Official Luthiers Forum!

Greetings,
I know some of you countersink for your Waverly bushings after the finish is on using the StewMac reamer. A couple of questions:
Do you drill the 1/4" holes in the headstock before or after finish.
Have you ever had problems with nitro chipping out?
What RPM do you use for the reamer?

Thanks a Million
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Here is a link to the discussion, though the original post is missing because of Hesh's missing posts. It does, however discuss how it is done. You can also see the comments Grumpy made. He does all of his after finishing, and has had good results. http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=13661&p=191895&hilit=stew+mac+reamer+for+bushings#p191895

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Terry...I drill the holes as well as the counterbore before finishing. I also sometimes need to clean out the counterbore of finish and I use the slowest speed on a drill press. Never had a chipout.

Since I now use FP, there is never a problem with excess finish in the holes.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

After finishing...

Stewmac have discontinued the Waverly Peghead Bushing Reamer.

I went to buy one a couple of weeks ago.

If anyone has one that is surplus to requirements I'd be interested.

Cheers

Bob

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

Bob,

If you don't come up with a used reamer I can make one for you. If anyone else is interested I'll do up a batch.

Louis

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- Louis Freilicher

Oh No! Not another learning experience!

There's not really any functional need for a stepped hole, and I personally prefer a plain bridge pin reamer rather than straight Waverly reamer.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

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It's very important to have a well fitted tuner, please and thank you. Supporting the shaft it's whole length captures the most energy and transfers it to the headstock, which then transfers it to the body via the neck, instead of having it wasted as heat. And yes, it really is audible(unless you have a overbuilt upper bout, in which case, do as you please.......).

Secondly, the fully supported shaft takes most of the stress, making a smoother, MUCH longer lasting tuner.

Sorry to hear they discontinued the item. I'll lock both of mine up right away <bg>

I use the Waverly reamer (glad I snatched one up while they were available...) prior to finishing. I also pad some shellac in the tuner holes with a Q-tip prior to finishing to seal the wood.

After finishing there is usually some finish on the rim of the tuner holes that needs to be sliced off prior to pressing the bushings. I do this with a reamer.

You've got a bearing at the back (the plate), and a bearing at the front (the bushing). If you feel the need for full support along the whole length feel free to fit a brass sleeve in between. I just don't give a 1/4" hole in mahogany that much credit for taking much of the load.

The Waverly reamer is great if you're starting with a 1/4" brad point for a pilot, as it is guided and can't wander like a semi-fluted bridge pin reamer. If you don't have one and they're discontinued, just grab a pin reamer and be done with it. It won't make any difference in the end.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

It won't make any difference in the end.

Like pins won't make a difference, or tight joinery, or saddle fit, or....

So we disagree. Surprise, surprise.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

Thanks all,
I was aware of the previous thread on this discussing use of the stepped reamer after finishing but was not sure if Mario et.al. were drilling the 1/4" holes before or after finishing. Now I know. I've been doing everything before finish and was thinking about a change.
Do you guys always do this operation on a drill press?
Wonder why the reamer was discontinued?
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Wonder why the reamer was discontinued?

It's obviously a custom machined part(and VERY well and accurately machined!![read, high cost/low markup]), and they likely only had X amount made up, and perhaps the sales have slowed such that they didn't feel another "run" of them was justified right now. then again, if everyone freaks out and calls, they'll have it back in stock quick-like, I'm sure <g>

Stew mac has been very fast to respond to ideas/suggestions I gave them/Don. I'm sure they listen to everyone.

I've got a drill bit manufacturer in my area who make these fantastic step drills with a counterbore. I'm betting they could make them without the initial drill and just a 1/4" round there. I've used a couple of them on my cnc project, and they cut extremely well, and they're only costing me $9-15 each. I'm betting they could make a batch of those Stew-Mac waverly reamers cheaply, although they wouldn't be carbide. They're tough though. After a few dozen holes in aluminum, they're still very sharp.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."