HELP - Characteristics of Balsa
Printed From: Alex Table Tennis - MyTableTennis.NET
Category: Equipment
Forum Name: Equipment
Forum Description: Share your experience and discussions about table tennis equipments.
Moderator: haggisv
Assistant Moderators: position available
URL: http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=21642
Printed Date: 05/04/2024 at 8:21am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: HELP - Characteristics of Balsa
Posted By: doraemon
Subject: HELP - Characteristics of Balsa
Date Posted: 10/15/2008 at 8:07pm
|
Hi guys, I stumbled upon Donic Opticon in a TT store (no intention of buying any blade, just looking around) and surprisely amazed by the unique feel of the blade when bouncing ball on it. Later I realized that it has balsa in it. Never try balsa before so I am not sure. Can anybody tell me the general characteristics of Balsa? I know it's light and soft physically, but how do they behave during play? Thanks. |
Replies:
Posted By: pongcrazy
Date Posted: 10/15/2008 at 8:35pm
| Boing, boing, boing........... bouncy and fast. Usually found in the core of the OFF and OFF+ rockets like Primorac Carbon, Boll Tricarbon, Juic Air Carbon series, and faster all wood blades types. Lightweight and soft but stiff. You normally won't find balsa in classic OFF- looping blades or allrounds. Normally if you want to loop with a balsa blade you need to have a soft and preferably thicker outer ply. This is just my opinion and what I've noticed during my EJ tenure. |
Posted By: doraemon
Date Posted: 10/15/2008 at 9:05pm
| Thanks for the input Pongcrazy. I now wonder why Donic has it on Opticon because it is an all+/off- blade. So, dwell time is not that good, right? How about the TSP lines with Balsa + Glass Fibers? Do they form a synergy there? |
Posted By: nicefrog
Date Posted: 10/17/2008 at 9:42pm
|
The TSP with glass get plenty enough dwell for loops but you can't feel it as they are a stiff vibration free blade, they have an extremly thin top layer of limber the "fitter" handles are the top heavy looping specials and have exactly zero vibration or feel (I like that). All balsa have a huge amount of "spring" springy spongy I think it's great to help launch balls off very tacky topsheets. Also anything with a thickish balsa core and normal thickness limba will be a pretty good blade, can't go wrong from a good brand really ------------- |
Posted By: The Shakehander
Date Posted: 10/17/2008 at 10:06pm
| If you're looking for Balsa, try Yasaka's Balsa Plus (+) |
Posted By: 729cent
Date Posted: 10/18/2008 at 7:58am
|
Balsa is very unique wood, you have to try it! It provides soft feel & less vibrations but it depends on thickness of core. But don't go in more than 4-5mm core if you want to loop with lots of spin. the thicker core is, the softer or thinnier rubber should you use. I don't recommend max or >2.1 sponge, typical chinese rubber doesn't suit balsa blades at all. Speed: passive shots, block, pushes feels like All or All+, if you put more power in shot - smash or topspin it's like from Off+ rocket launcher. I think there are only 2 kinds of people: who absolutely love it or absolutely hate it. I've played with Andro Blax off(6mm core), Dr. Neubauer Bulldozer(8mm core) and Dr. Neubauer/Re-impact Combination effect(10mm double core). ------------- Avalox p500 fh 729-08 bh DHS G555 |
Posted By: varghesep
Date Posted: 10/18/2008 at 9:18am
Is Dr.Neubauer Bulldozer made of balsa?
I have used the Combination Effect - very good blade. ------------- http://www.mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=16429 - Feedback |
729cent wrote:Posted By: Braveheart
Date Posted: 10/18/2008 at 9:49am
|
I got my BTY X5 with carbo-balsa. Good feeling and fantastic block ! ------------- Blade - Butterly X5 balsa carbo Off; Front -Donic JO Platin soft 2mm Back hand - BUTTERFLY Challenger 1.5 mm (short pips) Style - Close table attack |
Posted By: varghesep
Date Posted: 10/18/2008 at 10:02am
The general characteristics are (1) light weight (2) rebound speed as hinoki (3) sharp hit feel (4) excellent control (5) power (6) Soft
Unless it is a thick ply of at least 7 to 8 mm, carbon or fiber needed to build strength to the wood. The http://www.spinmantra.com/tabletennis/blog/wordpress/?p=120 - TSP Balsa Fiber has fiber as well as vertically cut balsa.
------------- http://www.mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=16429 - Feedback |
Posted By: Ginko Tai Kim
Date Posted: 10/18/2008 at 4:11pm
Very Light material, very stiff and huge dwell time ------------- http://avatars.jurko.net"> 
RE-Impact Hydra Andro Roxon 450 2mm Giant Dragon Giant Long ox |
Posted By: varghesep
Date Posted: 10/18/2008 at 5:44pm
The dwell time is less for combi balsa blades. That can be compensated by using softer rubbers.
------------- http://www.mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=16429 - Feedback |
Posted By: doraemon
Date Posted: 10/19/2008 at 4:02am
|
Thanks to all of you that had commented on this. However, I am more confused now, because when someone said stiff, good rebound speed, it can't have good dwell time. The logic is when the ball bounces back quickly, it does not have good dwell time. So, does Balsa have good dwell time or not? |
Posted By: Ginko Tai Kim
Date Posted: 10/19/2008 at 4:33am
|
I reckon it has good dwell
------------- http://avatars.jurko.net">
RE-Impact Hydra Andro Roxon 450 2mm Giant Dragon Giant Long ox |
Posted By: theman
Date Posted: 10/19/2008 at 4:59am
depends on the thickness of the balsa core ------------- i lost my racquet Schlager u beast http://www.youtube.com/MDSguy" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/MDSguy |
Posted By: Ginko Tai Kim
Date Posted: 10/19/2008 at 5:42am
|
Yeah I assumed it was about the thicker balsa blades...
------------- http://avatars.jurko.net">
RE-Impact Hydra Andro Roxon 450 2mm Giant Dragon Giant Long ox |
Posted By: nicefrog
Date Posted: 10/19/2008 at 8:03am
|
Anything up to the 6.5 like I use has very good dwell, after that, the faster OFF+ Balsas not so much. But it also totally depends on what compisite is used and how much of it and how thick the top layer of Limba or other wood is. I'm certainly able to get just as much spin off the 6.5 as any other blade I own including the Accoustic and they are both similar speed blades, but they feel totally different, the TSP is alot lighter and zero flex ------------- |
Posted By: varghesep
Date Posted: 10/19/2008 at 9:26am
You are right.
------------- http://www.mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=16429 - Feedback |
Posted By: charlesj
Date Posted: 10/19/2008 at 9:47am
| Ma Long is using Rutis with chinese rubber! |
Posted By: haggisv
Date Posted: 10/19/2008 at 9:54am
|
The dwell time depends a lot on the impact speed... at low speeds the balsa feels slow and very soft, giving very good control and spin potential At high impact the balsa rebounds very fast, so the dwell time is much lower, which is great for blocking as it comes back fast and is less sensitive to spin, but your counter loops will have less spin as well. Thinner balsa blades lowers this effect, and they also have more flex which adds to dwell time... ------------- Smart; VS>401, Dtecs OX http://tabletennisshop.com.au/index.php?main_page=page&id=42" rel="nofollow - Tenergy Alternatives | http://tabletennis-reviews.com" rel="nofollow - My TT Articles |
Posted By: doraemon
Date Posted: 10/19/2008 at 8:35pm
|
Thank you guys. If I have to summarize: Balsa behaves exponentially, it is slow at slow strokes but extremely fast on fast strokes. Hmm, I think this will be either you love it or you hate it kind of thing. I am now considering to get one of Balsa blade, just to get a feel for it. |
Posted By: Brainstorm69
Date Posted: 10/19/2008 at 9:12pm
|
If you get the Opticon, please let us know how you like it as I have been wondering about that blade for awhile. ------------- F3S | Tulpe T-7007 | F3S |