Rubber press, useless?

says Thanks for the suggestion Splasher! I was going to try...
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Happy Sunday everyone.
While I should be out training to improve my TT, here’s me pondering on possibly the most useless issue I could come up with.
I was about to put my DIY hat on to make myself a kick ass rubber press. I can make myself one that is better than a Clicky for a third of the price, but then I found myself wondering, why am I doing this? It’s clearly just a little fun project, but who does actually use a press nowadays? Is pressing modern rubbers a complete waste of time and MDF? Many say that a couple of heavy books for a short time will do all the work that is really needed, as modern glues don’t dome the rubber..
 
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You don't need heavy books. It crushes the pips, some say damages some pips. Weight should just be enough to keep the sponge in even contact with the wood.
The rubber press is very useful if you are leaving your house with a freshly glued blade as you can pop the whole thing in your bag.
BTW, for your DIY, consider using an old Badminton racket press. Simply cut thin plywood to fit when sandwiching the TT blade.
 
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Thanks, interesting, only gentle and uniform pressure is needed, I suspected that. I read many reviews of the Yasaka Clicky (sad.. lol) where people complain that the wood is too thin and bends. I guess these people are just over-cranking the screws.
 
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Great thanks. I’ll look around, I remember the mother of a childhood friend making flower books and using a serious iron press! Really, a Clicky type of press is so easy to make. I just don’t want to make it and then find it’s actually not needed or even worse not good to use it. Very useful to know that the pressure to apply is gentle.
 
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A press isn't really needed unless you're planning on gluing heavily boosted rubbers (then it becomes extremely useful). I have the "Clicky" but haven't used it since I stopped using Hurricane 3. I've got a severe infection of the EJ virus and probably glue something onto something every second week without ever pressing the rubbers to the racket. A good glue is essential.
 
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Out of curiosity, what glue do you use Mart1? Following Tinykin suggestion I checked flower presses and yes, those would do very well! they are basically the same as a tabletennis rubber press. The one I saw as a child was a different type of cast iron beast!
 
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Andro Free Glue. It's quite thin so you don't need to stress when spreading it. It's made by ESN so it's probably identical to the glues from Donic, Xiom etc. I think I paid something like 18€ for a 0.5l bottle and it seems to last forever. It works great with OX longpips.
 
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I ended up giving mine away. It seemed to not affect the quality of the glue job, maybe because I don't boost. And with WBG I don't glue each day anymore.
 
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I have the racket press from Revolution and its great! Very solid and well constructed but if I could make one by my own it would be awesome just because I did it but I can’t even make a paper airplane that fly's.

I like to keep my racket in the press after I glue and sometimes on my way to the club and even between matches. Maybe its just placebo but I feel the wood better after a feel minutes in the press.
 
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If you can make 4 holes in the wood with a drill, then you can make your own press :)
You can even use companies that will cut MDF to given size with nicely rounded edges,2 rectangles of 2.5 cm thick precut MDF will cost you 5-8 euros/dollars/pounds and the screws 2-3 for a total cost of a third of a branded press... but then Tinykin mentioned flower presses and those are just the same, if not better, and cheaper.. so if I really feel like getting one I will probably get a flower press. The advantage is that if I was to give up table tennis, I have the kit ready for a new hobby lol
 
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Never understood all the fuss about assembling a racquet with people wondering about the brand/type of a glue or whether a press is needed.

There's a YouTube video from Butterfly that tells you step by step how to assemble a god damn racquet. Follow that precisely and you are fine.

I've always just used the generic WBG, never applied more than one layer of glue on both the blade and rubber, and never used any press. I have EJ virus too so I've assembled countless racquets including attaching boosted rubbers that are heavily domed. I've never had a single issue. Just do it right people, and stop wasting $ on useless junks.
 
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One would be surprised at the number of experienced players who are too afraid to glue on their own rubbers.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Exactly my experience as well. I’ve lost count on how many times that I’ve helped players with quite high ranking. The kids on the other hand are completely fearless and screw up massively in their enthusiasm to do it quick.
 
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65A6C8BB-82C2-4B99-A8A6-0B23625743A1.jpgWell, I will soon be a proud owner of a £10 flower press thanks to ebay and a mild insomnia. Looks just like a rev3 press just a little thicker, nicer unpainted wood,and a lovely flower emblem on the top. I’m sure my mates will dig it when I turn up at the club with it... If any of you need an advice on which glue to use for daisies, I might soon be able to answer that.
 
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Exactly my experience as well. I’ve lost count on how many times that I’ve helped players with quite high ranking. The kids on the other hand are completely fearless and screw up massively in their enthusiasm to do it quick.

Hm, everybody is different, but still strange. Never encountered that. I wonder, what's so scary about putting the glue on the plank?


View attachment 19849

After I used my new press, I’m now able to answer the original question: Rubber press, useless?
Yes! Imho of course :)

Never had a need for a rubber press, but because you've tried it and find it useless, I'm currious why? Didn't do the job well, too gimmicky...?
 
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