steveg

There is SO MUCH I could say here. I really want to do an interactive YouTube livestream... Your middle paragraph above is PARTIALLY true, but not entirely... I need to ponder how to collect my thoughts and communicate them. Is doing a YouTube livestream (if you have a channel already) a hard thing to set up/accomplish? Steve

It often doesn't stop me, either, Chase...but I know I annoy people and don't like to do that. I just had someone on one of the forums yesterday, after I posted a reply to what he posted, say "we said the same thing, I just didn't take 300 words to do it like you did..." Ouch! 🙂 Steve

Maybe someone could tell me how to do a YouTube livestream...and then anyone who wanted could tune in...LOL... Steve

There is so much I could say, about Ferrous Limits, and target trace, and what should be understood (in the background) about what is going on, in terms of FE and CO, and how that relates to limits, and how we should thus be setting up the machine, and using Ferrous Limits properly, to our advantage, IN LIGHT OF that understanding... But, I don't know how to say things succinctly, and I know people don't like reading "War and Peace" in forum posts. And if I tried to type out my thoughts, I know that a tome like "War and Peace" would emerge! So, not sure how to help here... If I knew someone who was good at doing videos, and could edit/upload etc., I'd do a video and put it out there. I feel like I have things in my head (much of it carried over from FBS) that could really help here, but don't know of a good way to get it out there and not have 99% of people ignore it due to length (i.e. the tl;dr thing), and how many of the 1% who would try, would then have their eyes glaze over! Steve

Brad, THANK YOU for your comments, and THANKS for noticing a couple of small details that I thought were important, but maybe not so much that it required a bunch of fanfare. I just hoped that folks would notice the details, and appreciate them. The "recessed" position of the remote-control mount (that allows for easier access to the buttons on the remote) was important to me to accomplish, from an ergonomic perspective, and you noticed it! Kudos to you! Same thing with the screw-on mount. I did it for exactly the reason you noted (and for some other "antenna wire inside the shaft" ideas that I won't get into right now). I'm glad these small details matter to some, and I'm SO glad that you are pleased with the shaft and scoop handle. I know it was a LONG wait for you, since we started with the scoop handle part of your order WAY, WAY back in the early fall, I think; I appreciate your patience with me. Thanks! Steve

GKman -- I can custom-build the shaft to different lengths, no problem at all. I'm happy to work with you to get the section lengths exactly what you want them to be, no problem at all. Steve

F350 -- Yep, that's exactly right. When you say "get it to float" at a longer length, that's exactly what you are noticing, maybe without knowing it. You are sensing the improved balance. Exactly right. Thank you for all of the terrific things you've had to say about the shaft. I LOVE happy customers, as I makes me feel I've done my job well. Thanks! Steve

Dan, I am so glad to hear that the shaft is performing for you the way it should, and that you are pleased. EXCELLENT point, about the cam locks. Those are adjustable FOR A REASON. USE THAT ADJUSTMENT, folks! Fine-tune the clamping tension to where you like it, but in most cases, you should adjust it so that when clamping the lever closed to lock it down, you should hit a point in the rotation where you have to apply a bit of force to push that lever closed. RIGHT AFTER you pass that point, the amount of pressure needed to finish clamping the lock closed diminishes just a bit. But you should set it to where right at that one point, it takes a decent amount of pressure. When you have it fine-tuned in that way, then -- like Dan said -- your sections are LOCKED and WILL NOT MOVE. Meanwhile, I'll work on that "shaft digging the targets" part! 😉 Thanks, Dan! Steve

steelheader -- I am SO GLAD you are pleased with the custom rig! I'm really glad I was able to meet your need, and that it pleases you the way it turned out! Thank you! Steve

Guys and gals -- One thing to keep in mind. I weighed my shaft, and it came in at 16.61 oz. I think that's VERY close to the regular stock XP shaft, if not mistaken. BUT -- and this is a BIG BUT -- the weight is redistributed. In other words, it won't FEEL heavier to swing and SHOULD feel LIGHTER, if you are comparing apples to apples, coil-wise. REASON BEING -- the D2 arm cuff weighs about 2 oz. Mine weighs about 5 oz. SO, what I did was essentially kept the overall shaft weight the same, but moved 3 oz. (nearly 1/4 of the shaft's total weight) to the very butt end of the shaft. So, this means you have a much better-balanced (less nose-heavy) and thus more comfortable shaft. Keep in mind, it's not ALL about absolute weight. BALANCE matters... Steve

Thanks for the pic and sharing the point about running the wire inside; glad the fish-through wasn't tough... Thanks! Steve

F350 -- so glad to hear that you are pleased! Thanks for the kind words, and thank you also, MFF18B! Very much appreciated! Steve

mudwhale Wow! THANK YOU for the incredibly kind words! I wish you and your family a wonderful Holiday as well! Steve

Skate, Wish my cam locks would fit your shaft. CPT -- remind me of your email address... Carolina, I am on vacation, so do not have much time to give a thorough response. But -- in short -- I have a solution for that. I DO NOT LIKE Deus's design where they use that "plug" or "peg" that fits through the coil ear. My design allows you to use that plug, as is -- just as you do with the stock shaft. The only "washer" in include on that side of the lower rod "clevis," sits" flush inside the rounded "cavity" that surrounds the bolt hole. BUT -- my THINKING there is that some folks will want to dump that "plug" design in the future, and use an actual washer on that "right-hand" side of the clevis, INSTEAD of the plug that goes through the coil ear. And so, I've designed it such that just by using a thicker washer, we can achieve that. You'd simply sand your plug to the thickness of the coil ear, and then insert it into the coil ear (i.e. it would be "flush" with the coil ear, and its only purpose would be to make the coil ear hole "round," to properly accommodate the coil bolt). Then, by using a proper-thickness washer (4mm, if I recall, but I can double check), you could forego using Deus's "system," and use a standard 2-washer system. Again, no time to elaborate now, but I have a fix for this, for those who find it a problem. THANKS ALL -- sorry for those I've not responded to (vacation). Steve

Bob, Yes, I'll offer additional lower rods, soon, and yes -- the cuff will fit my other shafts. It's a nice cuff, and I figure some may want one for different shafts. Thanks! Steve

LOL! Thanks, martygene!

Carolina, I do have two washers installed, but only the one one the left side serves a purpose, as far as contacting the coil ear. The one the right sits "flush" with the face of the clevis -- i.e. all it does is fill the round "washer cavity" in the clevis. Technically, you don't even need it, but I figure it would keep some sand, etc., out. Plus, it gives you an extra washer, to use on the other side, once the other one wears down a bit. Anyway, on the right-hand side of the clevis, the contact between the coil ear and the clevis is made by that Deus "plug." IN other words, it works the same way your Deus lower works. Make sense? Steve

Yes, sir -- it is certainly possible; I have many overseas customers, although shipping and VAT/import duties make it more expensive... But I'd be glad to have you as a customer, and thnk you for the kind words! Steve

The final shipment of parts arrived today -- the mounts and middle-shaft tubes. I had assembled several shafts over the weekend, with what parts I had available, and was waiting for the shipment today. Once it arrived, and I inspected everything, I'm happy to announce that everything is a "GO" for the first production run of 32 shafts. I assembled one shaft entirely; with two caveats in mind -- 1). that my shafts are longer than the stock shaft (and thus a tad heavier than they would otherwise be), and 2). 1 that I've redistributed 20% of the shaft's weight to the "back end" of the shaft (in the arm cuff), making it a better-BALANCED shaft than the stock offering, the shaft STILL compares favorably with the stock XP shaft, weighing in at 16.61 ounces (471 grams). I'd also like to note that custom lengths ARE possible, which -- if you don't need the extra length -- can reduce weight slightly. And please keep in mind that if "balance" is an issue for you with the machine (especially with one of the larger coils attached increasing the nose-heaviness), I CAN make these shafts counterweight-ready (so that anyone who feels they may need it, can utilize my counterweighting system that has been extremely popular with Equinox users). I expect to be shipping shafts to customers over the latter half of the week, so the wait is nearly over! Here are some pictures; thanks to everyone for your patience through this long process! Thanks! Steve

midalake -- thanks for the info. Darn...

Sandheron -- OK, got it. Thanks for clarifying. SO, there would then be two different lower rods on an otherwise "identical" shaft setup -- one lower for the Manticore, and one for the Equinox. Interesting. Steve

Yes, EXCEPT, it seems that the 700/900 coils' "attachment point" will utilize the NEW style of lower rod (like the Manticore uses), whereas the old coils will obviously still need the OLD style of lower rod... Steve

Wow, phrunt! You are exactly right. That is, well, "odd..." Steve

Certainly tempting, Cal, but with a perfectly operable 600 and 800 in my "stable," it's hard to justify buying a new 900, just to use as a backup. Decisions, decisions! Steve

midalake -- so, I have it on good authority that there's enough coil cable length to offer a longer shaft (at least a few inches). And yes, extending the upper instead of a "tall-man" lower rod is another option, but the big "if" is how that plastic "rail" for the arm cuff is attached to the upper shaft. If it is somehow clamped on or screwed on, to where it can simply be removed from one carbon tube, and installed onto another, then making an upper shaft would be much easier; if it's EPOXIED on, then that means I'd have to "clone" that part, and have an injection mold made for it. IF that's the case, the least expensive option (avoiding an upper shaft "arm cuff rail" mold, or a lower shaft "yoke" mold) might be to make an extended MIDDLE shaft section... Bottom line, I need to get mine "in hand," and study it, to see if there's anything reasonable I can do with it. It looks like, from first glance, to be a very nice shaft (based on pictures/videos). There may not be alot to "improve" on; the main things I could offer it would seem (after sizeable investment in injection molds) would be a colored shaft option (for those interested in color), a two-piece shaft instead of a 3-piece to lighten it up a bit more (for those who may prefer a two-piece), and then of course the option for customized lengths (i.e. longer shafts, for tall users like yourself). I'll be looking at it, for sure, to see what's possible... Steve