| Jack,
I think I remember reading somewhere (the Golfworks catalog?)
that graphite shafts are always trimmed from the butt end. Apparently
trimming the tip has an ill effect on the flex or kick point or
something. Also, from what I've read, your choices of a mid or high
kick point and a low torque shaft would seem correct, as your other
writings in this conference would indicate that you're a low-to-mid
'capper...
Also, check out 1144.10, an article on club building from the USENET.
Steve
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Jack,
I have built a couple but am by no means an expert.
The shaft should come pre-tipped depending on the flex so all you
should have to do is trim the but for the proper length. Be sure
to wrap some tape around the shaft were you are going to cut it to
avoid the shaft from splittering.
I have found adding weight, if necessary, is a bit diffecult. The
inside demension of a grafit shaft is very small so when you add lead
down the shaft it is tough to follow it with a cork to seat all the way
to the bottom.
Removing the shaft if ever you choose to is an art. The melting point
of the appoxy used to hold the shaft together and the melting point of
the apoxy used to hold the head on is a difference of 3 degrees so it
is almost impossible to remove the head with a torch. You can try
boiling the head or use a heat gun.
Pete
hold the grafit together and the melting
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| Jack,
I've done a little clubmaking and repair, mostly my own clubs
just for fun and experience. I reshafted my 3 and 5 woods with
Aldila HM-40's a few years back. The 3 wood is a Taylor Made Tour
Spoon and the 5 is an old McGregor Tourney persimmon. The shafts
(I got them from Golfworks/Maltby) came with tipping instructions.
For the metal head, they said to tip the shaft 1 inch and cut the
butt to length. For the wood head (bore thru) leave the tip and
trim the butt to length. The swingweight dropped considerably on
clubs. I used lead tape on the metal to bring the swingweight up.
Since I planned to refinish the wood, I took the sole plate off and
added lead weight inside. I haven't done any graphite shafts on
irons, but I plan to make a set soon. Many catalogs will specify
heads that are made for graphite since you need a heavier head to
get an equivalent swingweight with a lighter shaft. Some companies
are now making graphite shafts that match the overall weight of
steel, but have the softer feel of graphite. I also know that lead
weighting the tip of graphite shafts is not recommended. I'm not
sure why. The bottom line would be to get the heavier heads or use
lead tape on the head to adjust the swingweight.
Concerning your driver (from the previous note), 1/2 inch of
club length is about equal to 3 points on the swingweight scale.
By shortening the club 1 inch and making no other adjustments, you
lightened the swingweight by about 6 points. Being all graphite to
start with, it must feel like you're swinging a toothpick. I've
seen inserts to lengthen steel shafts but I'm not sure if they make
them for graphite (the inside diameter is much smaller). I have
heard about using the tip of an old graphite shaft epoxied into the
butt of the shaft, then built up with tape before regripping.
Good luck and I'm sure you'll let us know how they come out.
John
P.S. Be careful taking the paint off the tip of the shafts. You
can really hurt them if you start cutting into the fibers.
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| Thanks for the help, guys! Re - the Yonex I butchered, I just gave it
to a Professional repair guy. Cost is nominal, and I couldn't afford to
screw around, or be without it. As DeVicenzo said, "I am such a
stupid..."
As far as the graphite irons go, I'll either use the heads that are
"weighted for graphite shafts," or just assemble 'em and live with the
lighter swingweight. I understand that a set of conventional graphite
shaft irons might be around C-8, give or take a bit, so apparently
manufacturers don't always weight 'em up to feel like steel shafted
clubs. Seems to me that if you add weight to graphite to get it to,
say, D-3, you've probably increased the overall weight to nearly the
same as a steel shafted club. Hence, if torque, flex and bend point are
the same with the graphite I choose as with steel, where's the extra
distance come from ? It may be that because swingweight can be changed
with such a small amount of weight, I could go up to D-3 without
significantly adding to the overall weight. Swingweight after all, is
just a measurement of the distribution of the weight between shaft and
clubhead, that translates to "feel."
__Jack
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