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Drilling endpin for pickup jack
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=41913		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Freeman [ Tue Nov 12, 2013 11:14 am ]
Post subject:  Drilling endpin for pickup jack
I don't normally install electronics in my guitars but recently a couple of customers have asked for pickups. What is your preferred method of drilling out the tapered end pin hole for a 1/2 inch jack?

- enlarge the hole with a series of twist drills (metal bits, not brad point)? Is the step from 3/8 to 1/2 too much?

- a unibit? I do have one that ends in 1/2"

- a 1/2" Forstner bit - if so how do you start it? Plug the hole with a tapered dowel?

- StewMac's (expensive) reamer?

Any other tricks?
Author:  Glen H [ Tue Nov 12, 2013 11:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
Use a reamer, stew mac's is a good one
Author:  DannyV [ Tue Nov 12, 2013 11:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
Glen H wrote:
Use a reamer, stew mac's is a good one

[:Y:]
Author:  Ron Belanger [ Tue Nov 12, 2013 11:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
DannyV wrote:
Glen H wrote:
Use a reamer, stew mac's is a good one

[:Y:]

[:Y:]
Author:  Freeman [ Tue Nov 12, 2013 11:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
I was afraid you were going to say that. Thanks.
Author:  Ron Belanger [ Tue Nov 12, 2013 12:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
When I've used a regular drill I would start with a 3/8 in and drill with each larger size to 1/2 in. For me it was a matter of keeping the hole centered. But the reamer works great.
Author:  Tai Fu [ Tue Nov 12, 2013 12:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
What I did was make a block with the hole drilled in, and somehow clamp it to the guitar, and use that as a guide to drill the endpin jack hole. It does work however it's really awkward to clamp anything to the tail of a guitar, but I guess you can make a jig that clamps off of the top or the back (also awkward due to the angle, and the thin wood doesn't make a very good clamping surface). However by doing it this way damage is inevitable, it's a matter of whether or not the endpin jack will hide it. Therefore I really recommend Stewmac's expensive reamer. A bonus is you can use it to ream tuner holes to accept Schaller style tuners (from Kluson style tuners).
Author:  meddlingfool [ Tue Nov 12, 2013 12:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
I use a 1/8 to 1/2" step up bit, about 15$ at he hardware store. Try to get a double fluted one. Takes about 2 seconds to get the job done. The bit kind of looks like a 'journey to the centre of the earth' machine....
Author:  johnwalkerwaldsmith [ Tue Nov 12, 2013 12:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
All Parts sells a much cheaper one. Thats what I use.

http://www.allparts.com/LT-0815-000-Tap ... _2069.html
Author:  TRein [ Tue Nov 12, 2013 1:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
meddlingfool wrote:
I use a 1/8 to 1/2" step up bit, about 15$ at he hardware store. Try to get a double fluted one. Takes about 2 seconds to get the job done. The bit kind of looks like a 'journey to the centre of the earth' machine....

Harbor Freight sells a set of 3 step drills for really cheap money. I like to use the step drill up to 7/16" and finish with Stew Mac's reamer, which can cut the proper diameter hole. Most jacks are just shy of 1/2", probably 12mm. The step drill works great and saves having to do the whole job with an expensive reamer.
Author:  Tai Fu [ Tue Nov 12, 2013 1:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
Does that allpart reamer cut properly in wood? I used a reamer that looks like this but it was designed for metal. When I try to ream wood with them the hole would end up jagged and not round because it cuts far too aggressively unless the wood was really hard like ebony. Stewmac reamers are semi fluted so it cuts very round holes even if the wood was as soft as balsa.

A unibit would work for sure, at least get the hole to 1/2" and then you can drill the rest of the way with a normal 1/2" drill bit. The problem is a unibit is almost as expensive as the Stewmac reamer, so unless you already have one I wouldn't go buying a unibit just for this job. Besides you can ream tuner holes with the Stewmac reamer so it's worth it... I just wish they came with a handle to allow turning them by hand.
Author:  Tai Fu [ Tue Nov 12, 2013 8:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
I've enlarged holes with a drill press before, the drill press somehow limits feed rate and so it won't corkscrew but with a hand drill, I've had pretty scary moments with them before. The reamer might be expensive but it works great, and will pay for itself in saved work in terms of fixing damages the first time!
Author:  Stuart Gort [ Tue Nov 12, 2013 9:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
Buy a step drill. Buy a tapered reamer.
Author:  Trevor Gore [ Tue Nov 12, 2013 11:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
1/2" and 12mm stepped (Christmas tree) bits for me.
Author:  David Collins [ Tue Nov 12, 2013 11:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
If you do this professionally or even semi-professionally, people are going to ask for pickup installations again in the future. Just buy the StewMac reamer. Trust me, it's a tool made perfectly for this job, it's actually quite cheap if you look at the prices for professional reamers much less custom ones, and will easily pay for itself in a one or two pickup installation (assuming you're billing at average professional rates).

Just buy it - it's really a no brainier, and you won't regret it.

And I virtually never ream to 1/2". The correct bore for almost all jacks used today is 15/32". If you have a Facebook account you can go here to read why.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 609&type=1
Author:  Freeman [ Wed Nov 13, 2013 12:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
Thanks to everyone - I've ordered the SM reamer. When I told my customer (with his brand new HD-28) that he would have to wait a week he said "thank you, that's what I hoped you would say".
Author:  Ron Belanger [ Thu Nov 14, 2013 1:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
Filippo Morelli wrote:
Step drill is cheap. And you don't need high end stuff to drill wood. After splitting a guitar, 12" down each side (the block takes the side with it) I would not take the chance of corkscrewing a drill bit again.

Filippo

Thanks for the info Filippo. Fortunately that hasn't happened to me and I will not use the drill bit method again. [:Y:]
Author:  Colin North [ Thu Nov 14, 2013 4:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
Filippo Morelli wrote:
Step drill is cheap. And you don't need high end stuff to drill wood. After splitting a guitar, 12" down each side (the block takes the side with it) I would not take the chance of corkscrewing a drill bit again.

Filippo

Don't suppose there's any chance of a repair thread on that? eek
Author:  Mike Baker [ Thu Nov 14, 2013 4:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Drilling endpin for pickup jack
I don't have a step drill or a reamer. What I have done in the past is to lightly glue a dowel flush into the end pin hole, let it dry, and then use a brad point bit to drill the hole. If you drill through the center of the dowel the drill will remove all of it, and it avoids the problem of using an oversized twist drill in an undersized hole; namely, the bit grabbing, tearing out, etc. A wooden endpin trimmed flush works even better, as it is tapered to fit the hole.
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