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Club Building Setup for a Few Hundred $$$

RealPretendPsychic

RealPretendPsychic

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As I think about DIY regripping my clubs, I have begun to ponder acquiring some equipment to further explore the art of DIY club building. What recommendations would you have to start from scratch with a few hundred dollars to invest into club building. I’m thinking under $500 and certainly nothing near $1,000 (for now).

I’m interested in measuring loft and lie, reshafting, and possibly club bending, but until I joined up here 6ish months ago I didn’t even know this club building world existed, and I feel like I’ve still barely scratched the surface.
 
Subscribed as I am very curious about this as well
 
I'm no expert, but I think you will definitely be looking at used equipment with that kind of budget. From the little bit of research I have done, you can create your own shaft pulling device out of a bottle jack.

Loft/lie/bending I would look into the classifieds and hopefully you find a shop that's closing down or upgrading their equipment. Best of luck in your search!
 
Getting started with limited budget can be a lot of fun.
Maybe not loft and lie type of fun yet, but it can be had.

I would start with a bench and a speed clamp. Then start adding pieces you want and need as you get more into the hobby.
 
Doing the same ponder, looking at gripping stations, shaft pullers and, a swing weight scale plus what ever other gadgets I need.
Been looking at this kit,
www.golfworks.com

The GolfWorks Tool Shop Set-Up Kit-GW2021

Save with this all-inclusive shop set up kit.
www.golfworks.com www.golfworks.com
Loft and lie is something I am going to hold off on for now. Big ticket item and I don't want to screw up my 919Fs!;)
 
Work bench, quick clamp and shaft gripper, heat gun/torch, I like welding gloves to handle hot heads, hook blade, good fitting nitrile/similar gloves, mineral spirits, acetone, ferrules, swing weight scale, weight kit, cut off saw of some kind, hand file, hosel brush/bit, epoxies, good measuring stick, tape & grip tape, sharpies, good rags that don't lose fibers/dyes, various other little hand tools, and save some of the money to find a cheap and good local guy/store to check loft&lie and bend clubs.
 
I build at home just for myself, and for a few friends. I don't do much work, but I spent a quite a bit of time in the past doing a lot of work solely in order to practice certain tasks like turning down a ferrule.

Get a 5 Inch or preferrably a 6" bench vise mounted to a work bench and those rubber shaft sleeves that are meant to hold shafts in a vise. I grip with just that and use a drywall mud pan as a solvent catch.

Some of the things that have been useful.
*Golfworks Value Line loft/lie bending machine - $150 comes with a bar and putter block. Upgrade your bar if you use this alot and make sure you have a 6" or larger vise that is secure on your bench. Cast Clubs are difficult on this machine, and you cant do woods/hybrids here.
*Auditor Spec Gauge - I believe this was about $110 shipped - https://www.golfmechanix.com/src/Drawing/010616.png
*Two digital angle finders - https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41jFVMIwUqL._SX342_.jpg - They're usually magnetic so when they're in the spec gauge, put one on the shaft and then put one on the club face with a utility blade underneath. The blade will sit in a groove in the club face and you set that to 0.00* and whatever the angle on the shaft is the effective lie angle of the club.
*Utility knives with hook and straight blade
*Heat torch for precise heat. the heat guns that blow hot air are difficult to control, but I've used it before.
*Rags, Acetone, Mineral Spirits, Q-Tips, stir sticks, smooth cardboard cut offs for epoxy
*Hosel cleaning tools (wire brush hone, dremel tool and bits, etc)
*Long thin drill bit to clean out shaft tip if it has epoxy in it. I use a 12" long 1/8" bit and if that doesnt clear out the epoxy or pushes it up then I remove the grip to get it out
*DIY a PVC Spine finder and DIY a Drill Chuck with Laser pointer for Spine finding and FLO aligning - There's a guy on ebay that sells a good spine finder for like $30. I made my FLO Laser with a laser pointer and drill chuck.
*belt sander with Felt belt for hosel turning. Although I order ferrules based on OD of the hosel so I rarely use this unless it's an emergency and just need to use a ferrule on a club that is way larger than the OD.
*Shaft Puller - I use the Golfworks crowbar and aluminum hosel protector. The stronger your vise is the easier the crowbar method is... but there are some fancy pullers out there. This is actually my next investment.
*the Golfworks Shaft tip adapter removal screw tool
*DIY Bench Ruler that has adjustable base plate to accomodate different lie angles (having lie angle correct when measuring length is key). https://forum.mygolfspy.com/uploads...2221.jpg.9af949ce29c3dbe8c4f4e65ad2d9dd49.jpg
*Swingweighting - I swingweight with a razor blade in the vise and balance the club on that. Mark the Balance point with a sharpie dot and then measure from the butt end, then weigh the clubs on a postal scale and input the information here - http://www.leaderboard.com/SWINGWT.HTM

That basically handles most tasks and if I had to rebuild my shop it would be about $500-700. Again, not a professional setup but you'll be able to handlemost tasks on a small scale.

The key here is that if you end up doing a lot of clubs you're going to want to invest in more premium equipment like spec gauge, shaft puller, loft/lie bending, etc. You're fine with the value line/DIY if you're doing occasional work but to get GOOD at doing work even occasionally you have to have a period where you do a lot of work. I.e. turning down ferrules, swingweighting, etc. Catch 22 if you want to get good but have a limited investment budget.

Be prepared to accidentally screw something up and have to re-buy something like a shaft, etc. Lord knows what all I've fouled up in my experience.
 
If you have a small air compressor, you can avoid all the solvents, catch pans, etc. needed for regripping and just blow them on and off.

You're gonna be hard pressed to find a loft and lie machine to fit in that budget. It's barely enough to find a decent one alone.

Enjoy the dark, dark hole that you're diving into.
 
I'm finding a need for a digital calipers and gram weight scale at present. I think I have most of the other items mentioned, aside from loft/lie.
I like to trust others with that task. And a good machine is $$$.
I'd like to measure the hosel diameter and see if I can order some ferrules that might not need to be turned down that match the outside diameter.
Then weigh the heads to see where I'm starting from.
I've always liked having a SW scale just to check clubs when they come in from manufacturer.
 
If buying all brand new quality tools for the shop, one might 10 X-20X your initial budget.
The most expensive pieces are the loft/lie bending and loft /lie measuring device.
There is the possibility of DIY homemade options, but it takes more than the basic knowhow to make one that's functional.

Used market is a good source, especially your local market within a day trip driving range..... since the shipping cost for a heavy device like the Loft/lie will be quite costly, these days.

Start small, with re-gripping, then move to reshafting and repair of broken pieces. The loft/lie adjustment will be the last step with the highest investment cost for the equipment pieces.
Invest in a hydraulic shaft puller ( $120, get the one which has the jack bolted onto the frame instead of welded on ), you'll save a lot of time and effort reshafting. A good air compressor ( under $90 at H.F with their online 20% coupon ).
Hooked blades for your utility knife. The ferrules and shafting epoxy.
The Air compressor could be utilized with the cutoff wheels and sanding attachment. Practice on a few older golf clubs.
Use common sense , you'll be fine and off to the hobbyist world of golf club repair/maintenance.
 
Getting things together for ultra budget get the feet wet building setup that will surely grow if I stick with it.

I think this is basically the only large equipment piece I'll be starting with.
www.golfworks.com

The GolfWorks Enhanced Graphite Shaft Extractor-GW1009

We've taken our most popular Graphite Shaft Extractor and made it better
www.golfworks.com www.golfworks.com

I *think* most everything else can be done by hand.

hack saw with carbide rope for cutting graphite shaft.
sanding by hand.
heat gun.
drill with some cleaning tips.
use the built in work bench vice with clamp for now.

thoughts?
 
RealPretendPsychic said:
As I think about DIY regripping my clubs, I have begun to ponder acquiring some equipment to further explore the art of DIY club building. What recommendations would you have to start from scratch with a few hundred dollars to invest into club building. I’m thinking under $500 and certainly nothing near $1,000 (for now).

I’m interested in measuring loft and lie, reshafting, and possibly club bending, but until I joined up here 6ish months ago I didn’t even know this club building world existed, and I feel like I’ve still barely scratched the surface.
Click to expand...
RPP, how did you go about putting your set-up together? What did you start with?
 
Parrot said:
RPP, how did you go about putting your set-up together? What did you start with?
Click to expand...
Laziness 😕 I have a workbench in the garage, but the only club building equipment I have now is a basic regripping station I clamp to the bench.
 
baylrballa said:
Getting things together for ultra budget get the feet wet building setup that will surely grow if I stick with it.

I think this is basically the only large equipment piece I'll be starting with.
www.golfworks.com

The GolfWorks Enhanced Graphite Shaft Extractor-GW1009

We've taken our most popular Graphite Shaft Extractor and made it better
www.golfworks.com www.golfworks.com

I *think* most everything else can be done by hand.

hack saw with carbide rope for cutting graphite shaft.
sanding by hand.
heat gun.
drill with some cleaning tips.
use the built in work bench vice with clamp for now.

thoughts?
Click to expand...

This setup has worked out well for the handful of clubs over the past year I've built up.
did pick up a little dremel-like tool to cut shafts, has been really the only addition.
 
I agree with the buy used and get a bench and quick release clamp. Then I would probably get the grip tape set up. Next for me would be a used shaft puller- or build one. Then there are weight scales, lot's of parts, ferrules, grips, tape, tip weights, various glues, drill attachments. Grip tape remover.

You may want a grinder with a blade like side for cutting shafts - WEAR A MASK WHEN CUTTING GRAPHITE.

You will also need some room - whatever you think you need, you need a bit more (space wise). Maybe a cheap compressor (I use mine to do work) but for golf, I can blow some grips off and save them, and I have some leather putter grips that I swap with some putters.

On the one hand I hope I've scared you away, on the other welcome. I admit I did back away slowly and got rid of most everything I had.

Oh yea, a butane torch (for steel) and a heat gun for graphite.

And with that, I am out - my experience is VERY limited and yet I have done a lot this stuff just not super often - often enough to be dangerous.

And good heavy leather gloves too (for the parts that are heated up (if that makes sense).
 
Man I thought this was a new thread @RealPretendPsychic. I was so ready to dive in to this with you :LOL:
 
I added some basic tools over the last 12-18 months and am at the same stage some others have recommended. I've got

a basic vise and various shaft clamps,
knife, solvent, tape for regripping
heat gun and torch
shaft puller
shafting epoxy and glass beads, ferrules
nice 48" club ruler
dremel tool + chop saw as cutting options
hosel ream and brushes
swightweight kit
gloves from the woodstove for hot parts


I would like to add a belt grinder for more than golf purposes. Loft/lie setup would be fun but I would get the $$ out of it.
 
Muchmore18 said:
well my first need is a big work bench lol so I'm NOWHERE
Click to expand...
That’s perfect, you have a very clear starting point. Removes a lot of the indecision about what to get first!
 
This guy might have some helpful info and ideas and you can search youtube for more info. He puts some irons together without any fancy tools. He has a number of videos out there.

 
Luchnia said:
This guy might have some helpful info and ideas and you can search youtube for more info. He puts some irons together without any fancy tools. He has a number of videos out there.

Click to expand...


One word of caution on using a pipe cutter to trim shafts: Because the shafts are so thin walled they are easy to damage. I have cracked the weld seam, even while being pretty conservative on how much I tighten each time around. I suppose that shouldn't happen if the weld were up to snuff, but it still happened.
 
RealPretendPsychic said:
Laziness 😕 I have a workbench in the garage, but the only club building equipment I have now is a basic regripping station I clamp to the bench.
Click to expand...
I’m sorry but I laughed way to hard at this 🤣
 
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