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Planetary gear tuner installation drill bit

The instruction of Brian Burns, the distributor for the planetary gear tuner pegs, states a U-size Drill is required to drill the peghead for a 9 mm tuning peg. Some effort and finesse is required to cut a clean hole with a regular drill bit. I have a qoute for a U-size Brade Point, Fishtail Jobber length Drill Bit that cuts a clean entry and exit hole. The minimum quantity is a pac of six. I only need one. If you are interested in one or more of the other five, we can make a group buy. I can deliver a bit for $12.00 plus $4.00 shipping and handeling. Apply at email: J2guitar@aol.com. The first five will be accepted unless another six apply. Offer expires 9-15-2009. USA Lower 48 states only.

A U drill is.368,9mm is.3543,and 23/64 is.3594. Not sure if this is any help.But the 23/64 is closer to 9mm then the U drill. Not sure if I'm getting the drift of your question other then acquisition of a U drill.

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

I am using the installation instructions of Brian Burns, the distributor and installation expert for planetary gear tuner pegs. He calls for a U-size drill for 9 mm pegs. I am looking for luthiers, who are installing 9 mm Planetary gear tuners, who might want to buy a drill on a group buy to handle the minimum quantity of a six-pac. This is not a question, it is an offer.

Carry on old friend. Thought I was trying to be helpful. Guess not.

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

If you are using other than a bradpoint , what you do so you can save yourself tear out is drill a pilot hole , then drill half way through and come back from the other side. Also why not actually measure the tuner? A U drill bit is a letter drill used in the tooling trade ( I am a toolmaker). If it is a metric there is a difference between 9mm and U. The above post is giving you good advice. The U will give you more slop. Most of us have drill sets in brad point and regular bits. The 23/64 is a standard tuner size for most tuners today. Planetaries are not new and have been around a while. They work for me . I use them on banjos. I like a tighter fit on my tuner. It needs to be tight enough so it isn't sloppy in the hole and not so tight that you have to force it. I would advice that you buy a reamer , that way you can size the hole to exact fit.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Thanks for the tips. If I cannot get the U-Drill Brad Point, I may try one of the tips offered. However, this post was never about completing the task of drilling a clean hole in the peghead. It is about drilling a clean hole effortlessly and conveniently. The 9 mm Planetary Gear Tuning Peg meassures .3604" or 9.150 mm, thus the U-drill will yield a hole with .0076" clearance. This falls in the free fit category. I drilled a hole in some scrap with a U-size drill after pre-drilling with a 23/64 brad point. The hole is a good fit for the 9 mm tuner. Brian Burns the tuner distributor has tested this size and states it is the best choice. I have known Brian for several years and he can best be described as the most particular, perfectionist, left-brain flamingo guitar builder on the planet. When he says U-size drill is best, I believe him.

For the connivance of a Brad Point Fishtail drill in drilling the peghead, I think $12.00 Plus $4.00 shipping and handling is a bargain.They cut a clean hole in and out. Apply to J2guitar@aol.com for your drill bit. They come in pac of six, so a group buy is necessary.

I drilled a 23/64 hole in Honduras Mahogany and it produced an interference force fit on the 9 mm planetary gear tuner. Brian Burns has included a U-size alignment pin in his installation kit. It would be counterproductive to use any drill size other than a U-size drill. You can find more information on the Planetary Gear Tuning Pegs at http://lessonsinlutherie.com/mailer_page_01.html

The offer to get in on a group buy for a U-size Brad Point Fishtail Drill Is good until 9-15-2009.
Apply at J2guitar@aol.com. Cost is $12.00 each plus 4.00 shipping and handling. The drills come in a six pac so I will break up the set and ship individual drills so don't be left out, apply today.