*Pics* Homemade Balance Beam + Quick Guide

[matchpoints]

Pic 1 Pic 2 Pic 3 Pic 4

I got the same results compared to my other post using the edge of a desk as a balance point and measuring from there.

I'm still wondering why it's 6 pts Head Heavy with only 4 grams total lead tape to the head. I have 4 grams inside the throat as well but that's more towards the handle half. In addition, I have a leather grip which weighs about 12 grams more then the cushion grip. Strings are Babolat Ballistic Polymono 16g. Can they be the culprit here?

[raftermania]

haha, put a price tag on that "thingamajig" and you can rake in some $$$!

Are you sure you are measuring from the proper midpoint of the racquet? I know the PD comes in many lengths.

Word of wisdom on this topic, if measuring balance point with a more primative way, ie by using your finger... Don't mark the balance point with a permanent marker. I marked tha balance pt. with what I thought was a overhead red marker, but instead was a red permanent. I then spent the next hour applying bleach and elbow grease on the spot! Arg... Don't be a dumb$$$ like me, read your labels kids.

[eyedropper]

Dude your calculations make no sense.
Try again...

Apparently, some Patrick McEnroe fanatic missed the point of the post..

Awesome balance beam apparatus with the bubble levelers and all.

To fix your calculations... Since the distance that you chose to find is between the bar and the tip of the racket, your balance point is still 6/8" (according to your calculations, it should really be 5/8") away from the racket's midpoint, but on the opposite side that you think it is.

To visualize this, since you finished with a positive number (5/8 or 6/8"), you have that much extra distance between the bar and the tip of the racket (13 1/2 + 5/8" = 14 1/8"). The larger that distance, the more head-light the racket is.

In other words, you have 14 1/8" worth of racket, some of which juts below the racket's midpoint at 13 1/2": the more racket that moves below the mid-point, the more head-light the racket is.

You can try flipping the racket in order to find the distance between the bar and the handle end. You should get the same 5/8", but this time negative.

[matchpoints]

Originally Posted by PrestigeClassic

Apparently, some Patrick McEnroe fanatic missed the point of the post..

Awesome balance beam apparatus with the bubble levelers and all.

To fix your calculations... Since the distance that you chose to find is between the bar and the tip of the racket, your balance point is still 6/8" (according to your calculations, it should really be 5/8") away from the racket's midpoint, but on the opposite side that you think it is.

To visualize this, since you finished with a positive number (5/8 or 6/8"), you have that much extra distance between the bar and the tip of the racket (13 1/2 + 5/8" = 14 1/8"). The larger that distance, the more head-light the racket is.

In other words, you have 14 1/8" worth of racket, some of which juts below the racket's midpoint at 13 1/2": the more racket that moves below the mid-point, the more head-light the racket is.

You can try flipping the racket in order to find the distance between the bar and the handle end. You should get the same 5/8", but this time negative.

Thanks. I knew something didn't seem right. What was I thinking?

[Craig Sheppard]

That's a really neat gizmo, matchpoints. I may steal it for my own personal use before you get the patent. Nice work!

Craig