Racket Assembly

It isn’t hard to assemble a blade and rubber to create a racket (see instructions below). However, if you purchase a blade and at least one sheet of rubber from us, we offer you a choice: you can assemble the racket yourself or you can have us do it. If you decide to do it yourself, and we are shipping your package via ground, we will give you a free small tube of regular glue, if you wish. You will be able to indicate your choice and whether you want the free glue when you check out. Note that if we assemble your racket, we will use regular glue.

Penhold Gap

Some penholders like there to be a gap between the rubber and the handle to leave room for their fingers. If you ask us to assemble your penhold racket, you will be able to specify whether we should leave a gap (and how large the gap should be) when you check out.

How to Assemble a Racket

The following instructions are for glue that contains harmful volatile compounds. If you are using one of the new glues that do not contain harmful volatile compounds, the procedure will be similar, but be sure to follow any instructions that come with the glue. An easy-to-use mess-free alternative to liquid regular glue is an adhesive sheet.

Apply glue to both the blade and the sponge. Do not use too much glue. If the glue doesn’t come with a brush or sponge to apply it, you can use a piece of cardboard to spread the glue evenly. For regular glue, let it dry completely. For speed glue, let it dry for a few minutes. For regular glue, you may wish to apply a second coat and let it dry completely.

Starting at the handle edge, place the rubber on the blade. Then use a roller to press the rubber firmly to the blade. Trim the excess rubber with scissors (some people use a knife). Do the trimming with the sponge side up. Hold the scissors against the wood to guide your trimming.

Repeat for the other side. Apply edge tape.

Rubber without Sponge

When attaching rubber without sponge to a blade, you should only apply glue to the wood; don’t apply glue to the rubber. Applying glue to the rubber will cause it to curl, thus making it almost impossible to attach. Only use regular glue for rubber without sponge. Speed glue is pointless since there is no sponge for it to soak into, and it will take too long to dry.

Because red rubber is translucent, it is best to put a red sheet on the back/backhand side, so that any writing on the front/forehand side of the blade won’t show through.

Penhold Backside Color Sheets

If you have a penhold blade and are only putting rubber on one side, you can put a penhold backside color sheet on the back so that your racket will be legal. The color sheet is self-adhesive, so you just roll it on and then trim it.

Most Japanese-penhold-style blades have cork covering part of the back. Before applying the color sheet, trace the cork region onto the color sheet and cut along the tracing. In other words, don’t apply the color sheet to the cork.

Blade Varnish

Blade varnish makes glue adhere better and prevents wood fibers from being pulled off when you remove the rubber. We recommend that you varnish your blade, especially when using one of the new VOC-free glues.

Removing Rubber

To replace the rubber on your racket, you can usually just peel off the old sheet (start at the handle edge). If your racket was assembled by the manufacturer, then it almost certainly used a stronger glue that may make it difficult to remove the rubber. If bits of glue or sponge remain attached to the wood after you get the rubber off, you can use sandpaper to remove them.

[Up: Buying Guide. Previous: Edge Tape Info. Next: Rubber Life and Care.]