Have you ever used a Shaft Frequency Analyzer?

[GT1885]

Have you ever used one of these things? I have a 5i from my set of Taylor Made 300 Forged (presumably forged from one of the high end Japanese houses when these were new) that just feels special. I'm 68 and don't hit it much but when I need my five iron I always get very good results. I retired the rest of the set years ago but the 5 i is still in the bag. The shafts that were in the set were a Rifle shaft but there were never any labels on them.  I've recently retired and have been building a set of Maltby irons and would like to examine this 5i's shaft with an analyzer to perhaps see if I can replicate it as I continue to tinker with irons. The Club Scout III seems to be the most reasonably priced.

[BIG STU]

In the past I have used one quite a few times at my friend's shop and now he is retired. Sometimes in the golf world one runs up on a club that the head shaft combination works well for them with no reasonable explanation 

[jaskanski]

Might be easier to pull the grip and see what the butt code is.

Chances are if it's from a TM 300 series forged set, then they will be pre-cut discrete sets of rifle shafts rather than 44" blanks cut to length, but you can work out what the FCM is by weighing the shaft and measuring the length. Each shaft will have a certian weight per inch, per FCM - so it may be able to determine the FCM Rifle flex this way.

For example, if you have a 6.0 shaft, it would have weighed 141g raw uncut at 44" - each inch on a 6.0 should be 3.2g, so if you have a 5-iron shaft at say 38" it would be 121.6g - but a lot would depend on the methodology used to trim the shaft (tip and butt), what the playing length was, what the head weight was etc.

Obviously, weaker shafts start out lighter overall and have less weigt per inch.

If you want to get into the dark arts of FCM and building Rifle shafts to specific flexes and lengths, then Howard Jones on GolfWrx is the don.

[Headhammer]

19 hours ago, jaskanski said:

Might be easier to pull the grip and see what the butt code is.

Chances are if it's from a TM 300 series forged set, then they will be pre-cut discrete sets of rifle shafts rather than 44" blanks cut to length, but you can work out what the FCM is by weighing the shaft and measuring the length. Each shaft will have a certian weight per inch, per FCM - so it may be able to determine the FCM Rifle flex this way.

For example, if you have a 6.0 shaft, it would have weighed 141g raw uncut at 44" - each inch on a 6.0 should be 3.2g, so if you have a 5-iron shaft at say 38" it would be 121.6g - but a lot would depend on the methodology used to trim the shaft (tip and butt), what the playing length was, what the head weight was etc.

Obviously, weaker shafts start out lighter overall and have less weigt per inch.

If you want to get into the dark arts of FCM and building Rifle shafts to specific flexes and lengths, then Howard Jones on GolfWrx is the don.

Wow! Great info! Rather than spending money on a machine you may only use a few times why not take it to a club builder who has the equipment and pay them a fee to analyze the shaft? 

[McGolf]

The analyzer measures the butt frequency of  the shaft. Rifle was the premier product for use with this type of machine. 

I still have my FCM and Rifle calculator. There are several calculations to to making a matched set.  However, what you are looking for is a profile of a shaft that doesn't exist anymore.  A strain gauge and or a butt mid and tip flex reading will be needed along with the shaft weight to get you in the proper ball park.

A Jans posted if its an OEM make then not a lot of custom calc worries are needed.  There is another web site that has a stock pile of profiles and it comes at $10 a month cost. You might there for a modern comparable shaft.

[GT1885]

Been away this week but that to all who have replied alot of great information to work with. Thanks Again