Blu Tack is magic
- Thread starter BillKid
- Start date
Karma Tennis
Legend
You can also do this with Blu-Tack. And you can also place strips of Blu-Tack anywhere else on the inside of the hoop or the throat. It will stick even on hard hits.
the_faceless_player
Professional
the_faceless_player
Professional
yeah I’ve done that several times. My go to method is either that or pre formed silicone blocks from an ice cube tray cut to the right weight.
topspn
Legend
Silicone cubes in an ice tray! Creative
Rafedovic
Rookie
I’ve been doing this recently at 12 o'clock to find a SW I like. I was using lead but I’ll save that for final adjustments once I’ve dialed it in. I’ve also been putting it on the grip at 7 inches to play around with MgR/I. Blue-tac so much easier to adjust on court.
Karma Tennis
Legend
I've done it with two different racquets.
Yonex SV95s had a small foam cap just above the butt-capp. .
Wilson PS97SC had quite a bit of foam filling inside the handle - going several cms into the handle.
In both cases dug all of the foam out using large tweezers and replaced it with Blu Tack. No problems.
SaaKha
Semi-Pro
Sweet. I wanted to try digging out the foam in a beat up 2015 Blade I have and put silicone in it but read on here that blue tac is easier and basically has the same effect.
14OuncesStrung
Professional
Any racquet under 340-350grams unstrung ain't good for my joints.
Shroud
G.O.A.T.
Amen. There was a guy complaining about TE and one suggestion I gave was to add 10g at 12pm and about 20g in the handle. People wigged out at adding 30 sw points but thatnis exactly what you want to help the elbow.
thelimfactor
Rookie
Could you like carve some of it out? I wasnt brave enough for silicone. How are your rackets playing now?
Karma Tennis
Legend
You can remove silicone from the handle as long as you take care.
Try and make some holes in the silicone. Grab some isopropyl alcohol and pour a little bit of it into each hole. Leave it to stand for an hour. The isopropyl alcohol should proceed to dissolve the silicone gel which whill make it easier to remove with a sharp blade, screwdriver, or large long stemmed tweezers. You should be able to get most of the silicone out of the handle .
Rafedovic
Rookie
Thanks for the tip, I’ll give it a go. Have you tried this before? Just wondering if there could be any other problems this may cause.
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Rafedovic
Rookie
I like the racquet but it’s just a bit too much heft for me. It’s great for pounding the ball from the baseline but too cumbersome for volley exchanges and I mainly play doubles. I may even just leave it as is, for a singles racquet, but I have tinkeritus.
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thelimfactor
Rookie
Yeah that "tinkeritis" is good as it motivates us to consider changes which can be great for the rackets, and it's a bit like betting (not that im a betting man)....one needs to know when to 'stop' when the racket is just right.
Hope it goes well for you mate. Happy hitting!
thelimfactor
Rookie
It's actually totally up to personal preference. You may consider just putting a little bit in 1st, trialling that, then adjusting again.
How many rackets are you working with? If you had a few, you may even consider putting different amounts in different rackets, and then its easier to see the differences on court in the same session.
Things to look out for include:
1. Change of balance of racket. Do you want to make it more head light?
2. Less vibration in the handle. Is this too dampened for you?
Again its purely up to you what feels best in your hands for you.
Karma Tennis
Legend
Isopropyl alcohol it isn't going to do any damage as long as you inject a little into the silicone itself. Try to avoid spilling any on the racquet frame itself because it might blemish the paint or glossy lacquer on the frame itself. It may also stain of blemish the racquet grip.
Just inject a little bit into the silicone to soften it so that it becomes easier to remove. Make sure to give the alcohol a little time to start doing its job. Ten minutes should be enough.
I have used isopropyl alcohol to dissovle silicone in other situations. Never had to do it with tennis racquets because I prefer to use Blue Tac.
In my case with racquets like Babolat AeroPro Drive, anything over 4 grams noticeably dampens the vibrations especially at high DT levels. Keep in mind that a more cushioned racquet grip will enhance the dampening effect. So called "Vibration Dampeners" won't make any difference though.
SaaKha
Semi-Pro
Did you pack it all in on just one side?
Karma Tennis
Legend
AeroPro drives and PS97s have a trap door in the Butt Cap which can be removed to reveal the cavity insided the handle. The Blue Tac can simply be pushed into the cavity. Alternatively, wrap the glob of Blue Tac in plastic food wrap and then push it into the cavity. Wrapping it in plastic film will make it a lot easier to remove if you decide it doesn't work for you.
SaaKha
Semi-Pro
Ah I guess I wasn’t clear. I know about the cavity inside the buttcap. There’s usually two sides though so I was wondering if you just put all the tac on one side or split it in both?
thelimfactor
Rookie
I personally split it evenly into the 2 compartments of the butt. Figured to ensure an "even" distribution in the handle and to aid in reducing the vibrations throughout the circumference of the handle rather than just 1 side. I liked it, and it works 4 me, but you may fell free to trial it either way. Hope it goes well!
Karma Tennis
Legend
OK, my answer to this is simple or complicated depending on your beliefs.
1/ Simple answer is to split the weight and put half in each cavity. That will work regardless of how the compartments are configured.
Now imagine you are holding your racquet with an Eastern Grip ...
1/ If there is an upper and a lower compartment ... put all of the mass in the upper compartment. Always orient the racquet so that the weight is on the top side of the handle when you are hitting FH and BH ground strokes.
2/ If there is a front and back compartment ... put all of the mass in the front compartment. Always orient the racquet so that the weight is on the front side of the handle when you are hitting your FAVOURED ground stroke (either FH or BH). Ideally, flip the racquet so that the weight is always on the front side of the handle when you hit a groundstroke or a volley. But if you find that cumbersome, select one side and stick with it.
thelimfactor
Rookie
Very interested in the physics of one compartment weight. In what way has this been helpful 4 u.....did u feel as if there was more "mass" in these circumstances, compared woth 2 compartment method? Cheers in advance
Does adding blu tac to the hoop or any weight for that matter make it stiffer?
I didn't want to lead my clash so tried the blu tac at 9 and 3 o clock but not sure if it makes the frame stiffer or not and thus more tennis elbow problems?
Is the general congecture any weight added to the hoop makes it stiffer even if it is blu tac?
I recently started adjusting my PS97 racquets, and blutack worked out great. I pulled out most of the foam in both compartments, rolled the blutack a bit first and then jammed it in until it was almost flush with the opening of the compartment (the buttcap area is still clean). I didn't bother with plastic film, I was on a one-way journey.
Blu Tac is also handy for when trying to place weight on the racquet to get that desired weight/balance/swingweight etc you want, or at least as close to it as you can.
then finish it off with the lead tape around the hoop/inner throat/pallets for the ultimate finish.
another good thing is it can be re-used, to estimate/measure other racquets.
then finish it off with the lead tape around the hoop/inner throat/pallets for the ultimate finish.
another good thing is it can be re-used, to estimate/measure other racquets.
Karma Tennis
Legend
Not helpful for me but it has been reported by others that configuring the racquet in that manner can make it easier to whip the racquet upwards in order to increase the topspin potential.
Wrapping the Btack in plastic film is only really necessary in the following situations ...
1/ It is easier to measure exact amounts of Bt and wrap them in film
2/ It is easier to extract the Bt from inside a handle if it is wrapped in film
3/ In areas of climate extremes, the Bt will turn into a goeey mess and flow inside the racquet handle - especially if the racquets are used in hot climates. Wrapping the Bt in plastic film keeps the insided of the handle clean and tidy and ensures the Bt remains where it was positioned. I have seen situations where the Bt turns into a goeey mess, flows deeper into the handle and then solidifys again. In some instances you can end up with peices of solidified Bt within the confines of the racquet hoop itself. The rattle will drive you nuts.
Adding mass to a racquet will usually make it stiffer. However, if the material used to add the mass absorbs vibration then the racquet will feel more comfortable and reduce the likelihood of tennis related arm injures ASSOCIATED WITH VIBRATION SHOCK. Keep in mind no all injuries are associated with vibration shock. Simply wielding a heavier racquet can lead to arm injuries.
Blue-Tac and silicone tend to absorb vibrations. But the extra weight has to be considered.
Irvin
Talk Tennis Guru
I guess you watched the Richard Parnell video showing how he used Blu-Tack to move weight around to change the SW of a racket.
I know all that math may sound complicated but I really think it is easier than it looks, especially if you use an Excel spreadsheet to do all the math for you. Another simpler option would be to use the TWU Customization Tool as seem below. I like my math version better because I feel it is more accurate.
EDIT: Also moving all the Blu-Tack balls around if you’re using a SW machine and balance scale isn’t too difficult, but if you’re using the TWU Swingweight Calculator it’s a pain in the butt.
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Nah - I use blue Tac the way I mentioned in my post before I saw RP’s video. A good and informative video that is.
I guess after tinkering for awhile, it is and will be easier to estimate where about you need/can add the weight to get the desired spec.
gotta say it is now much much easier to get the SW with Brian’s SW1.
the tennis warehouse university customisation worksheets are also great too.
Yes i found the blu tac at 3 and 9 o clock seemed to make it feel stiffer at certain points even when i took it off amd left the 6g in the handle it still causes me arm pain. Took it out arm is fine. Maybe i cant handle that added weight.
Was going to get the clash pro 100 v1 but it is 9pts head light + i add 34g extra with an extra undergrip so it'll end up weighinf 359g not sure if will be too much
Karma Tennis
Legend
Who knows? Remember, even though Blue Tac and Silicone can facilitate the absorbption of vibrations, different people are susceptible to different vibrations frequencies. It could be that in your case, you are sensitive to a range of vibrations that are not masked enough by adding BT or Silicone to the frame.
Another thing to note is that tennis related arm fatigue / injuries can be caused by ball impact vibration shock and / or post impact vibration shock. They are two different things and the configuration of a racquet can affect both of those things significantly in both positive or negative ways when related to potential to cause arm fatigue / pain / injury.
When i took it off my arm is fine now with the clash just not sure if can handle the 100 pro with the same set up and 34g all in as it'll be 359g which seems much even if 9 pts HL
Karma Tennis
Legend
359g is pretty heavy but it depends on the length of your swing patch and your swing speed.
And one would have to be a pretty strong player to be able to serve consistently with such a heavy racquet.
However, if one plays mostly Doubles, then such a racquet might work well.
Does adding blu tak at 3 and 9 o clock help with vibration absorption or makes it worse?
When i tried it before it seemed to make my tennis elbow worse but maybe cos it was concentrated in those 2 areas and in the butt cap
On clash i put 6 layers of racket saver tape instead but the racket is vibrating more and im not sure why
Does additional weight to the hoop no matter what the weight is ie lead or blu tak or tape make the racket feel stiffer and vibrate more?
My previous racket was more even balance a clash 108 but the 100 pro v1 is very head light so maybe blutak might work better on it cos the head needs so much more weight as i want a balance of 1-2 pts HL max
When i tried it before it seemed to make my tennis elbow worse but maybe cos it was concentrated in those 2 areas and in the butt cap
On clash i put 6 layers of racket saver tape instead but the racket is vibrating more and im not sure why
Does additional weight to the hoop no matter what the weight is ie lead or blu tak or tape make the racket feel stiffer and vibrate more?
My previous racket was more even balance a clash 108 but the 100 pro v1 is very head light so maybe blutak might work better on it cos the head needs so much more weight as i want a balance of 1-2 pts HL max
How much better is blu tak at absorbing shock/vibration vs rubber bands?
Yeah i can fit a much more condensed amount in the butt cap but does it do a better job than rubber?
I can only fit 6 rubber bands in the butt cap above the nails but can fit quite a substantial weight of blu tak
I guess it depends whether a lot of blu tak absorbs shock better than 6 rubber bands
The extra weight aggravates my tennis elbow though as it is concentrated all in 1 area of the butt cap. Maybe i can use less than not pack it in so much.
I feel that having most of the handle filled with rubber bands would absorb shock better as it travels down whereas just in the butt cap it may not absorb it all when hitting the frame
Yeah i can fit a much more condensed amount in the butt cap but does it do a better job than rubber?
I can only fit 6 rubber bands in the butt cap above the nails but can fit quite a substantial weight of blu tak
I guess it depends whether a lot of blu tak absorbs shock better than 6 rubber bands
The extra weight aggravates my tennis elbow though as it is concentrated all in 1 area of the butt cap. Maybe i can use less than not pack it in so much.
I feel that having most of the handle filled with rubber bands would absorb shock better as it travels down whereas just in the butt cap it may not absorb it all when hitting the frame
TennisHound
Legend
Pete, how many threads are you on? Just use the rubber bands already. If you don’t like them try blue tack. You’re stressing too much over it.
How do i get the bloody silicone out it isnt as simple as that fml
TennisHound
Legend
Just send your racquet back and request one that doesn’t have the $&%#! silicone in it. Or you can stew around in these threads whining till days end and be frustrated. Look, it’s not gonna make that big of difference when you play with it. Have you even tried it?!
How can i send it back i bought it a year ago i dont know how long wilson warranty is and the retailer prob wont take it back
On a side note of those of you using blu tak in the butt cap for shock absorption and easier customisation for added weight instead of lead
Have you actually found it absorbs shock well as i put it in the butt cap of my racket and it has not helped if anything it has made the vibration worse especially compared to using rubber bands which noone else seems to use but me on here.
I found like 12-15g in the butt cap of blu tak does not absorb shock better than 6 thick rubber bands.
The rubber bands removes like 10%+ shock and vibration in both of my v2 and v1 108 clashes.
The v1 clash has little to none now and the v2 has some but less than before
Have you actually found it absorbs shock well as i put it in the butt cap of my racket and it has not helped if anything it has made the vibration worse especially compared to using rubber bands which noone else seems to use but me on here.
I found like 12-15g in the butt cap of blu tak does not absorb shock better than 6 thick rubber bands.
The rubber bands removes like 10%+ shock and vibration in both of my v2 and v1 108 clashes.
The v1 clash has little to none now and the v2 has some but less than before
TennisHound
Legend
Well blu tack won’t absorb vibration as well as rubber bands. What you could do is weigh your racquet and see if it’s in spec. Then use rubber bands as needed to get your desired specs.
can you send photo of the rubber band inside your racket?
How do i post pics on here it doesnt let me attach pics?
Also it is a ball ache having to reclose the butt cap as all the rubber bands pop out when you open it.
But it is straight forward to do, just put a thin layer of cotton wool above both chambers then add 3 rubber bands in each chamber above it then close the cap
Try your best to tuck the rubber bands under the inside of the handle edges so the butt cap doesn't pop off suddenly
I use rubber bands for vibration absorption rather than adding weight
TennisHound
Legend
Okay, I’m glad we established that very important point lol
