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This is probably not news to a lot of you out there, but I've found something to make my builds just a little easier and I thought I would pass it along. In the past, I have always used a drill press to clean out the finish in the post holes after the finish has cured. I just used the same bits that were used initially to create the post holes and bushing counterbore.
This always left me more than a little nervous, knowing that things can happen fast with this approach.
Well today I saw an old drill press chuck in one of my drawers and thought, Hmmmm?
I simply locked the same bits in the chuck and proceeded to clean out the post holes by hand twisting the chuck. It worked like a charm and I felt so much more in control and comfortable.
Give it a try if your not completely happy with what you are doing now.

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Formerly know as Mandodiddle.

I use an Exacto knife.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

I use a reamer.

Dave

Bill, that's just what I use and do. Good use of a discarded chuck.

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Peter Havriluk

If you can, put a very tiny chamfer on both faces before cleaning up the holes -- this will prevent possible chipping of the finish. I also clean up the holes by hand -- with either a reamer or drill bit.

Chucked reamer in a drill press, with some clean-up by hand if needed for bigger lumps of filler or finish. It can be easier to start the clean-out from the back side, as a chamfer is unlikely to cause any issues there. Once that back-side hole is established, the usual scrap ply alignment jig can be used to ream from the face side of the peghead (3/4" plywood with correct diameter hole to take reamer clamped in correct position on drill press table, and a matched diameter dowel stub to force alignment from the rear face of the peghead).

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For the times they are a changin'

- Bob Dylan

Reamer, hand held

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

After going through trying to clean them out I found it's better if you just pack the holes with little pieces of that flexible foam padding like protects TV screens inside boxes, before you spray.

Lacquer will melt that stuff instantly.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

I love it when you get those... Hmmmmm moments.

I like to simply use a reamer too but great idea on that there. I have also found when using drill bits for such things that starting them backwards first sort of chamfers the edge for when you go forward with the cutting action.

I put a short wood dowel in the tuner hole. I wax it first and flush it top and bottom. Simply press out after finishing and reuse for the next one. Never had any finish issues.

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Brad Hall
Mystic Dawg Guitars

I do the same thing but I use balsa dowels slightly bigger than the holes. They are easily forced in as the balsa crushes to make a perfect fit. Also very easy to sand flush and to poke out after finishing.

Been using foam earplugs from the local drug store (buy 1 get 1 free). They have a coating on them so I haven't encountered the problem with lacquer that Chris mentioned. Still use a reamer to dress the edge but not enough to chip the finish.