Help removing shaft on old school ping cushin putter!

[mktrout]

I am trying to get the head off an old school bronze ping cushin and for whatever reason I can not get the head off... am I missing something here?  Ive removed a ton of heads with no problems with my heat gun or a torch, but this one just will not come off.  Did they use a different super epoxy back then? Or am I just missing something on how to get this thing off?  I want to take it in to work tomorrow to sand blast the head.

[pt73]

Do you have a photo ?

 

Many older Ping putters have the shaft secured in the head by ramming a ball bearing down the shaft to create a mechanical bond.

 

That can make the shaft extremely hard to remove and using a heat gun won't create enough heat in this case.

[JungleJimbo]

2 hours ago, pt73 said:

Do you have a photo ?

 

Many older Ping putters have the shaft secured in the head by ramming a ball bearing down the shaft to create a mechanical bond.

 

That can make the shaft extremely hard to remove and using a heat gun won't create enough heat in this case.

@mktrout: "+1" re @pt73's suggestion.
Other folks on GolfWRX have suggested that it's advisable to send it back to Ping for them to help re-shaft/ re-finish, due to the PITA to remove the ball-bearings.
 

 

Edited June 11, 2021 by JungleJimbo

[mktrout]

got it, thanks... I guess thats why I cant get it off.  Maybe I can fit it in the sand blaster without taking the head off

[Bad9]

If you are not worried about saving the shaft cut it off flush with the hosel and use a Dremel with course grinding stones to grind out the bearing as its very soft. I have done a couple this way and used 2 stones and about 15 minutes per club.

[liveagua]

This is one of the more advanced things that clubmakers do. If you aren't experienced, send it to Ping or to another clubmaker with experience. I have done it a bunch of times, but there is a lot of "feel" to doing it correctly. 

 

[mktrout]

I went ahead and just left the shaft on and wet sanded it, polished it up and sand blasted it. It messed up a little bit of the chrome on the shaft but I’m fine with it that. I bought the putter yesterday for $5 anyways…. 
 

Here’s some before and after pics. Pretty happy the way it turned out. 

[RogerinNewZealand]

Good save! With ping putters, i have pulled 3 shafts too Coke the heads and been unable too pull shafts on many others.So well done.

[seis]

For 5 dollars that now looks like a new putter. With a new Ping grip you will have done a great job on resurrecting a classic.

[mktrout]

1 hour ago, seis said:

For 5 dollars that now looks like a new putter. With a new Ping grip you will have done a great job on resurrecting a classic.

oh yea thats already on there. Looks great, I might actually use it, I used on of these like 25 years ago

[ChipNRun]

On 6/10/2021 at 11:52 PM, pt73 said:

Many older Ping putters have the shaft secured in the head by ramming a ball bearing down the shaft to create a mechanical bond.

 

I attended the base GolfWorks Club Academy course in 2012. Lead instructor Jim Yachinich told us about the ball-bearing anchor used on many Ping putter shafts. He said unless a clubsmith has experience in the extraction, it's best to send it back to factory.