In the spirit of Mr Longdrive....

.....I thought I would pose a question,

Have many of you spine aligned your driver/ 3 wood?  Did you notice any difference.....would you recommend it?

I'd be interested to know......I'm guessing that the lower quality (standard oem stuff) could benifit from this more than the high end shafts.......as maybe the high end stuff is more consistant through better manufacturing

All shafts (except the REALLY top end stuff) has a spine in it.  The aligment of this spine can significantly change the flex of the shaft, in some cases enough to move a flex between regular and stiff.  All the serious players (including the long drivers) ensure their shafts are aligned.  The same is the case for steel shafts. 

No shaft is perfectly round or consistent across the cross section.  Composite shafts are made from layers of material and a liquid that before being cured (cooked) has a thick treacle like consistency.  This liquid can be either impregnated into the material during it's manufacture or added as part of the shaft manufacture process.  When the shaft has been built, it is placed into an oven for a set period of time, curing the liquid and causing it to set hard.  Until that liquid sets hard, it behaves like all liquids and starts to run to the lowest point and as the shafts are cured on their side, this results in a spine along the length of the shaft.

To help explain how it makes a difference, take a plastic ruler.  Place it flat on a desk with one end overhanging and hold down the end that is on the desk.  press down and release the free end like you did at school (bet the noise brings back memories!).  Now repeat the exercise, still pressing down, but with the ruler on it's edge.  You will find it hardly moves.  This is the same principle (albeit more extreme) as with  aligning a shaft. 

Look at this way.  You try a driver out on the range and it's sweet as a nut.  Shots are going long and straight.  You decide to buy one and they give you a shiny new one, still wrapped in it's cellophane.  However, despite being the same flex shaft, neither are spine aligned.  How do you know whether the regular you tried out on the range is the same as the regular you have just bought?

sanders, where are you and do you have tea? oh, and if there's a hobnob going spare then that'll be lovely