how to *make* a training racket?

Discussion in 'Badminton Rackets / Equipment' started by kwun, Sep 26, 2011.

  1. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    there are a few training rackets in the market that are much more weighty than regular racket but retains the same badminton racket dimensions. they are usually between 120g to 150gram in weight.

    while they are not the most costly of racket, they still cost between US$50 onwards. i wonder if there is a way to convert an old regular racket to a training rackets, by someone adding weight to it.

    i couple of thoughts came to mind:

    - insert weight in the handle (ok to do balancing, but not end all solution)
    - lead tape on the outside of the frame
    - inject something into the middle of the racket. the racket frame is usually hollow. we can access to the cavity through removing the grommets. what can we inject? i don't know, glue? plaster? lead beads?

    any other thoughts or experience on this?
     
  2. jymbalaya

    jymbalaya Regular Member

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    I have thought about this for a while. The first suggestion is ok, but yeah, the balancing needs to come out better.

    Lead Tape can work, but i wonder about the way it will affect the racket. Even though you can balance it, can't it wreck havoc on the torsion and Flex of the racket? For instance, i assume that even if you balance the racket again there will be much more weight that is flexed above the kickpoint, potentially weakening the racket.

    The third points seems more viable, but that seems outlandish for at least a few. and much too technical to actually try for me personally.
     
  3. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    Why not use a squash racket instead? :p
     
  4. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    squash rackets are ok to swing with. but not to play with...
     
  5. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    agree with all points. for 3rd one, i was playing around with some plastic 2 holes grommet strips. and by measurement, they only weigh 0.3g each. which means we need to have tons and tons of it to patch a 90g racket to 130g. that won't work.

    maybe just forget it and get a proper training racket instead.
     
  6. LD rules!

    LD rules! Regular Member

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    Why can you not just use those old school rackets ?:)
     
  7. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    need one that can survive regular hitting and drilling.
     
  8. Optiblue

    Optiblue Regular Member

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    Just put lead tape on your medium balance rackets to make them head heavy. After a few games, the AT700's will feel like feathers! I personally don't recommend training rackets as sometimes when used incorrectly, can cause injury or you'll develop an improper technique. At least with lead tape it just slows you down and you also don't need to spend $50+
     
  9. Andy05

    Andy05 Regular Member

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    Use some gaffer tape to attach small weights on either side of the T-joint, I did it before and the racquet was ok. It was a £50 racquet I had spare to begin with, so it was strong, not too sure about trying it with a cheaper racquet.
     
  10. CanucksDynasty

    CanucksDynasty Regular Member

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    Does Zelm or Panda make training rackets?
     
  11. InvincibleAjay

    InvincibleAjay Regular Member

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    I just put the head cover on and create a few holes for aerodynamics, I can then covert a 90g racket to 135g no problems. I use this for net kills drills, drives, backhand clears, it strengthens the wrist no end.

    Kindest regards,

    -Ajay-

    Quote of the Day
    I feel like a fugitive from the law of averages.
     
  12. mongoose

    mongoose Regular Member

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    I use athletic tape (like Lin Dan!). It sticks better than lead tape. I can place it anywhere eg 10 to 2 o'clock and/or a little on the shaft below the t-joint, on the shaft just above the cone etc depending on how I want to balance the racquet.
     
  13. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    Probably the easiest mod to an existing racket. Also time tested.

    Considering that 8 inches of athletic tape is about 1g, to put 50g of tape onto a 90g racket is a tall order indeed. 400 inches to be exact! :p
     
  14. Tactim

    Tactim Regular Member

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    I saw a person have a makeshift training racket by taking copper wire and coil it starting from the top of cone of the handle, all the way up the shaft, and then all the way around the racket head by coiling the wire between the strings. I actually thought it was an ingenious idea because getting copper wire is easy at your local hardware store. If I were to estimate the space between each coil, it would probably be around .5 cm.
     
  15. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    i think it is possible to wind small strands of wire along the frame, and then be able to seal it off with some sort of glue. it will be thicker and more air resistance but who cares in this case.

    or just go the extreme and string the racket with metal wires. ;)

    will copper wire be able to take 25lbs?
     
  16. Tactim

    Tactim Regular Member

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    Well if it makes any difference I know for a fact that the person who has the training racket is a badminton coach and one hell of a singles player. I saw him use it in a recreational match and he didn't seem to have any problems with it.

    Looking at my own racket, there are quite a few spots which are quite small though you could probably string a wire through it if you're careful. Obviously don't string the wire through the spots with shared holes on top of a grommet as that would probably break your strings. The wire has to be coiled against the frame. Overall I'm pretty sure you'll get the desired result with a much heavier racket. It seems to be a pretty good makeshift strategy

    Edit: As a matter of fact people on the forum have suggested this in the past, though you'll have to find the right gauge for the copper wire so it's thin enough to fit through those tight spaces in the racket head.
     
    #16 Tactim, Sep 29, 2011
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2011
  17. Mark A

    Mark A Regular Member

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    AWG 21 or 22 would work... and I find myself vicariously interested in how such a thing would perform. Whoever tries stringing with this stuff has GOT to film it.
     
  18. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    might need some metal grommets as well. that's will be harder to find.
     
  19. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    http://www.amazon.com/Nickel-Chromi...UF4E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317314155&sr=8-1

    a $16 experiment.

    i wonder what the tension strength is...

    i was looking at copper and the tensile strength was something like 320MPa which turned out to be around 25lbs. steel should be stronger.
     
  20. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    ok. so Nickel Chromium Alloys have a tensile strength range of 330Mpa to 2300MPa. either case it will be good enough for around 25lbs. tempting.
     

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