Recorded myself stringing

[Rittersport]

I finally decided to record myself stringing

My place is pretty cramped so not much room to move.
I have been stringing for about 2 years now (around 200-250 rackets) so I am looking for your comments to improve/correct my techniques. I know there are many unnecessary moves I am doing.

Weaving is not smooth especially with sweaty hands . Also find myself loosing a lot of time at the end of the crosses (take my time to avoid twisting the string as much as possible).
I also messed up with my clamp setting (at the beginning of the crosses). It has to happen when I'm recording but it is sorted out.

Thanks in advance for your comments

 

[s_mair]

I have been stringing for about 2 years now (around 200-250 rackets) so I am looking for your comments to improve/correct my techniques.

To be honest, that's some rock solid technique there. I'd give you my racket to string without any hesitation.
And still a sub-30 job with all the little hickups is fully okay imo.

What to improve? Good question. I feel like you could use some more flow through the whole process. Have you ever tried doing a 1-piece job or trying different 1-piece patterns? I have a feeling that you would get a noticeably smoother flow without all the knotting and starting the crosses in the middle.

I also messed up with my clamp setting (at the beginning of the crosses). It has to happen when I'm recording but it is sorted out.

That sh*t was hilarious!
Of course things like that happen when you are filming. It's as if all the possible mistakes are only waiting for the moment to play their part in a big movie.

So you found the setup video from X-Pider in which they show how to fix this issue?

 

[kakinami]

First off, ****!!! What is that thing you put your reels on?!!! I want one!!! Genius!!!

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[kakinami]

First thing I do when making a video, I do a racket inspection to make sure I can string right away =)

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[kakinami]

Just noticed they censored my sh*t. I guess as an OCD stringer first clean your tray, the little snippits from cutting your tails is an eyesore for the OCD stringer =P
Your mains look very efficient, measurement by hand is amazing. One thing I might say is maybe avoid shaking the machine, I have seen you clamp without shaking the machine but you often shake it a little, it is kinda like prestretching your string. Preweaving mains, I usually do if I want to waste time, don't you think it is a little redundant, pull some string through little by little then go back and then pull it through again? Maybe if you are not stringing over 30, the Yonex last 2 mains finish is not so important, so maybe pull your main #10 so your clamps are not in your way when preweaving your crosses, I might also learn to go backwards on your cross too I usually start my cross preweave on 10 and go back to 9 so I don't pull my whole string through cross #9. When your string starts to spin when you pull your cross maybe hold the spinning string so it doesn't spin and pull it a little slower through so it stops spinning/twisting.

As a stringer some videos I cannot watch the whole video, I need to skip but watched your video all the way through and was entertained, not board watching the whole thing. I think your efficiency will come through practice, one thing to practice is to find the angles that your machine pulls, try to avoid your racket shaking, when you have tension pulled you should see your tension flucuating when your racket is moving. Try to avoid that. F*ckin great video, I picked up a couple of things from you, that I might want to try, I don't use a string mover but I saw you pull your string up with it on your last shared hole, I might try with my awl.

When you do your racket inspection, I might look at the grommets, the single pass cross that is covered, if it is well worn, I use a grommet grinder to turn it a quarter turn, actually I have just gotten into the habit of turning them, especially Yonex rackets, I teust they are off centered so I don't worry about putting in that extra string to move that covered cross. I can see a sub 25 minute string job in about 2 weeks with practice and maybe 6 months sub 22-23. Your weaving has potential, you are not slow. When you hit 50 though sub 20's get a little tough =P

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[Rittersport]

First off, thanks a lot for taking the time to watch and comment this post !

To be honest, that's some rock solid technique there. I'd give you my racket to string without any hesitation.
And still a sub-30 job with all the little hickups is fully okay imo.

I'm glad to hear that ! I have learnt a lot from the forum and especially you and Kakinami san.

That sh*t was hilarious!
Of course things like that happen when you are filming. It's as if all the possible mistakes are only waiting for the moment to play their part in a big movie.

So you found the setup video from X-Pider in which they show how to fix this issue?

I was like really? You have to do that now?
I even gave the base clamp a slap xD

About the clamp adjustment, I watched this video :

What to improve? Good question. I feel like you could use some more flow through the whole process. Have you ever tried doing a 1-piece job or trying different 1-piece patterns? I have a feeling that you would get a noticeably smoother flow without all the knotting and starting the crosses in the middle.

I have been focusing on "perfecting" my techniques. It is true that I haven't experiment or tried to change my workflow. It is indeed an excellent idea to change and maybe have a breath of fresh air. I will have a look at @s_mair 's video about the Haribito pattern.

Your mains look very efficient, measurement by hand is amazing. One thing I might say is maybe avoid shaking the machine, I have seen you clamp without shaking the machine but you often shake it a little, it is kinda like prestretching your string. Preweaving mains, I usually do if I want to waste time, don't you think it is a little redundant, pull some string through little by little then go back and then pull it through again? Maybe if you are not stringing over 30, the Yonex last 2 mains finish is not so important, so maybe pull your main #10 so your clamps are not in your way when preweaving your crosses, I might also learn to go backwards on your cross too I usually start my cross preweave on 10 and go back to 9 so I don't pull my whole string through cross #9. When your string starts to spin when you pull your cross maybe hold the spinning string so it doesn't spin and pull it a little slower through so it stops spinning/twisting.

I will keep those advices in mind !
As for pre weaving, it is indeed redundant but I kind of like the process. It has been a while that I haven't done a stringjob without pre weaving (since I began actually and saw your video speedrunning a stringjob). I'll surely give it a try.

As a stringer some videos I cannot watch the whole video, I need to skip but watched your video all the way through and was entertained, not board watching the whole thing. I think your efficiency will come through practice, one thing to practice is to find the angles that your machine pulls, try to avoid your racket shaking, when you have tension pulled you should see your tension flucuating when your racket is moving. Try to avoid that. F*ckin great video, I picked up a couple of things from you, that I might want to try, I don't use a string mover but I saw you pull your string up with it on your last shared hole, I might try with my awl.

Glad you liked the video

When you do your racket inspection, I might look at the grommets, the single pass cross that is covered, if it is well worn, I use a grommet grinder to turn it a quarter turn, actually I have just gotten into the habit of turning them, especially Yonex rackets, I teust they are off centered so I don't worry about putting in that extra string to move that covered cross. I can see a sub 25 minute string job in about 2 weeks with practice and maybe 6 months sub 22-23. Your weaving has potential, you are not slow. When you hit 50 though sub 20's get a little tough =P

Yes, that time will come !

Just noticed they censored my sh*t. I guess as an OCD stringer first clean your tray, the little snippits from cutting your tails is an eyesore for the OCD stringer =P

I'm not a tidy guy as you can see . The next video will be cleaner !

First off, ****!!! What is that thing you put your reels on?!!! I want one!!! Genius!!!

Hahaha, it is called a "C Clamp" I think. It is usually used to mount photo/video accessories (I am a photographer ^^)
You can mount this thing everywhere. I also use another one to mount my phone to record this video (and many of my badminton matches).
https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Compatible-Insta360-SmallRig-Monitor/dp/B09128Q3YH

 

[s_mair]

About the clamp adjustment, I watched this video :

Yes, that's the one. I just love how much you can fine tune these bases without having to take anything apart. An engineering masterpiece. I wonder what happened if say Yonex/Toyo had come up with that design.

It is true that I haven't experiment or tried to change my workflow. It is indeed an excellent idea to change and maybe have a breath of fresh air. I will have a look at @s_mair 's video about the Haribito pattern.

Please let me know how it goes. I still love the fluidity of the workflow of this pattern and the neat look in the end makes my OCD smile every single time.
It takes a bit until you get the hang of it, but once it has clicked, it's smooth as silk.

The only thing you really have to look out for is the point at which you start the crosses:


The goal is that you end up with the last cross at this hole:


So one hole below the shared grommet that the outmost main string is passing. There should be two cross strings at the bottom left to do for the short side.

To get there, this results in different starting points for the crosses depending on the hole pattern of the frame.

72 holes:

First cross starts at the top shared grommet of the outmost main string


76 holes with "3+2" single/shared pattern at the top:

First cross starts at the top shared grommet of the outmost main string. So you skip one hole.



76 holes with "4+2" single/shared pattern at the top (most compact frames, Yonex "Z"-rackets and many of the latest Yonex models):

Start one hole higher than on the 3+2 version


For each of the freak patterns you have count the holes the first time you have the racket on the machine. Sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is, so I hope I haven't scared you away from trying with this short excursion.

 

[kakinami]

My new slacker video

 

[Rittersport]

Please let me know how it goes. I still love the fluidity of the workflow of this pattern and the neat look in the end makes my OCD smile every single time.
It takes a bit until you get the hang of it, but once it has clicked, it's smooth as silk.

Hahaha I think it will take me some time to get a hang of it. I can understand why it is called "around the world". The clamps are going everywhere .
I'll have to wait for my personnal racket's string to brake (I don't usually break my strings).
Thanks a lot for the guidelines

 

[s_mair]

Hahaha I think it will take me some time to get a hang of it. I can understand why it is called "around the world". The clamps are going everywhere .
I'll have to wait for my personnal racket's string to brake (I don't usually break my strings).
Thanks a lot for the guidelines

As soon as you're doing it for yourself, you'll see that it's actually quite logical.
1) mains
2) sweet spot crosses top-down
3) finish bottom crosses top-down
4) finish top crosses bottom-up

I find it very comfortable that the outmost main strings are missing while doing most of the crosses. Gives you more space to thread them.

 

[thyrif]

Finally got around to watching it. Always fun so see a video, nice job!

You're asking for feedback, that's a great way to improve and that attitude of wanting to improve is going to help you a lot going forward. Here's some that stood out to me, do with them as you see fit for you personally.

Good:

• Pre-weave mains is faster for me, and less messy. But I do it while mounted!
• Weaving seems pretty good, don't worry too much about it
• Taking care of the string

Improvement suggestions:

• Wobble of the table: I noticed the same when I got my Deluxe, perhaps the bigger weight of the table and smoothness of the bearing, but it will not keep still! I try to hold it first and then do nothing but tension to minimise the wobble. (It has a brake, but sometimes it's tricky to reach)
• Tools and strings: when pulling the strings with the hook or pliers you are pulling straight from the body, this uses big muscles. Anchoring your arm, wrist or tool on the racket or machine can help you use leverage and pull more precisely. Hopefully never pull too hard again. Hook: I like to rest my wrist or thumb on/around the supports at 6 or 12 and pull with fingers. Pliers / flying clamp for blocked holes: I roll them up on the racket to pull a precise amount. Knots: rest wrist on the racket and pull with fingers.
• unlocking clamp base: I had the same issue and tensioned the screw under the lever a bit, that seemed to work. I'm still figuring this out, maybe I can adjust the lever height even more even though the lever doesn't go further up, for the fulcrum point to shift and the lever to stay closed better..?
• Ending mains and starting crosses seems to take a long time, perhaps it's a little easier this way, but looks slower to me. Suggestion: finish the mains, then start crosses between the two shared holes of the last mains (B11). Work your way 3 crosses down and tie the starting knot. Tension the first two and work your way up from the highest shared hole (B12). I always start the B11 going UNDER the mains, so weaving the middle of the racket will end OVER the
• Don't pull the string completely through while tensioning, do it after. Just leave a bit hanging out to grab the tip quickly like you already do. Less stuff in your hands while adjusting the clamps and less wobble.
• Small improvements in handling the string, knots and clamps, this will improve with time. Just do one thing at a time, don't rush!

For reference, I average 25 minutes on Yonex AX99/77 with AB 13kg on a dropweight, after 500+ rackets. At 200 I was at 30 minutes.

Great job, keep it up!

 

[Rittersport]

Improvement suggestions:

• Wobble of the table: I noticed the same when I got my Deluxe, perhaps the bigger weight of the table and smoothness of the bearing, but it will not keep still! I try to hold it first and then do nothing but tension to minimise the wobble. (It has a brake, but sometimes it's tricky to reach)
• Tools and strings: when pulling the strings with the hook or pliers you are pulling straight from the body, this uses big muscles. Anchoring your arm, wrist or tool on the racket or machine can help you use leverage and pull more precisely. Hopefully never pull too hard again. Hook: I like to rest my wrist or thumb on/around the supports at 6 or 12 and pull with fingers. Pliers / flying clamp for blocked holes: I roll them up on the racket to pull a precise amount. Knots: rest wrist on the racket and pull with fingers.
• unlocking clamp base: I had the same issue and tensioned the screw under the lever a bit, that seemed to work. I'm still figuring this out, maybe I can adjust the lever height even more even though the lever doesn't go further up, for the fulcrum point to shift and the lever to stay closed better..?
• Ending mains and starting crosses seems to take a long time, perhaps it's a little easier this way, but looks slower to me. Suggestion: finish the mains, then start crosses between the two shared holes of the last mains (B11). Work your way 3 crosses down and tie the starting knot. Tension the first two and work your way up from the highest shared hole (B12). I always start the B11 going UNDER the mains, so weaving the middle of the racket will end OVER the
• Don't pull the string completely through while tensioning, do it after. Just leave a bit hanging out to grab the tip quickly like you already do. Less stuff in your hands while adjusting the clamps and less wobble.
• Small improvements in handling the string, knots and clamps, this will improve with time. Just do one thing at a time, don't rush!

I agree, the turn table is really light to turn, maybe it's too smooth.

About the base clamp, I initially set it up so that it would unlock when the clamp falls down. But as you could see, it was too lose. I set it back like before as I don't really use that feature. I prefer to unlock the base first anyway.

Thanks for the other tips ! There is so many things I can try to improve but as you said, one at a time

 

[Nicky_Boy02]

@akatsuki2104
Can those clamps on your Deluxe machine be used on tennis racket too? Or does it need a different clamp to string tennis racket?
What setting do you use on your clamp?

 

[Rittersport]

I haven't string any tennis racket yet but I think it can be used on tennis racket.

What setting do you use on your clamp?

What do you mean by setting?

 

[Nicky_Boy02]

I am referring to the the dial on the clamp. Does every string requires different setting? Eg. BG 66 is thinner than BG 65.

 

[Rittersport]

I actually don't really use different setting. I checked if the string slips or if it pinches the string too much and left it like that almost all the time

 

[s_mair]

I actually don't really use different setting. I checked if the string slips or if it pinches the string too much and left it like that almost all the time

This. I have the same setting for everything between 0.65 to 0.70. I go one click tighter for everything below that.

I feel that with these clamps you can go fairly tight without them actually squeezing the string.

The tolerance in all the parts involved are surely too big to make the setting really comparable between different clamps. It’s even one click different from one of mine to the other - so this is a thing every user has to figure out themselves.

 

[Rittersport]

Small improvements I think !

I tried to implement your advises, mainly the wobble of the turntable.
I haven't look at it yet but are there a way to set the turntable to have more friction? It would move less freely but also have less wobble.

I start by going down 3 crosses and then tie the starting knot so less string to pull at the beginning.
The weaving felt a bit faster and smoother

Still haven't tried the 1 piece pattern as I play with aerobite

 

[thyrif]

Good job! I skimmed through it, seems a lot smoother overall.

Mains: you are doing tension > weave other side > clamp. It this really more efficient? Seems to be doing a lot of things at once.

I never got the thing with pre weaving mains outside the machine. Doesn't this make mounting a bit awkward?

I tried the 'start cross before tie-ing the mains' for a while, but for me it's just messy and slow. Went back to finishing mains and then starting crosses (reverse first 3 and last 2).

Still haven't tried the 1 piece pattern as I play with aerobite

Only Kakinami can manage this feat!

Keep on at it!

 

[Rittersport]

Mains: you are doing tension > weave other side > clamp. It this really more efficient? Seems to be doing a lot of things at once.

I don't know if this is more efficient. I just think I could weave while the tensioner is still pulling and in my head at least, I think it's faster.

I never got the thing with pre weaving mains outside the machine. Doesn't this make mounting a bit awkward?

I find it easier to go trough the grommets instead of weaving inside the machine. Mounting is no problem this way either.

I tried the 'start cross before tie-ing the mains' for a while, but for me it's just messy and slow.

Every hole are clear that way, no string is blocking any grommet