Air compressor for installing grips in an apartment

[golfortennis]

41 minutes ago, hoselpalooza said:

 

hard plastic shrapnel.

 

i've been told the grip can explode with such force that the hard PVC pipe people use to "protect" themselves basically becomes a pipe bomb 2' from your crotch. i haven't tried to bust this myth but it makes sense to me so i don't want to mess around with it. 😅

 

apparently something like this is supposed to be much better:

 

 

Well I can understand playing it safe there.

 

One thing a former builder told me he did with mutli-compounds was poke a couple tiny holes in the rubber end.  It doesn't affect playing characteristics, and it allows just enough air to lower the odds of a blowup.  I had an issue with one grip getting a bubble at the end, but otherwise, I really haven't had blowup issues.  BUt I'm hardly an expert on air.  Only done it on one club, and tried it on another.  Ended up just doing the traditional method. 

[Phabs]

Multicompounds are a pain.  Everyone i've tried to blow off with air tries to bubble right where the cord and rubber meet about halfway down the grip.  I'll have to try the pin hole trick 

 

I've saved probably 40 putter grips with air so it's more than paid for itself. 

Edited October 23, 2020 by Phabs

[weavej1]

Why are people changing grips so often unless you are selling?!?   If you are doing few...Brampton’s is the answer.  I have air, i have Brampton’s....Brampton’s is just so much easier.

[hoselpalooza]

2 minutes ago, weavej1 said:

Why are people changing grips so often unless you are selling?!?   If you are doing few...Brampton’s is the answer.  I have air, i have Brampton’s....Brampton’s is just so much easier.

 

i'm sure other people have their reasons, but for me it's easy: i'm searching for the perfect grip.

 

standard doesn't work for me. neither does mid-size, jumbo, jumbo mcc +4, and so on. i've built up to 12 layers under jumbos which is the best so far, but it changes the characteristics of the whole club. now i'm trying all the JMX ultralites to see if i can get the right size without all of the weight. 

 

really looking forward to being done with this... 😅

[farmer]

I was really a farmer, and an air compressor is one of the handiest tools you can have.  Regripping with air is about the easiest task you can do to a golf club, and you might need to pump up a tire.  

[fatmouse]

To the OP - I use a California air tools 1 gal quiet air compressor, it's rated about 56 decibels and I can use it late at night without waking the kids or wife. I think it's about 200 dollars, it's one of my most frequently used tools in the garage. Make sure to bleed the air out when you're done so you don't rust the tank. 

[ninjab]

22 hours ago, fatmouse said:

To the OP - I use a California air tools 1 gal quiet air compressor, it's rated about 56 decibels and I can use it late at night without waking the kids or wife. I think it's about 200 dollars, it's one of my most frequently used tools in the garage. Make sure to bleed the air out when you're done so you don't rust the tank. 

 

I have the 5 gallon model. It's awesome, just over $100 on amazon recently. You can talk at normal volume while it is running. The 5 gallon was cheaper than the 1 gallon when I got mine. Liked it so much I got a second one for my garage. 

[hoselrocker]

I've been using a small compressor for a couple years now to install grips and it's awesome. Forget about the old school solvent and double tape blah blah. I don't even use tape on some of my grips and they don't move. 

 

For an apartment dweller, maybe check into a re-fillable Co2 canister. Maybe a paintball size or even bigger. That will avoid the noisy compressor and all you'll probably get is a high pressure hiss. It doesn't take a lot to blow a grip on once you've done a couple and become proficient so you might get a lot of grips out of a small canister.

 

As far as a protective sleeve for the vice, I use an old mid size super stroke grip cut to the width of my vice jaws and it works perfect. Go to your local golf store and ask if they have one laying around.

[NRJyzr]

Instead of a vise, I've been using a Back & Decker Workmate for the last 20 years.  Does pretty well as a substitute vise, and can be folded up and put away if you can't leave it out for space reasons.

 

[hoselpalooza]

9 minutes ago, hoselrocker said:

I've been using a small compressor for a couple years now to install grips and it's awesome. Forget about the old school solvent and double tape blah blah. I don't even use tape on some of my grips and they don't move. 

 

For an apartment dweller, maybe check into a re-fillable Co2 canister. Maybe a paintball size or even bigger. That will avoid the noisy compressor and all you'll probably get is a high pressure hiss. It doesn't take a lot to blow a grip on once you've done a couple and become proficient so you might get a lot of grips out of a small canister.

 

As far as a protective sleeve for the vice, I use an old mid size super stroke grip cut to the width of my vice jaws and it works perfect. Go to your local golf store and ask if they have one laying around.

 

thanks. re-fillable co2 canister is a creative idea, and so is an old grip for a protective sleeve. i got this little guy for $2-$3. works like a charm.

 

[hoselpalooza]

14 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

Instead of a vise, I've been using a Back & Decker Workmate for the last 20 years.  Does pretty well as a substitute vise, and can be folded up and put away if you can't leave it out for space reasons.

 

 

i have a vice but this is a super interesting idea. what do you use to secure the club? e.g. does this work with the little rubber insert i shared above? thanks!

[NRJyzr]

5 minutes ago, hoselpalooza said:

 

i have a vice but this is a super interesting idea. what do you use to secure the club? e.g. does this work with the little rubber insert i shared above? thanks!

 

I don't use anything other than the Workmate itself.  It can be cranked open to use as a vice.  I've toyed with using a rubber shaft clamp such as can be bought on clubmaking sites, but have never gotten around to buying one.

 

[Phabs]

On 10/23/2020 at 6:18 AM, Fairway14 said:

 

If I want to save a grip I use GolfWorks $20 grip removal tool.

Last month on the putting green, before our round of golf, I installed a grip to my friend's putter. The only tools-materials needed are knife-solvent-tape. 

I just received one of these and it got the grip off but bunched tape up all over the inside of the grip.  Seems a little counter productive.    

[Bad9]

On 10/25/2020 at 12:48 PM, NRJyzr said:

 

I don't use anything other than the Workmate itself.  It can be cranked open to use as a vice.  I've toyed with using a rubber shaft clamp such as can be bought on clubmaking sites, but have never gotten around to buying one.

 

Don't bother with the rubber clamp. I found, as you did, that the WM is a perfectly functional club making vice.

[LeftyMatt24]

1 hour ago, Phabs said:

I just received one of these and it got the grip off but bunched tape up all over the inside of the grip.  Seems a little counter productive.    

I’ve had the same issue. What I found is I’m more patient and take my time, less tape bunches up and I can salvage the tape. 

[Manz60]

HI heres a modeler's tip:  rig up a garden hand pump chemical sprayer approx 43PSI ( or compressed air tank only, the kind you fill up at the gas station) to the appropriatate nozzle (add a regular and water filter if you need for other jobs). At the very least, its quiet .

 

Hope this helps

M60

 

 

[ckay]

On 10/25/2020 at 11:20 AM, hoselrocker said:

I've been using a small compressor for a couple years now to install grips and it's awesome. Forget about the old school solvent and double tape blah blah. I don't even use tape on some of my grips and they don't move. 

 

For an apartment dweller, maybe check into a re-fillable Co2 canister. Maybe a paintball size or even bigger. That will avoid the noisy compressor and all you'll probably get is a high pressure hiss. It doesn't take a lot to blow a grip on once you've done a couple and become proficient so you might get a lot of grips out of a small canister.

 

As far as a protective sleeve for the vice, I use an old mid size super stroke grip cut to the width of my vice jaws and it works perfect. Go to your local golf store and ask if they have one laying around.

CO2 gets very cold. I’ve always used tape and solvent in apartment settings and the odor was never an issue. 

[Socrates]

10 hours ago, ckay said:

CO2 gets very cold. I’ve always used tape and solvent in apartment settings and the odor was never an issue. 

You likely live alone. 

[ckay]

1 hour ago, Socrates said:

You likely live alone. 

Back then yes. 

[NRJyzr]

I wanted to drop a note to thank those who mentioned California Air Tools.  I just bought one of their quiet compressors.  Went with the slightly larger (and louder) 4.7 gallon model.

 

Even the wife was impressed by the noise level.  🙂

 

Looking forward to my next grip job...

[golfortennis]

On 10/23/2020 at 2:12 PM, Phabs said:

Multicompounds are a pain.  Everyone i've tried to blow off with air tries to bubble right where the cord and rubber meet about halfway down the grip.  I'll have to try the pin hole trick 

 

I've saved probably 40 putter grips with air so it's more than paid for itself. 

 

Haven't seen other threads, but were you able to do the pin hole trick?  I did, and it worked beautifully.  

 

Has anyone used air on Tour Wrap 2G?  Got a buddy who likes them, and I might be doing his grips.  I've only done the MCs,  so wondered if there is anything to watch out for with them.  Seem a bit thicker which may be tougher to work with?

[hoganben]

On 10/23/2020 at 10:41 AM, Nessism said:

Everyone is free to do what they want but no grip of mine gets installed without double stick tape.

 

That aside, California Air Tools makes some amazingly quiet compressors.  As a bonus they are quite durable and not overly expensive.  Check Amazon for options from tiny to large.

lol..flat earth people will always be flat earth people..do you still glue your bike tires on your rims?

[Nessism]

2 minutes ago, hoganben said:

lol..flat earth people will always be flat earth people..do you still glue your bike tires on your rims?

 

I'm a long time biker, but no tubulers for me.  

 

And when you find an OEM club manufacturer that blows on grips please let me know...so I'll never buy from that company.

[hoganben]

On 10/23/2020 at 12:10 PM, e-man said:

I use a tire inflator I got from Home Depot.  Works great.  I wouldn’t say it’s low noise but doesn’t sound like a freight train either.  

I find that forums are full of guessers who for some reason always guess that something will never work..when someone like you comes on with an actual experience the guessers will then usually just ignore you..ps..thanks for the info

[Klubster]

On 10/23/2020 at 7:29 AM, hoselpalooza said:

 

solvent is a big non-starter for me right now. i just moved and until i find a more permanent place am stuck in a studio in a high-rise with windows that don't open.

I have used water activated tape from Golfworks for years without any problems.  You just replace solvent with water.  They used to sell 10" strips too but do not see on site.  There may be other sources.

 

https://www.golfworks.com/water-activated-grip-tape/p/wst18/

[Socrates]

13 hours ago, hoganben said:

lol..flat earth people will always be flat earth people..do you still glue your bike tires on your rims?

I personally put on all my grips with compressed air.  If I'm doing it for money, it's always going to be 2-way tape.  And as Nessism said, as soon as you find an OEM or a Tour Van that uses compressed air, let us know.

[Stuart_G]

15 minutes ago, Socrates said:

I personally put on all my grips with compressed air.  If I'm doing it for money, it's always going to be 2-way tape.  And as Nessism said, as soon as you find an OEM or a Tour Van that uses compressed air, let us know.

 

Same for me.  But I don't think tour van (or factory) usage is really all that important of an indicator.

 

Main benefits for blowing on is:

1) easy removal w/o destroying the grip - either for reuse or for tweaking the number of wraps/size - or just testing out different grips.

2) less mess or smell from avoiding solvents - particularly if one doesn't have a fancy gripping station w/ catch basin and unlimited supply of solvent.

 

Nothing in there that is anything the tour vans (or tour players) or factories would care about.

 

And if you have that nice gripping station and don't have to worry about how much solvent you use (costs) then it's actually faster to use solvent than compressed air and it's easier to adjust the orientation of the grip after installation while the solvent hasn't evaporated - particularly when extra wraps are used to increase grip size.  Just imagine trying to install a grip w/ Bubba's +12 wraps with just compressed air.  🙄

 

Different methods accommodate different needs and priorities.

Edited November 30, 2023 by Stuart_G

[Nessism]

15 minutes ago, Stuart_G said:

2) less mess or smell from avoiding solvents - particularly if one doesn't have a fancy gripping station w/ catch basin and unlimited supply of solvent.

 

 

HF-100, has no smell, and just a few squirts will have the grip sliding on easy as can be.  You will get a few drops of solvent out the grip hole, and that's about it when it comes to mess.  

 

[outfitter]

I've used the 1 gallon california air compressor to grip clubs and it's absolutely fantastic. Compared to the previous pancake and 2.5 gallon Ridgid, the noise level is dramatically lower. Would highly recommend that brand for light duty use.

[Greenie]

I think we can agree that using tape and solvent is the best way to install a grip. It is 100% trouble free doing it this way. Why would any OEM or business do it any other way?

 

For those of us that use air the benefits outweigh the risk of a grip possibly twisting. I've been blowing on my grips for ten years and never had any issues doing it this way when using quality grips. I've saved a lot of money switching out grips without ruining them and reinstalling the same grip down the road. I've been able to tweak my grips when needed and readjust them when I have changed the settings on my adjustable clubs. 

 

I will gladly take the risk of blowing my grips on when it is 99.9% effective doing it this way and much more cost effective.

 

I don't know why you always get certain people in this forum that are so negative about using air. Am I missing something or are you in the business of selling grips. I know I have saved a lot of money using air.