How to add lead - help needed!

[SirJinks]

Hi everyone, (very) long time lurker, first time poster...

I have been reading alot of Travlerjam's posts and being a bit of a compulsive tinkerer, have decided to experiment a bit. What I want to do is take a stock APDGT and modify its MgR/I to between 20.9 and 21 (erring to the lower) by adding weight 7 inches from the buttcap. As it will take more than 25g's of lead wrapping it around the outside will interfere too much with the grip so I'm looking at putting the weight inside. I've taken off the buttcap and the racquet is hollow to a depth more than 7 inches.

My question is how do I attach lead weight to that depth and then stop it rattling around or moving up and down with the frame?

 

[Giannis]

Is it too late to change your mind? Unless your technique is very very good, i suggest you keep your racket as it is and focus on improving your strokes.

 

[14OuncesStrung]

You don't put it inside the buttcap..
You put it on the handle.
I don't care what anyone says, putting weight inside the handle is a silly idea, even with cotton wool..
It's always liable to come loose and start shaking/moving around..

 

[SirJinks]

Whilst I appreciate your advice, I'm not sure if you are equating my low post count with my experience of playing the game. Anyone have any advice on how to achieve my aim?

 

[RFedJXZCR7]

get some metal railings and cut them up so that they fit inside instead of lead tape.

 

[Alzer]

wrap the lead in cotton wool and jam it in.

 

[Giannis]

Whilst I appreciate your advice, I'm not sure if you are equating my low post count with my experience of playing the game.

I wasnt, but before you work out a way to put it inside the handle, why dont u stick it outside temporarily and see first if u like it? The bump will not interfere with your forehand and according to that theory, by putting lead there, you will be optimizing the racket for the forehand only anyway.

 

[dozu]

melt the lead and pour it in.

 

[AceServer]

wrap the lead in cotton wool and jam it in.

+1

I guarantee it will work, if you do it correctly.

 

[esgee48]

I would use mainly fish weights in lieu of all lead tape. 25 grams of tape is a lot to stuff in the handle. The fish weights can be put in the same way and will certainly be easier to remove.

 

[KarelPelc]

Automotive Goop (Amazing Goop) application

[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']For putting the weight inside of the handle shaft, I use discarded automotive wheel balancing strips. They come as light as 5 grams, or as heavy as 40g (haven’t seen heavier yet). You can get them for free from a tire shop. Clean them, remove the remaining adhesive, flatten, and then trim to the required size and weight. For reaching deep into the shaft, I use .010” thick, 12” long shim stock (machinists would know exactly what it is), however, you can use a bicycle wheel spoke, etc... . First, attach your lead strip to the end of the wheel spoke with a masking tape (so it’s light, non permanent bond), apply Automotive Goop (Amazing Goop) to the lead face, which you want to glue to the racquet shaft and insert it to the desired depth. Position your racquet the way that gravity of the lead presses on the glue/shaft surface. Let the Goop set for half an hour, pull the wheel spoke out and your job is done. The goop will hold the lead in, yet, you can remove it with a sharp edge screwdriver, or a similar tool (may require some patience – the deeper it is, the more patience it takes). Prior to bonding, clean the inner shaft from the dust particles left there from the manufacturing process.[/font]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']Good luck, KP[/font]

 

[Steve Huff]

I'm not sure you can get all the wt 7" from the butt cap. I've seen pics of how some of the pros have their rackets weighted up. USRSA showed some pics of metal rods (didn't mention the wt) being placed inside the handle. I'm not sure if something was molded around each end or not, but wrapping the ends with cotton or cloth, then taping them tightly so there is not play, then stuffing them into the handle seems to be a viable means of achieving the wt increase you want. Sort of a "bar bell" look, with the ends fitting very tightly, with the bar suspended in the middle, not touching the inside of the handle at all.

 

[dudeman01]

^ Why would you get the weights 7" from the buttcap? I remember seeing it written somewhere but forgot...