Epoxy for club making

[Shorthitter]

I am trying to get myself into club making and my first project is to build a 21 degree "driver" for my 8 yr son and a lob wedge for my wife. I've found all the parts from Golfworks, and I have most of the tools to complete my project. The question is, can I use my regular epoxy, or should I order them from places like Golfsmith or Golfworks? Are the glue somewhat special for club making? I'm not trying to save a few dollars, just that I have epoxy kicking around...
Thanks!!

[jvincent]

If you are thinking of 5 minute epoxy, it's not strong enough.

Some of the industrial epoxies are equivalent to what Golfworks/Golfsmith sell but you'd have to search to find which ones are usable for clubs. Best to just pick up some Golfworks stuff.

[eyeping]

I have been building & repairing clubs for + 15 yrs, and I always use the proper glue from the supplier and have never had a head fly off, I pay attention to the right mix, keep the glue for only 1 yr after it is open and always keep some left over glue on a paper to test it prior to letting the club go out. It's a small price to pay for safety. I have also repaired some awful messing and poor glue jobs from builders and OEM clubs as well. BUY THE CORRECT GLUE and in small quantities to keep it fresh.

Good luck you wil enjoy it.

[covanant]

If youre only doing a couple of heads i would suggest buying the pre-mixed packets at Golfworks that way you wont waste an entire cartidge This stuff dries up fast after its opened.

[Weirfan]

definitely buy the proper 2 part epoxy from some place like Golfworks.

they typically have instructions in their catalogue or web site to do it properly....but I would add ..

since this is your first time get a slower set epoxy to allow more working time

first clean out the hosels with a bit of rubbing alcohol, acetone, on a cotton swab ....lots of crap in their that can affect the bond.

make sure you properly abrade the shaft tips and ensure that you abrade shaft that will be under the ferrule too

it is a good idea to roughen the inside of the ferrule a bit for better adhesion

get some mixing cups

you do not need alot of epoxy, but do not skimp either.....if using graphite shafts....once you set the head and twist it around the get the epoxy to spread....remove the shaft and blow in the butt end ( ala dart gun) to blow out excess epoxy that can creep up the shaft...then reseat the head....too much epoxy up the shaft could cause a sheer point if it goes above the hosel

have a few paper towels ready for clean up of excess epoxy and have one with some varsol/solvent on it to do the final wipe clean before you set the club to cure

have fun !!

[LobWedge]

Two words. Royal Onyx. It's a black cyanoacrylate (say that 5 times fast), which is science-speak for industrial strength super glue. Depending on the gap between shaft tip and hosel wall, assembled clubs can be fully playable in as much as 2 hours, and as little as 45 minutes! The narrower the gap, the faster it sets. Properly prepped surfaces should be cleaned with 99% IPA (available at any drug store), then apply the glue and assemble. Clean-up is with acetone (available at Canadian Tire).

Long drive guys us this because it sets up quickly and is extremely strong. And for swapping shafts it breaks down under only 200ºF, much lower than epoxy, so the likelyhood of damaging a shaft during a pull is greatly reduced.

I recommend wearing some kind of disposable nitrile glove when working with it (or with any chemical or adhesive, remind me to tell you about the 7 minute garlic test ) mainly because of the quick set.

I use this on all of my clubs and I won't use anything else.

p.s. This stuff does not work well with fillers or shaft beads, but it works great with shims if you need to fill a larger gap (.355 to .370, etc.).

[Chieflongtee]

Onyx only for the experienced clubmaker. It sets too fast for first timers. I have also used Lepage 5 minute epoxy on many occasions and never had any problems either with my club or somebody else's clubs. I will only use it for emergencies though. Any other time I will use the 24 hour epoxy. No rush and I can check back on the job couple hours later.

[Weirfan]

Onyx only for the experienced clubmaker. It sets too fast for first timers. I have also used Lepage 5 minute epoxy on many occasions and never had any problems either with my club or somebody else's clubs. I will only use it for emergencies though. Any other time I will use the 24 hour epoxy. No rush and I can check back on the job couple hours later.

I agree 100%.......I consider myself a seasoned clubfitter/builder and I hate this stuff, messy and hard to clean....... I do have some and only use it typically for jobs like loose putter heads that the guy calls and wants to stop off on his way to the course

if you want faster set ...get Bramptons 10/10

otherwise 24 hour epoxy....even 24 hour epoxy can be cured in a few hours with a hot box

[Chieflongtee]

I agree 100%.......I consider myself a seasoned clubfitter/builder and I hate this stuff, messy and hard to clean....... I do have some and only use it typically for jobs like loose putter heads that the guy calls and wants to stop off on his way to the course

if you want faster set ...get Bramptons 10/10

otherwise 24 hour epoxy....even 24 hour epoxy can be cured in a few hours with a hot box

There is a special 3M product made for quick jobs. However I can not get it here unless I order 12 cases. It sets really fast and has a very high shear strength ratio and easy to pull. Much like the OEM epoxy.

[LobWedge]

There is a special 3M product made for quick jobs. However I can not get it here unless I order 12 cases. It sets really fast and has a very high shear strength ratio and easy to pull. Much like the OEM epoxy.

Chief, what is the 3M part number? I'm guessing it's from the Scotch-Weld line. I may be able to help.

[Shorthitter]

Thank you everyone! I took the advice of the majority and went with the regular cartridge, and I'm going to save the fast setting ones (including the Onyx) until I gain more experience. I originally went with the individual pouches, but then switched to the 50 ml cartridge because of the shipping cost when it comes to the time to re-order. Do you usually buy stuff from Golfworks or Golfsmith? I'm stuck with mail-order until I can find a supplier in Calary...
Thanks again, you guys are great!

[LobWedge]

Golfsmith Canada is relatively new, so I don't have any experience with them. Being local to Golfworks Canada is a bonus for us, no shipping costs. Regardless, they are a great place to get stuff. Good luck!

[jvincent]

I've ordered stuff from Golfsmith Canada before. No problems at all.

Since you're in Calgary you should save the PST Shorthitter.

[Chieflongtee]

Chief, what is the 3M part number? I'm guessing it's from the Scotch-Weld line. I may be able to help.

DP810

http://www.epoxy-adhesive.com/adhesi...P810_Clear.pdf

[Chieflongtee]

Thank you everyone! I took the advice of the majority and went with the regular cartridge, and I'm going to save the fast setting ones (including the Onyx) until I gain more experience. I originally went with the individual pouches, but then switched to the 50 ml cartridge because of the shipping cost when it comes to the time to re-order. Do you usually buy stuff from Golfworks or Golfsmith? I'm stuck with mail-order until I can find a supplier in Calary...
Thanks again, you guys are great!

Ask Colin Dick. He might be able to help out.
http://members.shaw.ca/cgdick/