The heal transition and the volute areas need a little more work to get them a tiny bit neater

the volute and heal are gonna be great after final sanding..

More like this?

Heal is almost done, just a small bump I need to remove

Looking good @koendb, your neck is really shaping up!

More like this?

@koendb Yep, exactly like that, nice work. It’s really shaping up now. 👍

@koendb Oh, I didn’t read Matt’s comment before I typed my comment, he used the same joke before me. That doesn’t happen very often. 🤣 @mattbeels 

C’mon @boo, keep up man!

I installed tuners yesterday evening. Gotoh vintage style staggered to be precise.
They look great, but boy are they a pain in the butt to install !

These bushings are 8.30mm and leave little room for error.
I did a couple of tests in mdf using a drill press and that was no big success, I could not get these tuners to line up properly.

The only way to make it work, I found, was to stick a 15cm ruler to the back with double sided tape, line the tuners up against it.
Remove tuners, slightly enlarge the front of the peg holes with a reamer, so the bushing can be pushed in a bit by hand ( just a few mm at a time ),putting back the tuners, make sure they still line up. If one tuner seems to go out of line, use the reamer to correct the peghole  a bit. I did this until I got all bushings in bout half way, repeating the process.
Then I drilled screwholes tuner per tuner, going back to correcting the bushing angle slightly when the tuner is getting out of line.

I used beeswax on both bushings and screws at all times.

After all holes where drilled and tuners where sitting firmly, I removed them all again and enlarged the pegholes a little more with the reamer to make sure I would be able to push them in with quite some force.
Reinstalled the tuners and screws, then I used a 8mm socket and a glue clamp to push the bushings in.

They are not completely in right now maybe half a mm left, but it only requires a final push and wont (hopefully) affect alignment anymore.

@koendb

I could not get these tuners to line up properly

Sounds like you need a CNC router.  I had a similar problem lining up just three a side. I plugged and redrilled 4 of the holes, and two of them twice. I eventually got it close enough by elongating one side of a hole and filling the other side with superglue, then drilling again to make it round.

Sounds like you need a CNC router.

I need a bigger wallet and space to put all these things. 🙂

To be honest, I like this tedious method as it is relaxing and I am training my patience and accuracy at the same time.
I just wasn't expecting this to be so difficult.
And I think it turned out quite ok, there is just a slight imperfection on the two last tuners, they don't line up 100% but it is really minimal.

Sounds like you need a CNC router. 

I think that's just another whole world of questions, rather than an answer

😉

@koendb

Installing vintage style tuners is a pain. The biggest problem are the bushings as there isn’t a standard between manufacturers and getting the right size hole is also annoying as they are always some weirdo 6.24 or whatever and some bushings are tapered, grrrrr. Be warned: forcing them in too much and you’ll crack the headstock! I never did that but have heard the horror stories. Stewmac (of course) have special reamers for this job and as a repairman I have the whole set! $$$ 

Then of course getting them lined up on the back, yee-haa!

It looks like you did a good job though, congrats!

Speaking of Stewmac I notice that you have their cam clamps $$$. When you need more search for them here in Europe. Klemmsia (the original German brand) or Bessy (also German, weird) or whatever brand as it’s a common clamp sold under many different names. 

The biggest problem are the bushings as there isn’t a standard between manufacturers and getting the right size hole is also annoying as they are always some weirdo 6.24 or whatever and some bushings are tapered, grrrrr.

Indeed ! Ill stick to modern ones from now on 😀

Speaking of Stewmac I notice that you have their cam clamps $$$.

Yeah I just have one though, I have all the clamps I need for now. I did not know of the Klemmsia brand when I bought this one clamp ( just to see what this clamp was all about really, ordered it together with some other stuff I actually needed).
Stewmac was the first company I came across when sourcing guitar related tools. In the meanwhile, I found a lot more convenient and cheaper web stores. Stewmac is my last resort in most cases 😎 

Stewmac (of course) have special reamers for this job and as a repairman I have the whole set! $$$ 

Yup I was almost tempted to buy it, but I am not going to, I am not a professional, nor seeking to become one. So buying this does not make any sense for me.

@koendb

Sometimes it’s easier to start jobs like fitting tuners by hand if you haven’t got a jig to line them up, because the more pressure you put on a drill bit the more likely it is to slide with the grain away from the centre. Brad point bits also don’t have a round point which makes super accurate work more difficult. Work the drill bit by hand until it has a defined mark in the wood then go to the machine.

I had the same problems as you when I started and used to get stressed, but after years of repairing factory made instruments I’ve found that some of them are not that accurately made either so I stopped worrying about it.

I usually take before and after pics of repairs now so that if someone complains I can show it was like that from the factory. 

@rocknroller912 Indeed, I used a pilar drill only for the initial holes. But I indeed scored the initial contours of the holes manually ( turning the drill head manually, once I got the brad points exactly where I wanted them). I would measure again when I had a clear recessed area. Only then I would line up the drill again with that recess and very slowly drilled the holes. I knew that this part was done pretty accurately. But still not 100% of course. Reaming the holes for the bushings allowed me to correct that slight imperfection. By doing it manually and really patiently and slow, It went pretty good. I still do prefer modern style tuners though, less finicky 🙂

I usually take before and after pics of repairs now so that if someone complains I can show it was like that from the factory. 

@rocknroller

That’s good pratice. I always look over the guitar with the customer when they drop it off. Checking for obvious problems and making a few adjustments (always the truss rod!) so as to minimize surprises. I dislike having to call them later with bad news although it can’t always be avoided. 

I will photograph certain jobs so the customer can appreciate what goes into it but I also have done it to cover my back.

Ooops, @rocknroller912

See above homie 

https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/tools-by-job/tools-for-nuts-and-saddles/nut-seating-files.html

Use that carefully and the bottom of the nut slot should be flat, and perpendicular to the end of the fretboard.

 

ordered the 1/8" one straight away! thanks @tv101

Arrived!

@koendb I got one of these the other week, it does the trick. 

@boo yeah that is probably a lot cheaper and does the job just as well. I initially though of using my side level file, which has a 45 and a 90 degree angle, but the file is just a bit too thick for a fender nut slot , I can still use it for other types of nuts though!

Where did you get yours from?

Where did you get yours from?

@koendb There are three different sizes. 

https://www.gluedtomusic.com/products/378/hosco-saddle-and-nut-slot-level-files-3-mm/

Ah then the price difference is not as bad as I thought it would have been ( of course, still have to take into account import fees I guess )