DIY: Scotty Cameron TeI3 Newport 2 Longneck Refinish

[RookieBlue7]

I did a quick DIY a LOOOOONG while ago that's on here(somewhere... I think, can't remember if I posted it here or not). It was a rush job, and honestly, while it looked fairly decent, I wasn't real proud of it because I did have to rush. This one, I had more time to refinish. I always tell people I'll take their projects on with these things because the putters are beautiful putters and I just can't seem to say no, even though I often find myself questioning, repeatedly and with a lot of anger at myself why I keep taking these TeI3's on. They're a pain in the butt because of all of the refined pieces that are in these things, and the time consuming nature. With that said, let's get on with it.

 

I actually forgot to snap pictures of how this putter looked when I got it. I took some after stripping the rust and elastomer out of it, and hopefully you can still tell that it was in decent shape, but there were some problems with it. The largest problem was that the topline was crushed down onto the insert. I've done some that were worse than this one, but it wasn't a cake walk. The main problem when it's crushed like this is that the insert doesn't want to come out easily like it would if it weren't crushed. I eventually coaxed it out with a few subtle tricks (I ground an automotive pick down to a very fine point and worked it at the topline while simultaneously pushing from the back with a push rod I'd made from an old pin punch I had lying around).

 

Here's how it looked after stripping, beadblasting and removing the elastomer and removing the insert (sorry, thought I took pics of it crushed down and I didn't. This is after I'd worked it just a little, not much as it's still sitting on the insert at this point):

 

 

This is with the insert out at the same point, you can hopefully see that the topline is still crushed at this point:

 

Next comes the most painstaking part of these putters when the topline is crushed, and that's straightening them out. I mark the low spots by putting the insert back into the putter dry fitted with a Sharpie. Once that's done, I use one of several straight edged automotive body work tools and a piece of flat bar stock with a piece of old leather belt sandwiched between the putter head and the anvil portion of my vice. Once I have everything ready, I gently heat with a torch by moving rapidly across the topline in increments of 25 seconds at a time, place the metal bar or body work tool in and lightly tap it into place for 10 seconds then resume heating. This allows the metal to warm up and develop just enough elasticity so it'll move and not crack while not discoloring it from the heat. Oh, and I use welding gloves on the hand I hold the putter with. This is after I'd gotten it pretty straight (almost finished straightening, I let it cool to relax the metal after I get it 75% of the way there to see where it settles before resuming. Most of the time it doesn't move, but it has at times relaxed a hair too far and isn't straight like I like to see).

 

 

From here, I finish straightening the topline. Once that's complete, I begin working the entire putter over by a combination of filing where I can and hand sanding the rest. Here's the initial filing to get dings out:

 

 

 

Then, I begin polishing with differing grits of sandpaper, progressively getting finer until I get the level of polish desired (prep work is key prior to putting the finish on, the higher polish the raw metal, the higher polish the finished product will be and vice versa). Here's after some more prep work is done:

 

 

At this point, I'm about 50% done polishing. Fast forward to being finished polishing. From there, I had a choice to make. I'd told the person originally I'd do a cold black ox, as I don't have a hot black ox process due to cost, licensing, etc. But, on a whim, I contacted a few places that do black oxide dips and finally got one to answer me. Once I got a quote, I decided I was going with a hot process as it yields a much better finished product. So I box it up and ship it off to have the hot black ox applied. Fast forward a week later and I get it back like this:

 

 

From here, it's reassembly time, which is just a reverse of the disassembly(put the insert back in, secure with the allen screws that go in it, then redo the elastomer, squigee excess off and let dry to a tack and then wet wipe the smudges, then let completely dry and remove any remaining excess, paintfill, clean up and then apply eezox oil to it). Here's the finished product, ready for the shaft to be reinstalled(there's a speck of dust on one of the letters in the paintfill. I didn't retake pics because I've got another project going that I have to work on):

 

 

 

Any questions, comments, etc are appreciated. If any of you have one of these you want to do, take your time and do the prep work carefully and cleanly and you'll be surprised at how well your finished product is. As always if there are any questions, don't hesitate to ask. If I can help someone else refinish one of these and never touch another one, I won't be mad at all. LOL

 

Hopefully this is in the right section, if not feel free to move it to putters.

[GolfSpy WD]

That's incredibly impressive RB7, well done

[GolfSpy Dave]

Super nice job! Love the finish. I have a Tel3 NP LN that I keep thinking about sending in for a little BOS aquamarine love...

Way too chicken to go DIY with that putter...

[Flv02]

Beautiful finish man. I'm jealous

[Matt Saternus]

Those old Teryllium putters are awesome, and that's a killer refinish. Really nice work. Almost makes me want to find one cheap and try it myself.

[Siravo82]

Wow that looks great! How long did the project take?

[RookieBlue7]

Wow that looks great! How long did the project take?

 

I have around 8 hours in it.

[duncanelliott81]

sorry to dig up a really old thread but I am just embarking on a similar project and I wondered if you could tell me what the "elastomer" was you used to replace the insert surround?

 

I am tempted with just using bathroom silicone sealant due to to availability and choice of colours but I'm scared this will effect the most important thing about these putters, which is feel.

 

Any advice you can give on your great refurb would be most appreciated.

[808nation]

Before and after pictures look incredible, very nice work

[RookieBlue7]

The patent lists GE bath caulk as the "elastomer". Unless you remove the insert and smear it on the back of said insert, you're not changing the sound of the ball coming off the face (feel is mythical. The sound is what people equate to feel). It's caulk. It's used to hide the fact that they switched the companies that did their mill work and couldn't get the fitament correct. Instead they create a track to squirt full of caulk to hide the imperfect fit of the mill work and call it "elastomer".

[RookieBlue7]

As far as advice, the thread is practically a walk thru...

[driveforshow]

nice work on this

Im working on a teryllium two Newport two scotty Cameron putter very similar to this and was wondering how I would go about getting a hot black ox done and what types of places to contact to get it done.

Edited April 9, 2019 by driveforshow
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[thethirdman]

Question for everyone here.  I'm refinishing my Newport 2, TEI 3 and wasn't sure if you put elastomer on the back of the insert before installing it or not?  One site mentions installing insert and tightening screws and then putting on the elastomer.  

 

thanks for the help.