Shaft removal for a novice

[mubob1977]

I’m starting the process of refurbishing some persimmons. I’m starting first with a cheap driver so I can learn how to do it before moving on to the woods I do care about getting right.

 

So my question is this — the club I’m starting with has obviously been reshafted at some point. I’d like to remove that shaft (it looks like a fairly new S300 with a good leather grip). But I’m guessing the shaft was epoxied to the head. What’s the best way to break the bond of that epoxy? Too much heat on the hosel will melt the poly and burn the wood, won’t it?

 

Any tips for a novice would be much appreciated.

[deejaid]

You’ll need to heat the shaft from the inside. If the shaft continues all the way out the bottom of the club, you drill out the plug in the shaft, heat up an old screwdriver with a torch and stick it inside the shaft. It will heat up the epoxy and the head will then come loose.

 

If the shaft doesn’t extend out the bottom, then it is a bit tougher. You’ll need to remove the grip and heat up a much longer rod with the torch and go in from the grip end. The Golfworks still sells these rods.

 

https://www.golfworks.com/48-heating-rod/p/hrd48/

 

Take your time and don’t be too rough removing the head to avoid cracks in the neck.

 

Good luck!

[James the Hogan Fan]

Also, you likely already know this, but there are probably screws through the head that hold the shaft in, usually one at the base of the neck and one through the sole (if bore-through). These screws can be... stubborn and often have to be drilled out.

Just so you don’t try to yank out the shaft and break something because a retaining screw is still in it.

[mubob1977]

Thanks for the tips! I had to drill out the neck screw and drilled through the sole to the shaft. Now I need a torch. I have a heat gun, but I’m guessin* a torch is the better tool to have. Also good to know about the heating rod.

 

Thanks again!

[Socrates]

Thanks for the tips! I had to drill out the neck screw and drilled through the sole to the shaft. Now I need a torch. I have a heat gun, but I’m guessin* a torch is the better tool to have. Also good to know about the heating rod.

 

Thanks again!

Unless you were able to remove the entire screw from the head, you likely will not be able to re-insert a new screw because the broken tip will block the new screw. Also, since you drilled out the screw, the tip of the screw is likely still not only in the head but also within the wall of the shaft. When you try to remove the shaft you will be impeded by this.

 

You can try and twist the shaft and it might break free and maybe bring the tip of the screw with it or you may find that you have to take a nail set and drive the remaining screw into the head. They used to sell a specific tool for this but a cut off nail of the right size will work.

 

These threads bring all the bad memories of working with wood heads back to the surface. I absolutely hated all the little screws and one little slip up with a screwdriver or a screw breaking off could turn a simple repair into a time consuming nightmare.