How deep dare I drill?

[JonatanOTG]

I decided not to put this in the "Questions-too-stupid-to-deserve-their-own-thread" thread since there might be some other newbie who wants to know about this. You never know...

- When I drill in the body, how deep can I go? I'm especially thinking about drilling in the pickup cavities but let's say the body in general.
How much wood, at least, has to be left so it won't risk breaking? (I mean, splitting the wood)

A relevant guess will do, I just want to know if we're talking 2mm, 5cm, 3dm etc...  :icon_thumright:

 

[Updown]

- When I drill in the body, how deep can I go?
I'm especially thinking about drilling in the pickup cavities but let's say the body in general.
I just want to know if we're talking 2mm, 5cm, 3dm etc... 

Ummmmm … so you don't go though the body, would be the obvious answer.  :icon_biggrin:

Depends on the screw size /  length, thickness of the body.
If you need to cut down the screws, do that.

Measure twice, drill once.
Measure twice, drill once.
Use wax.
Measure twice, drill once.

BTW  :icon_scratch:  …. 5cm and you are well and truly right though the body. That =  2'' ….  :doh:

Suppose that's OK if your building something like me, with Worm-Holes  :laughing7:

 

[Cagey]

Of course, you don't want to drill through the thing. But, assuming you can keep from doing that, if you want to worry about splitting the wood then you need to pay attention to the diameter of the hole. If it's too small, running a screw in will create too much pressure. Too large, and the screw won't grip well.

I don't know of any screws in a guitar body large enough to split it. The more likely event will be the screw gets too tight and you either twist its little head off or strip the driver slot(s). Either situation can be a real pain in the shorts to rectify.

There are a couple charts here for selecting bit sizes for wood screws going into soft or hard woods.

Also, once you've decided how deep you want to go, it's a good idea to mark the bit with a piece of masking tape or something, so you have a visible reference point outside the hole to tell you how deep you've gone.

 

[JonatanOTG]

Ummmmm … so you don't go though the body, would be the obvious answer.  :icon_biggrin:

Depends on the screw size /  length, thickness of the body.
If you need to cut down the screws, do that.

Measure twice, drill once.
Measure twice, drill once.
Use wax.
Measure twice, drill once.

BTW  :icon_scratch:  …. 5cm and you are well and truly right though the body. That =  2'' ….  :doh:

Suppose that's OK if your building something like me, with Worm-Holes  :laughing7:

I know 5cm is too much...  :doh:  Seems your answer is <5cm then  :icon_thumright:

Worm-holes... I'd like to see that! Like Bumblefoots cheese-guitar then?  :icon_jokercolor:

 

[JonatanOTG]

Of course, you don't want to drill through the thing. But, assuming you can keep from doing that, if you want to worry about splitting the wood then you need to pay attention to the diameter of the hole. If it's too small, running a screw in will create too much pressure. Too large, and the screw won't grip well.

I don't know of any screws in a guitar body large enough to split it. The more likely event will be the screw gets too tight and you either twist its little head off or strip the driver slot(s). Either situation can be a real pain in the shorts to rectify.

There are a couple charts here for selecting bit sizes for wood screws going into soft or hard woods.

Also, once you've decided how deep you want to go, it's a good idea to mark the bit with a piece of masking tape or something, so you have a visible reference point outside the hole to tell you how deep you've gone.

That pretty much sums it up.

Masking tape of course, I will use that. But there's almost no risk of splitting the wood then, thats what I wanted to know.  :icon_thumright:

 

[Updown]

But there's almost no risk of splitting the wood then, thats what I wanted to know. 

Not with a drill  :icon_thumright: ....... maybe an axe would split it  :icon_biggrin:

Worm-holes... I'd like to see that!

No problem at all  :laughing7:
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=21391.0

 

[JonatanOTG]

But there's almost no risk of splitting the wood then, thats what I wanted to know. 

Not with a drill  :icon_thumright: ....... maybe an axe would split it  :icon_biggrin:

That awkward moment when you realize you need to work on your English...  :doh:

Worm-holes... I'd like to see that!

No problem at all  :laughing7:
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=21391.0

Nice one!  :kewlpics:
"Worm-hole body with birdseye maple neck" sounds kind of funny to me...  :icon_thumright: