My new Wenge/Ebony Strat neck arrives Monday. I'm fitting Schaller M6 Mini tuners and a Graphtech string tree. I've read that Wenge is a very hard wood, so any tips to avoid screw breakages? I've already broken a tuner screw in a regular Maple neck, so I'm kinda hesitant and don't want the same thing to happen with this one.
Drilling Wenge
- Thread starter mystique1
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1. Make certain you're using the correct size bit for the correct size pilot.
2. Test each screw in a scrap piece of wood before putting them in your neck. This does two things-- First, it ensures you have the correct size pilot. Second, if you have a weak/defective screw, it will break in your scrap rather than your wenge neck.
3. Use a small screwdriver. It's easy to over torque the screw heads and break them off if you're using a long shaft driver.
+1 on wax or soap.
2. Test each screw in a scrap piece of wood before putting them in your neck. This does two things-- First, it ensures you have the correct size pilot. Second, if you have a weak/defective screw, it will break in your scrap rather than your wenge neck.
3. Use a small screwdriver. It's easy to over torque the screw heads and break them off if you're using a long shaft driver.
+1 on wax or soap.
DavyDave53
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I just use bees wax.
Cagey
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I use bee's wax, too. Doesn't go rancid, doesn't have any additives in it, doesn't harden up, lubricates well... it's good stuff. Not as easy to find as you might imagine, though. Over about 20 years I've had two chunks of it, and haven't started in on the second one yet. You use so little. But, of all places, JoAnne fabrics has small chunks of it pretty cheap.
It is useful to remember that the screw is an alignment pin only; there is no useful reason to have it be "sturdy" in other dimensions. I've been using alignment=pin tuners lately, but I suspect the next time I install tuners needing "screws" I'll go with bridge saddle pins:
http://www.stratcat.biz/hardware-screws-saddle-height.shtml
With these I'll drill the hole to merely press-fit, and a tiny dab of cyano glue (or Elmers!) Ounce per ounce or measured by cubic inches, there is more heartache associated with those little buggers than with all else. Considering a piece of toothpick would do the same job.... :dontknow:
http://www.stratcat.biz/hardware-screws-saddle-height.shtml
With these I'll drill the hole to merely press-fit, and a tiny dab of cyano glue (or Elmers!) Ounce per ounce or measured by cubic inches, there is more heartache associated with those little buggers than with all else. Considering a piece of toothpick would do the same job.... :dontknow:
Cagey
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StübHead said:
That's true. The screws aren't being used as "fasteners". They're an anti-rotation device, or an anchor, or an alignment pin. Call it what you will. At least with good tuners. On the beer can units from Kluson and copies of those, they're actually fasteners. But, I imagine anyone using those things probably wouldn't care if they're actually tied down securely. Stable, repeatable tuning is not on the list of features. With those, it's all about appearance. "Look! I'm unaware that the state of the art improved over 30 years ago! Pretty cool, eh?"
Cagey
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hannaugh said:
All true. I should stop advocating beeswax, given its difficulty to obtain. Paraffin is also good for potting pickups, should you end up with one that's microphonic. Just don't pour the melted leftovers down the drain unless you're looking to help pay the plumber's daughter's way through college.
But, just so everyone knows, beeswax is nice and soft while paraffin is hard and crumbly. It's easier to get it down in the threads of the screw. Not sure it matters - just saying.
DavyDave53
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In a pinch you can also just scrap the screw threads over a bar of soap. The beeswax does a better job but it's better than nothing.
Jumble Jumble
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I got my beeswax on eBay for cheap. No problem finding it at all (I'm in the UK though).
I like the fact that it's a bit stickier than candle wax - stays on the thread, doesn't crumble up everywhere, but still makes the screw go in dead easy.
I like the fact that it's a bit stickier than candle wax - stays on the thread, doesn't crumble up everywhere, but still makes the screw go in dead easy.
S
swarfrat
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Screws might not be a problem but when I tried to install threaded inserts it started splintering bad. Ruh roh.
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