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bridge pin fitting questions
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Author:  canegri [ Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:03 pm ]
Post subject:  bridge pin fitting questions

So I bought a 3 deg reamer from Grizzly which wouldn't cut no matter how much I spun it in the hole. They sent me a 2nd one which is the same, and .5mm narrower at the top of the taper.

I've been working on this first guitar for a looooooong time and I'm so ready to play it -- gaah

Is there any real downside to following Cumpiano's option of just drilling a 7/32 hole and being done with it?

Tanks,
Chris

Author:  Tai Fu [ Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: bridge pin fitting questions

Go to http://www.use-enco.com , get some "taper pin reamer" and get either size 2 or 3... I used them they work great and they're only like 10 bucks each.

Author:  David Collins [ Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: bridge pin fitting questions

canegri wrote:
Is there any real downside to following Cumpiano's option of just drilling a 7/32 hole and being done with it?



Yes. All due respect to Cumpiano, that's a really, really bad idea. I'm quite surprised any experienced luthier would ever suggest such a thing. You would be sentencing your bridge plate to a much earlier death than they would normally suffer.

You get what you pay for in tools like this. Make sure your reamer matches your pin taper. If you get a machinist reamer with some sort of Morse taper, you'll have to do the math to make sure it's the right taper. Personally, I feel StewMac's reamers are the best out there for this job. They may cost an extra $20, but the semi-fluted design allows great control and a very smooth, chatter-free cut.

Author:  Howard Klepper [ Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: bridge pin fitting questions

I have that Grizzly reamer, and I would say it's usable. Just barely, but it does work. Should do the trick if you are an occasional builder.

Author:  LiquidGabe [ Tue Feb 17, 2009 10:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: bridge pin fitting questions

The Grizzly reamer I got is too narrow for the pins I also got from them. I won't be buying guitar specific stuff from them in the future.

I was thinking of grinding a jigsaw blade to the right taper and using it as a scraper.

Then again, I've yet to regret spending the dough for any tool I've bought from Stew Mac.

Author:  Darrin D Oilar [ Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: bridge pin fitting questions

As a self professed cheapskate, I made the bridge pin reamer one of the few guitar specific tools that I spent the big money on. I bought StewMac's and it is top notch. I've managed to figure out ways to make some of the other tools buying just the critical pieces that are often sold as replacement pieces. This was one that I felt was critical to get right.

I will be taking very good care of it as it is a spendy lil sucker.

Darrin

Author:  Arnt Rian [ Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: bridge pin fitting questions

I also really like my Stewmac reamers. I got an inexpensive unhandled one from LMI first, but it cuts very poorly and was no fun to use. If you think the Stewmac reamers are expensive, check out the prices on some quality violin or cello reamers… My best reamer is a tin coated spiral 1/30 taper violin peg reamer, it cuts even cleaner than the Stewmac ones. The Stewmac ones are more than adequate for the job, though, so get it and be done with it. Simply drilling is not a good idea.

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