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Starting clamp

Q: When exactly is a starting clamp needed?

A: A starting clamp (also known as a bridge clamp) can be one of the handiest tools in your tool tray. Depending on your stringing technique, you may need one at various points through the stringing process.

For example, even before you get to your machine, you can use two starting clamps — one at each end of the string — to pre-stretch the string. Once you start stringing, if your machine clamps let the string slip a little when you are pulling the first main string, you can mount the starting clamp right behind your machine clamp to eliminate slippage. After you finish the mains on a two-piece string job, you can often use a starting clamp instead of a starting knot on the first cross to avoid the possibility of pulling the starting knot through the grommet. Then, after you have installed the first three crosses, you can re-tension the first cross (removing the starting clamp in the process), and use a tie-off knot instead. If, on the other hand, you are using an around-the-world pattern, you may find that at some point you need an “extra” clamp, and the starting clamp will do the trick. Speaking of knots, you can use a starting clamp as you would use a pair of pliers, when cinching up knots. Finally, if you get to the end of the crosses (or the mains, for that matter), and find that although you have enough string to tie off, you haven’t allowed enough string to reach the tension head, you can grab the end of the string with the starting clamp, and then run a piece of scrap string through the holes on the outside of the starting clamp to the tension head.

Starting clamp used to prevent slippage through a machine clamp.

Starting clamp can be used instead of a starting knot on the crosses, or as a third clamp on around-the-world patterns.

Using a starting clamp instead of pliers to cinch up a tie-off knot.

From the March 2004 issue
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