Why does this happen????

JGabb · August 14, 2008

Hey guys,

I have a problem. I have a TM R7 Superquad with a Grafalloy ProLaunch Red shaft. Have enjoyed it so far but after only about 18-20 rounds, the ferrel is separating from the hosel. It looks like it is cracked. See photos below.

If a buddy of mine didn't have the same problem, I would have never thought much about it. He has a TM R7 425 with the same shaft and his has done this 6 or 7 times. He is 6'9" 300lbs and generates a ton of torque.

Any ideas on why this may happen? The guy who installed it is very capable and has done this for years. My buddy has had it happen from 2 or 3 different people who have installed the shaft.

Thanks!

AAL · August 14, 2008

Basically it's "all in the prep". Ferrules are generally smooth on the inside surface, sometimes even shiny. To make a good epoxy bond the inside of the ferrule should be roughened to provide a good "mechanical" surface for the epoxy to bond to. It can be easy to overlook this, or not do a thorough job. Just a light touch is required with fine/medium grit paper or emory cloth. I do this by sawcutting a slit in a 1/4" dowel, inserting a strip of emory into the slit, then running this in a drill press and moving the ferrule lightly up & down to achieve a rough surface. You don't want to over do it as you could make the ferrule ID too large. You want the ferrule to remain snug (use the hosel to push the ferrule into its final position - epoxy will act as a lubricant to help this) to the hosel while the epoxy is curing. If the ferrule fits loose, the pressure of the epoxy can work the ferrule away from the hosel and then it becomes difficult to keep the ferrule tight against the hosel.

Along with this, the shaft should also be prepped in a similar manner, again to provide a good epoxy bond. Just be careful not to prep the shaft surface "above" the ferrule.

Once a ferrule has shifted up the shaft, it can usually be re-epoxied.

Hope this helps.