Changing Grip Size

Discussion in 'Grip' started by Helbreath, Jul 1, 2004.

  1. Helbreath

    Helbreath Regular Member

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    Currently i own a G5 racket and i find the grip too small(All my other rackets are G4). How should i do it without adding too much weight to the racket?(and thus changing the balance etc)

    Should i just put on two pics of the same grip or is there anything i can put on to increase grip size?

    Thanks,,,
     
  2. Mag

    Mag Moderator

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    If you're handy you can glue thin strips of balsa wood, cut to size, to the sides of the handle. This of course temporarily removing the original grip to expose the wooden handle. This method increases grip size without adding much weight.

    Or just do like the rest of us: add cushioned grip tape. It does change the balance slightly, but it won't matter much.
     
  3. dragon62

    dragon62 Regular Member

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    well ive seen the balsa wood idea work but in most cases, your bound to screw up your whole racquet, the easiest approach is to either sell it or get used to it..
     
  4. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    1. Add 2 layers of overgrip, prefer thin and light ones. The balance point might change, but should not be too much.

    2. Remove the original grip. Change to a thicker one. Same as #1, balance point might shift, but should be acceptable.

    3. If u really having trouble with it, trade it for a G4.
     
  5. Dill

    Dill Regular Member

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    Could also glue layers of cork matt to the handle if you like spongy grips, other than that you can get grip tubes which are like cricket bat grips when they are pulled over the handle you heat them to shrink them and they add thickness to your handle without much weight.
     
  6. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    Adding an overgrip will increase the weight as well as changing the static balance point of your racquet, but it will not affect your play. The overgrip or even a replacement grip will not change the "pick-up" weight of your racquet, as the added weight is at the spot of the axis of rotation. Would a 10gm gold ring on your finger, which is near the same spot as the axis of rotation, make your racquet any heavier? However, if you extend the overgrip or replacement grip way up the shaft, then it will affect the "pick-up" weight and your play. ;)
     
  7. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    This is not the way to go. If you must maintain the same original weight when changing your grip size to one larger, there is a better method to do it. Most racquets have a silicone caulking compound or hot melt glue, used as a final racquet counter-weight to ensure racquets of one weight size ( i.e. 3U will all weigh within a fixed weight range irrespective of the various grip sizes), in the tunnel of the wooden handle. All you need to do is to take off the cap at the butt of the racquet-you will need a stapler removal and a small screw driver, and you will see a solidified hot melt glue in the hollow tunnel. Take out the compound-sometimes it comes out easily, sometimes you have to break it up and shake out the debris-and weigh it. If the compound you have just taken out iweighs the same as your overgrip, then thats your answer. If the silicone caulk is lighter, then use a small electric drill to drill the tunnel a little deeper but not too much or a little larger in diameter, to reduce the weight a little more. If the silicone compound you take out is heavier than your overgrip, then just add back some of the compound. The idea is to re-establish your original weight.
    But, as I have said elswhere, this concern about maintaining the racquet's original weight, brought about by an overgrip, is an exercise in futility, as it serves no purpose. You might as well take off your watch or a ring on your finger. :D
     
  8. jug8man

    jug8man Regular Member

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    i prefer to strip the grip off all the way to the wood. to make it thicker i dont use a primary layer of grip but masking tape or anything of the sorts work wonders. it protects the wood and you can make it as thick as you want.
    normal grips use as an under layer degrades and can get quite yucky after a while.

    besides it is cheaper to you tape than buy a grip. :D cheapo i am hehehe
     
  9. MarkinJapan

    MarkinJapan Regular Member

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    Here`s a related question.

    Two rackets. Both grips feel identical. One is g4 the other g5. The g5 has been built up with layers on undertape. What will the balance points of these rackets be like? A g4 has to be SLIGHTLY heavier than a g5 right? Not a huge difference I`m sure, but just curious.
     
  10. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    Why do you assume that a G4 is slightly heavier than a G5, assuming both are of the same weight category, i.e. 3U? The G designation is to classify the handle's circumference, the U designation for weight, and never the two should be mixed up.
     
  11. bluejeff

    bluejeff Regular Member

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    I am guessing the same thing, too.

    Example: (not exact data)
    MP-99 2UG4 might weights 92grams
    MP-99 2UG5 might weights 91grams

    The extra wood could be 1 gram in weight (or more or less), but both 91 and 92 grams are still in the 2U range. Again, this is just a thought, the only real way to test is to buy both rackets and weight it and see if they are the same weight or not.

    IF the above statement is true, IF the wood does weight more, and 2UG4 really weights more than 2UG5, say , by 1 gram or so, the balance point would also changed a little bit.
     
  12. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    The U weight classification as used by Yonex and followed by some other manufacturers is not very precise, even within the same category. I do go around weighing badminton racquets, in their original state without strings, and there are a lot of G3 racquets that are classified as G4, including the Yonex AT800 OF. Yes I have measured such AT800 OF at 86gm but classified as 4U instead of 3U.
    Back to the question of a 3UG4 vs a 3UG5, it is not true that the latter is marginally lighter than the former. If you take 100 3UG4 and another 100 3UG5 racquets, the two groups would have almost identical weight. True, the G4 has a larger circumference, but it has a lighter silicone counterweight than the G5's counterweight in the hollow tunnel of the handle. Do you know that you can reduce a good 2-4gm of a racquet by just taking out the silicone counterweight? Some racquets have no silicone counterweight because the choice of the handle fits well with its U classification. :)
     
  13. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    By the way, do you know that you can dampen racquet vibrations if you fill the handle's hollow tunnel with either epoxy, silicone caulk, or any hot melt glue? The original silicone caulk that comes with the racquet doesn't completely fill up the hollow tunnel, as its sole purpose is to balance the weight specification. Despite the increase in weight, it shouldn't affect your racquet's first moment of inertia, pick-up weight, too much as the hollow tunnel is at the same spot as the axis of rotation. :D
     
  14. vincenterika

    vincenterika Regular Member

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    Yes I also buy a electronic scale for racket mesurements...
    Seems the U that Yonex claims is unstrung (And without anygrip also?)
    So a set of string adds aound 5-7 grams...a over grip also adds 7 grams...
     
  15. vincenterika

    vincenterika Regular Member

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    I also noticed TI 7 light and TI 5 light, what makes them 3U...maybe Yonex dosen't really "makes" them lighter, just because they are standard lenth...If add 10mm they will be 2U haha :D
     
  16. bluejeff

    bluejeff Regular Member

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    The U-system that Yonex claims is of course for unstrung racquets, with the original grip, not overgrips. Basically, just only the racquet you purchased from the store.

    The length has the least to do with the weight, there are tons of other factors affecting the weights, say, ie: materials, designs, hollowness...etc.
    That's why we have both regular length and the long length rackets in the same weight categories, say, ie: 2U Cab20(regular length) and 2U MP-100(long length).

    Think about a gold brick that is less than 30cm, but it weights like crazy.;)
     
  17. bluejeff

    bluejeff Regular Member

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    So, do you have any real data on the same model of racquet, in same U, but different in Grip size?

    example:
    MP-100 3UG4 and 3UG5.

    Even there is only a 1g difference, it is still counted as difference.
     
  18. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    Some G5 weigh 1-2gm heavier than G4 of the same U classification and vice versa. Most of the U classifications are within the 5gm tolerance, but not all.
     

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