Installing tuners problem

[JimBeed]

Well i installed the tuners today how i found out how to install them, and well thought all was fine, but apparantly one of the screws didtn get enough grip in the hole, and now that tuner is a bit wobbly and i cant fasten the front of it anymore than i have done, is this rectafiable? however the problem is i cant remove the screw because even though i was using the right screw driver and i had the hole pre drilled, the head of the screw has bore itself out as i was screwing it in what i thought was tight, so now i cant remove the screw, can i solve this myself and get replacement screw, as a second is a bit like this, or would i need to take this to a luthier? if so i might aswell let him do all of it even the bits i can do cause im fed up of minor things making this project impossible.

 

[Cagey]

You can drill the head off the screw, remove the tuner, then use locking pliers (vice grips) to tightly grip the protruding screw shaft and very carefully back the screw shaft out. Watch closely as you turn the pliers - if you're not clamped on the screw square, you might dig the jaws into your finish.

Once the old screw is out, you can start over with a new screw.

Some things to keep in mind...

• Don't use a cheapie screwdriver. Unless it's a good driver, it may not be machined to the right specs, it may not be hard enough and it may already be worn.
• Don't use the wrong size. Not all phillips heads are the same. On guitars, the screws can be size 0, 1, or 2. The wrong driver bit will destroy the screw head.
• Neck woods are always hardwoods, and generally don't compress well. Make sure your screw hole is large enough for the screw shaft, or it'll be too tight and you'll either break the screw or strip the head. Remember that the screw is just to keep the tuner from rotating in its hole; it's not there to hold the tuner on. It doesn't have to be torqued down to 250 ft/lbs.
• Lubricate your screw before threading it in. Bee's wax, candle wax, crayons or soap all work well. Just brush the screw against one of those materials to get a little on the screw threads.

Good luck!