Stringing machine broken?

[hvdb]

All,

5 years ago I bought my own stringer. At that time I didn't know a lot about stringing not machines. The shop where I usually go just had one in promotion and I bought it.

On the machine here is no brand written so I wouldn't know which one it is. I will post 3 pictures, maybe someone can enlighten me :confused:

http://users.skynet.be/hvdb/PICT0099.JPG
http://users.skynet.be/hvdb/PICT0100.JPG
http://users.skynet.be/hvdb/PICT0101.JPG

Now the problem...And I hope this makes sense because I am not familiar with the correct naming conventions of all the pieces so here it comes :D

This afternoon when I was stringing, the piece that blocks little by little when you put tension on the string each time you drop the weight suddenly didn't block any more. So it was still holding the string firmly, but when you put tension on, the whole piece just remains in it's position instead of pulling the string...Does this make sense :confused:

So it is no longer possible to put tension on the strings, so it's broken :(

Can anyone tell me if it's worth trying to fix this, or will it be better to look for a new stringer?

Regards,

Hans

[Gaines Hillix]

This is only a guess, but if you are referring to the string gripper that is attached to the circular piece at the bottom of the drop weight arm, the clutch or ratchet may be slipping. If this was my machine I'd try taking the arm off of it's support post and disassembling the pieces to see if something had worked loose.

[hvdb]

Gaines,

I already took off the arm and disassembled, but I could see anything wrong in there.

Would it help if i post a picture of the disassembled parts?

Hans

[David Pavlich]

My guess is the ratcheting system is broken. I've never seen one, so I have no clue as to tell you what to look for. I would think that it has some sort of stop that slides into a notch of some sort. When a certain movement is made, the stop disengages and allows the arm to be returned to its normal position.

Maybe a spring popped or the end of the stop sheared off. If you can open it up and take pictures, we might be able to see something that is out of sorts.

David

[Gaines Hillix]

You might try sending an email to Tennis Machines, Inc. (www.tennismachines.com (http://www.tennismachines.com)) with a picture of your machine attached and ask for their help.

[hvdb]

Ok,

I did some research on the machine and asked some local people here and it seems that ...

A spring is used to block the rotation system. I even have a picture of a NON broken spring:

http://users.skynet.be/hvdb/TMT331.jpg

As you can see this is a spring with at the end a PIN which resides inside the turning point of the weight arm and the string gripper. That pin normally sits in a hole inside so each time you drop the weight, the spring comes under tension and blocks the rotation system and you string gets tensioned. In my machine the PIN has broken of. The shop owner says this can happen after +1000 string jobs or when applying higher tension (+30kg). I am using the +30 kg for all last 2 strings before ty off as JayCee instructed in the JC method since I sometimes play with 26/28 kg so +4 kg makes 30-32 kg...

Now it seems the replacement of this spring is a 2 man job taking about 45 minutes. This is what the shop owner told me where I bought the machine. It could cost me something like 100Euro's. Can anyone confirm that, or is this something one can easily do by himself?

Furthermore the guy in the shop wasn't too clear on the brand of the machine. He said it comes from a factory in France that makes these machines and each shop can put his own name one it and resell it as his own. This also means that for replacement parts I always have to go through the shop, so I cannot order direct from that factory.
Anyone has an idea which factory it could be looking at the pictures i posted?

Regards,

Hans

[Gaines Hillix]

Hans, this is a guess, but since the machine is painted a red color it may be a Technifibre(also called Major Pro Cord). Their electronic machines are painted red. The Babolat machines are blue or yellow. Technifibre and Babolat are the only companies in France that make stringing machines that I know of.

[hvdb]

Any experience with the work needed for replacing such a spring?

Hans

[David Pavlich]

I've never messed with one, but I'm making an educated guess that the spring will have to be pre-loaded. My concern would be how much pre-load is required.

Gaines is correct. It's more than likely a Technifibre. You might get the email address and send the same pictures and a description of the problem with the spring. Perhaps they will send you a repair manual with the correct instructions. Good luck!

David

[Jay Cee]

Quote
Any experience with the work needed for replacing such a spring?
Hans
Unquote

Hi Hans,
This machine was a stock item for many years at ESCAPE : http://www.escapetennis.com/

As far as I know they no longer sell this model, but they do have the spring as a replacement part. :)
This is a standard replacement part for the clutch in a very large number of drop weight machines, I have changed this string many times over the years, it takes one person a couple of minutes at the most, when it is not under tension there is no preload tension on the spring.
This spring breaks frequently and 1000 string jobs would be a maximum before replacement, the tension applied to the string has no effect on the wear of the spring, it is in no way related to the pressure on the spring. :o

You can buy this spring directly from the ESCAPE website, and simply replace it yourself.
Go to :
Outillages & Accessoires pour Machines
> Ressort
> Ressort pour système de tension mécanique.
S'adapte sur la plupart des machines à corder.
Prix : 5 euros ttc (plus costs to deliver it to you)

When you have fixed your machine, you can always explain to your mate in the shop that in less 45 minutes and for no more than 100 euros, with 2 men you could shove the old spring up his ar**. :mad:

Good luck, and keep us posted.
Cheers mate,
JC :cool:

[hvdb]

JC,

Thanks a lot for sharing this JC, however as the shop owner yesterday had received the quotation from the factory in France (which is 150 Euro including transport costs) he wanted to know if he could send it to France for reparation. As I didn't have your answer yet yesterday I told him to go ahead as the machine has been broken for a few weeks now and I need it back urgently... :mad:

Shit...Should have waited one more day!!!



when it is not under tension there is no preload tension on the spring.


JC, does this mean that when the spring is under tension or needs to be tensioned to put in that it is more difficult?

It really is strange, because they guy told me that when he visited the factory that he saw how they were putting it in, and that it really was a hard job because they need to put big tension on it to get it in. Either he is a very good lyer or these specific machines are more difficult to handle than others? :confused:

I really want to find out if this guy is honest or not. I trusted him because he seems to know Alain very well (the Pro Supex dealer in Belgium, JC you probably know him) and Alain always is very positive about this guy.

Anyway, if the spring ever breaks again i will try it myself!

Hans

[Jay Cee]

Hans,
If this guy can't fix it himself, why would he send the all of the machine back to the factory, at the worst you only need to send the center piece where the spring is, so no matter what you do this solution is unthinkable for anyone who has the slightest idea about a drop weighr stringing machine. :o
If he had called ESCAPE to ask for advice, they would never tell him to send the machine back, they are very serious suppliers with an excellent After Sales Service since more than 30 years. :)
I have just spoken to the technicien at Escape and he has informed me that anybody that needs to replace the spring with a minimum of mechanical aptitude can do is with a spanner and a screw driver in less than 5 minutes. :eek:
You should ask to see the shipping papers for the proof that this guy has actually sent it to Escape, I would find it very hard to believe that he is stupid enough to have done that, but you never know, personnally I think that it is easier to take advantage of you and sell you a good story.
That would leave you one other option as to your opinion of him. :(
Don't let yourself be fooled into paying 150 euros, that is totally unjustifiable, even with the eventual shipping costs + the 5 euros for the spring and let's say 10 euros to install it. :mad:
You can follow up the problem yourself directly through ESCAPE, give a call to Angelo, he will sort it out for you, you can tell him that I have advised you to do so. ;)
Cheers,
John. :cool:

[hvdb]

Ok,

thanks to very quick reactions from JC I might be able to save 150 Euro.

I contacted escapetennis and Angelo was really VERY helpfull. He confirmed again that this replacement is easily done by one person in 3 minutes. He said he would prove it to me. Tomorrow he will replace a NON broken spring with a new one and film it and he will send the film to me. This way I can see how you do it AND prove the shop owner that he wanted to gain money on my back! :mad:

Furthermore escape tennis would also send me the paper manual for replacing the spring and he would add a spring to the package too. Now that's what's called service. ;)

I then contacted the shop owner and told him the results of my survey on stringforum and escapetennis. Luckily he hadn't sent the machine anywhere yet, so I told him to leave it there and that I would do it myself.

He said he didn't believe that I would be able to replace the tring myself but he could order the spring for me. I told him I would get it from escapetennis and I will not need his support in the future. I will pick up my machine in the weekend and wait for the instructions from escapetennis before trying.

I will keep you informed on progress.

Anyway, finally it seems that there are still people on this planet who enjoy helping others. I started to believe otherwise the last few years, but it seems that here on the forum the standards are much better than in real life :) So thanks to all of you. I hope I can return the favour one day


Regards,

Hans

[hvdb]

Happy end...

I have received the spring from escape tennis today, and it took indeed only 2 minutes to replace. I have strung 2 rackets tonight and it feels like new... :D

So thanks to all of you I saved 150 Euro and learned something new. If anyone is interested, I can post/send the movie somewhere so you can see how this spring replacement is done. Watch out, it is about 30MB you will need to download.

Aloha :cool:

Hans

[hvdb]

I have received requests to post the movie so you can download two movies from my temporary webpage :

http://users.skynet.be/hvdb/

The full procedure is called "string replacement procedure" (30MB), the detailed spring replacement only is called "spring replacment detail" (2MB).

Just right click on it and save it to your computer so you can look at it.

Hans

[tennisinstructor]

Hi HVDB..I have a used gamma 4000 stringing machine for sale and I'm willing to sell for $800.00 O.B.O...

if your interested,please reply by sending me a message to my email lsited below and I'll send you a picture, then you can make me an offer..and let me know were you live??

Thanks

Dan Emrich
35 McKeough Avenue
Chatham,Ontario
Canada
N7L 1J3

CELL# 1-519-809-1264
tennisinstructor@hotmail.com

[Jaap]

I've got the same problem as mentioned above, only the pin is still in the hole. I can not get it out! Has anybody got some sort of sollution for this problem or should I buy a whole new machine?!

[lordjohn]

Just seen this. You should not need to get a new machine if I understand your problem. You could carefully drill out the stub of the spring if it is jammed in the hole (eye protection to be worn during drilling etc). A better option would be to take the part to a local blacksmith or someone who works with metal fabrication and they should be able to help you remove the stub.

[Jaap]

got a new one...tnx for reply!

[gkamieneski]

Did we ever determine conclusively what brand of machine this is. My dropweight definitely uses the same spring.

[Jaap]

If the spring breaks, its usely the "pin" that breaks. It's easy to bend the spring a bit and you're back in business...

Don't know the brand btw...

[gkamieneski]

I should have mentioned that...my vendor recommended "bending" another pin our from the spring if it breaks as it usually breaks at the right angled bend of the spring. My machine was a BR-3 from Associated Tennis Suppliers. Wonder if that is ATS Sports now?

[turbo_slug]

If the spring breaks, its usely the "pin" that breaks. It's easy to bend the spring a bit and you're back in business...

Don't know the brand btw...

yup, that supposedly works...

a friend of mine has an alpha machine...i think the spring broke...he was able to fix it by just bending the spring...

I used to have a machine w/ a similar clutch mechanism...it was made by AG but a lot of other manufacturers cloned the clutch design. Eagnas still sells machines w/ clutches. You might be able to buy a spring from them but don't tell them you don't own an Eagnas machine else they won't sell you the part.