Regripping with an air compressor

[MattF]

9 hours ago, NCDuffer said:

It is a lot easier with a vise, but I’ve done it without.  Basically sole the club on the floor, hold shaft between your legs, knees, and blow the grip on.  The longer the club is the harder it gets. So, you might sole the club up against something like the wall baseboard. Removing a blown on grip, you have to keep one hand on the shaft and let the air do this work.  Sometimes I’d have to pinch the club head between my feet and use both hands to do this work.  A couple of drops of grip solvent aren’t needed, but it’s like oil when blowing a grip on if struggling without a vice.  A simple vice and rubber clamp thingie for the shaft is the way to go.  I’ll warn you though…once you realize how easy this is you’ll start trying every grip imaginable just like folks are with putters and clubs trying to find a magic golf remedy.  
https://stargrip.com/pages/tapeless-installation

 

I sole the club on a strip of carpet and put my foot on it to steady it.

[KillerFrost]

On 5/16/2023 at 8:10 PM, TR1PTIK said:

I started doing my own grips several years ago - probably close to a decade - and have used both methods. My personal opinion is that air is the best option for most people. I have noticed some twisting of grips in the past, but it wasn't something I ever felt or noticed while swinging and the amount to which the grips twisted was very minimal and limited to the open end of the grip. I've used large air compressors, small air compressors, and most recently a tire inflator. It really doesn't take much as long as you can dial in the max pressure to help prevent a blown out grip. I've used Pure, Golf Pride, Lamkin, and Superstroke as well as corded and non-corded grips. I've built grips up using masking tape (as many as 10-12 wraps on a Pure putter grip) and can tailor it to the lower portion of the grip for a reduced taper feel without issue. The greatest benefit of using air IMO is if you don't like something, you can easily take the grip off and put it back on. For example, I swapped the stock Odyssey grip on my Tri-Hot putter for a Superstroke. I wasn't happy with the alignment and could easily make adjustments for days and weeks after the install until it was 100% dialed in to what I wanted.|
Also read about Subaru Outback Tire Pressure https://nerdycar.com/subaru-outback-tire-pressure/

I'm currently using the exact model of tire inflator as Mobile Clubmaker Golf with one of the included air chucks designed for inflatable rafts and such. I should also add that I do all of this (now) without a vise or clamp. It makes alignment a bit more of PITA which is why it took so long to dial in my Superstroke, but it can absolutely be done without purchasing anything beyond a half-decent inflator.

 

 

One significant advantage you mentioned about using air is the ability to easily remove and reinstall grips if you're not satisfied with something. This flexibility allowed you to make adjustments to the alignment of your Superstroke putter grip until you were completely happy with it.

You mentioned that you're currently using a tire inflator with an air chuck designed for inflating rafts, and it's worth noting that you're able to accomplish all of this without a vise or clamp. Although alignment may be a bit more challenging without those tools, you've managed to overcome it and achieve your desired results.

Overall, it seems like you've developed a good technique for regripping golf clubs using air, and it's impressive that you've been able to achieve satisfactory results without needing to purchase additional equipment beyond a decent inflator.

Edited June 20, 2023 by KillerFrost

[TR1PTIK]

On 6/8/2023 at 2:50 PM, rpwelsh11 said:

How do you change the grips without a vice and a clamp?  I'm very curious to hear about this method.  Thanks!

Sorry I’ve been MIA and haven’t replied to your question, but it’s basically like others have said. You can use your foot or a wall to keep the club from moving around while you slide the grip on and once you have it on you can do short bursts to get alignment dialed. When I started regripping my own clubs, I used the traditional method with a vice, then switched to air with pure grips, then air with other grips, then learned to grip without the vice while working at a golf course (pro showed me). I got rid of nearly all my regripping stuff when I moved to TX and that’s when I started using the tire inflator. 

[IndyBonzo]

I use air but sometimes it’s not perfect.  I find that Iomic sticky grips will slide off a steel shaft about 1” if no double-sided tape (I.e., only one-sided sticky tape) is used.   These are the only grips I have found to have this issue.  
 

Ironic innit?  “Sticky” grips don’t stick. 

Edited August 21 by IndyBonzo

[zengineer]

I play Golf Pride Align so there is sometimes a bit of fine tuning to get it straight and aligned. Tape and solvent allows that with a lot less fuss. In addition, even a little slippage down the road would be a big deal with these grips where with others it would likely go unnoticed.

For me, solvent isn't broken so I'm not going to fix it.

[RyanGi]

I know a lot of you use air to put on grips. Yesterday was my first go at it and WOW! Amazingly easy. I’ve got a few old hybrids that I still use, but have since moved up the rest of my clubs to mid sized grips, so I figured this was an opportunity to A) try some new brands of grips and B) replace the standards on my hybrids with mids. 

A little messy getting the old ones off (never done that before either…I used a grip removal tool, not a knife). But getting the new ones on was just a breeze! Immediately drove across the street to the range and hit them, figured out one had too much tape under it (I varied that too as a test), came home, blew the grip off, removed some tape and put it back on. Took longer to type this that than make the change!

We’ll see how it all holds up after a few rounds, but as of now I’m sold! Thanks for all the info! 

[RyanGi]

So I’ve become a bit of a grip addict. I’m trying out four different brands right now, and shifting them around between clubs between rounds/practice. With being able to blow them on and off, it’s reeeallly nice to be able to hit the same grip on three different clubs in a week (or a day if you want to go agro!) and only pay for one grip. So far, I’m finding I enjoy the Star Grips Sidewinders and, surprisingly to me, the Golf Pride Tour Wrap. I didn’t think I’d like a wrap grip for some reason (never played them?) but they’re soft and sticky and feel good on the hands. I’m finding I’m a fan of softer grips for sure, but we’ll see how that develops. 

I put a jumbo GP Wrap on my driver yesterday for a round today to see how that goes (I currently game all Mids). I like the way it feels in my hands, but we’ll see how it hits  

Anyway, I haven’t seen any sliding or shifting in the grips I’ve been trialing so far, which is reassuring. I use a single wrap of painter’s tape underneath and nothing else (well, I did try 2 wraps one a club, and 4 wraps on another…but no two-sided tape at all.)

Being able to try stuff so easily makes it addicting! 

 

 

[Purdyd]

I’m all in on air installation for grips.  I have a compressor but my dewalt inflator is perfectly fine.

i find it a handy to help removing tape and solvent grips too.

the only grips I have had a real problem with is the superstroke grips which have a fairly rigid core.

avon chamois can blow up like a balloon so best to keep that pressure down.

some people mention the Winn grips are a problem but installing Winn dritac 2 mid size has been a breeze for me.