Gripping with compressed air

I thought I'd post the instructions, hopefully for easy searching in the future.

Required tools: compressor with output of 70-90 PSI, blow gun with tapered nozzle used for inflatables, a 10" section of "shaft tube" (those silly things that "keep your clubs organized" in your bag) slide into a section of high pressure hose 1 3/4" O.D. to be referred to as "protector" (warm the section of high pressure hose to facilitate sliding in the "shaft tube").

To install grip: clamp shaft in vise, apply 8" section of masking tape to shaft butt, dip mouth of grip in solvent (mineral spirits) or soapy water to depth of 1/4 to 1/2 ", start mouth of grip onto shaft in usual way, put tapered nozzle into vent hole of grip, hold grip near mouth, apply burst of air while pushing grip onto shaft from the mouth end of the grip. Grip slides on. Takes a little practice to learn how long a burst of air to give it. Air goes down inside of shaft, tries to escape out of the grip, grip expands and slides on. Remove air gun from vent hole while holding grip fully down the shaft. To align grip apply short burst of air while rotating grip to desired alignment. Start it right and you can skip alignment! This method is the easiest for installing grips on oversize butt Taylor Made Bubble shafts. No special tools needed for installation This is all done faster than most can read the how to explanation!

To remove grip: Place "protector" IMPORTANT over grip, punch through tape behind the vent hole (my tool is a piece of pegboard hook pressed into a hole part way through a golf ball and sharpened to a point on a belt sander), if grip tape was used to install grip shoot some solvent (mineral spirits) into the vent hole, put airgun nozzle into vent hole, apply long burst of air, grip will expand in the "protector" as air bubble travels down the shaft and tries to escape from the mouth of the grip and "pop" out the mouth (place a rag over shaft to catch the solvent (if used) spray. If air doesn't reach mouth of grip, remove airgun and reapply solvent. Once "popped" you can remove the "protector" apply bursts of air while twisting and gently pulling the grip off the shaft. Twist while applying air! You will know where the twisting is needed (if not needed, grip will just slide off shaft on cushion or air). Process is "testy" on thin grips like Callaway OEM, Tour Velvet, and! dried out corded (cut these off). All others can be saved 95% or more of the time as your skill at this method improves. If grips were installed by using MASKING TAPE as explained above you can easily save Winn grips. Winn grips on regular double stick have a save rate of approx. 90%.

With time savings, tape and solvent savings and ability to save and reinstall grips this is a very worthwhile investment! Get an oil lubricated compressor which will last many, many years! They run less and are quieter besides.

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True Length Technology Fitter - www.truelengthtechnology.com
It's live! - www.ShipShapeClubs.com
PCS Class 'A' Clubfitter

A new highlight: Golfing the home course on Christmas Day.

I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

Thanks Lowpost, I recently regripped using air and see no reason to ever use tape and solvent...I think most people are worried that not using tape will let the grips to be loose or not stay in place, simply not true.

The only thing we have to be careful of is that the shaft butt > grip core size.

If you have a .600 butt and a .600 grip core, then you need 1 layer of tape. To avoid twisting.

This wouldnt work too well if I want to fatten m grip now would it? I have fairly big hands and I am thinking of putting two layers of tape on it to make it fatter.....

Yes, you can build up layers and still blow the grip on. I recently built a driver and have been experimenting with trying to make the low part of the grip the same diameter as the butt end and have had no trouble blowing it on and off.

I agree - buildup tape makes no never mind. The only thing that may get tough is starting it.

Bumping this thread since it's better instructions than the one I posted.