Best (DIY) sponge to apply glue

[Larshos]

I find the Nittaku Zip sponges to stiff and absorbent. The wide ones from Stiga that comes with blue clip are good, but not very cost efficient. Most of the other sponges made for this are too narrow IMO.
I've seen some use standard kitchen sponges cut up in smaller pieces, anyone tried that?

 

[Taute]

I find the Nittaku Zip sponges to stiff and absorbent. The wide ones from Stiga that comes with blue clip are good, but not very cost efficient. Most of the other sponges made for this are too narrow IMO.
I've seen some use standard kitchen sponges cut up in smaller pieces, anyone tried that?

My colleague uses a cut-up kitchen sponge. Everything is great, the structure of the sponge itself is very similar to Butterfly (where it goes with Free Shack). I tried Nittaku, didn't like it: too stiff and had large pores.

 

[burakins]

Hi, do not give money to brand sponges. Just buy kitchen sponge and cut in parts as you desire...

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

My colleague uses a cut-up kitchen sponge. Everything is great, the structure of the sponge itself is very similar to Butterfly (where it goes with Free Shack). I tried Nittaku, didn't like it: too stiff and had large pores.

not sure if all kitchen sponges in the world is similar, but I feel the pores are too big, and it uses too much glue (glue isn't cheap....)
we can buy these easily:

and it is pretty much a standard sponge used by some brands (i know of Gewo, Andro)

 

[Larshos]

not sure if all kitchen sponges in the world is similar, but I feel the pores are too big, and it uses too much glue (glue isn't cheap....)
we can buy these easily:

View attachment 35530

and it is pretty much a standard sponge used by some brands (i know of Gewo, Andro)

Yeah, I find those too narrow though..

 

[Taute]

not sure if all kitchen sponges in the world is similar, but I feel the pores are too big, and it uses too much glue (glue isn't cheap....)
we can buy these easily:

View attachment 35530

and it is pretty much a standard sponge used by some brands (i know of Gewo, Andro)

I like these, they fit perfectly.

 

[burakins]

not sure if all kitchen sponges in the world is similar, but I feel the pores are too big, and it uses too much glue (glue isn't cheap....)
we can buy these easily:

View attachment 35530

and it is pretty much a standard sponge used by some brands (i know of Gewo, Andro)

You can go to a market place and look with your eyes...

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

You can go to a market place and look with your eyes...

i have used some1000s of those sponges, I tried many kinds over the past few decades, some I throw away after the first try to be honest.

 

[Tyce]

You could try spreading with your fingers like many pro players seem to do
Joking aside, using something non-porous like a credit card or whatever, might actually help in eliminating bubbles and stuff.
I've been using the white, fine-pored sponges that came with DHS #15 and they work fine. Not a big fan of the whole sponge method, but it works.

 

[omelet]

after trying all the brands, i tried this and cut it myself and it works even better.

QEP 7-1/2 in. x 5-1/2 in. Extra Large Grouting, Cleaning and Washing Sponge (3-Pack) 70005Q-3VP84 - The Home Depot

Visit The Home Depot to buy QEP 7-1/2 in. x 5-1/2 in. Extra Large Grouting Sponge (3-Pack) 70005-3VP

www.homedepot.com

$5 for prolly a lifetime.

 

[Haraold]

Einzelne Schwämme Archive - ttdd.de

Liebe Kunden, bitte beachten Sie unbedingt die folgenden Hinweise, wenn Sie vorhaben, einen einzelnen Schwamm zu bestellen: Zu einzelnen Schwämmen kann leider keine weitere Beratung bezüglich der Spieleigenschaften erfolgen. Auch können wir keine Beratung zu Kombinationsmöglichkeiten der hier...

ttdd.eu

BUT ASK THEM WHICH IS THE BEST I HAVE NO CLUE

 

[Olio]

not sure if all kitchen sponges in the world is similar, but I feel the pores are too big, and it uses too much glue (glue isn't cheap....)
we can buy these easily:

View attachment 35530

and it is pretty much a standard sponge used by some brands (i know of Gewo, Andro)

I've used plenty. The above, the Nittaku / Rev 3 kind, the kitchen kind, the hard Chinese ones, the "let's try this material" kind...

I find these yellow round ones are the best and most convenient. Sadly.

 

[Gtsnake]

If you wet the sponges before use and squeeze out the excess you can reuse them many times over. I rinse the sponge right after I'm done to wash out any glue but do not squeeze because glue will compress the sponge then it won't expand back to original shape. I average 3-5 times reuse for each sponge depending on how long it takes me to wash it out before it dries a little.

I know sponges are cheap but I just try to minimize one time use products that end up in landfill.

 

[jbvttcc]

I know sponges are cheap but I just try to minimize one time use products that end up in landfill.

Good for you! 👍
I feel similarly and try to do the same

Now if there was only a good way to recycle/repurpose rubbers

 

[SrSTT]

You could try spreading with your fingers like many pro players seem to do ....

Laugh all you want, young'un but that's what we all did back in the late 1960's in my venues. 👨‍🦽

 

[lodro]

Laugh all you want, young'un but that's what we all did back in the late 1960's in my venues. 👨‍🦽

Excuse me , do you say you all routinely spread the toxic speedglue with your pingers ??? 😲

 

[Tyce]

Excuse me , do you say you all routinely spread the toxic speedglue with your pingers ??? 😲

Back then it was basically bicycle tyre repair glue... I've been doing plenty of repairs with my fingers, too.

 

[Gtsnake]

Good for you! 👍
I feel similarly and try to do the same

Now if there was only a good way to recycle/repurpose rubbers

I try to repurpose old rubber. One use for them is a jar opener. They really let you get a good grip when you have a stuck jar. I put them under rugs so the don't slip and move around. I use them underneath something that vibrates like a fan or motor and they isolate the vibrations. There are plenty of uses for old rubber. Somebody should start a thread on ideas how to repurpose old rubber.

 

[lodro]

. Somebody should start a thread on ideas how to repurpose old rubber.

Thanks, I think you just have......

 

[SrSTT]

Excuse me , do you say you all routinely spread the toxic speedglue with your pingers ??? 😲

Yep. I didn't know it was speedglue then, but it did seem to heighten my awareness of the ball's spin. We needed every edge we could get in those days of tiny fast celluloid balls donchaknow.

I basically left the game in the early 70's (for another sport, college girls, etc) and didnt return until about 4-5 years ago. I was really surprised that a market had developed for Sponges of all things! And a clip to hold them with so that your fingers don't have to touch that horrid water-based glue!

Ya know, now that I think about it, I have always been a person who rarely gets sick, even at my advanced age. Maybe a regularly applied aromatic hydrocarbon dose to the skin is good for a thorough body cleansing.......
(on the other hand, with how stupid some people can be these days, I better quit joking or i could find myself leader of some bizarre cult)