Graphite shaft printing?

[SiberianDVM]

Up or Down?

I just noticed that about half of my drivers, fairways, and hybrids have the printing so that you can see it while holding the club. On the others, it's facing down.

Why?

It's things like this that bother me.

[mont86]

Has to do with how the shaft is made and installed, the seam is under the printing and the seam is suppose too be installed up or down and the printing
makes it easy for the installers to find the seam.

I believe...according too Tom Wishon

[LyleG]

Not many shaft makers put graphics on with any thought at all to the spine or flo planes of the shaft. Some like Graman for example apply the graphics so that when the shaft is properly installed the graphics end up on top (for a righty, for a lefty they will be on the bottom). I usually tell people when I install shafts for them that the graphics may not end up on top once the shaft is "properly installed", most people are Ok with this as performance should come ahead of looks.

[warbirdlover]

So does Doc have some clubs with the shafts installed wrong?

[LyleG]

hard to sat if they are installed wrong or not. Many guys install shafts simply by either putting to the logo facing up, or down if the player finds it distracting. They never consider the spine or most consistant bend point of the shaft. IMO any shaft that isnt FLO'ed is installed wrong.

[SiberianDVM]

Originally Posted by warbirdlover

So does Doc have some clubs with the shafts installed wrong?

A new excuse!

[ezra76]

Both my NT's are facing down but more towards the right. The kid pulled the X out of the R5TP and knew it had been installed on the TM van. Not sure if he just kept the NT's logo's in the same spot due this or what the reason was. I don't pay it much mind asthetically.

[ualtim]

My logos are all over the place as I spine all of my shafts before instalation. Prior to spining, PUREing, and FLO'ing I believe that since a few tour pros found the graphics distracting (or they were not endorsed by the shaft company) and turned graphics side down a host of casual golfers did the same. Same deal with the graphics on the Golf Pride grips that have the big "Golf Pride" down the front of the grip. A few well known pros started turning the logo side down (probably were not getting an endoresment payment from Golf Pride) and next you thing you know everyone is doing it. It became such a trend, that some Titleist branded GP grips are actually desinged logo side down.

If the pros do it, there must be something to it, right?

(sarcasm intended)

[LyleG]

The reason the pros have the logos on the bottom of the club and grip is so that in the backswing pose, viewers at home can get a clear view of what is being used. This is no coincedence.
Most logo application on pro equipment is done after assembly of the club.

[demon]

Mine are floed pured and spine aligned, the logos are all over the place.

[SiberianDVM]

Originally Posted by demon

Mine are floed pured and spine aligned, the logos are all over the place.

How does one do that?

[demon]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

How does one do that?

Send the shafts into golfsmith and they will come back to you with an arrow around the grip area that shows the builder where to line it up at. I am not sure if it helps but if it does then I am ready for it. Most of the graphite shafts have a primary and a secondary spine and generally benefit more for spine alignment. It supposedly creates consistency in the shaft.

[Sandpiper3]

I perfer my graphics down. Dont really like seeing the writing on it... My 3w got shaft put in upside down, and he put a damned ribbed grip in there urg...

He still needs to fix both those for me!.....

[ualtim]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

How does one do that?

You can do it yourself if you buy a spine finder. I bought one off of E-bay (I believe its called JB's Spine Tool) that I have been using for the last year or so. If I recall correctly, I got for around $50. If you send it to Golfsmith, its $10 a shaft. If your planning to do more than 5 or 6 shafts, its a more economical way to go.

[LyleG]

Flowing is done with a laser, and a vise. Put the shaft in the vice (butt end) using a butt clamp and attach the laser and a 205 gram tip weight. You them "twang" the shaft till till the oscilation is flat not round or oval.
here are a few links

http://www.horsepowergolf.com/VideoSpineFrequency.asp (this guy is simply using the head (attached with bubble wrap to hold it in place) and twanging, OK but not as accurate as using a laser)
http://www.thegolfcoast.com/shaft_spine.html (again using the head instead of a tip weight)
http://www.myostrichgolf.com/clubmak...roducts_id=245
(this is what I use)