My wife gets frustrated at string length. She recently made two strings that were supposed to be the same length. One came out to 55" and the other came out to 56". How does that happen? It seems you would have to twist quite a bit more on one or make some mistake. On top of that you have to make an educated guess on how much it will stretch. And all materials stretch. How do you estimate stretch (ok, I know it is really creep not stretch) on a string?
Good questions! I'll give it a try.....
There are lots of variables with making strings--especially flemish. First, the variables in the material itself--the stretch/creep can vary some from one color to the next, even one spool to the next. It can vary a LOT from one type of material to the next.
We can vary too, without noticing. For instance, say you are calm, relaxed, maybe even sleepy, and make a string. Later, you make another, suppossedly identical, but you are agitated, excited, in a hurry, nervous, etc. Usually when we are excited or otherwise "wound up", we have a tendency to twist the bundles tighter. It doesn't seem like much, but it can make a big difference. Add that to little variances in material, measurements that aren't dead-on....it adds up quick.
I measure everything. I measure to get my starting point for the first loop, then when it's done I measure to find where to start the second. Eliminate as many variables as possible. Even doing that, you may have to re-make a string once in a while, but not nearly as often.
All materials do stretch--I agree 100%. Even 450+, which BCY advertises (or at least used to--I haven't checked lately) as having the least stretch/creep of any material on the market, stretches. Even in an endless string. Add to that the fact that they don't always stretch the same amount, and it gets complicated. That, to me, is one of the big advantages of flemish strings--more adjustable (both ways). Along with different stretch/creep rates between materials, you have to take into account different strand counts and different draw weights. It can make you scratch your head quite a bit!
The only way I know to learn how to estimate it is with practice, and taking notes along the way. That's one reason I don't even try to carry every string material on the market. I narrowed it down to the ones that customers call for the most, and work the best; then I learn as much as I can about them. I don't know of any shortcuts here--sorry. Thanks for some excellent questions--I'm taking notes!
Chad
Topic: Strings--Need Opinions (lots of them) (Read 1009 times)
