2 piece stringing tension

[axbige]

Just wondering everyones thoughts on tension for the mains and crosses. I'm not stringing hybrids, just a 2 piece job. Do you string the mains at one tension and then increase, decrease or keep the tension the same for the crosses?

-Erik

[axbige]

And also, just for my knowledge, when stringing with hybrids, what tension difference if any do you use for the crosses?

-Erik

[Gaines Hillix]

I normally use the same tension if the strings are the same or similar construction(like nat gut mains and syn gut crosses). If I am using a poly in the mains and a softer string in the crosses I'll drop the mains by 10% versus the crosses to try to equalize the stringbed stiffness and feel.

[axbige]

thanks for the info.

[ericb]

It's worth noting (just in case you're new axbige) that there has been a lot of discussion on two piece stringing on this forum in the past, whether for hybrid, or simply using a two piece method with the same string in the mains and crosses.

The method I use for two-piece jobs, which on the board we call JC's method, is to increase the tension in the crosses by 4lbs compared to the mains. In addition, pull the outer two mains at +8lbs, and then push down on them firmly from the outside mains to the inside mains to equalize the tension after tying off. You do the same for the crosses. The logic of this method is not based on string constructions, but rather the fact that the crosses always have a lower tension than the mains, so it is equally applicable to a two piece job with one kind of string.

I urge you to look at JC's (JayCee) posts on this subject, as they are much more detailed than what I have written here.

Cheers,

Eric

[axbige]

Thanks Eric, one thing I have found a little confusing, is when people state about tying off the mains.

You said, "and then push down on them firmly from the outside mains to the inside mains to equalize the tension after tying off."

I'm a bit confused as what I actually have to do. Maybe I'm doing it already and am just confused as to the wording. Can you explain in maybe a bit more detail. I'd appreciate it.


-Erik

[axbige]

Nevermind Eric, I think I ACTUALLY get it now.

[ericb]

Can you explain in maybe a bit more detail. I'd appreciate it.

Ok - you've just finished stringing the mains (in a two piece job) where you pulled the outside two mains at +8lbs, and you've tied the two knots, and released the clamps. Now to distribute the tension evenly over the mains, do the following:

- with your left thumb on the left-most main, and your right thumb on the right-most main push down hard
- move in one string, and repeat
- continue all the way to the center two mains

Hope this clarifies things.

Cheers,

Eric

[wmarkhay]

A couple questions, somewhat theoretical, but just might help me understand...

1) If the outer mains are strung tighter, say by 8 lbs, after playing a short while wouldn't the tension be getting equalized anyway and have an effect relatively similar to, say, increasing the tension by 1/2 or 1 lb on all the strings? I do understand there's a theory of pushing the slack toward the middle to the sweet spot, but my sense is that a relatively few hits of the tennis ball would do much the same thing as the higher tension and finger push-downs working inward.

2) And this one REALLY puzzles me, but I'm sure there's something very simple and obvious that I'm not getting... If it makes sense for frame integrity with the mains to start from the middle strings and work outward for the tie-offs as opposed to starting at one side and working across, then why would it not make sense to do to the same with the crosses on a 2-piece job? (Maybe if I were to just experiment with this myself I might come to an obvious answer?)

And one last thing -- the references to ATW... is there somewhere on here that describes what it meant by Around the World stringing method?

[Andrew.W]

Hello Mark,

There is a thread on ATW about 6 threads back (ATW for ncode tour 90). Also starting the crosses in the centre is called the 50/50 method, I believe Yonex specify this for their racquets.

With regards to the strings "equalizing out anyway", I personally don't think they do equalize out over time, I've just strung a tennis racquet that was last strung 5 years ago and the last mains on the short side were still noticibly looser. I believe that once a racquet is strung the strings are pretty much locked into place by the weave, and certainly once any notching occurs they are trully locked in. If this assessment is right then it makes it more important to do a balanced string job to begin with, and employ some methods like JC recommends.

Regards,

Andrew.

[dainova]

Is all written above (+8 on last mains) can be related only to 2 pcs stringing?

[wmarkhay]

Andrew:

I'll have to agree that if the strings get notched, there will be little movement and hence little further equalization, but I'm thinking the pressure of the weave is minor enough compared with the sudden, momentary impact of ball on stringbed that long before notching, tension equalization will have occurred. Not scientific, just a hunch... wonder if anybody's ever studied this?! And certainly there will be variation depending on types of string and tension at which strung. I try to keep sure I'm balanced on both sides of racquet while stringing mains by plucking to hear the sound pitch (e.g. 4th from center should sound the same on both sides), and if one is slightly lower pitch I can see (hear) it tighten if I do a string even 2 or 3 removed slightly tighter than its correspondent string on the other side, so I know tension can be moved across several grommets, but of course at that point there still are no crosses weaved. But that's also being effected with a gentle tension pull, much less "moving" than the sudden stress of a ball impact.

[Andrew.W]

Vik,

The reason for going +8 is to compensate for tension loss after the tie-off, so that reason is still there on one piece stringing, perhaps even more so.(with one piece you have the added reason of keeping the stringbed even, wereas with 2 piece at least any tension loss from the tie-off occurs on both sides of the racquet.)
You might want to read the thread titled "overtensioning"

Mark,

I have seen some rediculously loose individual strings on occasion from factory strung squash racquets, even ones that have been played with, and that has led me to believe that they don't naturally equalize out.
Just to contradict myself, I have also seen witness marks on stencil ink that show that the strings can shift after being strung. Both are just occasional observations (like you said "not scientific").
Out of interest, next time I order strings I might get some stencil ink and look for signs of strings shifting after being strung on a non-factory string job.

Regards,

Andrew.