Tennis stringing machine
Learn more about tennis stringing machines
Learn more about tennis stringing machines
Ambitious tennis players who reach a certain level of play acquire their own tennis stringing machine. This allows them to string their tennis rackets themselves at home and no longer have to take them to a stringer.
Once the tennis stringing machine is purchased, the largest costs are already done, because in the maintenance of careful treatment, there are usually no further costs. If your tennis string breaks frequently and you would like to remain loyal to tennis for a longer time, then the purchase of a tennis stringing machine is recommended.
In the following, we will show you the different tennis stringing machines, how they work and how a tennis racket is strung and calculate when the purchase will be worthwhile for you – enjoy reading.
1. Tennis stringing machines introduction
Tennis stringing machines are used to string tennis rackets with a new tennis string after a tennis string breaks or after a certain period of time.
Basically there are two different tennis stringing machines: The lever-arm tennis stringing machine and the electric tennis stringing machine. Below we explain the difference between the two tennis stringing machines.
a) Tennis stringing machine with lever arm
In the lever-arm tennis stringing machine, the weight on the individual strings is tightened with a lever arm. On the lever arm itself, a weight is used to set the stringing tension and by folding the lever arm, the string is tightened according to the weight setting.
It is then held in place with a clamp, ideally one installed on the tennis stringing machine rather than a loose clamp. After that, the lever arm can be flipped again and you can move on to the next string.
b) Electric tennis stringing machine
In the electric tennis stringing machine, the weight on each string is tightened with electric assistance. This makes the adjustment of the weight much more accurate than with a lever arm and is done by an electric pull at the touch of a button until the string is tightened according to the weight setting.
With every electric tennis stringing machine, the clamps are integrated on the tennis stringing machine so that the clamps hold the tennis string in place and the weight is then released again at the push of a button. After that, you can move on to the next string.
However, with both types of tennis stringing machines, a tennis racket can be strung in the best possible way.
2. Functionality of tennis stringing machines
How does a tennis stringing machine work? This is a question we get a lot, so we would like to go into it.
First of all, it is important to measure and cut a tennis string with a length of 40 feet. You can buy tennis strings in this length as standard. If you have your own tennis stringing machine, it is usually worth buying ~650 feet rolls of tennis strings. With a little experience in stringing tennis rackets, you should be able to shorten the 40 feet length a little. But as a beginner please start with 40 feet length.
The tennis stringing machine should ideally be at waist height. Either by placing it on a table at the appropriate height or by purchasing a stand for tennis stringing machines.
When the tennis stringing machine is standing, the tennis racket is clamped into the stringing machine without the tennis string. This is done by two adjusting screws: top and bottom in the middle. After that, the tennis racket is still clamped at four points in the X-format of the tennis racket. After that, the weight for stringing is set – there is an initial recommendation for this on every tennis racket. Normally, a tennis racket is strung between 50 and 60 lbs.
After that, the stringing of the tennis racket can begin. First, the longitudinal strings of the tennis racket are strung. At the end, a knot is usually tied and the other piece of the tennis string is used to string the cross strings continuously. There, too, the stringing ends with a knot. Alternatively, it is also possible to string the main strings separately first and then the cross strings. This would mean that you would need a total of four knots to string the tennis racket instead of two.
Then the tennis racket is already strung. You should allow two hours for the first stringing. As soon as a little routine sets in, a tennis racket should be strung within 30 minutes to one hour.
3. Tennis stringing machine cost
The tennis stringing machine is designed to reduce the running costs of stringing your own tennis rackets.
Below is an approximate cost estimate per tennis stringing machine:
Tennis stringing machine with lever arm: USD 600-900
Electric tennis stringing machine: USD 1,000-5,000
We recommend to buy a tennis stringing machine with lever arm in the beginning, because the costs are much lower.
4. When does a tennis stringing machine pay off?
The stringing of tennis rackets costs on average about USD 30 depending on the selected tennis string and region.
The costs for the tennis string are also incurred when stringing yourself. Sometimes stringers add a surcharge to the cost of the tennis string, but let’s ignore that and assume a 1:1 relationship.
We assume an average tennis stringing cost of USD 15-25 without string.
If you buy a tennis stringing machine with a lever arm, the purchase will pay off between 24 and 60 stringings.
Minimum: USD 600 / USD 25 = 24 strings
Maximum: USD 900 / USD 15 = 60 strings
When buying an electric tennis stringing machine, the purchase pays off between 40 and ~333 strings.
Minimum: USD 1,000 / USD 25 = 40 strings
Maximum: USD 5,000 / USD 15 = ~333 stringings
Depending on how many times a year your tennis string breaks, you can now calculate when the purchase of a tennis stringing machine will be financially worthwhile for you. I have not taken your time into account in the financial calculation.
How often does your tennis string break per year?
a) The following calculation shows when the purchase of a tennis stringing machine with lever arm will pay off for you depending on how often your tennis string breaks:
1x = 24 to 60 years
2x = 12 to 30 years
4x = 6 to 15 years
8x = 3 to 7,5 years
12x = 2 to 5 years
18x = 1.3 to 3.3 years
b) The following calculation shows when the purchase of an electric tennis stringing machine will pay off for you depending on your tennis string breakage:
1x = 40 to 333 years
2x = 20 to 166,5 years
4x = 10 to 83 years
8x = 5 to 41,6 years
12x = 3,3 to 27,8 years
18x = 2.2 to 18.5 years
This also does not take into account that you can theoretically string for family, friends and acquaintances in your own tennis communities, and that the tennis stringing machine may pay for itself more quickly as a result.
With the help of the previously presented calculation of the profitability of tennis stringing machines, you can make your own decision about the purchase.
5. Summary and conclusion
A distinction is made between a lever-arm tennis stringing machine and an electric tennis stringing machine. The electric tennis stringing machine is a little more convenient and accurate in adjusting the hardness of the stringing.
A tennis stringing machine can be financially worthwhile for tennis players who often break the tennis string and or if for family, friends and acquaintances should also be strung.
We wish you the right decision when buying or not buying your own tennis stringing machine.
