TIPS FOR PLAYERS:

Download a Score Sheet - Download our exclusive score sheet (Right-Click, Save Target As. This is a .pdf file. If you do not already have it, please download free Adobe Acrobat Reader first.), set your printing preferences or page set-up for 8 1/2 x 11 paper in horizontal (landscape) format. Keep Score in Style!

Suck 'em Up - For all us older TT players

During a coaching session at a local club where several novice players were getting instruction I was taking my turn picking up practice balls with the plastic tube thing. A friendly lady sitting court side commented on how great the "ball-picker-upper" was working. My non-smiling response was, "I am here to play table tennis, not exercise." I had already picked up several more balls before she caught the twinkle in my eye and smiled.

But the truth of matter is I am old and don't really like picking up balls. If you have several very young enthusiasts around picking up practice balls for you then good for you. For the rest of us the plastic tubes or fish net like scoopers are only a touch above crawling around on your hands and knees. Enter the Shop Vac.

THE SHOP VAC:

This idea came from Paul Everts, instructor at the Hayden Table Tennis Training Center near Traverse City, Michigan. Thanks Paul. Here's how it works. Suck up the balls with a shop vac.!

THE DETAILS:

A small horse power (4-5 hp) shop vacuum works just fine. A vacuum with a 2 1/2 inch tube and hose is necessary (even though a vac. with an 1 7/8 inch hose would seem big enough for a 40 mm ball most hoses are not really 1 7/8 inches at the connections. If you think you can get by with the 1 7/8 inch hose, try it before you buy.
You will not be sucking a lot of dirt so remove the large filter and filter frame that extends down from the motor into the "catch container" of the vac.Replace the large filter with a foam filter over the entrance to the motor. You will need to make this by cutting a circle from foam filter material about 1/2 inch in diameter larger than the opening to the motor. You can buy foam filter "sleeves" at the same place you get your vac. and cut the circle filter from the foam sleeve. Then just tuck it into the opening at the bottom of the motor.

Now you have a large wastebasket size area to fill with TT balls. You can live with this and just lift and empty the vac. container into your table side ball container if you want but the vac. is a bit heavy. An alternative that works great is to find a wastebasket or laundry basket that is the size or can be cut to a size that will fit into your now empty vac. container. Measure the diameter and depth of your vac container and head out to the "Dollar Store." A slightly smaller diameter basket that is taller than your vac. container will work - you will just need to trim the height down to size. Perfect would be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter smaller than the diameter of the vac. and any height that you can trim.

Place this "ball basket" in the shop vac. and have at it. When all the balls are sucked up, just pick your home made "ball basket" out of the vac. and use balls directly from it or empty it into your table side basket. Amaze your friends with your ingenuity!

Promoting our sport and sharing our experience - Attack Table Tennis, LLC

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