This is a simple guide on how to use “Tibhar Rapid Clean de Luxe”, a long lasting quick glue. This procedure works well for some, but others may have different opinions about what works for them. This procedure uses the instructions that came with the can as a guide, but deviates from it a bit where you think the steps are not necessary.
1. Blade sealing
When you speed up the glue, you regularly need to remove the gums from the sheet. Every time you remove the gum, you risk pulling some of the wood fibers off the surface of the blade. To prevent this from happening, it is worth ‘sealing’ the sword. This means putting a very thin layer of varnish on the blade, thin enough not to affect the feel of the blade, but enough to keep the fibers on the blade. I find polyurethane to be the most effective at doing this. I use “Wattyl Estapol Gloss 250ml” which is around AUD$10 and will last you for many years. Please note that some blades are already sealed so this process is not necessary.
I first sand the blade lightly with very fine sandpaper to make sure the surface is smooth. I then clean the surface with ‘Mineral Turpentine’ with a small cloth (one that doesn’t have a lot of fibers that can leave deposits). I let this dry completely (probably 10 minutes). I then use a cloth or similar brush to put the polyurethane on the blade on both sides, only on those parts of the blade that would be covered by the rubber. You may also want to put some on the edge of the blade, which will give it some protection when you accidentally hit something with it.
I leave it on for no more than 2 minutes, then wipe it down hard with a clean cloth. This ensures that the polyurethane doesn’t get too deep into the surface where it could affect the feel of the blade. Make sure there are no deposits on the surface. I then stand the bat upright in a dry (not too dusty) place, and let it dry for at least 24 hours.
2. Primer of the gum
When a rubber is new, it must be primed before it can be used effectively as a quick tack rubber. This means building up a thin layer of glue on the surface of the sponge. The reason for this is twofold:
1. Quick glues contain very few adhesive components compared to normal TT glue. So to make sure your rubber sticks and doesn’t fall off during gameplay, you need to build up a thin layer of adhesives on the surface of the sponge. Every time you speed up the glue, this layer will reactivate and become sticky again and hold the glue to the sheet.
2. Quick glue rubber often needs to be glued several times before it is really effective. There are a few theories as to why this is the case, but we won’t get into that here. By priming the gum, you are effectively providing those early tack times where gum is ineffective.
Although the instructions for this glue recommend using tibhar glue for the primer, I think any suitable TT glue will do, or even a cheaper quick glue.
Make sure you have the protective plastic film over the rubber first, to make sure you don’t have any glue left on the top sheet. I then put a single coat of regular (NOT long lasting) glue on top of the sponge. I wait about 10 minutes and make sure it’s dry to the touch. If you are using standard speed glue I would apply another coat, but with regular (thicker) glue one coat is sufficient. Then I let it dry for 24 hours. So you are ready to speed up the glue.
NOTE: The rubber can be cut before priming or after it has dried overnight (or even after applying the quick glue), this is up to you. The cut doesn’t need to be that neat, as repeated gluing of the rubber will cause it to stretch and produce (often uneven) overhang. This is normal for fast gluers and quite acceptable. If the overhang is excessive (such as more than 5mm), you can reduce it a bit.
3. Apply the quick glue
Make sure you have the plastic release film on the rubber(s) first, to make sure no glue gets on the top sheet. I then apply the glue, starting from the middle, brushing to make sure I cover the entire surface. I start from the middle to make sure I always apply enough glue there, as this is (hopefully!) the place that gets hit most often. I normally use just a thin layer, but thicker can be used if you need a bigger speed boost.
I then leave the rubber(s) for about 1 hour (but no more) in a quiet area without too much airflow or dust. You can cover it loosely with something to make sure too much dust doesn’t collect on the surface. By then the sponge should have stretched and the rubber changed shape a bit. The surface of the sponge is usually still sticky, but it no longer looks very wet. I then attach the rubber to the blade, first lining up the bottom bit just above the handle, then gently placing the rest of the rubber. I roll it gently with a rolling pin (or a bottle of wine works well).
If it just curls up and doesn’t seem to stick at all, remove it again. Put a thin layer of regular glue (or regular speed glue) on the blade. Let dry to the touch (usually 5 minutes), then reapply the glue. It should now stick better. Even if some of the pieces still curl a bit, they should stick together well after clamping.
If you are gluing gums on both sides, you should apply the gum the same way.
4. Hold the rubber
A proper clamp is (practically) a must for those who speed up glue. These can be done yourself quite easily. After you have applied the rubber(s), immediately place the bat in the clamp (make sure the plastic protection sheets are still there). Tighten it just enough so that you can see that the sponge is in contact with the blade on all sides. Then you need to leave it on for at least 12 hours before it becomes more effective. If you use it before this period, it may not be working at its best. If you’re not going to play for another day or more, simply leave the bat in the clamp, and this extends the period for which it lasts. After you’re done playing and you’ve cleaned the rubber, put it back in the cleat for the same reason.
5. Duration of quick glue effect
I personally hit the day before playing (24 hours). I find the gum to be a bit faster the first day and then it is still very effective and consistent for about 4 days. After this the effect is still very noticeable and the sponge still feels softer but it has definitely slowed down a bit. I find that the effect does not last as long on soft sponge rubbers compared to hard ones.
I would not recommend regluing until after day 5 as the effect will be cumulative and you may be putting too much pressure on the rubber. I normally remove the gum from the sheet at least 24 hours before regluing, to allow the gum to ‘recover’ and return to its peeled state.