I know I’m asking for trade secrets here probably but I need some help. I’ve got polyester strings down to a point im happy with so I’m not a total noob at this, but nylon is a totally different beast. Seems I either end up with something that’s much to tight or way to loose. Can’t seem to find the happy medium. I guess what I’m really asking is when I’m spinning it before folding how much tension should I be putting on the strands? I shrink it by about 10% usually and end up with some decent polyester strings. The nylon almost seems like that’s to much though. Any tips and pointers you’d be willing to share here or privately would be appreciated. I’ll add I’m not trying to become a manufacturer, just a guy messing around in his basement making strings for my own use haha.
Here’s one I made this evening compared to a pack of zs.air. It was 5 wraps, which I believe is what the zs.air is also but ended up skinnier. I’m using woolly nylon.
As just a guy that makes strings in my garage, I might be able to help…might.
Not knowing your setup, or method, I’d lean towards the notion that you are simply over twisting. Or pulling really tight during the twist. Either of those a possibility?
The setup is 2 hooks 14ft apart. I place an s hook on each one of those and do my wraps between them. Then I take one off and hook it to the drill and spin. I shrink about 14 inches most times. Over twisting is definitely a possibility, as far as pulling I try to keep it just at the point of feeling some resistance from the strands. This is much harder to do with the stretch of the nylon though.
I’ll give it a shot, less twisting that direction? How much tension should I be putting on it in that 2nd twist? That’s a variable I hadn’t thought of.
For me it was works best to ease it back just until I feel it try to pull back the other way. Then I pull the string super tight, relax it, and give it a couple more seconds. You just have to feel it out really. Which just sounds like all things yo-yo, and never the answer you want.
Side note: it’s weird to try to think about when I’m not physical making a string. Hah!
Seems it’s a matter of just playing around until you get a feel for it. Thanks for the insights! It’ll give me some things to think about and try next time.
When I used a drill, I would try to not pull back and just let the weight of it on the carpet provide the resistance. You would have to experiment with different reduction rates but it made strings more consistent for me.
