Installing strap holders

[JimBeed]

Hi, well decided today to have a look if i had the right drill bits for the few holes that need to be drilled, cause there not too major in terms of positioning and measuring as warmoth did the important ones, well i couldnt find small enough drill bits here, so im going to have to go get some, probably buy my first electric drill for university in september anyways.
but what i want to ask is should i attach the top horn strap holder on the top of it, or would it benefit being just behind the horn for stability and other such issues, its a five string z design bass with the warmoth headstock on the neck, swamp maple body, bloodwood fingerboard and wenge neck, case any of them are big factors in where i should place it. So any suggestions? 
also for drilling,should i fasten the bass with some form of clamp that has a cushion of sorts between the body and the clamp, and drill the body using some tape over the area so the paint doesnt crack or would it not crack?
im just a bit pissed that here theres only two people that seem to do work like this, and well one ive emailed and not recieved a reply, and the other is at the city an hour from me, so if these holes can be done with the right preparation and tools then ill concentrate doing them myself, there the strap holders, 4 holes for the jack plate on the side of the bass, and another fourth hole on the front of the body for attaching a 3 way switch through it, as the volume and tone holes are too big, or else i would have got a fourth one drilled anyways. so would you say these are easy to do  with right tools?

 

[dbw]

You don't need any fancy tools.  To drill a hole for a strap button, I hold the body between my knees, put blue tape over the spot, and use a cordless drill.  It's not really an exact science...

 

[Cagey]

As DBW says, there's nothing to it, really. You don't need to get clamps or anything. It's sometimes a good idea to put a bit of masking tape over the place you're going to drill, but usually it just makes it easier to mark the hole, and might keep the bit from wandering before it bites, but its ability to prevent chip-out is largely exaggerated. The best preventative to chip-out is sharp cutting tools. New bits fall in that category.

Anybody who's ever drilled a hole in their life can do the holes you're talking about; you don't need to find a finish carpenter or a luthier or other sort of master craftsman. So, unless you live on the South Pole, you should be able to find someone nearby who can help you if you're not confident you can do it yourself.

 

[BigBeard]

You want to know what I use for 75% of the holes on a guitar?  I use a 1/8" drill bit!  That covers most of the holes on a guitar except for pickguard screws.  for those I use a cheap little set of bits I got for my dremel at Harbor Freight tools.  The bits I bought go from as small as a human hair to about 1/16"  I break them all the time, it was good that I bought 4 sets when I did, but that is beside the point.  

I think everybody should at least own a good hammer, drill and bits, a tape measure, a palm sander and some type of electric saw.  I mean everybody.  Even your great grandma and her friends.  You would be suprised how much you will use the tools if you have them.  You can probably find a cheap drill for $20.  And as far as I know there isn't really much difference in a cheap drill than a nice shiny expensive one!

On the other hand, I'm sure you have friends.  And usually friends have drills.  Ask a friend, or a friend's dad.  I'm sure you can find a drill.

And for a good trick to drilling a hole in a finished piece is to run the drill backwards when you start the hole, that will keep the finish from doing any funny stuff.  Also, you might want to use a center punch or you can use a small nail to put a dent into the wood where you want the screw to live, that will keep the bit from walking all over your nice finish.  +1 to whomever said to hold it between your legs and drill away!! My legs are my most used clamp!

 

[erogenousjones17]

I think everybody should at least own a good hammer, drill and bits, a tape measure, a palm sander and some type of electric saw.  I mean everybody.  Even your great grandma and her friends.  You would be suprised how much you will use the tools if you have them.  You can probably find a cheap drill for $20.  And as far as I know there isn't really much difference in a cheap drill than a nice shiny expensive one!

On the other hand, I'm sure you have friends.  And usually friends have drills.  Ask a friend, or a friend's dad.  I'm sure you can find a drill.

This is so true. Everyone should own a few basic hand tools. It's also really handy to be friends with (or if you're real lucky, be related to) someone with a more extensive arsenal. That and a truck. Everyone needs a friend with a pickup truck for moving couches and mattresses.  :laughing7:

 

[DesmoDog]

I used to hang out with a bodybuilder who also owned a truck. THAT'S the hook up to have... loading bikes was never an issue, who needs a ramp?  :icon_thumright:

But speaking of tools, I decided a few years back that life is too short to buy cheap tools. This isn't to say you need to buy top of the line stuff, but if it's, say, a 45 piece wrench set for $9.95, it's probably not worth the aggravation... that $1.50 screwdriver will do $150 worth of damage when it slips. Cheap chrome plating peels and flakes. You think paper cuts are bad? Get cut by flaking chrome.

I'm just saying, there are affordable tools, and there are CHEAP tools. Cheap tools suck at least as much as cheap hardware (says the guy who is dreading having to remove a broken strap mount screw from new build) (No, not my Warmoth)

 

[JaySwear]

You can probably find a cheap drill for $20.

definitely. i did all my tools shopping on amazon.com just because their prices were so cheap. i've used that drill a ton on the last 2 warmoths and a bunch of house projects. i think it set me back $20 or $25.

 

[Finch]

button placement is part balance, part aesthetics. If it balances fine on the back side of the upper horn and you prefer that look, then go for it! On my SG Bass I ended up putting the button pretty low down the body, just under the neckplate. Sure it looks odd but it balances better that way!

 

[JimBeed]

Cheers for all the replies, well went out and got the right size drill bits for each one of them, and got out my old wood work table that acts as a clamp itself, so gonna use that protecting the bass with some cloth between them, and ill use the tape idea aswell, but yeah got everything, and there all new and sharp going to get the tuners done tonight, ill put the finished picture onto my build post   ccasion14:

 

[Superlizard]

If there's any requisite tool, it's gotta be a Dremel.

 

[JimBeed]

When i get some money ill invest in one Superlizard, but for now im using one of the things that breaks the wood indents it and a hand drill as there not that big holes i need to do, and trust myself with that alot more than a power one, as ive used it alot more, well time for the neck to get done

 

[jackthehack]

Bear in mind that all strap holders do not use a common screw, some are larger diameter than others.

You can get a set of 13 or so drill bits from 1/16" - 1/2" most anywhere that sells tools for $10-25 (if you're only going to use them on wood get the cheap ones, if you want to use them on metal as well get the more expensive titanium ones, here's a link to a $10 set available at any Home Depot: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xgg/R-100668729/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 )

When selecting the bit to use for a pilot hole, always use the screw you are drilling the hole for and use the case that holds the drill bits to pick out a bit that is one or two sizes SMALLER than the smallest hole the screw will fit into.