Re-using removed rubbers

If you roll your forearm over the rubber when pressing it on it could stretch it enough and if the glue you use is strong, it should stay that shape. But putting one thin layer of baby oil in could also expand the sponge to the right size or at least closer to the right size.


Sent from the Oracle of Delphi by the Pythia

Medax said:

As its been glued before, should I still apply a layer of glue before the oil or just go straight for the oil before re-gluing to the blade?

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It does depend on which kind of glue you use. But I would put the oil on with the old glue still on. Then I would see how the glue feels. If it is sticky enough to put on the rubber without any more glue, or with just glue on the blade. That is what I would do. But if it is one of those glues they feels sort of dry and like silicone, I would add a layer of glue to the blade and the rubber.


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I might be wrong, but this actually looks like speedglue to me.
If this is the case then there will be no need for oil usage. All you need is 4- 5 layers to expand the sponge and give the topsheet the tension and add another layer when the sponge starts shrinkin' again.

Haha.... Don't worry. This happens also a lot to me. I've learned so many new things on this forum....
Back to topic: i could only see that it contains solvents. It depends a little how strong the solvents are, but the solvent is what makes the sponge expand. Most solvent containing glues dry way faster than waterbased glues.
Firstly i would use some other glue as a base and put it on sponge and blade. This 'pre-glueing' is quite important if you want to use speedglue for the very first time to make the rubber stay on the blade. After it has dried a little i used to put one thick layer on the sponge (make sure to spread evenly otherwise your topsheet may look like a lunar landscape with hills and craters), let it dry a couple of minutes, then put on a little less glue than before on the second layer, again let it dry for a few minutes, repeat this step once or twice then put a layer on the blade and another layer on the sponge. You don't have to wait as long as before to let it dry though. Then put something heavy (a couple of big books will do) for at least half an hour... I have a friend who used to put on six layers and more...
But the effect doesn't last as long as with using oil, though. Probably only for a couple of days, then you have to reglue again. But usually one would reglue before every play, some guys even glue before every match.
But if you play in official tournaments the usage isn't recommendable cause you might be disqualified when caught using...
I actually still have some Donic waldner speedglue. Maybe i should use it again for practice or recreational play...

But i hear that a booster may shrink the life time or durability of the rubber, and you said it has been used even if it was kept/stored good, who knows what the conditions now and if the booster will not give more issues in shorter time than if it was a completely brand new un-used rubber.

Also, i always give my friend coach my equipment so he assembles for me, i noticed that he leave something about 0.5-1mm extra of rubber when cutting after applying/pressing on the rubber, i never asked him why, but i feel it is maybe just for future purpose maybe or to give better protection for the rubber if i hit the edges of the racket sometimes so that 0.5-1mm will be as a sacrifice.

Tareq, i think you missed the topic. What are you tryin' to say? That he should throw away his rubbers???

Suga D said:

Tareq, i think you missed the topic. What are you tryin' to say? That he should throw away his rubbers???

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No, but what i meant is that maybe he doesn't need to boost it, just re-glue it and it will be fine, unless i misunderstood the point of booster and its performance or side effects completely.

Suga D said:

Tareq, i think you missed the topic. What are you tryin' to say? That he should throw away his rubbers???

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Oh, don't mind Tareq. Search his profile for the threads he started himself. Look for the first one where he was trying to figure out what racket to get and read the whole thread. Then you can have a big laugh on all of what you read.

We decided there must be some estrogen therapy going on there.


Sent from the Oracle of Delphi by the Pythia

UpSideDownCarl said:

Oh, don't mind Tareq. Search his profile for the threads he started himself. Look for the first one where he was trying to figure out what racket to get and read the whole thread. Then you can have a big laugh on all of what you read.

We decided there must be some estrogen therapy going on there.

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Ok, i will search later and see what do you mean, i just don't look for funny posts or to offend or whatever, i was replying here and my reply post was just a curiosity question itself.

Tareq: the boosting expands the sponge

Carl, i just did that. Now i need a cup o tea and lie down....

Suga D said:

Tareq: the boosting expands the sponge

Carl, i just did that. Now i need a cup o tea and lie down....

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I know it will expand the rubber and make the sponge softer from what i hear [or the rubber?], but isn't this affecting the rubber itself after long run?

Medax said:

Hi Tareq,

Boosting was not the main reason for the question, I just thought that this might expand the sponge/rubber to give me the 1mm back to the edge of the blade. If the boost wears off in a day or two (or week or two), then this is fine with me

so following the glue revelation (i'm a speed freak and didn't even know it ), a quick update on what occurred.......

Using Suga D's suggestion, I went ahead and applied 2 layers of the glue to the rubber. I didn't have to wait long as the glue in between applications as it was touch dry in a matter of minutes !!!

I then applied a thin layer to the blade for the "bonding" and slowly applied the rubber with a bit of gentle "rolling dough" action with a bottle of pop (soda) to see if this aided the stretching process.

On one of the rubbers I actually now have a slight overhang in places and the other fits pretty much as if I had cut it to size in all but 1 small place.

So far nothing has pinged off, so book time to help the glue layers go off.

match night next Tuesday and hoping that the rubbers don't spring off with a bit of action on them, so fingers crossed and thanks a million guys

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This, so we are waiting and the fingers crossed

Hey Medax, great to hear/read. If you let the racket 'breathe' (most shops that sell voc containing glues will recommend this) until your match most of the solvents should have evaporated a lot, just in case somebody might want to test your racket for VOCs. But over here this actually only happens at semi-pro / pro level.

If he used that glue yesterday and plays a tournament next weekend, the VOCs really should be gone by then.

UpSideDownCarl said:

Oh, don't mind Tareq. Search his profile for the threads he started himself. Look for the first one where he was trying to figure out what racket to get and read the whole thread. Then you can have a big laugh on all of what you read.

We decided there must be some estrogen therapy going on there.


Sent from the Oracle of Delphi by the Pythia

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Maybe you meant serious OVERDOSE induced by zombies...