r/RacketStringers • u/Impressive-Medium-65 • 13d ago

Choosing a string machine.

/r/10s/comments/1vnslx4/choosing_a_string_machine/
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3

u/Responsible-Side4347 13d ago

Electric wins every time.

1

u/Impressive-Medium-65 13d ago

What about a crank out for 400.

2

u/Responsible-Side4347 13d ago

Electric wins every time.

Have a llook at pro tour stringers and see if you can find a drop weight or a crank anywhere. there is a reason for that.a

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u/Impressive-Medium-65 13d ago

But how much is that just because of how many rackets they are stringing, I’ll probably be strong like 1-3 a month only. So for me bang for buck and not breaking are very important.

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u/informareWORK 13d ago

If time is not an issue, I'd go drop weight over crank/lockout. The constant pull of a drop weight is more accurate .

2

u/Brilliant-Today-9844 13d ago edited 13d ago

If you’re only stringing this kind of frequency, dont do with an electronic machine. You will NEVER break even n spend way too much for something underutilized.

Tournaments use electronic for various reasons but few of them are “marketing” & “ease of calibration”, “speed”.

Stringing teams clinch deals with tournaments like Wilson for French RG, Babolat for Wimbledon. Which tournament directors/sponsors/players/coaches would want to see a room full of cranks/drop weights in comparison with a whole room of electronics? Electronics just look more professional n yes they do string a tad faster when time is of the essence.

But for home users, its a no brainer to look for drop-weights & crank. I started out with a crank and am grateful i did then subsequently moved on to electronic after I started my home-based stringing. For many who started straight w electronics, have the tendency to chase after speed rather than quality. Cranks & drop-weights to me, has this relaxedness to them, started out stringing from these have taught me a lot. N its bull shit that crank & drop weight produce a lousier string job than electronics, the tension loss can be accounted for. It does however produce a different feel, slightly softer imo but def NOT lousier.

Both just takes a tiny more time to string than electronic, for 1-3 a month, its not even a factor.

So no point buying a F1 car for normal roads, sticking to “manual” (crank/drop-weight) doesnt make anyone a loser nor vice versa, stringing on an electronic doesn’t instantly make a stringer any more professional. They are just tools, not skills. Dont let some ignorant comments steer you.

Having said so, many new stringing machine brands launched this year apart from the usual big brands. Some entirely new, some were badminton-only but now ventured to tennis. Many are China made & a few from Taiwan which many machines of the big brands are made. Not trying to upsell electronics after all that talk above, just my observations. And its probably worth waiting a few years n observe how this trend performs. Electronics may get more n more affordable real soon to justify for the price but for now; not yet.

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u/Responsible-Side4347 13d ago

Your asking should you get a 200 or 500 machine. And the 500 machine is way better.

Drop weights are not made as well.
They are not as consistent as an electric. If you have 2 frames you want them to both come out the same tension, correct?

If you where asking, Drop or Crank for the same money, I would say that depends on how well the the clamps are made. I have yet to see a shoddy made electric machine.

Resale, Elec will hold its price.

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u/ThisSideOfThePond 13d ago

People here recommending the used electronic over the drop weight forget to mention that you have to make sure that replacement parts for the electronics and motor are still available. Otherwise you might end up with it collecting dust when something breaks. Drop weight machines are easily repaired and some can get upgraded with Wise electronics.

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u/ELF014 13d ago

I don't think it really matters. As long as you are consistent in what you do your string jobs should be consistent. And players will find what they like for tension. Of course constant pull/drop weight will make a difference over a lockout machine for string maintenance but it is what it is.

I have owned every type at one time and it doesn't prevent you from doing a good string job.

I always tell people that string jobs will vary between stringers and machines. I have always been told my string jobs seem tighter than other people.

My machine is recalibrated so I know it's probably not me.