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Ok...I almost feel dumb asking this question. Well dumber than normal anyway. What is the reason for using the peghead reamer? Are the tuning machines tapered? Is it just a fine-tuning the fit thing?

Just never really knew.

Darrin

Some press fit bushings on vintage style and older tuners are tappered. Most new or modern as it were use straight threaded busings in lue of press bushings. For those a reamer is not needed

Ahhhh. So like the Gotoh tuners...503s and 510s are the straight thread-on type?

Thank you for your quick response. I love this forum.

Darrin

While we are on this topic; which works better: Forstner or brad point bits? I seem to have more tear out than I'd like with Forstners.

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

I find the tapered reamer unbeatable to get the hole back to perfect after finishing. I'd tried everything...sandpaper on a dowel, needle files, you name it.....the reamer was 10X better. (I plug the holes with foam ear plugs but you still have to clean them out. Rich, I use a good brad point...Lee Valley...thing was so sharp I sliced myself just handling it!

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Dave
Milton, ON

If either type of bit is tearing out on exit end then you are not well clamped to a well fitting sacrificial block and as the bit exits the peghead it is pushing the peghead free of the sacrificial block. If clamped to a well fitted block the bit never knows when it leaves the peghead and enters the sacrificial block. Therefore no tear out.

If you get tear out on the entry end then you are hogging the entry or have a bad bit Fostners should quicly score the outer edge of the cut long before the main blades start taking out the inner material and to some degree same with a good brad point. So no reason to ever have tear out on the entry end.

Yes, wise words from Michael about the back block. Like Dave, I prefer the Lee Valley brad points. Awesome bits with outstanding performance and they're machined to exacting standards with very tight tolerances.

For the Schallers and Gotoh's you can use the 10mm bit. For Waverly's you need the 1/4 inch and then the reamer from Stew Mac since they use a press-fit bushing. You can do without it, but it's a pain. You need to drill a very small pilot hole to find the center. Then the larger hole (I forget the size at the moment...11/32 ???) and then you finish off with the 1/4 inch... If you ever install Waverly's, don't even bother going without the reamer... Don't ask me how I know this...

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Alain this is so true I was considering Waverly's in Vintage style but still good Idea to let everyone know the mounting is different and the reamer is required to keep the step concentric