First Post, New Restoration Project - Ping TiSi Tec Driver

[halliedog]

Hello everyone!  I've been a "member" here for a few years, but believe this is my first actual post.  

 

My "winter project" this year is to refinish and reshaft an old Ping TiSi Tec driver.  I hope to post some before/during/after pics, and give thoughts after playing it a few rounds.  

 

I actually have 2 of these heads, both 7*, and they are both pretty beaten up cosmetically.  #1 has a broken shaft (which I've already pulled the hosel out of the head and will cut/drill out the remaining shaft and use as the hosel for my "new" club.  #2 has a stock Ping/Grafalloy Prolite shaft, and I took it out last weekend and hit it farther and straighter than my R15!  Probably shouldn't even mess with it, but you know how it goes  ! 

 

The plan is to pull the hosel/shaft from head #2 (and hopefully save them in case the experiment doesn't work out), then bead blast head #2 once the hosel/shaft are removed, paintfill, reshaft with an Aldila Rip Alpha, and see how it goes.

 

I'll try to get an update posted with before photos this weekend.

[Liberty Ball Markers]

I can't wait - post lots of pics!

 

 

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[Kenny B]

Welcome, and YES let's see some pictures!!

[ole gray]

Sounds like a cool project! Keep us posted on this and glad you decided to activate

 

 

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[Xstiffshafts]

Welcome! The topic brings back fond memories, I loved that driver... the UFO shaped head, and deeeep. In fact, it's the first club I ever had "customized". One of my buddies in high school skied the shart out of my driver, and I couldn't deal... so I took it to a very well known and fantastic fitter in town and asked him to sand/beadblast the crown and leave everything else as is.

 

Boy, did that bastard glare when I got it back. I think the forced squinting on the tee is why I finally retired it.

 

 

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[halliedog]

Welcome! The topic brings back fond memories, I loved that driver... the UFO shaped head, and deeeep. In fact, it's the first club I ever had "customized". One of my buddies in high school skied the shart out of my driver, and I couldn't deal... so I took it to a very well known and fantastic fitter in town and asked him to sand/beadblast the crown and leave everything else as is.

 

Boy, did that bastard glare when I got it back. I think the forced squinting on the tee is why I finally retired it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Sorry no updates on this - I actually got a few hours to go into work over the weekend to do some shaft removal and blasting, but the compressor was down for maintenance, and drilling out the broken shaft from the adapter was not successful either, so a waste of 3 hours on my Sunday I'll never get back!

 

I came home from that negative experience and decided to order a new adapter and ProLite 3.5 Red S shaft.  They should be here mid-week, and the compressor should be fixed by then, so hopefully NEXT weekend I can get this thing refinished/assembled!

 

@ Xstiifshafts - I have some heavy grit Aluminum Oxide, and some "Glass" beads available.  I was thinking of using the Al Ox to remove the paint and help cover any various imperfections, then going over the entire head with the Glass to make it more satin finished.  Would you recommend leaving the crown with the "rougher" Al Ox finish to cut glare?  I've done a few putters, and found the Al Ox worked better on the top-line to reduce glare.  

[halliedog]

**Update**

 

I got to go into work and get this thing "cleaned" up a bit, but not 100% thrilled.  It does look better overall, but in my haste did some damage I can't readily repair to the the back edge and weight port.

 

And I'm not sure what kind of "paint" they used on these, but it just laughed at my glass beads  !  I had to use the Au Oxide, but the with the compressor still being down the back-up couldn't provide enough cfm or Psi to get up to the 125Psi I normally use this media at.  Anyway, if TM would have used whatever type of paint Ping did on their Ghost putters or white drivers, they would be impervious to paint chips, as opposed to whatever they decided to use that you can chip off by blowing on it! 

 

Before:

 

After:

 

I've cleaned it up some since and done paintfill, but don't have pics yet - more to follow later in the week.

[halliedog]

**Update**

 

I got to go into work and get this thing "cleaned" up a bit, but not 100% thrilled.  It does look better overall, but in my haste did some damage I can't readily repair to the the back edge and weight port.

 

And I'm not sure what kind of "paint" they used on these, but it just laughed at my glass beads  !  I had to use the Au Oxide, but the with the compressor still being down the back-up couldn't provide enough cfm or Psi to get up to the 125Psi I normally use this media at.  Anyway, if TM would have used whatever type of paint Ping did on their Ghost putters or white drivers, they would be impervious to paint chips, as opposed to whatever they decided to use that you can chip off by blowing on it! 

 

Before:

IMG_1830.JPGIMG_1831.JPGIMG_1833.JPG

 

After:IMG_1834.JPGIMG_1835.JPGIMG_1836.JPG

 

I've cleaned it up some since and done paintfill, but don't have pics yet - more to follow later in the week.

 

**Update**  

 

Finally got around to finishing the paintfill and will probably shaft up this weekend.  I went with a "white-out" paintfill scheme because it just seems to "pop" against the raw titanium (In my opinion !)

 

 

Not sure what to do about this, as Ping doesn't sell replacements and they are impossible to remove without ruining:

 

 

Maybe I can find some kind of decal or tape?  Let me know your thoughts!  I know I can do a better job now that the compressor is fixed at work and get a better "even" finish without damaging the weight port or pitting/gouging it with a grinding bit like I did on this one.  Thinking of picking up a 5.5* or another 7* off eBay cheap and retrying!

[ole gray]

Wow awesome job there HD!

[halliedog]

Thanks for the compliment O.G.  I've finally put this this together today and will be taking her out on her maiden "refurb" voyage tomorrow.  I'll post details on build and "finished" pics tomorrow evening, along with results from my round (hopefully 27/36 holes, as it is supposed to be near 60* and sunny all day in my area of NE OH tomorrow!  Got all of my yard/house work done today so I can play until dark !)

[Blacklist]

I agree, I love the way the white pops out at you, very sharp, wicked job!

[MDGolfHacker]

Man, that looks awesome! Nice job!

 

MDGolfHacker

[RookieBlue7]

To get that plate out, remove the screws and submerge the badge in a pot of almost boiling water for 5 mins. It'll soften and the adhesive will as well and you can carefully peel it out. Only way to save those