Protests Against the Proposed Plastic Ball

says Spin and more spin.
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I saw this and thought discussion on the subject would be interesting.

http://tabletennis.about.com/od/ran...rotesting-Against-Plastic-Ping-Pong-Balls.htm

It is worth reading the article. But I will post one part of it that is pertinent here:

"Take a Stand and Sign

One such player has decided to take the first step, and set up an online petition protesting against this ill-justified replacement of our beloved celluloid ball. You can find a link to sign the petition here."

The link to the petition is in the article and I am putting it here:

http://tabletennis.about.com/gi/o.h...ns.com/petition/keepexistingtabletennisballs/

Since it will not show up as a link in its original form in the test from the article.

What are your thoughts on the change to a PVC plastic ball that gets less spin?
 
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I think the ITTF would sign this petition if they could... There is just no denying that celluloid is a dead end. It is beyond the power of anyone in the table tennis world to try and keep the celluloid for decades to come. I understand that people don't like this change, and neither do I, but you have to be realistic. It is not a free choice to drop or keep celluloid, it is a given fact that the decline in production of celluloid will continue till it is not being produced anymore. The only thing the ITTF does is anticipate on that problem and create new rules for the ball. It now is up to the manufacterers of table tennis balls to come up with a product that gives the experience closest to the celluloid version without using celluloid. This is not easy, but I have good hope that they will develop a ball better than the current PVC one. If you only see the development in glue-effect rubbers in the past years it should be just a matter of time until the new ball is perfected and everyone is adjusted. The process of adjusting isn't desirable, but it is inevitable.
 
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The process of adjusting isn't desirable, but it is inevitable.

==> That sounded like you just returned from a visit to "The matrix" :p
 
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says Spin and more spin.
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Here is a quote from the article on the use of celluloid:

"In contrast to past changes, there does not appear to be an actual problem with the sport itself that the ITTF is trying to fix with this adjustment. Instead, ITTF President Adham Sharara originally supported the ITTF's decision by citing a upcoming worldwide ban on celluloid, and later added that it was also due to the hazards involved in producing the sheets of celluloid that the balls are made from. Diligent investigation by members of several internet forums (including the OOAK forum and our own About.com forum) failed to find any real evidence confirming the ITTF's claims."

http://tabletennis.about.com/od/ran...rotesting-Against-Plastic-Ping-Pong-Balls.htm
 
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Well if the decline in celluloid production is a lie, it would be a different story. But I can't think of an incentive for the ITTF to change the ball when it is not forced by external factors.
Besides, it is not weird that forum members can't find evidence about this, since celluloid is used only for table tennis balls and doesn't have much exposure at all. Everything on the internet about celluloid almost suggest that it is a thing from the past, with at the end the addition: 'nowadays celluloid is used for the production of table tennis balls.' Celluloid factories closing down won't make the news, so you will probably not find much, if anything at all, about this on the internet.
The ball manufacturers and (indirectly) the ITTF will have better information about this, as they have business with the celluloid factories. So the fact that internet forum members can't find evidence doesn't mean that it is not true.
 
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using the pvc material might be a good try , but the cost is likeyly much more
 
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Well if the decline in celluloid production is a lie, it would be a different story. But I can't think of an incentive for the ITTF to change the ball when it is not forced by external factors.
Besides, it is not weird that forum members can't find evidence about this, since celluloid is used only for table tennis balls and doesn't have much exposure at all. Everything on the internet about celluloid almost suggest that it is a thing from the past, with at the end the addition: 'nowadays celluloid is used for the production of table tennis balls.' Celluloid factories closing down won't make the news, so you will probably not find much, if anything at all, about this on the internet.
The ball manufacturers and (indirectly) the ITTF will have better information about this, as they have business with the celluloid factories. So the fact that internet forum members can't find evidence doesn't mean that it is not true.

This is sad nobody will ever want to know about this part of truth. I can certainly that there is no manufacturer in Europe area are allow to make celluloid. But if anyone ever try to google for celluloid manufacturer, as I tried, I just can't find any. Only the one related is those china factory.


For the less spin part, it mostly due to that the manufacturing process is seamless, unless the old way to make it. But I recall they want to make it feel exactly the same as the current ball. So, there still more trial and error experiment to go.
 
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Celluloid was useful for creating cheaper jewellery, jewellery boxes, hair accessories and many items that would earlier have been manufactured from ivory, horn or other expensive animal products. It was often referred to as "Ivorine" or "French Ivory". It was also used for dressing table sets, dolls, picture frames, charms, hat pins, buttons, buckles, stringed instrument parts, accordions, fountain pens, cutlery handles and kitchen items. The main disadvantages the material had were that it was flammable and fragile. Items made in celluloid are collectible today and increasingly rare in good condition. It was soon overtaken by the more robust Bakelite and Catalin. Celluloid remains in use for decorative borders and inlays on Indian Sitars. Table tennis balls are also made from celluloid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celluloid
 
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