OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I've had bubbles with all types of rubbers due to VOC glues. Even with these Hurricanes and my lumpy VOC applications I have had some lumpiness but none were pip off the sponge like... they were just really really swollen and after a day or so all gone back to flat... probably because I clamp my main blade when not in use.

So...Haggisv you are right = no bubbles due to baby oil = its mild and even.

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The main difference really between all these DHS are the pips. H2 is fat and therefore they are harder to activate. This pic shows my H2 today just before I pull it off the blade. The pips are more pronounced due to some VOC still in there and the rubber is super stretched. So yeah it catapulted quite a bit.


Just taken off, the H2 is top left, to the right is the H3 red which was flat again, it is only slightly doming after two layers... Most notable is that the glue/oil is not totally dry. The effect in there would have lasted a year at least. NOt my ideal gluing but I wasn't going to bother to remove all the glue before regluing... It is a huge snotty mess, and I know from experience. I think you can appreciate why I don't boost all the way to the edges. If I had, I would not have been able to keep the rubber from pealing back.


The close-up of the H2 glue looks a bit like the sun don't you think?



I won't bother adding any glue to the blade or the H3 in the middle section because you know it is still wet and trying to clean it is just ridiculuous.... Not ideal.... and yes the effect will get better over the months. Should be dry next year

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The day I played right after gluing the red H3 was not good. It was too soft and the spring of the sponge was really lacking (pretty much reminded me of the H350 sponge just not good at a lot of stuff). 41 degrees is better for both BH and FH. I just need that hardness to get the ball over the net in some pretty simple plain drivy block stuff - the hardness just steadies and pads out the angle evenly.

Almost a week of work and the rubber improved a little but not enough.

I didn't twiddle and just tried getting used to the red H38 on bh and nahhh its too soft with all the built up sludge in there too.... Still I beat everyone = Eric, Shaun, Gehardt , yusuke even Simon who beat me last week. As usual always close with him but he said my FH has improved and it is true. That is why I made sure the 41 was on my weaker side to help play what I am more used to.

Had some spectacular super professional rallies with Eric where we were just hammering at each other... Simon is more boring just going for controlled angled blocking. He gets upset when I say 'good block' I guess it might be considered a negative type of sledging between points. Anyhow takes all sorts.

Not sure what Yusuke said and if he was serious but I think he said he was mentally upset playing against me... ( I didn't sledge a word against him) but maybe he just got upset at being totally closed down in all points? He can for sure catch me on a bad day but recently my game is coming back and well I think it is just going to be like that. A good player will break your heart at times even if you think you are making strides. Suddenly you just get slammed and wake up.

Time to order another red H3 this time 41 degrees.

All my life seems to be falling into place with work/family right now and the equipment for TT and my recovered feeling for the game is on track at times.

Doubt I am ever gonna get back to playing serious competition which is disappointing... Evenings just won't be doable till my kid is not a kid.

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Worked a few hours today and then had a few beers and then went to do the arvo session at BTTA.

Hot inside now but the cold brews helped.

Won top of the table, and beat Ken afterward. Played a few more games with the Japanese fat hinoki blade user Sato. We were 50/50 roughly in the end.



I can't say I did too many attacking FHs but did one roughly per game. My whole game was very much on point. I felt everything does how it is meant to. I just was zoning.

Still getting a 41 for bh though but I was really not feeling like complaining about much since I mostly could control the table however I wanted.

Lots of great rallies and long range defence by me.

Zen mode achieved.

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I used to be an ESL teacher at University for most of the last 20 years of my working life until COVID hit. It was easy on my body to go play table tennis for endless hours as a result + being in my 30-40s.

I have given away high pay and the stress that goes with it mostly because the hay day has now passed but I am in a position that I do not want any stress in my life, I finally found a job that makes me fit and constantly active. It's insane to think I was studying my masters a couple of years ago and have just given it all away and am now just happy working at my local Coles in the fresh departments.

In the last month on the job I feel my body is getting stronger, and I got a nasty injury type of thing bugging my left elbow and muscles connected to in the forearm. I think it's a combination of wacking it on things going through swinging doors and also lifting boxes repeatedly. Oddly it is not my playing arm. But I think my right arm is stronger and now the left arm is just lagging behind but catching up.

Yesterday, I worked 8 hours for the first time. And it is probably the hardest I have worked physically draining work in the last 30 years. I woke up the next day just smashed tired but I still went to play TT but it showed.

Still lower powered TT but I still beat Yuta, Rabi, and almost beat Jeff lost in the 5th 13:12. Anaking was too strong for me beat me 4:0. But I was happy.

Good thing I only get these long shifts occasionally because I would be wrecked.

I am glad and thankful to have a job close to home that makes me stronger. I hate the idea of meaningless gym work. I like to be paid to work with my body now. With my house paid off and owning a car, I don't need anything really but to pay general life expenses.

I feel like a sense of normal has finally come to my life after such a turbulent bit of getting married to a Thai woman, having a kid, and losing a career path, dealing with heavy drinking and now I drink but more moderately.

Just happy life is finally being cool. I don't work crazy amounts of hours so will be able to play a lot during the day it seems the most. And I have a lot of TT partners during these times which is fine by me.

My main TT goal at the moment is to beat Anakin. Simple and achievable, I just got to get more consistant.

I would have beat him today if I did not hit the edge of my bat on almost every second FH kill shot.

Good day, good summary of my life right now.

Thankful.

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Got 2 games out of about 10 off of Anakin yesterday. The first was early on in a match and I felt I could win. The second was the last game and I said to him before we played it. You know I can beat you if I just defend. That was the truth of the final game. I was losing more points missing my attack shots than I was just keeping it in play.

He didn't seem happy at the end but he is always a gentleman.

I don't consider this sledging but some may. Anyways it was close like every game was anyways. BUt just blocking and pushing and not swinging is a game I am good at although I get bored with it as I know I am not spending time on killing shots I know I can if I just believed and accepted the ratios of missing till they improved.

Shaun got the first game off me but then I woke up.

Eric and I were 2:2 but played others since we can play each other when ever.

I absolutely smashed Mike. He couldn't get close. Good defensive rallies though! Really long.

NOt much else to report. Getting bloody hot inside.

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Played a week ago but forgot what happened. So I should post before I forget my play on Sunday. I turned up with no practise partner.

Played with Alan, he's a bit lower on the scales but was good warming up. Then I got to play Shadi for at least 2 hours game after game.

We are really well matched with similar looping styles. I think he beat me the last time mostly (or was it the time before last) but this time I was probably about winning 70%.

Even though I have been playing less than once a week, it seems my FH has found its groove now and is not the problem I had before. NOt amazing but can be.

Club is a touch hot even though this summer has been the coldest I can remember in my life. I do notice my general fitness has fallen off to when I was playing TT regularly last year.

My left arm is still injured but the serve doesn't hurt not much else. So its not TT related.

I feel really comfortable like super comfortable with H3 commercial on my all wood blade now. It just feels like an extension of my hand. The only thing I get bugged with at times is my backhand loop is sometimes a bit too short and I mostly put that down to the softer sponge on that side.

Anyways, I will order a 41* soon for both sides.

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On injury recovery as in my ankles calves and knees, I think I will be staying with once a week play or twice at a maximum. I am finding it really hard the next day. Hobbling out of bed ...

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Have been playing the top of the table mostly. Won it again yesterday. Barney though I couldn't beat. He too uses H3 both sides and is just great every part of a looping left handed style you can meet. He lost to people I beat....

I am waiting on my red H41 in the post. Will stick it on the grubba so two new H3 41s.

As much as I was not happy with the tackiness at various times. All I do with my blade these days is wipe it with the sweat on my synthetic shirt put the plastic covers on it, clamp it, and use it the following week. The amount of tack is perfect. The 41 is noticably faster than the 38.

I notice in my lack of play time that my serves are not confident enough. But my fundamentals are keeping the same level or improving since my muscles are stronger each time and I am not playing tired or injured.

Loving the game.

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I bought 4 H3 41 but sold cost price to my mate 2 of them. So now I have done two layers of baby oil on red and black.

I was umming and ahring about blades to put it on. Almost put them on the Michael Maze, but then said nope. At least I know it is exactly the same head size as the grubba. I was thinking to do the swedish classic perfectly but again thought don't bother while both rubbers on it are so well glued down.

Hag said recently I need to thin down my tyre glue. So I am experimenting with roughly 50% baby oil and 50% tyre glue straight in the bottle. It will be a B(*&h to dry.But it does look smoother for now.



At the moment it seems both chemicals help each other do their thing. Baby oil is fine for the first layer and possibly second but after that it requires a weight on the sponge to stop the oil just running off the dome. The glue helps enbody the oil to stay in place.

The baby oil obviously helps thin down the gluggy texture of the glue.

Black was clearly more domed than red.

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What's the Pure Blonde for in the gluing process?

Beer bottle for scale.

Anyway, glad I am not in a rush for these, because this is gonna take at least 24 hours to dry.

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Yesterday afternoon I was impatient and just wanted to use the new rubbers on Friday night, so wiped pure tyre glue on which spread more evenly because of the oily layer anyways. It was a bit on the gluggy side playing with it and here are my impressions over two sessions.

Grubba variant 41 degrees on both side is noticeably heavier, a bit too much for now. Probably due to way too much oil too and I didn't stretch the rubber hard.

I love the backhand 41 much more because it has a longer throw and more stable simple defensive drivey types of blocks, but loops are faster and deadlier too.

I also played a whole session at the club today and felt the same. Just like all my recent Chinese rubber comments. When first put on these rubbers have much lower tackiness, it seems as the voc evaporates and the topsheet is kept sealed from air, they will eventually become tackier again. Some of that weight will eventually somehow disappear I hope!

My Sweden classic with 41 and 38 degrees feels much better in the hand for now. It is lighter and feels better for my FH because for now the grubba feels labored to swing for bigger strokes... takes longer to set up the shot.

Don't get me wrong both setups are great at different things....

I believe the 41 degrees hurricanes will stay. I have lost some passive control near the table for now but hopefully will get used to it be more committed more often in future. I have gained more passive control on the backhand from a distance though.

41 is lower longer throw and more stable for blocking against an active player...

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There is still one blade I just want to try these rubbers on but don't seem to be able to get it. The Andro defensive blade but has to be a straight handle....

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This one by any chance?
https://www.affordablett.com.au/shop/an ... -1693.html

That looks like a nice blade actually. But no. I actually ordered from them this blade:

https://www.andro.de/en/timber-5-def

but later was told they didn't have the ST.

I am still umming and ahring if I would pay for shipping from abroad for it.

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played Eric = beat him every game except one. Played Jeff = 50 50 in the end.

99% played with the 41 on grubba and felt the same results mostly. Except I was finding at the end 20 minutes with Jeff, I was more dangerous in both serves and all my active backhands with the 38. This because we had almost no rallies from a distance at all.

If Jeff smashes he generally wins the point no matter what I do. So I have to win on the spin close to the table and the 38 is better at that and the sweden is just still feeling better. I wonder if I need to boost these newer rubber more to soften them up...

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I have ordered the Andro def 5. $100 all up from Just table tennis. Excited. Never ordered from there so who knows if they actually have the stock.

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So Just Table Tennis the website is legit. Quick delivery on the $13 postage from Vic to QLD. Welcoming to the stable:


Noticeably thinner and a darker second ply. I got a fetish for thinner 5 ply blades with some limba that's for sure. On another note, I am lucky my neighbour asked me if I wanted a desk. Bloody brilliant table for TT bat work. I was thinking for ages how to do longer glueing times outdoors to avoid vapours inside and stop insects etc. collecting and then this table just said hey check out these drawers!



So gave the new 41 H3s a thin layer of the 50-50 mix of tyre glue and baby oil. No rush to stick them down because I'm working for a while.

New blade feels good to hold in my hand and I can't wait for a hit with it.

I definitely like the Sweden more than the Grubba. Can't say exactly why, just feels better in the hand so far. Let's see if the new girl is better or not.

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