This user has no status.
Homemade table tennis blade
- Thread starter GinjaNinja
- Start date
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
New blade, this one is balsa; Cherry; African Satinwood and is 68g and 7.4mm thick. Handle is Lime.
I've spent quite a bit of time playing these different blades now and have found them all very playable but all in different ways. The flamed mahogany works great for me and I feel this is better for my game than my SPW - not quite as quick but it has more control and has better feel - naturally I'm very happy! What I have learned is that the blade has a much more dramatic effect on performance than I ever thought. The three blades with different top plies (walnut, mahogany, limba) but the same core and medial play very differently. Even when I've changed rubbers the 'character' of the blade still comes through.
It's becoming a fascinating and quite cheap hobby! Cheaper than changing blades to find out what I do and don't like. Each blade costs about 12 euros - plus my time.
I have noticed that the veneers on my blades don't seem as hard as those on manufactured blades - has anyone noticed this on their DIY blades? Is it the gluing, pressing or drying process?
I've spent quite a bit of time playing these different blades now and have found them all very playable but all in different ways. The flamed mahogany works great for me and I feel this is better for my game than my SPW - not quite as quick but it has more control and has better feel - naturally I'm very happy! What I have learned is that the blade has a much more dramatic effect on performance than I ever thought. The three blades with different top plies (walnut, mahogany, limba) but the same core and medial play very differently. Even when I've changed rubbers the 'character' of the blade still comes through.
It's becoming a fascinating and quite cheap hobby! Cheaper than changing blades to find out what I do and don't like. Each blade costs about 12 euros - plus my time.
I have noticed that the veneers on my blades don't seem as hard as those on manufactured blades - has anyone noticed this on their DIY blades? Is it the gluing, pressing or drying process?
says
Hi
In first i want to thank you for your interest...
says
Hi
In first i want to thank you for your interest...
Well-Known Member
most of the main common companies are using resin for glue ... which makes the wood harder.... but you i think are using the water based wood glue , which makes the wood more them selves . so better feel and softer wood.
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Thanks Bobpuls - yes I do use normal water based wood glue so that makes perfect sense. Much appreciated - it looks like I'll experiment with the harder woods. I have some Zebrano, Rosewood and Wenge - any suggestions for which would be best for more of a spin based/loop game?
says
Hi
In first i want to thank you for your interest...
says
Hi
In first i want to thank you for your interest...
Well-Known Member
Wenge ass top ply is on one blade i have build and played some time ago and it was ok ... But zebrano is absorbing energy... I do not like this for outer ply.
Last edited:
This user has no status.
Member
Once again, a nice job!
Does flamed veneer have exactly the same playing characteristics as the 'normal' veneer version?
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
One of my team mates has asked me to make him a blade and he's a defensive player, do you think I could use for that but perhaps with a soft inner such as willow or limba?
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
I presume so but I don't know for definite. I only bought the flamed version as I couldn't get the normal mahogany at the right size!
says
Hi
In first i want to thank you for your interest...
says
Hi
In first i want to thank you for your interest...
Well-Known Member
I think it could.
I have personally thinking to use it this way.... But i was thinking about 1.5 mm as second layer of ayous underneath.
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
This user has no status.
Member
This user has no status.
Member
I guess GinjaNinja means production costs are 12€ per blade.
Good job Ninja, nice looking blades.
Good job Ninja, nice looking blades.
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
says
Hi
In first i want to thank you for your interest...
says
Hi
In first i want to thank you for your interest...
Well-Known Member
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
New blade - obeche - Douglas fir- Cedar with a Zebrano handle. 88g, 6.4mm thick. A bit heavier than I wanted mainly due to the Zebrano handle which, despite hollowing it out, was still 28g in total. Happy with how the wood has come out though, the Zebrano was a gift from my Dad and it's quite beautiful. I am aiming for off minus, I'll stick some rubbers on and test later this week. I've also experimented with the core which was 2 horizontal pieces rather than 2 vertical pieces.
Last edited:
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Two new blades:
1) Rosewood - ayous - ayous - ayous - Rosewood. 89g, 5.9mm thickness. Mahogany handle with birch ply. Hopefully the Stiga inspiration is obvious!
2) Bubinga - Pondersosa Pine - Balsa - Ponderosa Pine - Bubinga. 80g; 7.2mm thickness. Sycamore handle.
I think both of these will come out as off- to off judging by a bounce test. Unfortunately I'm waiting on new rubbers to be delivered so can't test them out yet! Both of these are much harder woods than I've used before so I am quite keen to find out how they play.
If anyone is interested I have developed a spreadsheet which calculates the predicted weight, hardness and elasticity of any blade that I plan to make. I'm not sure how scientifically sound it is but the predicted weight has been accurate so far +/-1g os so.
1) Rosewood - ayous - ayous - ayous - Rosewood. 89g, 5.9mm thickness. Mahogany handle with birch ply. Hopefully the Stiga inspiration is obvious!
2) Bubinga - Pondersosa Pine - Balsa - Ponderosa Pine - Bubinga. 80g; 7.2mm thickness. Sycamore handle.
I think both of these will come out as off- to off judging by a bounce test. Unfortunately I'm waiting on new rubbers to be delivered so can't test them out yet! Both of these are much harder woods than I've used before so I am quite keen to find out how they play.
If anyone is interested I have developed a spreadsheet which calculates the predicted weight, hardness and elasticity of any blade that I plan to make. I'm not sure how scientifically sound it is but the predicted weight has been accurate so far +/-1g os so.
Attachments
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Nice.
One thing I am wondering: with wood such as bubinga (which really is quite beautiful), do you get an even bounce on the whole surface, given the striation (best word I could find) of the wood?
One thing I am wondering: with wood such as bubinga (which really is quite beautiful), do you get an even bounce on the whole surface, given the striation (best word I could find) of the wood?
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Yes, providing it's sanded smoothly and evenly then no problem. I have some sheets of bird's eye maple that I intend to use that will test this theory further. I know people use masur and burr wood and that seems to be Ok. Sanwei make a blade with Zebrano which has strong 'striation'.
Similar threads
