Question

1.56K viewsJanuary 1, 2022

Bang69 313 December 28, 2021 3 Comments

I’ve had two graphite shafts melts after I changed my glue, can’t buy M32 glue here I’ve searched so I’ve used a super strength epoxy that sets in an hour and hardened in 24. I’ve had no issues for 2 years now but recently changed to an araldite epoxy because someone I know with alot more experience than I uses it, I’ve used this new epoxy 3 times and twice the tip at the end of the hosel has broken off on the same shaft I’ve used on my M6 3 f/w wood. The first time it broke while hitting balls into the nets so I cleaned up the tip and sanded it alittle to fit the hosel and it broke again, so I thought that shaft was finished and used another shaft and it broke before the epoxy sets. Very strange thing, I sanded the tip to fit the hosel mixed the epoxy made sure I had enough epoxy and was twisting the head gently to seat it and it broke again at the hosel. I can only think the epoxy gets hot and brakes down the graphite, I’ve worked with about 80 graphite shafts fitting to irons drivers etc and never experienced anything like this before. I’ve sanded down graphite before with no issues so I’m lost on what’s happening, hoping you’ve got an answer… cheers Colin

bad9 Posted new comment January 1, 2022

Rlafoone commented December 28, 2021

Just a comment so I don’t step on your question.
I’ve heard of araldite being used for graphite shafts and no negative effects. Main reason for use is low breakdown temp.
I would suspect a shaft defect or aggressive tip prepping. Also once a shaft breaks, even at the tip, you don’t know what damaged occured above that shear point. I always scrap broken shafts. No reason for a flying head at 85 mph or higher.

Bang69 commented December 28, 2021

Thanks for the advise, I could accept my tip prepping may be at fault when I started but I’m careful as I don’t want/afford to lose a shaft…

bad9 commented January 1, 2022

As was pointeed out to you over on Wrx you probably overheated the shaft tips and/or twisted them.

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Just a comment so I don’t step on your question.
I’ve heard of araldite being used for graphite shafts and no negative effects. Main reason for use is low breakdown temp.
I would suspect a shaft defect or aggressive tip prepping. Also once a shaft breaks, even at the tip, you don’t know what damaged occured above that shear point. I always scrap broken shafts. No reason for a flying head at 85 mph or higher.
Thanks for the advise, I could accept my tip prepping may be at fault when I started but I’m careful as I don’t want/afford to lose a shaft…
As was pointeed out to you over on Wrx you probably overheated the shaft tips and/or twisted them.

Answer 1 · 2021-12-28T15:45:30+00:00

I would agree with Rlafoone on the probable cause. I have worked with epoxies and formulated them for over 35 years and have never heard of or experienced a chemical reaction in the epoxy causing resin or fiber failure in a shaft. That being said, without analyzing the exact epoxy you used I could not be absolutely sure. 99 time out of 100 breakage as you described is due to over sanding, short shafting, or an underlying (unseen) crack or flaw in the graphite. We would never use a graphite shaft again that had cracked or broken in the tip, for the reasons mentioned – you may not be able to see damage inside the shaft or below the surface.

Britt Lindsey

Appreciate your feedback, I’m thinking it’s more likely some damage I couldn’t see. I was shocked that the shaft broke so easy and quickly, I stopped for a minute or more in disbelief looking at the head IN my hand with a quarter inch of shaft protruding out of the hosel. So I don’t believe it’s my prepping which was in the hosel, I’m going to use the epoxy I was using before today and see what happens. Thanks again for your response, much appreciated..