Do any of you guys have a recommendation for a shaft extractor? I have looked at the Mitchell and the Golf Smith…right now the GolfSmith is getting the nod. Anyone have an opinion or recommendation, please let me know.
Andy
Hi Andy,
GS used to make one like this that I have…It works well enough for me…Sometimes pulling drivers with Graphite shafts is a bit tricky…But we don’t use those clubs anyway here @ ABS 
Which one from GS? Are you planning on saving shafts for reuse? 
That’s what we use at the range…and it is a marvelous device. The thing that’s nice about it is the even pressure it applies to your work. Graphites just pop straight off without a hint of twisting. It also has like a clutch mechanism that prevents from overtightening. A real good machine day in and day out. Way worth the price!
Don’t know volume of your use…but ours paid for itself within a few days. Not required for steel as you may know…just a little heat and some Module 1 torgue and it’s off. So you are really looking at purchasing it primarily for removing graphite shafts…if it’s worth the expense.
Actually I am looking to get it, to remove aluminum shafts! I have a bunch of old Dynapower’s from the 60’s that
have those crap aluminum shafts in them. I tried to remove one the other day, and it like to killed me trying to get it out. I ended up
having to cut it off flush and drill it out…PITA.
At the same time I had an old Arnold Palmer 2 iron in fabulous shape that was pinned…knocked that baby out in about 5 minutes…but the Wilson took over an hour. I understand some of those old Wilsons had tapered hosels, and they literally jam fitted those shafts down in there. Whatever they did, that sucker was in there for life, and no amount of Mod 1 was getting it out!
Anyone have any advice on removing those old aluminum shafts, by all means let me know!
Andy
P.S> I am having these 2 clubs re-chromed at the iron factory…will post pics when they come back.
Don’t know about aluminum shafts difficulty. Can’t imagine it being too difficult. How are you securing the club in the vise and what’s your heat source?
I tried a heat gun, then also a little torch that runs on denatured alcohol. When I finally drilled the shaft out, it didn’t look like there was any adhesive at all…more of a pressure fit.
ANdy
Again…aluminum shafts and me haven’t crossed paths in terms of repair IIRC…so I hope my input is taken within that context. But again, I can’t imagine it being difficult…taper and all- epoxy or press fit, or both.
For any metal I use full blown propane on that hosel and straight down the bore…nothing stands up to that and butane is too cool as would be alcohol, I think. Perhaps aluminum expands in some way when heating…don’t know.
I have a rubber shaft clamp that I would put the shaft into it at about the first step from the heel. Clamp it as hard as I can within the vice…heat that puppy to the max and turn the head…it should move. Can’t imagine aluminum holding up to the torgue pressure applied by turning a forged heavy head. Maybe it does though. Just a thought.
I do know this however…give me any shaft and I can get that thing off is seconds…gotta show it who’s boss. 
I might be totally wrong here…just some thoughts
Thanks Rat,
I am sure you’re correct! Maybe I just needed a bigger fire…still gonna get the shaft extractor though…I LIKE TOYS.
Andy
I agree with Rat regarding heat. I had a set of 10 y/o irons I was removing shafts on a few days ago. I started the process using the heat gun and it worked ok on about half of the irons. On the others I was spending a minute or two with the heat gun with no luck. In those cases I’d fire up the propane torch and in 10 seconds the head was off.
That blue flame is H-O-T!!!
robbo
according to some—the Dynas have been notorious in regards to shaft removal…
I will let you know as I am reshafting next weekend! No aluminum here…
bent
Here’s another thought using the torch. Depending on the circumstances with the shaft, instead of appling flame to the outside of the hosel, apply it to the area on the shaft just above the top of the hosel. That way you won’t have to worry about discoloration about the hosel area. The heat will transfer downward along the shaft into the bore and do its thing.
Applying the heat directly to the hosel can, at times, cause discoloring…easily removed with “Blue Away”.