Net Height and Tension Gauge

Rick August Asked 2 months ago

I've used a plastic gauge for setting the net height but I understand that there is a 100 gram metal gauge that can be used to also set the height and the net tension.  Do you know how these metal height/tension gauges should be used?

Jeff Plumb Answered 2 months ago

G'day Rick, Yes, you're spot on about the use of a 100 gram metal gauge for setting both the net height and tension in table tennis. It's a handy tool for ensuring that your net meets the official standards, which can really help in both practice and competitive settings. Here’s how you use it:

1. Setting the Net Height: Place the gauge on top of the net at the middle. The standard net height should be 15.25 cm from the playing surface. The gauge typically has a measure for this height. If the net sags under the weight of the gauge, you'll need to adjust the net posts to raise the net until the gauge just touches and doesn't press down the net. 

2. Checking the Tension: For setting the net tension, my understanding is that you hang the gauge using the 14.25 cm location over the center of the net and you adjust the tension so that the bottom of the gauge just touches the table top. This means that the 100 gram weight of the gauge causes the center of the net to sag 1 cm which indicates the correct net tension.

This gauge not only ensures that the height and tension are up to standards, but it also helps in maintaining a uniform playing condition, which is crucial for both training and matches.

Here's a picture of one of these 100 gram Metal Net Gauge:

Hope that helps, Rick! Let me know if there’s anything else you need. Keep on playing!