Hi all,

I have this 'crack' problem with yonex rackets :
My iso 600 power and TI-6 were recently restrung with
resp. bg-65ti and bg-80, both at a tension of 20-21 lbs.
After the restring job, a crack appeared on both rackets,
between the to main strings in the middle.
(see picture : iso 600 power)
According to the stringer, the crack only concerns the paint
job, no harm to the frame itself. After two weaks of play,
i didn't notice any inconvenience, so he is probably right.
Because the crack appeared on both rackets, the stringer,
who by the way is experienced badminton stringer, asked
the distributor about it, and he did a statement where my
quenstion to you all is about :
He stated that it is very common, when stringing yonex rackets older
than 1 year, that a crack in the paintjob will appear between the two
main strings in the middle. This sounds new for me, and i wondered if
anyone has experience with this crack thing occuring all the time.

Yong

I have an ISO 600 SP strung at 24lbs and no problems with cracks along the two mains.

Your grommets looked worn out and I am surprised that your stringer didn't replace them.

Can't really tell from the picture that it was just the paint job. If that is the case, you should be able to see past that to the actual graphite frame (greyish in colour).

Given that the cracks appear on both your racquets after the stringing job, I would be leery of the stringer.

here is my old SR. after stringing it at 26+lbs numerous times.

notice the crack spans multiple holes, like 6 of them!

I thought I have the same hair-thin crack appearance on the inside frame about the 7 o'clock position of my grand-fathered Cab 20. It appears in the inside frame only between the two holes. It seems the racket is nothing wrong and still playable. What a coincident.

Sounds like this is happening more frequently than I thougt.
I was surprised that the cracks occured, as the stringer has 30 years
experience, and uses a 4 point stringing machine.

WWC, the grommets look really bad in the picture indeed!
Even the paint job looks spoiled with all kind of stains, but
i think the angle of which the photo was taken, emphasizes
the minor worn grommets, as they look pretty fine when i look
at the racket itself.
The stringer has painted the inside of the racket with some
sort of black marker, so i can't see if the frame is gray...

Thanks all for fast respond !

Looking at Kwun's SP, you can see the graphite beyond the cracks in the paint job.

I guess, all in all, if the racquet is playable, then it just the paint.

I'm just surprised that the cracks would appear just like that. I will be checking all my racquets to make sure. :)

http://www.badmintonforum.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3696&perpage=10&highlight=high%20noon&pagenumber=2


yong, the crack is real and it's not just the paint job.
it is unethical to paint over and try to hide the cracks, and doing a lousy job at that too. Sorry to tell you but your racket got the high noon disease and it will die soon and i don't mean from clashing :(

Sorry kwun, your SR caught the infection too.

That's bad news, cooler.

Curious how long these injured rackets gonna last.
Seems like this isometric-like desease is an argument
for switching to muscle power rackets. I didn't allow myself
buying one cause of my stock of isometric rackets.
Well, since some of them are ill, i guess that not a reason anymore. :cool:

I have been thinking about buying a stringing machine for a while
Maybe i should do that too .. can't blame someone else stringing jobs
anymore :D

i think the stringer has everything to be blamed. i was the stringer for my SR. and i have to admit that that must the second or 3rd rackets i have strung, and at extrememly high tension for such a light racket, the SR is equiv 4U.

Yong, i was wondering what that color patch was as well. the Iso600 is a very strudy 2U racket. (i have 2 of those myself). i don't think Iso rackets in general are to be blamed, and nor would Muscle Power rackets be any stronger, they may in fact be the contrary.

i haven't heard of any other racket failed in simliar ways, and i must admit mine is a special case as describe above. so you may just be unlucky or your stringer was having a bad day...

The answer is simple! ur racket is Broken and it can cave in anytime!I haev seen Millions of racklets and i break some like these every 3 months. They are playable yes and they can be repaired easily also.

Kwun, i looked up some threads about stringing, and maybe this crack
occured because the stringer uses to add 1-2 lbs on the cross compared to
the main on his 4 point machine, instead of 1-2 lbs less as adviced by YY fan in
the following thread :

http://www.badmintonforum.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4703

But then again the 20-21 lbs tension is not that high. Most intermediate players here in the surroundings don't concern too much about tensions, so most stringers
do not encourage stringing above 18 lbs and therefore have not much experience
with the higer tensions.

Yogi, i'm very curious, my broken racket can easily be repaired ?
I'd like to know your medication method :)

It looks from Yong's picture that there is a linear crack running towards the right of the picture starting from the right hand side grommet. I would suggest stringing your own rackets from now on. It's fun, and you can experiment with different strings and tensions, and even different stringing patterns. Other than the initial cost of the machine, experimenting with the strings is quite cheap.

:)

Dear Yogi:
I am grateful if you can us how the crack can be repaired? All I can think of is to put lots of instant glue onto the crack. Thanks.

Hi,

Well i have never seen this before. Is it because the racket is strung so tight the frame can't take it that it cracks under the pressure? You say there is a cure. Yes it will be a cure in the short term, you wont be able to see it, but it would be no real cure.
The racket fram would be weak and therefore it is likeley to snap if abused. Anyway, what is the cure? Kwun's racket seems to be very bad, and as i said to be honest i have never seen this happen to a racket.

Matt

I shoudl tell u all this

Our Friend peter asked me abt this a long while back and i sat down to pen what i thought was something very simple.

But the fact is i find it very very difficult to explain it to u guys!All it requires is a Just a Piece of String(badminton).The Only downside is that Ur racket Head weight will go up and prob The whole racket by abt a gram.

The string(preferably Black) will be Binded in a certain manner ober the frame after the Strings are cut and then Strung again. AS to how to explain the certain manner i am still finding the correct terms and hey i can teach u all if i ever get to meet u guys.I dont know wether i can explain it or not.

I so this Practise sometimes when i want my Slim 10 to be more head heavier. I guess depending on what i play in one particular session or series of session.Sometimes i Just play offence one whole week and sometimes defence. I guess it is a training module that we use. Actually helps

So if i can elucidate using diagrams and stuff like that i can let u guys know. I dont even have a damn Camera to show u guys.

Dear Yogi,
I understand what you mean, imagining how to clearly describe with words
to knot a necktie for example, that would be a real puzzle already.
As Cooler and you already mentioned in your posts, there is
written more in this forum about cracks in the past … well .. this forum is so
filled with good stuff .. a big thump up to Kwun and the staff.. hope this
thread did add something to the crack subject.. at least some pictures of
ill rackets. :D

But Yogi, when you instantly get a nice brainwave about how to describe this
crack-cure, with me I think a lot readers will be interested.
For my Iso 600, adding a weight to the already very head-heavy 2u racket will transform it into a real smash-gun! I think I will stick to hoping not to die soon
for that racket. But for the TI-6, that one could use a bit more head-heaviness.

AKFT, I made up my mind, been thinking about this stringing machine for a
while, I will definitely buy one. It will be a 4 point. Have to decide yet if it will
be a crank or drop-weight. I think its fun indeed to experiment with the
stringing.

Thanks all for reply’s on this crack thing !

Do you mean the string is tightly coiled around the frame thus binding it together?

The pattern of coiling I am referring to is rather like how an electromagnet is formed with a central iron core and wire spirally wrapped around it.

Cheung,

It is Kind of like that. I am not sure abt electromagnet but then U do it in such a manner that I the String runs along the surface in a coiled fashion!I guess prob u are talking abt what i am trying to explain. The Binding is done first with teh string along the path of the Internal crack and then the coiling! I dont know whether i make sense.

It is very Important that U do it correctly. If not the string might become Loose after a while.

I think Cheung we might come to consensus over this! When the racket breaks what i do is i add a small piece of metal over the cracked suraface and then do thsi stringing and then Pour a Mixed solution of special Glue and let it dry for 2 days! Behold ur racket is back to normal. This is for Plp who are poor like me!

The rich guys are suggested to buy many rackets and break them so that yonex comes out with new products and also the prices will drop when we want to buy them. Thanks.

Yogi,
I can see that doing it along the top of the frame (if that is where the crack/break is) but if it is one of the side, by doing it, you are not just adding weight to the racquet but the frame will be not be balance (i.e. one side of the frame will be heavier than then other). Maybe this wouldn't matter??

i don't think those rich guys you are talking about is doing a good job at it, yonex is still expensive :mad:

I somewhat agree with Matt from sussex. After a while you would pretty much expect for the paint to get slightly chalkier ( I think thats misspelt <and that>) and that well heres my theory.

Think of this. When the racket is strung for the first time the frame is all new and everything is all good. A while later the string will get slightly looser and warn downand because the racket does not have the same pressure on it as it did before (because the strings are becoming loose <ever so slightly>) the head will go back causing the alter in the paint and therefore weakening the paint. Once it is tightly restrung the paint on the head is moving again and evolving to the stage of chipping off the frame. During the periods strain on the head it causes variation in the paint job and because the paint can not strech and bend it becomes chalky and then cracks. If you know what I mean have a think about it. To me this sounds quite common sense but this could put a different light on this issue.

But the picture clearly showing the crack(s) going deeper than the paint and into the frame structure. I don't think your theory holds water :(

cooler's right. the crack is not just the paint. it goes deep into the racket head itself.

i am more intrigued by Yogi's racket fix suggestion. use some old string, wrap the cracked part like a magnetic coil. and then may be fill in some glue. that will make my SR even head heavier. and conveniently, it is on the top of the racket head. so there will be no need to rebalance the racket....

anyone got suggestions on what kind of glue to try?

One-drop-holds-two-tons instant glue?

For a named brand, it is about C$4 for one very small tube and about C$2 or less for no name brand.

thanks. i have some model airplane CA glue, maybe i will try that.

Yong, what camera did you use to take the picture?

my digicam doesn't have a macro feature. :(

hm... i think my camcorder does. i will try that one next time.

Kwun, it was done with a Canon G2 powershot .. unfortunately not my camera :( but from a friend.

It's a nice toy :)

Kwun,
I could offer U asuggestion! U can Gift me such Broken rackets which are 3U and 4U.

peter,

If the racket has a crack near the T or at some Other Position then u have to Bind It in Both sides to maintain the racket being heavy on one side! It is very advisable to to do this to 3and4 U rackets only. But remember that u might feel that the racket is slightly more flexible as head becomes heavier.

To maintain even balance to such rackets is by Making the grip size bigger. I actually have such broken rackets which i shall try to taek pictures of it.My Ti sp Ss and Iso 900 Sr are in broken condition and then repaired. U can easily string it at 23lbs and if u guys had been throwing away all ur cracked rackets then ....

It is a standard procedure for Cab 20 in India. Atleast Plp i know do it! The problem with cab rackets is That the Space between the Top grommets at 12Oclock will sink when strung at decent tensions. So as a safety measure and as to get slighty head heaviness plp here do it!

If i can find someone with a digi cam then i shall def post pictures. As i dont know how to paste Photos in the forum i shall mail to someone who can do it for me!

Thanks

but before it says its just the paint

i always thought it was SWing Power THeory, not smash power theory

TrunkZ69, i repainted the word 'swing' with 'smash'

... :D kidding, i think only the isometric power series have
'smash power theory' on the racket. Maybe Iso 600 is the only
racket. Nice detail is that the Iso power 600 has naver been
sold in Europe. Got it in Thailand, from the Yonex store at the WTC.
Got a free t-shirt with it. :eek:

The old iso series rackets like Iso200, 600 slim 10 etc had something called the smash theory..

Originally posted by GRObFURSt
but before it says its just the paint

that is if you believe the stringer and do not believe your own eyes.

the layer of paint is very thin, the crack shown in Yong's racket definitely go way down into the fibers.

Originally posted by TrunkZ69
i always thought it was SWing Power THeory, not smash power theory

Yonex has a lot of "theories".

Hi,

Because everywhere i look on badminton, Yonex is always there. Why not call the game 'Yonex'?

Matt

to be sure about it, i used a very small piece of sandpaper to wipe of some upstanding paint, that could be misledding us....
now i can clearly see the real crack in the frame

Originally posted by Matt Ross
Hi,

Because everywhere i look on badminton, Yonex is always there. Why not call the game 'Yonex'?

Matt

That wasn't the case in years past. The other companies have given on trying to take Yonex heads on and now offer their products with minimum fuss but they do market their stuff with all kinds of different technologies (e.g. Karakal - lightest racquet in the world, prince with their y joint, Black Knight with C4 composition, etc.)

here is a more close-up image of the crack:

Kwun, I told u that Racket is a gonner! Just shut ur eyes and Gift it to some youngster who is upcoming! If u dont find one then U can be benovalent and gift it to me!

kwun, try scraping off that paint see if or how deep those cracks are. Maybe it's just cracked paint.

Hi,

That doesn't look like no paint chip. If it was the paint cracking, then the paint around this crack would be flaking off, and by kwuns pic this is no the case. It is definately a crack in the frame that actaully seems to go down deep. Right to the fibres it seems.

Matt

Hi,

Actually if you look, you can see a little paint removed along the line of the crack. Also, by this like you can see silver, which is the actual frame. This means it has DEFINATELY reached the metal of the frame and not just the paint.

Matt

Indeed, the racket seems to be a goner.... http://216.40.201.38/contrib/edoom/sad2.gif

But if the crack is so bad, the racket should've give way by now! http://216.40.201.38/contrib/dvv/cwmddd.gif

Modious,

How'd you get those pics onto this forum??

Matt

Erm, just go HERE (http://www.mysmilies.com/)

It's basically just an image file. Just copy the whole link and paste it here.
Well I'm very free currently that's why I'm posting all this smileys.
http://www.theunholytrinity.org/cracks_smileys/contrib/corky/corkysm60.gif

Right, ok i think i have it
Thanks!

Matt http://www.colute.net/cwm/contrib/blackeye/stretch.gif

Originally posted by modious
Indeed, the racket seems to be a goner.... http://216.40.201.38/contrib/edoom/sad2.gif

But if the crack is so bad, the racket should've give way by now! http://216.40.201.38/contrib/dvv/cwmddd.gif

that's the amazing part, is that the racket is still playable. i used it for more than a month before i retired it.

i am sure it won't withstand stringing though, the stress from the machine will probably destroy it.

Hi,

Kwun if i was you i would leave it be. I think its well and truely gone and as you said, if you did try and string it again it would destroy it under the pressure. It is definately not the paint but the frame itself

Matt

Kwun, nice picture !
Don't know what you've done with this racket besides stringing at high
tension, but it sure seems it has gone through a lot of (baminton) battles ! :p

My ill rackets do hold very well too during play at the moment.. haven't labelled
them totally as goners yet, so we'll see next stringing job. :rolleyes:
Since i experience improvement in play with 20-21 lbs compared to 18 lbs,
i think i'll try 22-23 lbs on my tiny-small-cracked ti-6 next time.

yes indeed. it is a goner. i don't think the rich kids around here will want a broken racket from me.

i haven't been using this racket for a long time, i know that once i break the string, it won't be stringable anymore. besides, i have graduated from the SR, a little bit too light and flexy for me now.

right now, it is just a memoribilia. i have used this racket extensively more a couple of years already. there is so much memory to it.

it has more of a sentimentle value

1) its just a 'hairline' crack. not fatal until exposed to further abuse and external impacts (say shuttle at frame 12 oclock)

2) absolutely nothing to do with 'cave in' / pull through

3) not 10 % diff in crosses fault. im ok with this method

the cause: stringing crosses top to bottom. simple as that. or stringing crosses to high up as well.


4) im not getting enuff sleep anymore :crying:

forgot to mention, this disease seems to hit isometric shape racquet more than it does oval shape racquets. hereditary?... what do you think :D

forgot to mention, this disease seems to hit isometric shape racquet more than it does oval shape racquets. hereditary?... what do you think :D

The top of the oval head is already curved in, but the iso ones are rather flat. Therefore, once the vertical force is pulling in the top, oval is more natural to the shape change, but iso has better chance to be "over bent". :rolleyes: