How about take a graphite shaft and progressively trim it from the tip
until the 3/8" steel shaft just fits the ID of the graphite (the walls are
a lot thicker in graphite shafts than in steel so you'll end up with a
shorter graphite shaft section than if you did it with a steel
shaft). Clean the id of the graphite shaft REALLY well. Push acetone
soaked swabs through it. The ID of these graphite shafts still have mold
release in them. Trim the 3/8" steel rod for as much overlap as you want
(I would suggest at least 6"). Push the 3/8" rod up into the graphite
shaft as far as you can (tip of the graphite up against the hosel on the
clubhead) and coat the bottom few inches of the overlap length of the 3/8"
rod with as much epoxy as you can (do this when everything is cool and the
epoxy thick and you can get more on) and then slide the graphite back up
the rod (rotating the graphite as you do to smear the epoxy evenly) until
you have the right 'playing length', jig it so the shaft is straight, and
let it cure. This will provide a seal between the 3/8" rod and the
graphite shaft. After the epoxy has cured pour additional epoxy down the
graphite shaft to fill up the void around the 3/8" rod (hence the need for
the 'seal'). This will be facilitated by warming the epoxy to thin it
out. Keep in mind that warming the epoxy also accelerates its cure cycle
but it will rapidly cool to whatever temperature the components are
at. This will allow you to keep as much of the weight of the 3/8" steel
rod as you want and give you 'butt' you can put a standard grip on.
Good luck (since I've never tried this before)
Alan Brooks
At 08:03 AM 6/1/2005 -0500, you wrote:
Hi all,
I've recently discovered that practice with a 7 iron with a 3/8" solid
steel shaft is doing wonders correcting my big swing flaw: an initial
over-the-top first move down accompanied by an early release.
The club I am using is really kluged - the failing is in the grip
area. There must be some really good ways to build up the butt end so
that a conventional grip will fit well.
Thanks for any suggestions from the creative Shop-Talkers.
Hunter
L. H. Kevil
