A sneak peek at my ever evolving man-cave string rig madness! Finally getting this thing dialed in, and it feels great
I’ll update this thread periodically.
Current capabilities [12-11-2019]
Okay, so at the time these photos were taken, this rig is:
dialed in to my ideal finished string length, to minimize waste. All I have to do is tie an overhand loop knot as close to the top of the string as possible and it’s my ideal length for unresponsive 1a
able to lay out strings in batches of up to 5 at a time
maintenance done on my Dremel [or a new one] so that it runs smoother/ more predictably. It has a really spaztastic RPM control.
area to accumulate finished strings, well organised and fool proof to keep track of different recipes/ colors
MOAR HOOKS lol. For the bearing loop end of the string
cone adapters/ some sort of retrofitted bearing cone adapters to help my cones spin smoother [and quieter] as thread is being pulled from them
get a premium spring scale [0-5 Newton/ 0-500 Grams] to get my recipes as accurate and consistent as possible.
Future projects
Eventually, I’d like to create an electronic motorized rig. But that’s a future endeavor. For now, this rig is my main priority.
I also have plans to write up a how-to guide explaining the process of creating/ honing a recipe that works for you. Spoiler allert: math is a pretty awesome tool. So stay tuned for that!
That is an actual rig in an actual man cave! (My string “rig” is a couple of folding chairs set equidistant from a lolly column in my similar to your man cave)
Yes, and no lol. I’ve been doing it by feel and while it may yield nearly consistent results, my goal is to eventually take most of the guess work out of the reduction. I have a few ideas for this already, it’s just going to take time to get it all tested.
I’ll try to take some photos of the “failed” recipes to add a little more understanding to my process for honing my recipes.
Math should be everyone’s friend (especially string makers). I think you hit on the key about stringmaking with the idea of a guide that explains how to make a string that works for you.
I’ve been contemplating adding a scale to my string making setup too. I feel like this is one of the major variables that is often not discussed. We talk about reduction, but never the pull force resisting that reduction. I have a plan to build a rig that I can apply constant tension as the sting is wound, and do some experimentation.
Idk, had to start somewhere! Haha they are cheap enough too. If I need a different scale, it’s not a big deal.
Yes, totally agree! In most cases, it isn’t a huge issue; but I’m at a stage where I want to start controlling for that now. I mean, why not? Wouldn’t hurt to try!
I’m digging the vertical feed. That’s how my sewing machine works; makes sense for this too! If you run into problems with the thread unspooling itself too easily you can buy a “thread sock” for each spool to add a little resistance and keep things tidy.
