Installing Floyd Rose bridge studs in a new, finished body?

[NowhereMan]

My Strat body is on order and I'm going to install the studs myself but I anticipate some difficulties with this.  How can I do this, a month from now, without cracking the finish?

 

[kataar]

well, from what I've heard, you should put the studs somewhere cold, like a freezer or a fridge. leave them there for a while so that they shrink and get as small as they can. then, your going to use a rubber mallet to tap them into the body.  :icon_thumright: unfortunately, I dont have any experience with it though... thats just what Ive been told.  :-\  I would also use some rags or something around the studs just in case you miss. it happens you know.

 

[kreig]

well, from what I've heard, you should put the studs somewhere cold, like a freezer or a fridge. leave them there for a while so that they shrink and get as small as they can. then, your going to use a rubber mallet to tap them into the body.  :icon_thumright: unfortunately, I dont have any experience with it though... thats just what Ive been told.  :-\  I would also use some rags or something around the studs just in case you miss. it happens you know.

:icon_scratch:            :icon_scratch: :icon_scratch:                        :icon_scratch: :icon_scratch: :icon_scratch:

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

well, from what I've heard, you should put the studs somewhere cold, like a freezer or a fridge. leave them there for a while so that they shrink and get as small as they can. then, your going to use a rubber mallet to tap them into the body.  :icon_thumright: unfortunately, I dont have any experience with it though... thats just what Ive been told.  :-\  I would also use some rags or something around the studs just in case you miss. it happens you know.

:icon_scratch:            :icon_scratch: :icon_scratch:                        :icon_scratch: :icon_scratch: :icon_scratch:

Have you got a itchy head?

 

[-FenderMan-]

well, from what I've heard, you should put the studs somewhere cold, like a freezer or a fridge. leave them there for a while so that they shrink and get as small as they can. then, your going to use a rubber mallet to tap them into the body.  :icon_thumright: unfortunately, I dont have any experience with it though... thats just what Ive been told.  :-\  I would also use some rags or something around the studs just in case you miss. it happens you know.

:icon_scratch:            :icon_scratch: :icon_scratch:                        :icon_scratch: :icon_scratch: :icon_scratch:

Have you got a itchy head?

lol

 

[kreig]

the fridge is for the beer and the freezer is for the hard stuff  :doh: I thought everyone knew that!? :hello2:

 

[kataar]

the fridge is for the beer and the freezer is for the hard stuff 

  DOH! I dont know what I was thinkin.  :doh:

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

the fridge is for the beer and the freezer is for the hard stuff  :doh: I thought everyone knew that!? :hello2:

The Freezer is for Ice to put in your scotch.

 

[RLW]

well, from what I've heard, you should put the studs somewhere cold, like a freezer or a fridge. leave them there for a while so that they shrink and get as small as they can. then, your going to use a rubber mallet to tap them into the body

Same thing with the Korean War. You froze the end of the props on the helicopter blades, the metal shrunk, you inserted it into the rotor, and hoped for the best. It worked.

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

well, from what I've heard, you should put the studs somewhere cold, like a freezer or a fridge. leave them there for a while so that they shrink and get as small as they can. then, your going to use a rubber mallet to tap them into the body

Same thing with the Korean War. You froze the end of the props on the helicopter blades, the metal shrunk, you inserted it into the rotor, and hoped for the best. It worked.

That was random.

 

[NowhereMan]

Excellent analogy, RLW.  10/10

 

[stubhead]

It seems like if you just touched the tops of the holes with a countersink (HAND drill, dude)* you could eliminate the finish chipping worries. On the studs I've used, the flutes that grab the sides of the holes don't extend all the way to the top of the stud so there'd be no structural downside. I assume you're already planning to cover anything you could possibly scratch with  thick paper and tape it down with blue painter's tape?  Of course you are.... :icon_smile: Are you drilling the holes too, with a brad-point bit and a drill press and all?

(Actually I might just twist it back and forth with my fingers, you only need like a 1/64" radius to make a difference)

 

[stratplayer1]

Heres what you do, or what I did, you take the stud, gently hammer or push it in enough for it to stand on its own and cover the entire area with a soft towel, if it isnt recessed you can pretty much just hammer them in if it is recessed I found a punch and used the back of it on the studs.

 

[DocNrock]

I've ususally paid them the $10 to do this, but on my most recent build I must've forgotten to check that box.  Anyway, as Jack the Hack says....Hammertime!  It worked, with no problems.

 

[incense]

How tight are these supposed to be actually.  The one I'm looking at here is gotoh studs.  And,  the hole is not as big as the solid portion of the stud.  The tip is flanged - but it actually hangs up before getting to the edges of the flange.  So,  putting it into the hole WILL forcibly result in some compression of the wood (or worse)  I've been assuming I need to drill them up a notch...

Also,  wouldn't it be best to somehow press them in as opposed to hammering?  If mine are actually supposed to fit into those smaller holes - I would definitely give them some time in the freezer before trying to get them in there.

 

[stubhead]

A drill press is often used to seat them by people who have one, as far as I know. I think the freezer-compression idea is trivial - what are you going to get, 1/2 of 1% shrinkage? You'll want some wood compression, the question is to what degree. Personally, I would be comfortable with a hole where the bottom of the stud just barely slipped in, and the flanges were going to compress the wood. I have a spare set of these:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Floyd_Rose_tremolos_and_parts/Studs_and_Bushings_for_Floyd_Rose_Locking_Tremolo.html

Stew-Mac says that they're for a 11/32" hole - of course they're really metric...  I just measured them - the shaft is closest to 10/32", and the flanges are 12/32". In that case I would try to get a 10/32" hole. I remember drilling the holes by hand and enlarging the holes with the tip of a rattail file and 220 grit sandpaper wrapped around a dowel, but I have a lot of patience and experience in drilling holes straight and sizing them - GO SLOW is the key, there. I wished I had a machine to do it, but if you think of what would be needed to make an exactly-sized, round, vertical hole that's a good start. If you've got the bushing right there to check with, and some patience, it's really hard to screw it up - just keep checking it. I'd personally be most worried about scratching the rest of the guitar - blue tape & heavy paper all it -

I've even resorted to getting the plastic wrap out of the kitchen and wrapping up the damn thing like a dead chicken or something. :guitaristgif:

(and you can VACUUM out the sanding grit with the vacuum cleaner hose....) :guitaristgif:

IT"S JUST WOOD....

 

[jackthehack]

Hammer time!

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

Sorry for old thread up-bringing but It was really easy.

1)Freeze the Floyd bushing
2) Insert into the hole so it's just sticking in the top level to the body
3)Place a wooden block ontop
4) As jack said, HammerTime!, until the bushing/stud (whatever) is all the way in.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Sorry for old thread up-bringing but It was really easy.

1)Freeze the Floyd bushing
2) Insert into the hole so it's just sticking in the top level to the body
3)Place a wooden block ontop
4) As jack said, HammerTime!, until the bushing/stud (whatever) is all the way in.

Did you do yours before or after you applied your finish?  The issue isn't getting them in, it's getting them in w/out damaging the finish.

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

Sorry for old thread up-bringing but It was really easy.

1)Freeze the Floyd bushing
2) Insert into the hole so it's just sticking in the top level to the body
3)Place a wooden block ontop
4) As jack said, HammerTime!, until the bushing/stud (whatever) is all the way in.

Did you do yours before or after you applied your finish?  The issue isn't getting them in, it's getting them in w/out damaging the finish.

after