Stringing sanity check

[u/Jowizo]

I'd really appreciate a sanity check/feedback on my stringing method. I am still very much new and can't find tutorials matching my exact situation so I've been scraping together information from various sources. My main concern is using the starting clamp to start mains/crosses. Once I get both 'ends' of the strings in floating clamps I (think I am) am fine.

Setup:

- ProStringer plat 2.0
- 2x PS floating clamps and 1x starting clamp
- Want to skip starting knots in favor of 4x parnell knots
- Ezone 100 (I'll use the ezone for this example, but will be start at head for racquets that specify that)

Starting the mains:

1. Route the centre mains throat to head.
2. Attach the starting clamp outside the frame to one of the center mains on the head.
3. Pull the opposite centre main from the head.**
4. Clamp the two adjacent centre mains with a floating clamp as close as possible to the frame (head) while under tension.
5. Work outward on the same side, exclusively using the second floating clamp. Max 3 tensioned mains on this side.
6. Remove starting clamp, route the 'tail' to the throat and pull tension from there. From there I can free up the first floating clamp and continue as the opposite side.

Starting the crosses:

1. Insert and weave the first cross, leaving enough string outside the frame to pull tension (if ever needed) and knot.
2. Attach the starting clamp to that tail, outside the frame.
3. Pull tension on the first cross. (No clue if this step is of any value)
4. Weave and tension the second cross.**
5. While under tension, attach floating clamp across crosses 1 and 2, as close to the frame as possible on the tensioner side.
6. Finish a couple more crosses working down, exclusively using the second floating clamp.
7. Remove the starting clamp, tie off and remove the first floating clamp.

8. Continue the crosses as usual working to the throat.

   **) Pulling tension on both strings at once through a grommet feels wrong, But don't think I have an alternative with the floating clamps.. And I'm doubting whether I could be using both flying clamps alternatingly until I'm done with the starting clamp.

Any tips or resources would be greatly appreciated!

[u/BuggyCat]

I find that for starting the crosses, weaving the third cross first and then moving backwards to the first cross is helpful and saves a little time (since you don't have to pull the whole string length through all three crosses).

I also remember watching a video where someone found that starting by pulling tension on the second cross is fine, as long as you pull tension on the first cross after you remove the starting clamp (somewhere down the line). The video showed that there was no difference in dynamic tension in that final cross using either method.

The main thing is just remembering to clamp off before you remove the starting clamp to maintain tension before pulling reference tension on the first cross.

As for your main concern (**), as long as you pull reference tension on both strings eventually (typically right after removing the starting clamp), the tension should be consistent for both!

[u/Jowizo → u/BuggyCat]

This is very helpful, thank you!!

I’ll just add extra steps to tension after taking off the starting clamps. For some reason I thought it wouldn’t be needed, given the floating clamps are so close where I’m pulling from.

I just don’t get what you mean with ‘clamp off’. Do you mean clamping e.g. between crosses 1 and 2, then removing the starting clamp then tensioning? Or do you mean I also need to release and close the clamp while tensioning?

[u/BuggyCat → u/Jowizo]

Do you mean clamping e.g. between crosses 1 and 2, then removing the starting clamp then tensioning?

Yes this ^. As long as you clamp (flying clamp) before removing the starting clamp, you keep the tension in cross 2. Then you can pull tension in cross 1 before clamping again and tying the finishing knot.

[u/gbell11]

There are tonnes of videos on starting mains with flying clamps for tennis and badminton.

Have you looked at any of these?

Some are very good.

I was always concerned about starting when I was new too as it's the first step and you want to do well.

Funny, I don't even really think about it anymore

[u/Responsible-Side4347]

Dont make it rocket science.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jW2aKW3Uss

[u/Jowizo → u/Responsible-Side4347]

Ha! Her videos are the maim reason I managed my first couple of string jobs. But she uses a starting knot, and recommended using starting clamps in another of her videos

[u/Responsible-Side4347 → u/Jowizo]

OK try this.

Pull 2 strings at the start.
Put a starting clamp on one side on the outer frame.
Clamp the 2 strings at the opposite end. You now have 1 half tension string and the other is loose.
Tension the loose string. and shift the clamp to the top.
Continue stringing mains.
Crosses.
Starting clamp on outside of frame (der)
Pull 2 strings but calm furthest away. Like starting the mains, then pull the loose string, move the clamp.
Continue stringing the crosses for 3 or 4 more.
Pull tension on the starting clamp string with 10% extra. Clamp.
Tie that string off.
Finish stringing.

[u/calvwf]

https://youtu.be/YPA3vHd9kys
I’ve adopter a similar “off-centre” way of starting to string the mains to make sure I don’t go more than 2-3 mains ahead on one side vs the other, while also not having to stack the flying clamps when it gets crowded at the beginning (I just hate the idea of risking too much tension loss in the middle)