Well Ricky, looking at your bag, I could have made two bags of components for the same money - and they would probably have performed just as well. Just to give you an idea of how expensive components are. Granted, you can buy some components that end up just as expensive as last years' driver, if you like.
Setting up a shop is a little capital intensive, yes, but if you like assembling
clubs, you end up not minding.
My first clubmaking 'job' was a set of wedges. I used a vise (you really can't build
clubs without one), some sandpaper, and the double-sided-tape and solvent for the grips.
The only thing I would have changed was the way I installed the grips. Had I been aware of the compressor method, I wouldn't have bothered with solvent and tape and all that sh*te.
If I was starting out, and just looking to build the occasional club, I would buy the following for my shop:
Air compressor (1/3HP, 3gallon tank or better)
WD40
Bench Vise
Rags
Acetone
Popsicle sticks
Sandpaper (150 grit)
Tube cutter (plumbers' tool)
Hacksaw and grit-edge blade.
If I was going to build a set of
clubs, I'd swap out and add the following:
I'd swap out the tube cutter and hacksaw for a chop saw.
I'd invest in a belt sander and a linen belt - golfworks.com has a lovely combo (which I've now purchased, and wonder why I didn't do this right away, either).
And if you're going to get serious, there's all sorts of shaft profiling toys you can buy (in fact, I'm considering an MOI machine from Tom Wishon Golf Technology).