Building own clubs... how to get started? Equipment needed?

BluesManDan

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I've been playing golf for almost 30 years, and I'm kind of a DIY'er for most things, but I have never built my own golf clubs. I trim them the butts and regrip them, adjust the lie sometimes on my putters, that kind of thing (all necessitated by my short stature!), but I'd really like to build my own clubs. I had a guy near me who is supposed to be a well-reputed builder build a few fairway woods for me, and they really didn't turn out too well. That was an expensive venture, too. I'd like to give it a crack myself. I'd love to try different shafts in various clubs I own, and be able to experiment with swingweights, that kind of thing, but don't really know where to begin.

How do I get started? What kind of equipment do I need? Is there some kind of "kit" available that would get me up and running? A simple manual? I'd appreciate suggestions. Thanks!
 
It really depends.
If you are doing lie angle, I am guessing you already have a loft and lie machine, so that is covered.
Grips are pretty easy and I use an air compressor.
Shaft puller is going to be wanted if you are speaking of going with changing graphite and saving the shaft.
Epoxy
Swing Weight scale
Good chop saw
Goggles
Heat Gun/Torch
That could get you started for the basics.
 
Pretty much what JB listed. I had built my own clubs years ago when I lived near a GolfSmith and had fun doing it. However, although building them was fun and the pride of playing clubs you've built, I found that I really didn't know much about the technology of the components enough to get the full benefits. It can get very expensive if you make a mistake on cutting a shaft or on lie adjustment. I finally gave it up and went out and bought a new set.

Good luck with what you do.
 
You can check out Golf Works for most equipment and even some how to video's. I do a lot of club work so the must have's for me are;

Good bench vice
Bench grinder
Bench sander
Shaft puller
SW scale
Scale
Heat gun
Torch
Pipe cutter for steel shafts
Chop saw for graphite shafts
Loft & Lie machine (I use the one at my home course)

Basic stuff;
Metal ruler
Epoxy
Epoxy & mixing cups or board
Ferrule tool & ferrules
Acetone
Brampton grip solvent
Grip tape

Advice;
Measure & weigh
Measure & weigh
Measure & weigh
Mock up before you epoxy anything
Measure & weigh
 
You can check out Golf Works for most equipment and even some how to video's. I do a lot of club work so the must have's for me are;

Good bench vice
Bench grinder
Bench sander
Shaft puller
SW scale
Scale
Heat gun
Torch
Pipe cutter for steel shafts
Chop saw for graphite shafts
Loft & Lie machine (I use the one at my home course)

Basic stuff;
Metal ruler
Epoxy
Epoxy & mixing cups or board
Ferrule tool & ferrules
Acetone
Brampton grip solvent
Grip tape

Advice;
Measure & weigh
Measure & weigh
Measure & weigh
Mock up before you epoxy anything
Measure & weigh
And from my own personal experience
Measure & weigh a few more times.
Seriously.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
And from my own personal experience
Measure & weigh a few more times.
Seriously.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

So... In carpentry, the rule is "Measure twice, cut once" and in clubmaking it's "Measure 8 times, glue it once, screw it up anyway, redo it"? Zat about right?
 
What about a frequency machine? Is that something I need to use? It's kind of pricey, but isn't that sort of a staple for building clubs? I read an article by Wishon however, that seemed to dismiss the need to frequency match!?
 
You don't need a frequency machine.

To disassemble clubs you don't *need* a shaft puller for irons, but you do for woods so you might as well get one. They tend to have integrated vices and you'll need one of those.

Belt sanders make shaft tip cleanup and prep easy, a cheap 1x30" is fine. Or if you want to go smaller, a dremel with a sanding attachment works great.

You'll need a way to cut shafts. Steel you can use a pipe cutter in a pinch, for fiberglass you really want a cutoff tool. Again, a dremel can do the trick with cutoff wheels.

For club assembly at minimum you'll need a way to measure length and swing weight. Length is easy, you can use a tape measure in a pinch or get a 48" aluminum ruler if you want to get fancy. Swing weight there's no way around it, you need a swing weight scale. There are cheap ones that will work in a pinch but if you're going to build a bunch of clubs it doesn't hurt to invest for the long term in a nicer one which will run about $200.

To put on grips you can either use air (you'll need a compressor and a grip gun) or tape/solvent (you'll need tape dispensers and a catch pan).

Miscellaneous consumables, you'll want shaft tip weights, epoxy, grip tape, ferrules, and probably shims.
 
For steel shafts, all you need is a vice with a shaft holder and a good heat gun. Only when you want to venture into graphite pulls you would need a shaft puller to apply even pressure on the shaft without destroying the tip altogether.

Only real advice I can give other than what others already posted is use 24 hour epoxy, those 1 hour epoxy jobs are just trouble down the road. Sand and prep the tip and hosel every time and you should have no issues.

when you get more into it, there's http://www.golfmechanix.com/default.asp for more advanced equipment.
 
Of the tools recommended,


I ALREADY have:
Cutoff tools
Belt Sander
Tape Measure
Goggles
Bench Grinder
Scale (for grams)
Acetone
Grip Tape
Air Compressor and GripNozzle


I DO NOT have:
Epoxy
Swing Weight Scale
Heat Gun or Torch (do Ineed both?)
Shaft Extractor or Vise
Ferrule Tools
Ferrules
Brampton Grip Solvent (Inormally use Mineral Spirits)
Shaft Tip Weights
Shims???
Frequency Machine (whichsome say I don't even need)
 
A heat gun I can buy at my local Lowe's, but for the golf-specific-stuff I'll have to order online.

Can you recommend specific products (best quality and price) for...

1. Epoxy
2. Swing Weight Scale
3. Shaft Extractor

And is there an all-encompassing-must-have-set for ferrules and ferrule tools and tip weights that I should get?

I did notice this kit on Golfmechanix... it has an extractor with a bunch of odds and ends for $225...
TK-210116 Shaft extraction tool kit
it's at the bottom of the page:
http://www.golfmechanix.com/Items2.asp?Pdts=TK
 
SW scale is key. Measuring table, look for one with a adjusting sole plate to measure from the sole of the club at different lie angles. Roller Bearing Spine finder. Good clamp that fixes to a vice so you can see Flo
 
SW scale is key. Measuring table, look for one with a adjusting sole plate to measure from the sole of the club at different lie angles. Roller Bearing Spine finder. Good clamp that fixes to a vice so you can see Flo

Measuring table? I didn't know that was a thing. Got a link to one?
Is the Roller Bearing spine finder a DIY thing, or is that something you buy? Saw one on youtube and it looked homemade...
 
This thread is packed with information.
 
YouTube is your friend. They have videos for everything. Watch a few and see what tools you can get by with to get you going.
People have left some really good core advise. A Golfworks wedge pack sells for $35. Add some epoxy in the order and you can do your first club right away.

Golfworks offers cheap 3 or 5 day courses on club building, the classes are in Ohio. If you want to be fairly serious about club building it would be a massive wealth of knowledge and insight.
 
I get blasted around here for using the amateur method to make, switch out shafts, I think people get too carried away with it, If you make a club and it doesn't perform, feel good, tear it down and build it up again, only way to learn, numbers lie, alot. Start small with a wedge or hybrid to get used to making then you can move to irons and Driver
 
Don't save on the shaft extractor. I can say from personal experience that working with a cheap one is a pain in the a...
I use Brampton epoxies for years and never had any problems or bondage failures.
A vice clamp is very helpful in many ways: grip saving, ferrule installing, tip preparation, put on shaft labels, ...
Weigh and measure and document everything you build. This will help you learn what fits you and what doesn't and it helps when you like to dublicate a club.


Gesendet von iPad mit Tapatalk
 
For steel shafts, all you need is a vice with a shaft holder and a good heat gun. Only when you want to venture into graphite pulls you would need a shaft puller to apply even pressure on the shaft without destroying the tip altogether.

Only real advice I can give other than what others already posted is use 24 hour epoxy, those 1 hour epoxy jobs are just trouble down the road. Sand and prep the tip and hosel every time and you should have no issues.

when you get more into it, there's http://www.golfmechanix.com/default.asp for more advanced equipment.

I agree. Use good quality 24 hour epoxy.
 
Don't save on the shaft extractor. I can say from personal experience that working with a cheap one is a pain in the a...
I use Brampton epoxies for years and never had any problems or bondage failures.
A vice clamp is very helpful in many ways: grip saving, ferrule installing, tip preparation, put on shaft labels, ...

totally agree, shaft extractor is a key tool, You can get the graphite shaft out without one, but be very caeful or you will melt or snap it off, I still dont use one on metal shafts it is easier for me just to heat it and rip out using my foot, but a good shaft extractor will save hundreds if you want to reuse the shaft. The golfsmith 2 bottle tour epoxy works well, and I got a heat gun from menards for $30 bucks a wallpaper one with 2 setting works fine
 
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