Bridge Post Holes?

[pabloman]

I have a dead blow hammer and a brass hammer that work extremely well for this. Much better than a framing hammer in my opinion.

 

[mbesp]

haha this hammer stuff almost sounds more scary than attempting the dremel.  So I should just trust warmoth's machines and get the hammers and give it a shot?
If the holes are actually too small what are the chances of a huge crack going through the body?

 

[Cagey]

Nobody here in their right mind is going to tell you what to do or guarantee what you have is correct, or that you'll install it correctly. Manufacturers make mistakes, accidents happen, and some guys could screw up a wet dream. What everyone is telling you is how it goes for them. Take it or leave it, and proceed at your own risk. If you're too nervous about it, bite the bullet and take it somewhere to have it done. If they're smart, they'll be able to tell if anything is wrong before they do anything foolish, and they'll either make compensatory moves or refuse to do the work. In any event, if something goes wrong, then it's on them.

 

[mbesp]

Well if you ordered a body from warmoth and it was predrilled to a specific bridge post size and the posts didn't seem to fit how would you go about figuring out what the situation is?

 

[Cagey]

If was me, I'd measure the diameter of the post holes. I don't know which bridge you're using, but the specifications for the the mounting posts are certainly published and readily available, as well as the recommended hole size. Warmoth will tell you what size hole they drill. I would have a high degree of confidence that they holes they drilled are correct, as that stuff is all done with CNC machines. It's not some guy coming in hung over on a Monday morning who might chuck the wrong bit in his drill motor. It's an automatic machine.

To measure the inside diameter of the hole, the easiest thing to do is put an dial gauge on it.

 

[mbesp]

Ok cool that was kinda what i was thinking.  But then brings up the question how much smaller can the hole be than the post and have it be the correct size or do i just measure and make sure that the hole size is the same as what the specs say it should be?
I suppose if the hole is the correct size and the post is the correct size according to specs it should fit.

 

[Cagey]

The hole is going to be very slightly smaller than the post. It has to be, or the post won't be tight. I don't know how much smaller Warmoth drills them. But, if the post is .375" in diameter, that works out to 3/8". Then next size down would be 23/64" (.359"), then 11/32" (.344"), and so on by 64ths. It's also possible that the posts are called out as being .375" in diameter, but that doesn't include the knurling/flutes, which makes them slightly oversize. If that's the case, then they would drill a .375" hole and depend on the post to insure tightness. In any event, you're not going to just press those posts in by hand. It's going to take more force than that.

 

[mbesp]

Sounds good.  This is my first attempt at something like this so any info is greatly appreciated.

 

[Cagey]

I understand your apprehension. The first time I put inserts in, I was certain I was going to split the body along the grain lines. I mean, I had to wrestle those things in, and I needed weapons to help me. The only reason I continued on was that it was a body that I cared very little about, so if I did destroy it, I wouldn't have to cry myself to sleep.

But, there are people who do that sort of thing fairly frequently. You must have a guitar shop nearby. Even if they charged $20, which would be exorbitant, it would be worth it to let them do it if they'd let you watch, or let you do it with their supervision. It's a 3 minute job. It's not like you're going to eat their day. Have it done, or watch it done, or be watched doing it, but in any event, get those bitches in there or you're dead in the water. Guitars can live without a lot of things, but bridges aren't one of them <grin>

 

[mbesp]

Haha well Cagey I'd like to report that i went and bought one of those slidey ruler things and an 11oz deadfall hammer.  I measured the whole and the posts and they seemed rather close to each other so i thought alright lets smash this shis in.  Hammered it about 3/4 the way with the rubber mallet and then it kinda go stuck, i dont think i bought a solid enough rubber for the size of the posts.  So I happened to have a large Sweetwater catalog which i put on the top of the posts and busted out the metal hammer and knocked em the rest of the way in.

So you really do gotta smack those suckers haha.

Thanks for all the advice guys.

 

[pabloman]

It's about damn time!!! :toothy11: I have already finished one project, screwed up another and started over again. :toothy12: Don't you feel a sense of accomplishment now? Good job!

 

[Cagey]

I'm surprised you made as much progress as you did with a rubber dead-blow. You must have been really taking out some repressed aggression on those poor posts! <grin>

Using a magazine as protection was a good idea, although that may have slowed you down some, too, being so squishy. I keep a box of cut ends from hardwoods that come in handy for cleats, spacers, hammering pillows, etc. They tend to transfer energy without leaving marks better than most things. But, whatever works is great.

So... feel better now? Unless you're contemplating breaking out a body destroyer router, it's all downhill from here.

 

[mbesp]

Yeah i think i was pounding away at it pretty hard with that sucker haha.  I was just so sick of not being able to get them in that it was nice to smack at it a bit haha.

I am feeling much better now.  Should be able to manage the rest of it assuming i don't do anything crazy trying to drill the pickguard holes haha.


Thanks again guys for all the advice.  haha i'll probably find something to mess up and need help with again soon.    Otherwise hopefully soon i'll be able to get some pictures up of this bad boy.

 

[Cagey]

Since this is the "Tips and Tricks" folder, and you're fixin' to do some drilling, I'll pass along something else that's probably been mentioned already but bears repeating.

If you're not using a drill press that's been set up to do what you're intending to do, you need some depth guidance. Otherwise, it's frighteningly easy to drill too deep, sometimes to the point where you come out the other side of a piece when you don't want to. That's not often a problem on guitar bodies, but I'll wager there's more than one story on this board about drilling through headstocks when trying to install tuning machines. To prevent that, they make what they call "drill stops" or "depth gauges"

They're essentially just collars you put on the drill bit and tighten into place using a set screw. Depending on where you tighten them onto the bit, that sets how deep the drill is going to go. They're quite inexpensive - the set pictured above is less than $4 here.

But, you don't have to go that far. $4 is a lot of money, after all. It's almost as much as a six-pack of Budweiser, fer crissakes! <grin>

A simpler, less expensive option is to get some masking tape and just put an indicator on the bit, like this...

See where he put a bit of tape on the bit? Now he knows that when the bit is that deep, he should stop drilling and back out.

Yeah, yeah, I know. That's what she said <grin>

 

[mbesp]

Ah great advice.  I was just on vacation and now i'm getting back and need to work out the drilling.  I was thinking of ways to prevent the over drill and that tape one looks like the way to go.