Mac MT Iron Ferrule Replace Options

[smashdn]

I know some of the older clubs have different ferrule diameters and tapers and what-not. The Mac MT irons I have have been molested with vise grips and the ferrules are marred. Even if they were not, they look like poo. I'm not a restorationist per se but these ferrules are making me angry the way they look. I want to switch them out with decent looking ones (that are quasi authentic) and came across these cats : https://squareup.com/store/bbanfco/

 

Question is, looking at the "WBH 69-71" or "Hollis" offerings, would I be able to use them on my irons?

 

ETA - I would contact the ferrule co I linked to but they don't list a phone number and I am a phone call type of guy.

 

TIA

[deejaid]

Boyd Blade and Ferrule Co. ferrules are really cool. I’ve spent some time on their site before looking at different options.

 

Yes, their ferrules will work, but you will have to turn them down to size. It takes a bit of work and is not a fun job but it can be done with just sandpaper, acetone, and elbow grease.

 

If it were me, I’d sand the original ferrules to get the marred areas out, or at least minimize them, then hit them with some acetone. They might look better than you realize once finished and you save yourself the cost of new ferrules and the headache of pulling all the heads.

 

At the very least, you’ll get some practice ferrule turning the originals.

[Bigarch]

Great looking ferrules and really BB&F is the best place to look for good looking color combinations. I just reshafted an old set of Palmer Standards and looked all over to find the color combination I wanted. If you get the outside diameter right, you can always use a rat tail file and/or reamer to get the inside diameter to the size that you need. Best of luck!

[smashdn]

I have no idea how to quote with this new software but @deejaid , wnen you say turn down, are you talking about a simple chuck them in a lathe or poor man's lathe (chuck of a drill) and turn the OD down so it will fit into the top of the hosel of the iron? Or are we turning down the ID so the shaft will fit into the ferrule?

 

Anywhere that I can find the diameters of the irons (was there a standard BITD?) or do I just need to pull them apart and measure with a set of calipers?

 

Another reason I want to replace these ferrules is that someone did a sloppy job of re-shafting or re-setting the heads. Ugly epoxy and gaps between the hosels and ferrules and the vise grip raped ferrules as pictured in my OP.

 

I bought these on the cheap as that was what household financial manager would allow. I now have a bit of a project to get them to where I want them to play with. They are playable now certainly, but not something I am super proud to show off and play just yet. If I am spreading the gospel of vintage blades and persimmon I want to have some nice sticks with which to beat people.

[deejaid]

Yeah, turning down as in reducing the ferrule so it matches the outside diameter of the iron head hosel. The inside diameter of the Boyd Ferrules are probably .355 which is what you would need. For .370 parallel shafts you’d probably need to ream out the inside diameter of the ferrule, but for your Mac’s, they should fit as is.

 

As for how I do it, I haven’t devised any kind of lathe or machine as you suggest, just hand power. I wrap a single wrap of blue painters tape around the hosel to protect it. You don’t want multiple wraps, just one. Around the shaft at the top of the ferrule, again, blue painters tape. I then cut sand paper pieces the same width as the ferrule and about 4 inches long. I use 220, 320, 600, 800, then 1200 micro mesh. I stand the club upright on its grip and wrap the sandpaper around the ferrule. I grab the club head and spin. The spinning is my equivalent of a lathe . I then work through all the papers and micro mesh. The 220 is great for bringing the ferrule down to size and the rest eliminate the sanding marks.

 

There will be some slight sanding scratches so I then use acetone on a lint free cloth and rub really fast as the acetone will eat into the ferrule and the rag will stick and leave fibers, gotta keep moving.

 

My final step is some 3M Machine Polish to shine them up.

 

 

It’s a lot of work but doesn’t take too long and they will look great when finished.

[smashdn]

I've been watching several youtube vids here lately on club fitting and know understand the process of getting the ferrule turned down to the diameter of the hosel. I am back into this project now as I have a little breathing room in terms of projects at home now. I am getting ready to completely clean my work bench off and turn it into a club repair area. Thinking I will try and buy or fab a grinder into a buffer and felt ribbon buffer set up for building irons.

 

I looked back over the answers here but didn't see that anyone knew what diameter ferrules I need to buy. Are the older clubs different than new ones? (I have an iron a new set that needs a new ferrule as well.)

[SteveNZ]

> @smashdn said:

> I've been watching several youtube vids here lately on club fitting and know understand the process of getting the ferrule turned down to the diameter of the hosel. I am back into this project now as I have a little breathing room in terms of projects at home now. I am getting ready to completely clean my work bench off and turn it into a club repair area. Thinking I will try and buy or fab a grinder into a buffer and felt ribbon buffer set up for building irons.

>

> I looked back over the answers here but didn't see that anyone knew what diameter ferrules I need to buy. Are the older clubs different than new ones? (I have an iron a new set that needs a new ferrule as well.)

 

If you're thinking of getting some from BBandFCo, their ferrules all have same inside (to fit .355 tapered or .370 parallel shafts) and outside (.550") and most ferrules have much the same dimensions, though I think you can get separate .355 and .370 models from Golfworks? So it really depends on the tip size of the shafts you're dealing with - but I'd imagine with clubs of that era they take .355 taper. It might be a case of smearing the inside of the ferrule with epoxy while you're reshafting to hold it in place if the fit is a little loose.

 

I should add that Patrick at BBandFCo is very approachable and INCREDIBLY helpful and will help you with pretty much any question you have - what's more he works with Don White who should have more than a little knowledge of the clubs you're looking to reshaft ;) Fire him a message from the Contact Us link on the site or DM him on Instagram if that's your thing.