamp, to prevent scratching the frame.
You then pull the string coming out from the bottom right grommet 1 and put it into the tensioner/gripper and then pull to the required tension. You now have two tensioned strings, both on grommet 1, one left, the other right. Use the first flying clamp to clamp the two tensioned strings at the bottom, as near the throat as possible. You can clamp on the top or on the bottom of the strings, but preference should be given to which side allows you to clamp as near the inner edge of the frame as possible to minimize slack.
You now swing the machine around to the racquet head. Thread the right side string into the bottom grommet 2, then up into the top grommet 2. Taking this string coming out from the top right grommet 2, you put it into the tensioner/gripper and pull to tension. When done, use the second flying clamp to clamp the 2 tensioned strings on the top of the right grommets 1 and 2. You now have a total of 3 tensioned strings, the two on the right (grommet 1 and 2 right) clamped by the second flying clamp at the top and the other tensioned string on the left clamped on the outside of the frame by the starting clamp on the left. In addition, the first flying clamp at the bottom clamps both the left and right grommet 1. The right grommet 1 string is effectively clamped by two flying clamps.
You then release the starting clamp and thread the string just released from the starting clamp into the bottom grommet 2 on the left and take it up through the top left grommet 2. Take this string into the gripper and tension it, afterwhich you transfer the first flying clamp from the bottom to the top to clamp the tensioned 2 strings at grommet 1 and 2 left. You now have 4 tensioned strings. The remaining steps are similar, alternating one side then the other. If you use the Yonex stringing pattern for the mains you cannot pull the last two main strings separately with flying clamps. You will have to pull the last two strings with one pull at the bottom of grommet 10 on both sides.
I think the above is enough for now. Later, I will cover the optional use of the starting clamp in place of the starting knot for the start of the cross string. I will also go into the use of the 4 small holes in the starting clamp as they are used for pulling and tensioning strings that are too short to reach the gripper.

 

I will be interested in this also, having been in that situation.
I was at the end of my mains, so I didn't want to spend too long trying to work out how I should use it, so I improvised and simply tied a spare piece of string onto the end of what I had and pulled that.
Fortunately, my mains were long enough so I could afford to cut off that knot and still have enough left for my tie-off knot.

 

I used the same method when I mis-calculated the string length.

 

The starting clamp comes in very useful if you your string cannot reach the string gripper. It can also be useful if you pre-weave your strings before tensioning, especially stringing from the centre cross string at higher tension.
All you need to do is to thread two 10" of string through two (or four) of the small holes of the starting clamp. You then use the staring clamp to grip the string outside the frame and place the 10" extension string onto the gripper and just pull to tension. So if you have a drop-weight machine and you want to string the cross string starting from the centre, or if you pre-weave your string, the use of the starting clamp comes in useful.

 

Hi Ee pak,

I look forward to the second part on the starting clamp. Cheers.

 

I used to do this, but now I start I string further left, so that the starting clamp is at top left 2. I found the shaft of the racquet got in the way too much clamping at bottom 1

 

Pls see post #12 of this thread.

 

robinhood47 might have meant this bit.
I think you talked about that in another thread somewhere though...

 

Yes Neil, it is exactly as you have said. sorry i wasn't clear there.

 

Yes, you can use the starting clamp in place of the starting knot. The way you use it is similar to the way you use it to start stringing the mains. You just grip the cross string on the outside frame of grommet 7 at the head with the starting clamp, and then pull the first string across 7H. Continue with 8H and 9H or even 10H and clamp. Alternatively, if you so wish, you can continue with the remaining cross strings before coming back to the starting clamp. Either way, you then take another clamp to clamp the string at grommet 7 near where your starting clamp is and clamp it (fixed clamp) or clamp 7H and 8H near the starting clamp end (flying clamp). Free the starting clamp and take the string coming out from 7H and insert into 6H. Lock your machine and pull the string coming into 6H with the string gripper at the throat end with a tension of 15lbs, insert an awl carefully into 6H from outside the frame with a gentle twisting movement to stop the string from moving. Loosen the gripper and finish it off with a tie-off knot.
However, this method is not recommended because it results in more slack on the first cross string than the use of the starting knot method. But the knot looks nicer.

 

A picture worth everything!

http://www.keohi.com/tennis/misc/startingclamp.htm

This is a good example for those people that interested by tring some great gadget.