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Any slick tricks for installing Fender sealed tuners on a W neck?

Day-mun

Day-mun

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As the thread title suggests, I am wondering if any of you guys have discovered any nifty little techniques for making the little holes that the Fender sealed tuners' lugs set down into in the back of a Warmoth peghead. Pictured below are the little guide-pin hole things I am talking about:

5118OeULT-L._SL256_.jpg


Any tips that will save me a few F-bombs will be appreciated. Thanks in advance!  :icon_thumright:
 
...replacing the neck on an already somewhat modified MiM Tele with this li'l sweetie:

VMT7665B.jpg
 
Day-mun
I have never installed the two-pin tuners, but I have installed several sets of Schaller one-pin tuners and I would think the same process would work.  StuMac sells a jig for this purpose, but save yourself $40 cuz it's not difficult.

I placed all 6 of the tuning machines in the tuner holes.  Place a straight edge along the flat side of the tuning machines to insure all is straight.  Gently press the individual tuning machine into the headstock so the pins leave a slight dimple in the wood.  When all is straight and dimples have been made, remove tuning machines.  Place a mark with a small punch in the dimples left from the tuning machines.  Put a piece of masking tape on your drill bit to mark how deep you want to drill.  Drill all your holes and install tuners. 

If I can do it, anybody can!
Good luck and  :rock-on:
 
Thanks, Black Dog! I kind of wondered if that would work, but worried that the machine would be canted in the ream, letting the guide pin(s) angle out like a kick-stand, making the dent too far from the ream... Guess it all depends on how tight the fit is.

I will probably give this method a shot, but I am wondering if I should PM Surf n Music; seems I remember him putting the locking variety of these Fender tuners on his Orange Telecaster build. -Wonder how he did his...
 
I usually don't like to tempt fate, so when I install tuners with those blind locator pins I use the little jig StewMac sells. It's kinda pricey for what it is, but I install a lotta tuners so it was easier to justify.
 
Thanks for the link, KG! I may give it more consideration; this jig seems priced a bit steep, but if I goof up the install, it will suddenly seem worth the $40 to have avoided the phchological beating I'll end up giving myself!
 
Thing is, you can mark drill point locations with various methods (templates, careful measuring, part-in-place, etc.) using pencils, pens, awls, punches, the tuner itself, etc., but nothing prevents a bit from wandering like a jig forcing it to stay in place. Wood has a disturbing tendency to be inconsistent in density so no matter how careful you are, the possibility always exists that the bit will follow a grain line or something and move. Plus, the smaller the bit is, the easier it is for that to happen.
 
Day-mun said:
I kind of wondered if that would work, but worried that the machine would be canted in the ream, letting the guide pin(s) angle out like a kick-stand, making the dent too far from the ream...
Click to expand...

Oh yes, that can happen. Done it. Then things don't fit quite right. Must make sure the machine body is parallel to the headstock before making your mark. It can be finicky. I have just recently picked up the Stew-Mac jig that Cagey linked to. I haven't used it yet, but I've got a brand new neck and a set of Schaller/Fender locking tuners lined up and ready when I can get to it.
 
I've got the StuMac Jig.  I bought it for one guitar, but ended up using it for several guitars.

It's worth it IMHO
 
Okay... I think you guys have talked me into it. In a perfect world, Black Dog's technique would work every time, but I ain't him, and Murphy's Law quite often seems to exhibit itself when I try a short-cut, so...
 
Day-mun said:
Murphy's Law quite often seems to exhibit itself when I try a short-cut...
Click to expand...

I need a sign that says that, hanging right over my bench, as a constant reminder...
 
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