Air bubble in topsheet

[Bryce]

Hey guys, i was training today when i noticed a huge air bubble under the topsheet. I used it for a few training sessions only and this occurred.. What can i do to fix it?

 

[WiWa]

U can try to reglue it but I am afraid the rubber is waste now My teammate had this too with some rubber. He got a new one once or twice but it kept happening. Then he switched to another brand and it was over. So it might just be the rubber.

 

[Big TC]

This happened to me too. I tried to peel the top sheet off to re-glue it, but it ripped. i've had to change to another make of rubber now.

 

[poltery]

Dang that bubble ruined the beauty of the rubber......
So TTD people... are there any tips to prevent this thing from happening???
are there any specific techniques used to clean topsheet of chinese rubbers?

 

[Bryce]

Its a good thing i dont usually hit that side on the forehand. So maybe i can still use it. I re-glued it once but to no avail.. Is there really nothing i can do to fix it?

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

If you want to try and fix that, you take the rubber off. You take a razor blade. You slice the sponge directly under where the bubble is. Then you glue the pimples onto the rubber from inside and let it dry.

You can slice one line and pull the sponge away to get the glue in or you could slice a sort of T shape to make it easier to pull the sponge away.

If you slice the sponge cleanly, and all the sponge stays in tact then when you glue the rubber back onto your blade you should not be able to tell from the outside that there is a slice in the sponge underneath. The glue you use to glue the sponge onto your bat should work for gluing the pimples back onto the sponge.

But I agree with Wiwa, if this happens more than once with the particular kind of rubber you are using, it is time to try something different.

 

[Mr. RicharD]

What are the environments like in your area? Is it humid or dry? Temperature and climate can affect the rubber like this so I don't know exactly if there is a way to prevent the issue. I doubt it's a gluing problem due to your reglues. I would suggest trying to order the rubber from a different vendor if you want to keep it because it may be a bad batch or something of that nature as well. You could try any of the other Neo rubbers as well like Skyline 3 I hear it's quite similar if not a bit faster.

 

[Matt Hetherington]

I'm with Mr.RicharD on that one, being a Tibhar agent myself I've seen some batches of rubber which have consistently bubbled while other batches of the same rubber have been fine. Essentially you can try and do what you like to remedy the bubble situation, but I always find it's never quite the same as once the rubber bubbles the area around it is also effected. New sheet of rubber is my solution 10/10 times.

 

[Bryce]

I stay in Singapore which is a tropical country. I always keep my rubber covered with a tacky plastic sheet and stored in a casing. Hence preventing prolong exposure to the environment. Luckily the bubble is not the part i always contact the ball with so i think its still usable. I don't really want to buy another rubber.. Wasting money...

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Hey, in ideal circumstances, when getting a new rubber is not a financial issue, I would agree. But there is nothing wrong with saving some money and teching the rubber so that you glue the topsheet back on to the sponge. I gave the directions of how I saw that issue fixed before. It is true, it is not the same as a new sheet but when someone does what I described above well, it works pretty well and it is hard to tell that it has been fixed, especially if the bubble is on a part of the surface where you don't usually hit on serves or strokes.

 

[Matt Hetherington]

No argument from me there especially considering the bubble is not in a central area on the rubber. If you don't want to buy a new rubber, get onto Carl's fixing method

 

[WiWa]

I stay in Singapore which is a tropical country. I always keep my rubber covered with a tacky plastic sheet and stored in a casing. Hence preventing prolong exposure to the environment. Luckily the bubble is not the part i always contact the ball with so i think its still usable. I don't really want to buy another rubber.. Wasting money...

If the rubber is really not that old, you can contact the shop you bought it from. My teammate got a new rubber back then because the bubble appeared after a few weeks. It is obviously not something you have done, so it turned out they sold a bad quality rubber to you. I would at least try and ask for a new one there.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

If the rubber is really not that old, you can contact the shop you bought it from. My teammate got a new rubber back then because the bubble appeared after a few weeks. It is obviously not something you have done, so it turned out they sold a bad quality rubber to you. I would at least try and ask for a new one there.

Nice idea Wiwa.

 

[Bryce]

I bought the rubber somewhere around September but only used it for a few training sessions due to examinations. So maybe i really got a bad quality rubber. Have you tried the method before sir carl? I'll probably get someone to do it for me if i were to choose so. I've got my old sriver and donic jo gold that are still in great condition. And btw, my rubber is the provincial version so im starting to doubt the quality..

 

[lgreggs]

This kept happening to me when i was using Donic Acuda S1. It only happened on my forehand side. Poosibly because I use my forehand alot more. It is a really good rubber to use but it kept breaking to so I had to change. I didn't know what to do about it either.

 

[Bryce]

Damn it... I tried your method sir carl and i wasn't successful. The bubble remained and seemed larger. Now i just glued back my donic jo gold. I really dont know if i should get a hurricane 3 neo again..

 

[azlan]

Wow, that look serious Bryce. I had bubbling before, but never like that. Probably it's just from a bad batch that you got there. Like Carl said you may rectify it, but I think the rubber is kind of expended.Which means the area of the sponge is smaller than the rubber. You're better of going back to your dealer stating you got a bad batch than trying to fix it and fail miserably. Once you cut the sponge there's no way the dealer will take the rubber back.
Besides, personally I wouldn't try to fix it, it just won't be the same.

 

[azlan]

Darn it, I posted my above text too late. I thought of that happening, that's why I highlighted it. You have to cut the rubber as well coz it's bigger than the sponge and glue it back. But you have to be a surgeon to do it seamlessly.

 

[Bryce]

Yea i should have just went back to the shop. Although i did not get to use it a lot, i boguht it during September. I highly doubt the owner of the shop will be willing to change the rubber for me. My current back up donic jo gold feels much softer and less spinny. Darn it.. Looks like i ahve to buy another hurricane T-T

 

[azlan]

Hahaha I guess so buddy. It's a good rubber..it's worth buying new. How much is it in S'pore?