Balance point of Head heavy rackets?

Discussion in 'Badminton Rackets / Equipment' started by kabuki, Mar 31, 2005.

  1. kabuki

    kabuki Regular Member

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    Hi, i recently sanded down my mp55 g3 handle and i got a more head heavy racket head. The only thing is i'm not sure if i need to sand it down more to change the balance point.

    It feels like my head heavyniess is more near the T-joint and the lower half of the racket head.

    I've heard that the Ti-10 is a head heavy racket and is a good performer. Can any BC'ers give any hints as to what it feels like and where the focal point of the head heaviness feels like.

    Should it be near the central tip /part of the head?
     
  2. kabuki

    kabuki Regular Member

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    Also checking up on balance point, from the bottom of the handle up towards teh head my balance point is around 305 mm. Do any other Bc'ers with Mp 55 and g4 and g5 handles tell me what your balance point is like. From a rough estimate using my finger it balances out on the letters 'LUS' from the word "modulus" on the shaft facing up.

    thanks again,

    K
     
    #2 kabuki, Mar 31, 2005
    Last edited: Mar 31, 2005
  3. SWC_Ant

    SWC_Ant Regular Member

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    my MP 55 2UG5 with overgrip and BG65@24lb string has a balance point of 287mm, and it feels okay to me.. dunno if it'll help

    edit: btw i was balancing my racket on the edge of my ruler, resting on a table. try that, its more precise
     
  4. kabuki

    kabuki Regular Member

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    yep my balance point is at that spot mentioned before so thats at 305 mm. I guess i must have shaved it down too much? cus yours is 287 so i must have removed a bit too much wood sigh..kinda sucks becuase i'm pretty sure i had it pretty good but then decided to shave off a little more.

    The good thing is it still plays pretty well and my short smashes on serves middle court hits are really great :D I think i need more practice to adjust to the new feel of the racket.
     
  5. SWC_Ant

    SWC_Ant Regular Member

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    im going to repost what i told you on pm so others may see and perhaps gain some knowledge through reading :)

    a lot of people say that MP55 is (or feels) head heavy, but i dont feel that way. in my opinion MP55 is pretty much even balanced, so 287mm b/p is alright i guess
    im not too sure about shaving racket handles.. maybe there is still a way to remedy this by putting more weight on the handle (i hear there is a hole under the green buttcap). other than that, i believe there is a thread talking about shaving handles.. you'll have to check that out

    otherwise, have fun with the new feel! maybe head heavy would be better, who knows

    btw the AT800DE i got has a balance point higher than your current MP55... but its a little longer. i think your MP55 should be okay.. otherwise add more weight to the handle (see above) and check out that thread about shaving handles.. if you cant find it i'll take a look for it
     
  6. kabuki

    kabuki Regular Member

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    To test if a few mm would make such a difference i did a little experiment. I taped two canadian pennies to the butt of the racket and the added weight did change the balance point. It also changed the feel of the racket. I noticed before that swinging the racket around generally i felt a bit more strain and i noticed this when i played with the racket the last time as it took more effort to clear but was also weaker and slower.

    Next I did 3 pennies and it felt even better, the balance point was around what SWC_ant has on his mp55 at around 287-300 mm.

    Perhaps adding layers of grips would increase the weight but i doubt they are as heavy as 3 pennies so i would probalby need more layers.



    My possible remedy is to use electrical tape then to add my yonex supergrap over top. I don't know if that is a good idea but i'll wait on others opinions.
     
  7. Grufey

    Grufey Regular Member

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    Electric tape doesn't really change the balance much, i have tried it before, and the results were not as helpful as i thought. So maybe adding the pennies will help more.

    I myself have a Victor Fung-2000, and the last time i removed the stock grip, i noticed a piece of lead tape attached at a random spot on the wooden handle, after removing it, the balance point became 345mm, and i must say, the head heaviness strains my arm more than helps out with my power on clears and smashes. However, the power gained on pushes and drives are surprising to me, just by tapping the bird I can give it the power of a half smash. :D
     
  8. silentheart

    silentheart Regular Member

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    The glue from electircal tape might eat up the current grip. Just want you to be careful on that.
     
  9. SWC_Ant

    SWC_Ant Regular Member

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    i've read posts by many people saying that under the green buttcap, there is a spiral hole drilled into the wood to balance the racket. maybe you can add the weight there. if you decide 3 pennie's weight is okay, then maybe put something there so it wont come off as easily as the pennies

    cheers
     
  10. Brave_Turtle

    Brave_Turtle Regular Member

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    Electrical tape is heavy, thats probably why you did not see big difference in your balance point.

    I find vernish way more efficient than electrical tape.

    Also, MP55 should not be only heavier but head heavier than AT800DE.
     
  11. kabuki

    kabuki Regular Member

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    Lol the pennies were just a test. Their width is way to big. I thought of placing near the butt of the cap and then putting overgrip overtop but hat would never work. It would be nice to move that balane point over a slight bit as it would help with my swing clearing but man oh man a head heavy racket head is sooo usefull at and around the net for net kills and short smashes.

    Played today and it was awesome just making those birdies blistering down with no chance for the oppostion to return the birdie.

    Hopefully adding a layer or two of tape will help :D

    Ps.. a werid Badminton central moment. met another poster/player today simply becaused the guy recognized my previous post of sanding down the handle when i mentioned it. small world.
     
  12. Invitation1

    Invitation1 New Member

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    What’s the right weight for my racquet?” It’s one of the more common questions any prospective racquet buyer asks. Yet the weight of a racquet is just a number. It won’t tell you how it’s going to feel in your hand, or, more importantly, in motion. A better question to consider is how the weight is distributed throughout the frame. In other words, is there more weight toward the head or toward the handle?
    [​IMG]The balance and weight of a racquet are two critical attributes in determining how a stick will perform. The measurements are inextricably linked. “You have to combine weight and balance. You can’t divorce one from the other,” says Roman Prokes, TENNIS technical adviser and owner of RPNY Tennis, a retail and racquet customization shop in New York. “You can’t just say, ‘I want a headheavy racquet.’ Then it has to be lighter in [overall] weight. Otherwise the racquet would feel too heavy for you.”
     

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