Boom Regrip
Related Links: Boom Grip,
Materials Needed
Razor knife (snap-off blade kind)
Extra blades 2-4
Contact Cement
Foam brush
Sandpaper Med-Fine or steel wool
Rubber Gloves
Acetone
1-2” wide file or ruler
Regripping a boom is pretty simple. A few
tools and some patience is all you need.
Preparing the Boom
First, the boom needs to be disassembled. Open the adjustment
fittings and remove the tailpiece. Remove the harness lines and
unscrew and remove the front end. It often requires some effort to
get the front end off the arms, but it is removeable. CARBON BOOMS
are often fitted with an all-carbon integrated bar and front end
combination. It is possible to remove the front end from the boom
arm connecting bar, but that bar WILL NOT be removable from the
boom.
Removing the Grip
There are other ways to get the grip off, but are chemical
intensive and won’t be discussed here. The old-fashioned way is
to remove the remaining grip by hand. This is the most time
consuming part of the job.
Using a retractable razor knife, slice and scrape off as much grip
as possible. You are trying to get the surface as clean as
possible. Replace the blade often, once it dulls a little, it
becomes much less effective.
Next, using sand paper or steel wool, remove the remainder of the
old grip and glue material. Wearing gloves, wipe down the boom
arms with acetone to remove the last of the residue, dirt and oils
to promote maximum adhesion.
Applying the Adhesive
Brush a thin but complete coat of contact cement on the boom
arms and the inside of the new grip material, and allow to dry
thoroughly.
Re-Gripping
Proceed slowly and methodically through this next bit. The
grip material, while stretchy, is not very elastic, so if you
stretch it you will deform the material making it very difficult
to obtain a smooth grip. Start the grip at the front of the boom
arm, (where the old grip was)
and work your way towards the tail, adhering about one inch
of material to the boom arm. Return to the front area, and repeat,
slowly you will attach the new grip material to the circumference
of the boom. Take special care in the curved area by the front
end. It is possible to get the grip on without any wrinkles, so
move slowly and it should be all right.
Finishing
So the new grip has been successfully glued to the boom arms,
and there remains a flap of extra grip material. Wrap a file or
stiff ruler with medium to medium-coarse sandpaper and sand along
where the seam will be. Sand slowly and carefully, you want to
remove only enough to get rid of the flap, which will fall off as
you sand through it. Reassemble the boom, not forgetting the harness lines,
and you are done! |
