The "Ask a Clubmaker" Thread

[chappy1970]

GMB, I'm pretty sure I have some that are in excess of 1". I'll confirm when I get a chance

[Wenz]

Recently bought a hybrid shaft (0.370) for my driving iron (0.355)

What is the general consensus around here? Shaving down or to bore the hosel?

Some of the clubmakers on golfwrx say shaving down is fine
1. You are only taking away 0.015 from the first 0.5" of the tip
2. Most graphite shafts start out as 0.370 anyway?

[Jazz18]

Recently bought a hybrid shaft (0.370) for my driving iron (0.355)

What is the general consensus around here? Shaving down or to bore the hosel?

Some of the clubmakers on golfwrx say shaving down is fine
1. You are only taking away 0.015 from the first 0.5" of the tip
2. Most graphite shafts start out as 0.370 anyway?

Shaving down the shaft is OK. But just do it very slowly, bit by bit.

[chappy1970]

I agree with Rich, boring out the hosel is an extreme, and usually unnecessary exercise. Slowly narrowing the tip size is easier and less prone to disaster.
It's also typically something you can do in your own workshop with sandpaper or a linisher for the more experienced, boring the hosel will require the appropriate stablising jig, to ensure the bore is centred

[virge666]

what chappy said. no way are your boring something out unless you have proper workshop.

sanding down is also cheaper when you get it wrong.

[grandmasterb]

GMB, I'm pretty sure I have some that are in excess of 1". I'll confirm when I get a chance

Thanks Chappy, no rush as I glued the shaft up last night and have pushed the ferrule all the way up to cover the poor tip prep and have put a small piece of heat shrink to cover the gap between the ferrule and the head.

It's not pretty but it will work so I can try out the shaft *touch wood* this weekend

[Forecaddie]

Depending on how much gap you have, you can take an old ferrule and shave off some flakes and mix in acetone to make a paste. then rub it in the crack then turn the ferrule down. Or, you can just stick an old ferrule in some acetone, but dont submerge it too much so you can hold the top of the ferrule. the bottom will melt and get soft. then take and rub in the crack.

[Jazz18]

Depending on how much gap you have, you can take an old ferrule and shave off some flakes and mix in acetone to make a paste. then rub it in the crack then turn the ferrule down. Or, you can just stick an old ferrule in some acetone, but dont submerge it too much so you can hold the top of the ferrule. the bottom will melt and get soft. then take and rub in the crack.

I knew you'd have a pearl of wisdom when it came to ferrules

[grandmasterb]

Depending on how much gap you have, you can take an old ferrule and shave off some flakes and mix in acetone to make a paste. then rub it in the crack then turn the ferrule down. Or, you can just stick an old ferrule in some acetone, but dont submerge it too much so you can hold the top of the ferrule. the bottom will melt and get soft. then take and rub in the crack.

Thanks for the advice Forecaddie, I"ll stick with the heat shrink until I can get hold of a 1" ferrule to close up the gap.

I'm not a patient bloke and want to give the club a try this weekend if the weather holds out, so if it works and I keep it in the bag I"ll fix it properly when I have some down time

[okitoki]

alright... strange questions...
awhile ago, I've picked up a set of iron shafts that were cut a little shorter than expected (around 1/2" shorter with 5 iron at 37.5")
Can I do something like using the longer shafts for the shorter irons? eg 4 iron shaft for the 5 iron head, 5 shaft for 6 head, etc...
would that affect anything, or just over thinking?

[henno]

alright... strange questions...
awhile ago, I've picked up a set of iron shafts that were cut a little shorter than expected (around 1/2" shorter with 5 iron at 37.5")
Can I do something like using the longer shafts for the shorter irons? eg 4 iron shaft for the 5 iron head, 5 shaft for 6 head, etc...
would that affect anything, or just over thinking?

That's called 'soft stepping' in a taper tipped iron shaft and will make it, as the name would suggest, play slightly softer to flex.

[okitoki]

That's called 'soft stepping' in a taper tipped iron shaft and will make it, as the name would suggest, play slightly softer to flex.

Sweet! the shaft was slightly too stiff for me... so might work out well
thanks

[grandmasterb]

That's called 'soft stepping' in a taper tipped iron shaft and will make it, as the name would suggest, play slightly softer to flex.

Would also increase ball flight.

[okitoki]

Would also increase ball flight.

Probably would help as I seem to struggle with this shaft getting the ball up for the longer irons.

[Johnny Canuck]

Thanks for the advice Forecaddie, I"ll stick with the heat shrink until I can get hold of a 1" ferrule to close up the gap.

I'm not a patient bloke and want to give the club a try this weekend if the weather holds out, so if it works and I keep it in the bag I"ll fix it properly when I have some down time

I may have some as well.

If Chappy can’t assist I’ll check the shed

[Johnny Canuck]

Probably would help as I seem to struggle with this shaft getting the ball up for the longer irons.

Very common procedure Oki.

[hacker]

I've decided to be brave and start pulling apart old irons from the rubbish tip recycling shops and reshafting them for practice before I do it on anything I care about.

All references to clubs mean steel shaft and iron/wedge head. I can't imagine mucking about with graphite anytime soon.

I've been using 24 hour araldite.

Can a shaft or head be be damaged by pulling it apart too many times?

A couple of irons have had tips in them (one wood and another metal) and this has made it harder to reshaft as excess epoxy can't go up the shaft, unlike an untipped shaft. Does this mean I am using too much epoxy? Or is it just a problem that comes with using a shaft with a tip in it?

If the shaft and hosel is not clean enough before reshafting when is it most likely the club will break? More or less right away after a few hits or could it take months of use to break?

If too much or too little epoxy is used, when is it most likely the club will break? Again, more or less right away after a few hits or could it take months of use to break?

[virge666]

Depending on how much gap you have, you can take an old ferrule and shave off some flakes and mix in acetone to make a paste. then rub it in the crack then turn the ferrule down. Or, you can just stick an old ferrule in some acetone, but dont submerge it too much so you can hold the top of the ferrule. the bottom will melt and get soft. then take and rub in the crack.

That is some old skool magic right there

[Forecaddie]

That is some old skool magic right there

Thanks mate- I'm happy to share my wisdom

[chappy1970]

GMB I have these and they are 1 and a quarter inch long

[Steve57]

Any ideas on how to remove a piece of steel shaft from a rubber grip without damaging the grip?
Shaft broke about 3 inches from the base of the grip and the butt end remains.
I have tried clamping the grip shut and blowing the grip up a little with air but the broken piece will not move.
It was only blown on in the first place so no glue involved.

[perci]

If you can find a piece of Wooden Dowel or the like and tap it into the shaft to seal and hold might do it mate!

[Steve57]

If you can find a piece of Wooden Dowel or the like and tap it into the shaft to seal and hold might do it mate!

Ok thanks Mike, will try that.

[thatguy]

Can a shaft or head be be damaged by pulling it apart too many times?

Steel shafts and iron heads highly unlikley unless you really badly overheat them

A couple of irons have had tips in them (one wood and another metal) and this has made it harder to reshaft as excess epoxy can't go up the shaft, unlike an untipped shaft. Does this mean I am using too much epoxy? Or is it just a problem that comes with using a shaft with a tip in it?

There has to be somewhere for the air to escape when pushing a shaft in a hosel and a plug or tip weight (especially with old epoxy in it) will block that. Easy fix is just get a small drill (couple of mm and drill a hole in the tip or plug. Check air will flow by blowing. If grip is still on you may need to push a pin (or tee) through the hole in the end of the grip to clear grip tape or otherwise.

If the shaft and hosel is not clean enough before reshafting when is it most likely the club will break? More or less right away after a few hits or could it take months of use to break? If too much or too little epoxy is used, when is it most likely the club will break? Again, more or less right away after a few hits or could it take months of use to break?

In both cases more likely to be early on but proper tip and hosel prep, right ambient temps and application of glue per bottle means you shouldn't have issues.

[hacker]

Cheers for the info