About rackets.

i have a couple of questions about rackets.

i am an intermediate player and have been playing for around 2 years.

i have an old donic racket and a dunlop energy explosion which i mainly use. however, more recently i have been wanting a new racket because my dunlop is getting a bit worn and nasty to handle. i play around 1-3 times a week, normaly 2 times. and im on a budget, £50 max (uk pounds, thats about 105 australian dollars) idealy around £30, 65 australian dollars.

my game style is heavily spin dominated, i use lots of topspin, with backspin, and side spin serves. i have quite a fast, reasonably aggressive style of playing. (however, recently, because i my new playing partner is far better than me and uses crazy ammounts of spin, i have been forced into a more deffencive game. i would still say i am an aggressive player though.) i would like to take the game further, and advence my playing.my aim is to get some coaching and enter some reagonal competitions.

thats just some background, my first question is this, for my budget, and game stye should i go for a  pre made bat or should i buy parts and put them together my self ?

in a way i would like to make my own bat, but i dont want to do it if it is unneccesary.

my second question is this, depending on your answer to my first question do you have any recommendations for rackets, or blades and rubbers that would suite my game and budget ?

if you think ishould go for a blade and rubbers, could you please tell me how to make the bat, as i have no clue at the moment.

lastly what racket do you use ?

thanks a lot for your time and help. i know this was a long question. i love your website and will keep watching your videos.

Tim.

Hi Tim,

Recently I have made up some bats using the baldes from pre-made bats.  I take the rubber off by tearing the tops sheet and if there is sponge left n the blade, whcih there usually is, I use a sander to sand it off.

I then put some reasonable rubbe ron the bat.  I have been using Mark V rubber.  The result is great.  You can play a really god standard game with it.

See which of your blades is better and put some decent rubber on that.  I would recommend Mark V or Sriver rubber.  They are an excellent rubber for a wide range of styles.

To put the rubber on the blade, buy some specific table tennis glue.  You apply the glue to the rubber and the blade, let them dry and then stick them on.  As the rubber comes in a large sqaure piece, you will them need to cut the rubbe rto shape once it is stuck to the blade.  This is fairly simple, using a sharp blade like a scalpel or 'Stanley knife'.

I use a very old (19 years old) Power Drive Blade and currently use Mark V rubber on it. I just change the rubbers when they become worn.