Official Luthiers Forum!

In the past, I've just left the holes open and then "redrilled" them to clean out any finish that dripped in. This redrilling operation is a hassle and I'd like to mask off the holes in some way. Does anybody do this? I suppose that I could drill the holes after finishing but it's too late for my current instrument. Any suggestions?

I've never known anyone to do this - seems like plugging would be a hole lot more hassle than simply reaming them out after finishing. The key word though is ream - not drill. If you decide to pre-drill holes before finishing, it shouldn't take more than a few seconds with a reamer to clean them out.

And yes, pun/typo intended.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

Mike a couple options that have worked for me:
1) drill the peg hole 1/64" larger than 3/8" (i.e. 25/64"); or
2) plug the peg hole with disposable foam ear plugs; or
3) tightly pack the peg hole with paper towel.

Yep form-able foam ear plugs or the swimmers gel ones are even better but much much more expensive ( 3 dollars a hole but reusable with waterborne. not so reusable with nitro)

I just mark the tuner sites with a drilling of 1/16"" then after finishing I drill them with 3/8" or 10mm brad bit.

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

Ditto on foam earplugs (easily removable, no "fibers" etc.), then ream.

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Dave
Milton, ON