Drilling Holes For Tuners

[Zentar]

Gibby Nickle Pearloid TunersI stuck Gibby Vintage Nickle Pearloid Tuners on this Casino so I needed to drill bigger holes for them to fit

through the headstock. This was easier than I ever expected. I was able to drill them without a drill press

in fact I distinctly avoided using my drill press in favor of hand held while standing over the headstock I had resting free style on the floor with the body raised to get the headstock level. I wanted the drill bit to settle

down naturally into the existing hole to achieve centering. This worked perfectly. It took me 20 seconds to

drill six hole. I didn't drill all the way through. I drilled from the back side.

 

I used a very heavy duty drill which naturally tends to act like a plum bob. I literally let the big hand drill

hang down from my hands. Gravity did all the work.Anotherwords I literally turned the big drll into a plum bob

itself to get a straight hole.

 

The Gibson Vintage Tuners are a major aesthetic improvement over the OEM Epi cheapo tuners which were the only substandard hardware on the entire guitar.

[Pete B]

Good job m8

[Zentar]

Even though I hated the OEM Epi tuners that I removed there was nothing wrong with them. They work very well.

I just like the Gibby vintage tuners. I got the set a few years ago for $53. Gibson uses them on a lot of les Pauls and other models.

[L5Larry]

...I wanted the drill bit to settle

down naturally into the existing hole to achieve centering. This worked perfectly....I literally let the big hand drill

hang down from my hands. .

 

I'm glad this worked out for you, but had the potential for a major disaster.

 

The proper cutting tool for enlarging a hole in this way is a "ream" or "tapered ream". They come with a "T" handle for hand use, or drill bit style for power drill use. Not expensive, very forgiving, and real handy.

[Zentar]

I'm glad this worked out for you, but had the potential for a major disaster.

 

The proper cutting tool for enlarging a hole in this way is a "ream" or "tapered ream". They come with a "T" handle for hand use, or drill bit style for power drill use. Not expensive, very forgiving, and real handy.

 

Yes I can see how what I did could go wrong but I think it is safer than a drill press. But you are right. All I needed was a 10mm reamer. I also notice that people drill all the way through which is totally unnecessary. You only drill deep enough to let the tuner fit flush into the headstock which is about 2/3 way through. Drilling all the way through removes the wood around the hex bushing so that it floats with no wood supporting it. Drilling 2/3 through leaves wood to support the hex bushing which only needs 8mm.

 

The hole should be 8mm on top and 10mm on bottom. So 1/3 of the length of the hole is 8mm and 2/3 is 10mm. No reaming or drilling is needed for the hex bushing on Gibby Vintage tuners. If you drill all the way through you messed up IMO.

[Whitmore Willy]

..... you are right. All I needed was a 10mm reamer. I also notice that people drill all the way through which is totally unnecessary.

You only drill deep enough to let the tuner fit flush into the headstock which is about 2/3 way through.

Yup....Although I do find a Dremel to be useful when used in conjunction with the reamer.

http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/76854-beater-guitar-part-2/

Give it a minute to load. (it's an old thread)

 

Willy