Seeing faster DT decay this week — on our 98s strung 48 lbs with 1.25 poly, ERT dropped from 38 to 30 in 48 hours at about 82°F/70% RH. I’m trialing 10% pre-stretch, sealed bag storage with silica packs, and a light PTFE rub on mains to reduce notch friction; has anyone logged better retention using string savers or hybridizing with a softer mono cross during summer blocks?
At 82°F, 1.30 mains + 4G cross kept ‘ERT 38→34’ after 48h; string savers center only — slightly stiffer; thoughts?
Quick fix that’s helped me in muggy weeks: use a longer constant‑pull (8–10s per string) and then repull the middle 8 mains after a 5‑minute rest before tying off — it pre‑settles the creep like letting pasta rest, and my 98s go 38→35 at 48h. If you keep the PTFE, wipe off any sheen after sliding so dust doesn’t turn it into grinding paste. @tinaB2001 what machine are you on — constant pull or lockout?
, I saw the same ‘38→30 in 48h’ in about 82°/70%. What helped me more than 10% pre‑stretch was a firmer round cross at +2 lbs (e.g., 4G 1.30) plus a tiny 3×5 string‑saver grid between mains 3–7; DT held about 3 points better at 48h, but it’s a hair harsher. Are you seeing the drop across multiple frames or just one batch?
Try attacking temperature, not just moisture: keep the sticks in a cooled bag (small gel pack near the throat — think ice cream rules) and only measure/play once they’re back to room temp — my ‘38→30’ became 38→33 doing just that. @eddie_mack12, do you also see ERT swing a couple points just from a 10°F shift? If you want a quick tweak, rub the PTFE lightly on the crosses at the intersections and wipe the excess so the film sits where the strings slide.
Use a starting clamp jumper on tie-offs; reduces ‘tie-off loss’ on 1.25 poly at 48 lbs — tried this?
@OP I’ve had better summer retention by switching to slow-pull and holding each pull 6–8 seconds before clamping; on 98s at 48 lbs with 1.25 it trims the 48-hour DT dip by a couple ERT points because the early creep happens on the machine. It adds a few minutes, but it’s been more consistent for me than 10% pre-stretch — have you tried a short dwell/repull routine?
@OP Quick data point: when I was seeing ‘38 to 30 in 48h’, adding 8–12 Babolat Elastocross savers just in the top third of the bed (centered over the 2nd–5th crosses) on 98s with 1.25 poly trimmed the 48-hour ERT drop by about 2 and slowed notching. It does firm the response a bit, so I add them after the first hit — want the exact grid I mark?