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I broke the point off of my 13/32 brad point bit. This is the bit I've used for drilling tuner holes. LMI says that you can use 3/8ths but StewMac says you need 10mm for the same tuners. This is for the standard schaller or Gotoh sealed tuners. Which size drill do you all use. I've heard that Waverly is supposed to be very sensitive to the hole diameter. Are sealed tuners as sensitive? I've ordered a 10mm bit and that is what I intend to use but I'm curious as to how critical this particular dimension is.

I use Gotoh 510 machines. I drill with a 3/8 bit and then I ream it out with a cello reamer which I got from lmi. There may be a better way of doing it but this has worked for me. You just want to be careful not to ream any more then you need to. I don't know how sensitive they are. You just don't want a big sloppy hole.

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
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House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
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Yeah, if you use a 3/8" bit, you'll need a reamer--unless your drill or bit has enough runout to compensate. It's probably the only time a sloppy tool can work to your benefit!

Carlton

I just recently bought a 10 mm drill bit, before that I did the same as above. I also just recently bought the little stepped drill from SM for drilling the bushing hole for the Waverly/Gotoh open tuners. I've used it once and it works great.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

I use a 10mm bit. They're Euro and Asian tuners, respectively, so 10mm seems the wise thing to do. How hard are they to find over there? Here, a good quality 10mm bit runs maybe 5-7 dollars, ish. I keep (idiotically) messing them up for DIY purposes, so I've got one nice one (reserved for tuner holes) and about 3 slightly messed up ones, that would do just fine, but don't quite has as sharp brads anymore. I don't think these tuners are quite as critical as waverlies, overall, although post-finishing, it's a snug fit after removing a tiny bit of finish first. Snug is good, in my book.

brad point bits can be sharpened with a file and stone.

You can also chuck it up, turn on the drill press and use a dremel with a grinding wheel in it to refashion a point on the bit.

You will need to sharpen the new edges, but it works ok in a pinch.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Mike, I've used both 3/8" and now 10mm brad point bits. The fact is while finishing "gunk" will get in there and will need reaming out to clean it anyways, at least in my expierience. I like the 10mm a better overall since the 3/8" is a little small from the get go and when reaming out will tend to make the tuner hole thicker in the middle and wider near the outsides due to the taper of the reamer.

Mike,

I just went through this same ordeal. I ended up with a 10mm bit from LMI and it worked perfectly with the classical drilling jig. The tuners (Schallers) went in snug but precisely.

Hope this helps,

Steve Brown

Use the 10mm bit. I think you can get them at woodcraft but I got mine at Woodworkers W/H when they were in business. Made in Germany.

As I said earlier, I ordered a 10mm bit and will use that. I'll just have to wait a few days until it arrives. As for fixing the bit, It is not an issue of sharpening the tip, it is more that the tip is completely gone. I'd have to grind away 1/4 inch of bit and fashion a whole new tip. That's more work than I want to put into a $5.00 bit.

I think I used 3/8 on my first instrument and did the reamer thing. On subequent instruments, I used 13/32 which worked OK. I am curious as to how sensitive these tuners are to hole size.

FYI, Woodcraft is currently having a special on a set of metric brad point bits. $15 for a set of 7 4,5,6,7,8,10,12 mm

I understand, but with a dremel and a grinding wheel it really only takes about 60 seconds in the drill press, and another minute or so to file a new edge on the bit.

Again, it is not the world's best quality, but it works well and it is better than shelving your project while you are waiting on the mail to come....   


Also.... something to note.... Pen turners use 10mm bits for cigar pens. I will bet nearly every wood workers store will have them. You may have to look in their pen supplies though. That has happened to me before @ Woodcraft. They told me that they were "out" and I went over and picked one up off the shelf that was marked as a "cigar pen bit" or something like that.

Brock Poling38499.3922106481

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com