Changing Tips

D

Dawgie

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
When changing tips what tools do you rely on to acheive a professional job? I'm asking about the trimmer, shaper, and burnisher.
 
Dawgie said:
When changing tips what tools do you rely on to acheive a professional job? I'm asking about the trimmer, shaper, and burnisher.
Click to expand...


I free hand use a box cutter to trim(i do not recommend this if you do not have steady hands :D )

williard's dime radius shaper

porper's plastic burnisher
 
My $0.02... Remembering that the only thing that touches the ball is the tip, I would recommend one of two things:
1. Go to a professional and get your tip installed. It normally costs around $10.
or
2. Become a professional. This means getting a lathe to do your tips and getting good at it. A decent lathe (sold on ebay when I looked), is around $450.

I would not get one of the hand tips. Bottom line, they just aren't as good as professional installations.
 
Dawgie said:
When changing tips what tools do you rely on to acheive a professional job? I'm asking about the trimmer, shaper, and burnisher.
Click to expand...
Keep in mind that without a lathe, you are pretty much limited to one layer tips (i.e., le pro). Layered tips are very hard to install by hand. You'll never get a professional result, but you will get a new tip ;)

You can get a great result with a very sharp razor, some 400 and 220 grit sand paper, a few big rubber bands, and some gel super glue. I've probably done a few dozen Le Pros this way, and the result is actually pretty good.

1) Cut off your old tip with the razor, and carefully sand off the old glue and tip with the 400 grit paper. Be VERY careful about keeping your sanding level, since you don't want your tip to be crooked.

2) Scuff the flat part of the new tip on the 220 sand paper.

3) Put a dab of gel glue on the ferrule, and a smaller dab on the tip.

4) Put the two together and rub 'em slightly to spread the glue.

5) When they are centered, grab a long rubber band and wrap it around the bottom of the shaft about 1/2 way up from the joint and stretch it up to the tip. Use 4 of 5 to get the pressure right.

6) Should be set in about 5 minutes, but give it 15-30 just to be sure.

7) Remove the rubber bands and trim off the excess tip with the razor by standing the shaft on a table, tip side down. Your trimming should be as horizontal as possible, otherwise, you'll get a cone shaped tip.

8) Clean the excess glue with the 400 grit sandpaper (carefully so you don't damage the ferrule)

9) Burnish with an old piece of leather.

Done.

-td
 
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