Hi All,
I need a little helpful advice on removing graphite shafts from persimmon heads. I’m familiar with removing steel but I’m unsure about how this is normally done with graphite. If anyone can nudge be in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks J
A very difficult task. Some thoughts follow:
It is hard to heat the head enough without burning it but you can try a heat gun (air) and then pull straight out by hand - do not twist or the shaft may de-bond. I have also used an oven roasting bag and boiled the head (inside the bag to keep it dry) as a way to get real even heat application. As a last resort you can cut the shaft and step drill it out (a little bit each time using increasingly larger bits) but be prepared to have some drill bit “wander” and it is possible to ruin the head. Usually you get close enough to overdrill a little and then epoxy in a hardwood dowel before a re-bore to ABS specs - get real hardwood like oak and not the softer Chinese wood. If you plan to ABS it then you may want to amputate the neck from the head about 1" down from the narrowest diameter at some point. A shorter and thicker neck may help prevent bit wandering. Good luck as this is a hard repair. Mike
Thanks for the warning Mike, I’ll proceed with due care.
Cheers J