2pc sticks a better option?

[ken 0]

How easy is it to remove/put a new blade on a shaft? Will I only need a heat gun?I'm thinking since the shafts only get a little banged up but are still in good shape I could save some money and just get a new blade because the blades of my sticks keep chipping. I don't have a heat gun or anything so would have to invest in one of them unless the LHS will do it for a small fee?

[Chadd 916]

It's very simple and you can do it over a stove top or with a heat gun.

Most shops will do it for free but you should buy your blade there if you're going to ask them to do it.

[tokes 0]

I find it easier to use a hot glue gun and a heat gun, but if you just have a heat gun and glue sticks it works out ok. Unless your LHS is feeling assholish they will pop the new blade in for you for free, but don't expect them to add any glue.

[notorious#29 0]

Unless the people are your LHS are complete arseholes, they should do it for free(my LHS even does it if you diddn't buy the shaft or blade, and they give you free glue!) I'd take it to your LHS at least once to have them put the blade on, and watch the guy do it too see how its properly done. If you going to get a heat gun check a craft store first, those 13 dollar ones work fine just fine ( I have one), and glue costs me about a dollar for 20 sticks. After awhile you won't need your LHS to do it. Once you get the hang of it you will be able to change/replace blades in minutes.

[Chadd 916]

Unless the people are your LHS are complete arseholes, they should do it for free(my LHS even does it if you diddn't buy the shaft or blade, and they give you free glue!)

There's just something not right about buying something one place and expecting a free service from another. If you bought tires at Sears would you expect wal-mart to put them on for free? It's the same principle.

I really like it when I have the same blade and it's cheaper than what they paid elsewhere. I'll change the blade but only if I don't have actual paying customers in the store. I just don't understand why any shop would try to skip the glue, you really should put more on the blade.

[kosydar 0]

I bought a gun at Home Depot for $10. I used it so much that I wore it out and had to buy another one. Heres a tip- if you do buy one, don't leave the gun on with it facing the power cord. I burned mine to hell.

[ken 0]

Thanks for all the replies. I would definitely buy it from my LHS and ask them to put it on. Like someone said, I wouldn't feel right walking in with a blade purchased elsewhere and asking them to put it on. My LHS is cheap enough anyways.

I definitely will go this route for my next stick. It also gives me a chance to try different blade patterns at a fairly cheap price.

[kevinbelt 0]

we do it for free no matter where you bought it. we might make snide remarks about you after you leave, but you don't pay anything. you should strongly consider buying your blades there, though, as others have said.

if you want to do it yourself, it is quite easy. all you need is a heat gun, and you don't even *need* that. just heat up the glue on the hosel, and stick it in. you could do it over your stove, or, if you're really patient, a hair dryer. and instead of buying a bunch of glue, just save the leftovers. when you put the blade in the shaft, a little bit of glue will ooze out. wipe that up with a glue ball and save it. easton blades in particular ooze a lot of glue.

all blades don't fit perfectly in all shafts, which is another reason you should let your lhs do it. we can make the necessary adjustments, which you might not think to do.

-k

[NuggyBuggy 0]

Is there a particular wattage a heat gun should be rated for ? How far should the heat gun be held from the shaft, and for approximately how long ?

[Chadd 916]

Is there a particular wattage a heat gun should be rated for ? How far should the heat gun be held from the shaft, and for approximately how long ?

Most 1000 degree F heat guns will work just fine. I keep the shaft 6 inches from the end of the heat gun and constantly rotate the shaft. It takes a little longer but the shaft is heated evenly.

[notorious#29 0]

Unless the people are your LHS are complete arseholes, they should do it for free(my LHS even does it if you diddn't buy the shaft or blade, and they give you free glue!)

There's just something not right about buying something one place and expecting a free service from another. If you bought tires at Sears would you expect wal-mart to put them on for free? It's the same principle.

I agree it isn't right. But I'm glad the people there are nice enough to do it anyway. I diddn't do it just becuase its free, but at the time I did not have a heat gun.

[Megamandan 0]

I use a hair dryer. Do it the same way chadd does it, it works great but it takes longer than usual. I haven't had to do that in a while since I got a job at my LHS. We do it for free where ever you bought it but we will make sure you know we don't like doing it. Plus no extra glue. It's almost a given it will get loose if you don't. My manager doesn't like it and sometimes he'll flip the blade and shaft around but thats only for people who have bought elsewhere and come to use to have it installed multiple times.

[flashgordon 0]

I use a gas stove top (I keep the shaft at least a couple of inches away from the flame and keep it rotating) and have never had a problem. The key word, as someone mentioned, is patience....

[deadboy 0]

i wouldn't use a stove top. open flame is bad for the shaft. i guess you could hold the shaft far away from the flame though. i would either go to a lhs or just buy one for like 20 bones. i bought one.. and it makes it so convenient when i want to change my blades.

[hockeydude_49 0]

I got a heat gun like half way through last season so I use that now but before that i used a gas stove and it works fine. You just have to make sure u keep rotating it so it doesnt burn.

[KnightII 0]

I've used both the stove (electric) and hairdryer. I've had 2 different LHS's do it for me after I purchased a blade there. One burnt the hell out of my shaft with their hot air gun and the other jammed the blade in so hard and fast, that it caused the shaft to start splitting in the corner. She took the shaft up over the lip that supposedly is to stop the blade from going any further...talk about pissed

Now my preferred method is to do it myself using a 1650W hairdryer and a hot glue gun. It takes the glue gun about 5 mins to warm up, so about 3 mins into the warm up, I heat the shaft and remove the old blade. I also hold the dryer about 6" from over the blade insertion point as mentioned by others but I put a ceramic cereal bowl beneath the shaft which forces the warm air up from underneath. I slowly rotate the shaft during the process about 60 seconds of heat time does the trick. Finally I heat up the glue on the blade hosel, hot glue the areas that are lacking glue, and press the blade firmly into place...clean of the excess and voila.

[hockeydude_49 0]

Ya just arts and crafts hot glue works great for the blades. Another thing you can do, if u dont have any glue, is to just put a piece of tape on the part of the blade thats going into the shaft and it holds just like glue.

[jimmy 194]

Unless the people are your LHS are complete arseholes, they should do it for free(my LHS even does it if you diddn't buy the shaft or blade, and they give you free glue!)

There's just something not right about buying something one place and expecting a free service from another. If you bought tires at Sears would you expect wal-mart to put them on for free? It's the same principle.

I agree it isn't right. But I'm glad the people there are nice enough to do it anyway. I diddn't do it just becuase its free, but at the time I did not have a heat gun.

We do it free for our regular good customers, but if some a$$whipe comes in off the street and wants us to do it, we charge.

It's good practice to offer your LHS to pay for services like that, when they do it for free. Even if they don't take the money, they'll remember and it will pay off bigger in the future.

[Oggie Grip 0]

Heat guns work the best. Glued hundreds of end plugs in a year. Check this. This might help.

http://www.oggiegrip.com/GripPackagingInstructionSheet.pdf