Official Luthiers Forum!

I just ordered a set Schaller vintage open-back tuners and see the shafts are 6.0mm (.2362 inches). It is my understanding that the shaft needs to have a snug fit in the headstock so I am wondering if a 1/4 inch hole is too much slop or if it is tight enough? On the other side, will a 3/8 (0.375 Inches) bit have enough tolerance for the 10mm (0.3937 Inches) bushing to be pressed in? I am only asking because I am trying to avoid having to special order metric bits.

I would say the 1/4 is fine .. only 7-8 thou around the post (but a 6mm bit is less tha 10 bucks) .. but you will need something closer for the bushing .. 394 wont go into 375 without some serious fibre crushing, not so say what it will do to the surrounding finsih, which BTW, the typical bushings dont cover very much of - and how would you press it as well ?? .. thats some force required.

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Tony Karol
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"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

But a 25/64" drill (.3906) would work for the bushing.
Craig

I just drill holes for the same tuners 2 days ago. I used a pilot point brad 3/8 bit (bushing hole) and countersank it with my drill press just below bushing depth....then used a 1/4 brad point centering on the brad hole of the 3/8 and finished drilling through.. The 3/8 was a bit tight to press the bushing through a hardwood peghead plate ,so I used a tapered rotary rasp to slightly open the bushing hole through the 1/8 hardwood head plate. I suppose you could slightly taper the bushing hole with a small round hand rasp (danger of not getting it round) or a reamer.
I'm spraying finish at the moment so it will probably be necessary for me to use my rotary rasp to clean the finish out of the bushing hole later.
Kent

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