Adhesive Tape

3M 00021200882289 8959 50mmx50m 3m Filament Tape Review

3M 00021200882289 8959 50mmx50m 3m Filament Tape Feature

• Package Quantity: (1) 60 Yard Roll
• Type: Bi-Directional Filament Tape
• Color: Clear
• Width (Inch): 2
• Width (mm): 50mm
• Length (Yards) (Yards): 60
• Length Meter: 50
• Thickness (mil): 5.7
• Tensile Strength (Pounds): 150
• Tape Number: 8959

3M 00021200882289 8959 50mmx50m 3m Filament Tape Overview

Filament Strapping Pads - Packaging & Shipping Tape Type: Bi-Directional Filament Tape Color: Clear Width: 2, 50 mm Length (Yards): 60 Length Meter: 50 Thickness (mil): 5.7 Tensile Strength: 150

3M 00021200882289 8959 50mmx50m 3m Filament Tape Specifications

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 16, 2009 19:50:04

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Rag work is a traditional craft which has in recent years become very trendy again. The great appeal it has is that it is very economical and environmentally friendly. Nowadays anything that is good for the environment is important. In rag work recycled materials are used transforming old and worn clothing into useful and beautiful works of art. I will give you simple instructions on how to create a small rag rug from materials you probably have in your house. The design you choose is entirely up to you and your skill level. At first I would attempt something simple such as squares, each with a different color of fabric.

1. Materials:
Cotton Fabric Strips: old printed shirts and dresses or old sheets and pillow cases cut into strips approximately ½ inch wide and as long as you want.

Jersey Fabric Strips: cotton t-shirts cut into ½ inch wide and long strips
Plastic Strips: plastic shopping bags with text and images on them, also ½ inch wide and as long as you want.

Foil Strips: gift wrap, foil wrapping from candy and chocolate bars also ½ inches wide and as long as you want.

Tapestry Canvas: This you can buy in a craft store and it is quite rigid so you don't need a frame. Try to buy with a weave of 3 holes to an inch.

Carpet Binding Tape: This is used to bind edges and seams on the back of rugs.
Latex Carpet Adhesive: You will need this for the backing of your finished piece. Use in a well ventilated area.

Rug Hook: There are different types of rug hooks which you can find in the same section as your tapestry canvas. Usually it has a wooden handle with a silver or brass hook at the top.
Strong Household Glue: to glue the borders onto the back.

2. Basic Techniques:
Hooking is the most common technique. This is when you use strips of your fabric and pull them through the hole in your canvas. The material can be hooked through and left as a loop pile surface or sheared with scissors to create a cut pile surface. An interesting effect is to combine loop pile and cut pile within one piece to create a sculptural look. When starting your project always leave approximately 2-3 inches of a border, at the end this border will be turned under to create a professional finished look.

Step 1.
Place one hand underneath the canvas and loop a piece of fabric between your thumb and forefinger. With your other hand above the canvas push the hook through the hole. Feed the fabric on to the hook.

Step 2.
Pull the hook back up through the canvas, bringing the end of the strip of fabric through to the top.

Step 3.
Skip one hole in your canvas so the loops don't become too crowded. Push the hook back through the canvas and feed the fabric loop on to the hook as before. Pull the hook back up through the canvas to make a loop approximately ½ inch high. Continue this looping process and bring the ends of fabric through to the top and trim to the same height as the loops.

Step 4.
To create the cut pile look make your loops ¼ inch high and shear across the loops with a pair of good scissors.

Step 5.
Turn over the two inch border and adhere to the back of the canvas with some strong glue. Let dry for a few hours and then apply one or two coats of the latex carpet adhesive over the entire surface. Let dry overnight, and read instructions on back of carpet adhesive for further details.

Once your project is dry you can place your new rag rug anywhere in your house and enjoy it for years to come. The great thing is that these rugs are durable enough to throw in the washing machine after a few months of high traffic.

Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Is is also a venue for artists to display and sell their art . Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited. Please visit the website at http://www.labedzki-art.com

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Its definitely the most reliable tape you'll come across. It sticks on metal, glass, wood, concrete you name it. As if not enough, its resistance to temperature variations is amazing. In fact, whether intense heat or extreme cold it does the trick and good for all weather. Butyl tape is a result of high demand for a product with advanced adhesive quality. Made from a chemical butyl derivative, this tape serves you well in joining and its self adhesive.

Not only is it waterproof but it also prevents corrosion on the applied area. If you like working outdoors, you need not worry as the ultraviolet rays of the sun don't affect it in any way!What more can one ask for? So,if you haven't got one yet, you'll spoil for choice while buying one since it comes in different sizes depending on what you want to use it for. Manufacturers also go an extra mile to ensure you get exactly what you want.Talk about value for money!

It has several home uses which include; water pipes insulation, ventilation systems sealing, flashing, on underground pipes and joints to prevent corrosion and the list goes on. The Butyl tape can be used to seal air vents,chimney areas and sliding doors. It can also be used for seal guttering or on corrugated sheets.

As soldiers are always taught in military schools, it's always good to be ready. You don't wait until disaster strikes and start panicking. Have a roll of the Butyl tape with you always in case anything should happen or visit the Internet where you can get to know more about it.

Peter Gitundu Creates Interesting And Thought Provoking Content on Adhesive Tapes. For More Information, Read More Of His Articles Here ADHESIVE TAPES If You Enjoyed This Article, Make Sure You SUBSCRIBE TO MY RSS FEED!

Minn Kota Trolling Motors

Blackhead medically name is open comedo. Blackheads are caused by partially blocked pores. Blackheads are also caused and worsened by excess topical oils and makeup. The congesting toxins that are being expelled through your skin from the blood and lymph fluid combines with sebum creating a pasty glue. The exposed tip becomes oxidized and black, hence the name - blackheads. Blackheads are the first stage of acne. Acne is a skin condition that causes spots. Most people affected by acne are aged between 12 and 25. These lesions typically develop after puberty, once hormones start surging in the body and skin. Blackheads, also known as open comedones, are follicles that have a wider than normal opening. They are filled with plugs of sebum and sloughed off cells and have undergone a chemical reaction resulting in the oxidation of melanin. Blackheads can also be aggravated if you leave your skin dirty and dead cells accumulate within your open pores. The dead cells plug the pore opening resulting in oil build-up within the pore.

Blackheads occur when the trapped sebum and bacteria partially open to the surface. Blackheads are the slightly different sibling of zits, and like zits, squeezing them can be addictive. Blackheads are very commonly found in the area across your forehead and down your nose and chin. Sebaceous glands on this area of the face are very, very active. However they can also occur on other areas of the face, neck, chest, back, shoulder, even arms – any area that is rich in sebaceous glands. Some people experience blackened pores as a result of serious acne issue. One effective method regarding how to remove blackheads concerns a hot wash cloth. There are several ways to deal with ugly, clogged pores depending on how they present themselves. Use of drugs like benozyl peroxide, accutane, are also helpful in blackhead treatments, but always consult a doctor before using any of the above mentioned drugs. Use of pore strips is probably the most popular one, but this method is also the most harmful one.

Pore strips do remove the blackheads but only temporarily, also it can cause severe damage to the skin in and around the blackheads. Use a method of extraction that is effective, yet gentle to the skin. Cosmetic blackhead removal tape is another tool of choice for many people. Applied to softened pores and then pulled upward, the tape uses an adhesive to tug at the head of the debris and lift it away. Avoid cooked carbohydrates and fats, replace these with fresh fruits, vegetables and raw fats (avocadoes, olives, olive oil etc). Always remove your make up with a cleanser at the end of the day. Keep all your make up brushes and sponges clean. Wash them in mild shampoo once a month and let dry completely before using. Develop a good facial and body skin care routine. Exercise discipline to wash the dirt, grime, oil and cosmetics away from the face and skin. Facial cleansers with salicylic acid will help to remove debris and surface oil that clogs pores.

Remove Blackheads Treatment Tips

1. Wash the skin using a gentle, natural exfoliating product and pat the skin dry.

2. Apply a clay mask, such as bentonite clay or seaweed clay mask.

3. Rinse off with warm water and pat the skin dry.

4. Use creams containing AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Fruit acids) like glyco-creams that will clear away any dead skin cells and "expose" the blackhead.

5. Sunshine or ultra-violet light encourages skin peeling, and so helps to clear blocked pores.

6. Avoid washing the face with soaps more than twice a day. Instead wash your face often with plain water splashes.

7. Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca Oil) has been used with some success, and has been shown to be an effective anti-inflammatory in skin infections.

8. Laser surgery has been in use for some time to reduce the scars left behind by blackheads.

Juliet Cohen is an expert in Skin Disorders. Learn tips on Blackhead Home Remedies and Beauty Tips

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Shown in movies and commercials or seen on the side of roads and at skateparks, skateboarding is a relatively new sport, which has found its way into mainstream American culture. It was once difficult to find or create areas in which to skate, but now cities are full of designated skate areas in order to accommodate skateboarders. Despite the vast amount of skaters and skateboard companies at present, the origins of skateboarding and the invention of the skateboard are shrouded in mystery.

It has been argued the first skateboards arose in the 1930's and 1940's when children would ride soap-box carts attached to rollerskates (or planks on roller skates). Removing the box from the plank would leave a plank on wheels or what could be called a skateboard deck. However, others suggest the skateboard was an adaptation of a dismantled rollerskate-that is, the wheels were removed from a rollerskate and then added to a plank, a move that was influenced by surfers and their desire to recreate the surfing motion on land. Both possible origin theories have been argued in historical texts, magazines, and even on the big screen in documentaries as well as out on the street.

However, we do know the first retail skateboard appeared in 1958 and was marketed by Bill and Mark Richards of Dana Point, California. It was then mass-produced and remodeled in the 1960s. The blank, or deck, was often made in the shape of a surfboard out of solid wood or plastic. Some metal boards were created as well. The wheels were often made out of clay or steel and were less sturdy than today's version of wheels.

Constructed out of 7-ply cross-laminated maple, most decks are stable and can handle daily use and hard-play. However some decks are made out of fiberglass, resin, Kevlar, bamboo, aluminum, or carbon fiber or plastic components as well in order to increase rigidity.

The average size deck is 8 inches wide. Some can be as small as 7 inches and others are up to 10.5 inches. Width depends primarily on style and preference. Street skating usually requires a deck that is 7.5"-8", while wider decks are used for trick skating. The average length of the board is 29-33 inches long. However, longer decks are known as longboards and are quite common. They are much longer and do not have "kicktails," but instead are aerodynamic and intended for street-skating long lengths of road or downhill.

On top of the deck, grip tape is used. It provides the skater the ability to "grip" the deck by creating friction. On one side of the grip tape is an adhesive, which attaches to the deck. On the other side is a sandpaper-like top. While the general feel and shape of a skateboard is quite common, the main difference in boards is located on the bottom of the deck. Decks can range from solid colors and patterns to graffiti-covered art. Styles can include logos, phrasing, cartoon or movie or comic book characters, to original characters and themes such as aliens, music, animals, or skulls and crossbones.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for Web sites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background also includes teaching, gardening, and recreation. For more of her useful articles on skateboards, please visit Skateboard Decks, supplier of information about skateboards.

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It only makes sense that we can preserve at least some of our youthful facial appearance through exercises. We run, go to the gym, perform calisthenics and lift weight to grow bigger muscles in our arms, legs and abdomens -- or at least to keep the muscle we already have.

After some time exercising those muscles, they do get bigger or at least firmer.

We don't want our facial muscles to bulge out like a bodybuilder's biceps, but it'd be nice to keep them firm even as the years pass. And it only stands to reason that firmer facial muscles will make the skin on our faces look firmer.

As time goes by, these muscles lose their natural elasticity. They still react to our facial expression -- frowns or smiles, but this is not enough activity to maintain their youthful control.

When you're young and you squint a few thousand times, the muscles involved naturally return to their original condition and position. However, beginning in your twenties, they start to lose that natural adaptability and squint lines start forming.

So facial exercises may not eliminate all worry wrinkles and frowns, but may help prevent or firm up sagging jowls and chins.

This book is the result of research the author did over thirty years to develop her Designer Exercises. She outlines the facial muscles, and it's interesting to learn there're ten of them, from the forehead to the neck.

Plus, according to the author, these exercises help stimulate the growth of fat cells around the muscles. Although we ordinarily do not want to encourage the growth of fat cells, this case is exception.

Our faces naturally have enough fat cells to make our face look full and vital when we're young. Losing fat cells is part of why our faces look sunken and puffy when we're older.

Most of the book consists of the exercises, divided into sections based on the facial feature. She starts with the lips and lower face because that's the area most affected by premature aging. Plus there are exercises for men and women over the age of 40.

One section is devoted to biofeedback, since many people will at first have trouble isolating small portions of their faces to exercises just those specific muscles. Her point is not to have people buy a regular biofeedback machine, but she cites experiments to show that people can gain greater awareness and control of their bodies, with time and practice. So she is encouraging, because many readers will have trouble at first, but should not give up.

One criticism I have is that she doesn't give an overall program. In notes, she says that since you won't have time to do them all every day, just do some every day. Concentrate on problem areas.

But for many people, their entire face is the problem area. What is the best way to rotate the exercises? Or is there one that will help with all the rest? She doesn't offer any systematic guidance. Just do the ones you have for.

She does suggest the amounts of time to do the exercises and the number of repetitions, and adds that you can do more than this if you feel the need. But it could be weeks before someone realizes that the suggested number of repetitions is not enough for them. They may quit rather than simply increase the number of reps to a high enough number to get the results they want.

It's difficult to write a book that can fit every reader, because everybody's different and so are their faces and facial problems, but more guidance toward formulating your own workout plan would have been helpful.

At the end she includes a chapter on using a tape masque to get rid of wrinkles. That's putting adhesive tape on various sections of your face to pull them together.

I haven't tried that -- I'd feel like a fool putting adhesive tape all over my face. That's just too "metrosexual" for me.

Maybe it works but, as a man, I feel more comfortable with the idea of exercising muscles.

Richard Stooker has a long-time interest in health, diet and fitness subjects. He read Nathan Pritikin and stuffed himself with whole grain spaghetti. He read Dr. Atkins and disrupted his metabolism by eating only protein. He's lost weight on the Zone diet by eating Zone favorable zone bars and balance bars.

Minn Kota Trolling Motors

3M 00021200881909 8981 18mmx55m 3m Filament Tape Review

3M 00021200881909 8981 18mmx55m 3m Filament Tape Feature

• Package Quantity: (1) 60 Yard Roll
• Type: Superior Performance Reinforced Filament Tape
• Color: Clear
• Width (Inch): 3/4
• Width (mm): 55mm
• Length (Yards) (Yards): 60
• Length Meter: 55
• Thickness (mil): 6.0
• Tensile Strength (Pounds): 380
• Tape Number: 8981

3M 00021200881909 8981 18mmx55m 3m Filament Tape Overview

Filament Strapping Pads - Packaging & Shipping Tape Type: Superior Performance Reinforced Filament Tape Color: Clear Width: 3/4, 55 mm Length (Yards): 60 Length Meter: 55 Thickness (mil): 6.0

3M 00021200881909 8981 18mmx55m 3m Filament Tape Specifications

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 08, 2009 23:25:03

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Velcro 3/4-Inch by 15-Feet Fastener Tape, Red Review

my daughter is a teacher and uses this on her bulletin board....it's great because the red matches the background color and she can change the pictures frequently using the velcro instead of push pins.

Velcro 3/4-Inch by 15-Feet Fastener Tape, Red Feature

• Press-on fastener
• For smooth surfaces such as painted wallboard, glass, metal, and most plastics
• 3/4-inches by 15-feet roll
• Sticks to plastic

Velcro 3/4-Inch by 15-Feet Fastener Tape, Red Overview

3/4"W x 15'L, Red Velcro Sticky Back Tape, Reel Package With Built-in Dispensers, Give Your Customers The Flexibility To Buy The Exact Product They Want In The Exact Length They Need, SR .59 Per Foot.

Velcro 3/4-Inch by 15-Feet Fastener Tape, Red Specifications

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Scotch® Performance Masking Tape 2364 (24 Rolls) Review

Scotch® Performance Masking Tape 2364 (24 Rolls) Feature

• Strong, smooth crepe paper masking tape
• Good holding power in temperatures up to 300° F
• Clean removal
• Length (m): 55 Width (mm): 36

Scotch® Performance Masking Tape 2364 (24 Rolls) Overview

Scotch® Performance Masking Tape 2364

Scotch® Performance Masking Tape 2364 (24 Rolls) Specifications

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 06, 2009 14:05:04

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Depending on what kind of golfer you are and how well you want your clubs to match will depend on what kind of assembling equipment you need. Components are manufactured well enough so that even with very basic knowledge and skills, you can build a very nice looking and great performing set of golf clubs that you will be proud to use and show your friends for many years to come.

If you would like to build a set of clubs as inexpensively as possible and as easily as possible, you'll use steel shafts and clubheads that don't require a ferrule. The ferrule is that fancy piece of decorative plastic at the top of the hosel that blends the shape of the hosel into the shaft. Many clubheads have rounded hosels that don't require a ferrule. If the clubhead you desire uses a ferrule, then it's not too much additional work to add it. These instructions will familiarize you with the process so that you can decide whether this is an endeavor worth pursuing or not. If you decide it is for you and you'd like to move forward, get additional instruction from the golf club component company that you use to ensure that you are aware of anything else that they would suggest in addition to these instructions.

Basic Assembly Equipment

1. 2-part 5 minute Epoxy - Mixing surface and mixing stick.

2. Double sided grip tape.

3. Grip solvent - paint thinner works great.

4. Metal tubing cutter (found in hardware stores and used for cutting copper plumbing pipe) It squeezes down on the pipe and has a metal cutting wheel and as you turn it around and around as you tighten it down on the pipe, it eventually cuts the pipe.

5. Measuring tape.

6. Permanent Ink Marker.

7. Acetone (Used to remove any excess epoxy/adhesive - found in a paint store or hardware store)

Optional Equipment

1. Ferrules (pretty plastic finish pieces required for some clubheads)

2. Swing Weight Scale. Opinions about swingweight differ. Some say swingweighting is important while others are unconcerned. The most important part about swingweighting is that your golf clubs match as closely as possible so that they feel the same when you swing them. See notes toward the bottom regarding swingweighting.

3. Loft Lie guage and bender (For very specific golfers who want an exact loft lie angle for each club. Requires a great degree of knowledge to achieve the desired result correctly so that the heads aren't damaged and the loft/lie desired is maintained long term)

Golf Club Equipment.

This is the fun part where you get to select the clubheads, shafts and grips that you want for your very own personalized look.
Sellers of component golf equipment can help you select the right components to match your abilities and desired results. Considerations like:
grip -type (round,ribbed) -material (soft, cord, tour wrap) - core size (56,58,60)
shaft length-flex stiffness-torque-kickpoint etc.

Golf Club Assembly

Most of your time will be and should be spent in "accurately" cutting your shafts to length. Your shafts will have instructions on how to cut them to achieve the correct stiffness which typically means cutting some of the length off of the tip. The tip is the narrow end that fits into the clubhead hosel and the butt end is the wide end where you place the grip. Once the shafts have been cut for stiffness, then you cut length off from the butt end for each individual shafts length.

Cutting the shaft for stiffness

Example (Assuming shaft instructions require you to cut 1 inch off the tip for correct stiffness)

Measure 1 inch from the tip end and make a mark with permanent marker which is easily removed with Acetone. Measure Twice - Cut Once!! Place the tubing cutter over the shaft and tighten the cutter down onto the shaft with the cutter wheel placed exactly on top of the mark where you want the cut. Spin the tubing cutter around until it starts to get loose and if the cutter still hasn't cut through the tubing yet, tighten it down some more until the tubing is completely cut. (Note: During the first few turns of the tubing cutter, make sure that the cutting wheel stays exactly over the mark in the same place during each rotation and doesn't walk or move up or down the shaft inadvertently)

Cutting the shaft to length

Golf club shaft lengths have whats considered to be a standard length. When you purchase clubs from a store already assembled off the shelf, they are in standard lengths. If you are building your own clubs and you feel you need something other than standard length, you can do that easily when you cut the shafts to length. An important consideration for anyone thinking that a longer golf shaft will make it so you can hit the golfball farther. A longer shaft will increase the swing weight of the club and require more strength to swing it. The comparison is if you choke down on your driver, its easier to swing it when its shorter verses holding out on the end at full length. I experimented with this once and added a full inch over standard to my entire set. I did hit it farther by about 10 yards on average through my irons, but it affected my tempo and required much more strength. By around the 15th hole, I often found that I was unable to get the club through the impact area on time and starting slicing the golf ball so I cut the shafts shorter to only 1/4" inch over standard which is where I should be for my specific body dimensions anyway.

Measure and mark all of your shafts before cutting any of them and then lie them out side by side to make sure that they are all in a consistent stair step pattern. A 2 iron is 1/2" shorter than a 1 iron and so on until you get to a 9 iron. The 9 iron through Lob Wedge are all the same length.

Once you're sure you've got the lengths right, make the cuts. It's very helpful to label each shaft accordingly so they can be quickly matched up with the corresponding clubhead.

Adding the clubheads to the shafts

Placing the clubheads on the shafts (without ferrules)
Slide the golf shaft into the hosel and mark the depth on the shaft with a permanent marker that the shaft goes into the hosel so that you will know how far up the shaft to place the epoxy.
Thoroughly mix up some 2-part epoxy. Use a pencil to put a thin layer of epoxy down inside the full length of the clubhead hosel and put a thin layer of epoxy on the golf shaft up to the mark that you just made previously. (You don't want to puddle the epoxy excessively in the hosel as you will be adding additional weight to the clubhead which will make your swingweight different than other clubs that don't have the puddled adhesive in the head.) Lean the club against a wall to set while you do this for the rest of the clubs. Once the 5 minute epoxy has set after atleast 5-10 minutes, use a rag with some acetone to remove any excess epoxy from the shaft and clubhead.

Adding Grips

Place grip tape on the shaft.
Grip tape has adhesive on both sides. Double sided adhesive tape comes in narrow widths and wide widths. Depending on which tape you get determines the easiest way to place the tape on the shaft. The narrower tape may require you to wrap the tape in a spiral circular motion down the shaft. Try to get it spaced evenly so that it doesn't overlap or leave big gaps. If you get the wider tape, you can just place a long strip down the shaft a little longer than the length of the grip, and remove the backing and wrap it around the shaft. Place the grip tape on the shaft so that there is an extra ¼” of tape or so extending out beyond the butt end of the shaft. Squeeze that tape together and push it into the end of the golf shaft to seal the end of the golf shaft and prevent anything from getting into the golf shaft. Once the grip has been slid onto the shaft, any tape that protrudes beyond the grip can be easily trimmed with a razor blade or you can measure how far the grip extends down the shaft in advance and put a mark on the shaft and trim the tape a little shorter than the length of the grip before you put the grip on. As mentioned earlier regarding the diameter of the grip, if you need a little wider grip, you can put an extra wrap or two of tape on the shaft to enlarge the diameter of the grip.

Slide the grip on the shaft.
While covering the little hole in the end of the grip with a finger, put enough grip solvent into the grip so that it can coat all the inside walls of the grip. Put enough in so that while now covering the holes of the grip at both ends with your fingers that you can shake the grip and feel the solvent slosh around in the grip. Carefully dump/pour any excess solvent that is in the grip out over the entire surface of the grip tape on your golf club shaft. Now both the inside of the grip and the exterior surface of the grip tape should be coated with solvent.

Note: the grip solvent prevents the grip tape adhesive from setting up for a short period of time, so you will only have maybe 10 seconds or less to get the grip on and get it aligned before the adhesive sets and the grip cannot be moved any longer.

Now slide the grip onto the shaft. If your grip has grip alignment marks for your hands on the grip or a grip reminder ridge that runs down the backside of the grip, try to make sure the grip goes on as straight as possible in the first place so that you don’t have to twist the grip much once its on the shaft to get it aligned correctly. If you have a shaft vice, aligning the grip will be a little easier at this point however it’s not very hard to align the grip without the vice. Eyeball from the top of the grip down the shaft to make sure the entire grip is aligned with the face of the club.

Let the grips cure overnight before using them.

The first set of clubs you build will give you a sense of pride and satisfaction and you'll thoroughly enjoy using your personalized set of golf clubs on the course. I've built a few sets for myself now and my most recent set is graphite which is a little more difficult and requires more patience but if you want to know more about it, let me know.

Selecting the right golf club shaft.

Selecting the right golf club shaft is by far the most important aspect to consider when purchasing golf club components to build your set. Distance, accuracy and ball flight are all affected by the type of golf shaft that you select.

The most important factor in selecting any golf shaft is the stiffness. Golf Shaft stiffness generically ranges from the most flexible ladies shaft to the least flexible X-Stiff Shaft with Senior, Regular, Firm and Stiff in-between in that order.

Manufacturers use different methods to identify the flex of their shafts. For example, Royal Precision rates their Rifle series shafts from 2.0 to 8.0 offering sixty choices as opposed to the 6 mentioned above. This allows a more precise selection of flex to match the golfer's swing. A consideration to remember is that one manufacturer's "regular" flex rating may not be the same as the next manufacturer's "regular" flex rating.

To determine the flex of a shaft, the shaft's frequency needs to be measured. Frequency is the number of cycles per minute (CPM) or vibrations that the shaft has when the tip end is tweaked while the grip end of the shaft is firmly held at 5.25" from the grip end. A frequency analyzer is used to measure the shaft's CPM rating. A higher CPM measurement means it’s a stiffer shaft.

Usually using a club shaft that is too flexible will cause a tendency to hook the ball while using a shaft that is too stiff will cause a tendency to fade or slice the ball. A golfer wants the most flexible shaft that they can control which would provide the greatest distance.

The most popular materials used in shafts today are steel and graphite. Titanium shafts are available although they are not as popular. Steel and graphite have specific characteristics and advantages. Steel's molecular structure is uniform throughout the shaft. This structure allows manufacturers to produce shafts consistently which is the biggest benefit of steel. Steel shafts are also relatively inexpensive and heavier than graphite. Typical cost of a True Temper Dynamic Gold series steel shaft is $5-6 each with its weight around 125-128 grams and the True Temper TrueLite series can be as light as 89 grams.

Graphite is less consistent than steel due to its complicated manufacturing process. Graphite shafts are significantly lighter than steel typically weighing about 55-60 grams allowing design of longer clubs while maintaining swingweight. Graphite shafts are more expensive than steel ranging from $10-100 per shaft. Graphite is popular for it's vibration dampening, but recent advances in steel shafts such as Sims' Shock Relief, True Temper's Sensicore, and Ping's Cushin have greatly decreased the gap between steel and graphite.

Kick point also known as flex point refers to the specific point on a shaft where the shaft flexes primarily. Shafts are available with low, mid, or high kick points. A shaft designed with a low kick point is generally easier to control and provides a higher ball flight but with less distance and typically appeal to higher handicap golfers. A shaft with a mid kick point provides a combination of power and accuracy with a medium ball flight. A shaft designed with a high kick point usually is more difficult to control and provides a lower ball flight but with more distance which is preferred by lower handicap golfers.

Torque refers to the minor twisting movement of the shaft that occurs at impact. Torque is measured in degrees. The higher the torque rating the more the twist at impact and thus slightly less control of the shot. The lower the torque rating, the less twist at impact and slightly more control of the shot. Graphite shafts usually have a wider range of torque than do steel shafts making torque a larger consideration when purchasing them.

Get educated prior to selecting the most important component of your golf equipment. Assess the benefits of steel vs. graphite with respect to your needs. Kick point and torque are characteristics to be considered although to a lesser degree than flex and shaft material. The best way to get properly fitted for shafts is to receive assistance from an accredited clubmaking company. Try and test as many different flexes as possible prior to making a selection.

A note about club swingweighting

A golf club’s swingweight can be measured using a swingweight scale. Also, if you do a swingweight scale search online (leaderboard.com has one), you can measure the total weight of your club and also see where along the shaft your golf club balances and measure the distance from the grip end of the club to the balance point and input those two sums into the online calculator which will then tell you what your club’s swingweight is.

To describe the feel of swingweight in your hands, the heavier the clubhead feels and the lighter the grip feels, the higher the swingweight. If the clubhead feels light and the grip feels heavier, then it is a lighter swingweight.

Men's clubs are usually swingweighted in the low "D" range. Swingweights measure in letters A-G and numbers 0-10. Women's clubs are usually in the low to mid "C" range. The important thing to remember about swingweight is each golf club within a set should have the same swingweight. If you like a D2 weight, then your entire set should be D2. Swingweight can affect your swing greatly and a club swingweighted too lightly for your physical ability will feel whippy and somewhat uncontrollable while a club that is too heavily swingweighted will feel burdensome and make it difficult to achieve proper tempo.

The weight of a golf club's head, shaft, and grip are all part of determining the club's swingweight. Other equally important factors include the weight and balance point of the shaft and the finished club's length.

One swingweight point is equal to approximately 2 grams in the clubhead. A standard grip (51 grams) accounts for about 9-10 swingweight points at the butt end of the club. If you reduce the weight in the grip end of a club by 4 grams, the resulting swingweight will increase by 1 swingweight point. If you shorten a club by 1/2", the swingweight will decrease by about 3 swingweight points. On the other hand, if you lengthen a club by 1/2" the swingweight will increase by about 3 swingweight points. Another method to increase swingweight is to add lead tape to the clubhead. A 1/2" wide strip of lead tape approximately 4 1/2" long weighs about 2 grams and will add 1 swingweight point to the club. Keep in mind that the club's "total weight" may also be altered while altering the club's swingweight .

If you have access to a set of clubs that feels good for you, you can find out what their swing weight is as a starting point prior to building your own set so you know what combination of grip, clubhead, and shaft to use to achieve the swingweight you desire. Golf club building companies can assist you in choosing the correct combination of components. If you want to alter your swingweight and don't want to do it yourself, a golf club maker can alter your clubs to meet your specific requirements. My site http://www.AGameGolfClubs.com has some great companies as resources.

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