From: heller@luna.think.com (Steve Heller)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.table-tennis
Subject: Re: Paddle Suggestions Please!!
Date: 21 Dec 92 20:00:32
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA
	<1992Dec11.134511.11537@spectrum.xerox.com>
	<BzBB77.66F@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu>
	<1992Dec21.145642.7638@doug.cae.wisc.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: luna.think.com
In-reply-to: jimy@cae.wisc.edu's message of 21 Dec 92 14:56:42 CST

In article <1992Dec21.145642.7638@doug.cae.wisc.edu> jimy@cae.wisc.edu (Jim Yu) writes:

   >These rackets are easy to make....

   Does anyone know if there are regulations on the size, shape and weight
   of a racket?

========================================================================
         USTTA Rules of Table Tennis          September 18, 1991

4       The Racket

4.1     The racket may be of any size, shape or weight.

4.2     The blade shall be continuous, of even thickness, flat and 
        rigid.

4.2.1   At least 85% of the blade by thickness shall be of natural
        wood.

4.2.2   An adhesive layer within the blade may be reinforced with 
        fibrous material such as carbon fiber, glass fiber or compressed
        paper, but shall not be thicker than 7.5% of the total thickness
        or 0.35 mm, whichever is the smaller.

4.3     The visible surface of each side of the blade, whether used 
        for striking the ball or not, shall be uniformly dark colored
        and matt. Any trimming or binding around the edge of the
        blade shall not be either wholly or partly white or brightly
        reflecting.

4.4     A side of the blade used for striking the ball shall be
        covered with either ordinary pimpled rubber with pimples
        outwards having a total thickness including adhesive of not
        more than 2 mm. or sandwich rubber with pimples inwards or
        outwards having a total thickness including adhesive of not
        more than 4 mm.

4.5     Definitions:

4.5.1   "Ordinary pimpled rubber" is a single layer of non-cellular
        rubber, natural or synthetic, with pimples evenly distributed
        over its surface at a density of not less than 10/sq. cm. and
        not more than 50/ sq. cm.

4.5.2   "Sandwich rubber" is a single layer of cellular rubber covered
        with a single outer layer of ordinary pimpled rubber, the 
        thickness of the pimpled rubber not being more than 2 mm.

4.6     The covering material shall extend up to but not beyond the
        limits of the blade, except that the part nearest the handle
        and gripped by the fingers may be left uncovered or covered
        with any material and may be considered part of the handle.

4.7     The blade, any layer within the blade and any layer of covering
        material or adhesive shall be continuous and of even thickness.

4.8     The two surfaces of the racket blade shall be of clearly
        different colors, namely black and bright red, as defined in
        the ITTF Technical Leaflets.

4.9     It is the responsibility of the player to ensure that the racket
        covering can be identified as an authorized brand and type and
        that the colors of the two surfaces of the blade are clearly
        distinguishable under normal playing conditions.

4.10    Subject to the requirements of 4.3 a side of the blade not
        intended for striking the ball may be painted or covered with
        any material, but if a player strikes the ball in play with a
        side of the blade whose surface does not comply with the
        requirements of 4.4 - 4.9 he shall lose a point.

4.11    Slight deviations from uniformity of color or continuity
        of covering due to fading, wear or accidental damage, may be
        ignored provided they do not significantly change the
        characteristics of the surface.

4.12    At the start of a match and whenever he changes his racket
        during a match, a player shall show his opponent and the umpire
        the racket he is about to use and shall allow them to examine
        it.