Kluson Inserts Tip!

[Phrygian]

My first attempt at installing my Kluson tuner inserts was trying to hammer them in with a short piece of dowel after the inserts had been in the freezer.  Yeah right!  I got the first one about 1/16" from being flush after going through 3 pieces of dowel.  In desperation, I started looking through my tools for an alternative.  I found it!  A Robo Grip tool with protectors slipped over the jaws.  It worked perfectly for squeezing in those inserts... no damage to the wood or the insert whatsoever.  I'll post a picture shortly.

EDIT:

I don't have pictures of the process.  My camera batteries died.  I've got a few bad pics from my cell phone of the tool and the tuners installed.

 

[CD]

Cool. I'm looking forward to the pictures. I haven't put much thought into putting the tuners into the neck at all. :tard:

 

[Alfang]

I've read the above a few times, I don't get it. What are you fighting with there? Tuners in the headstock?  Sounds like you need a bigger hole or a bigger hammer.

you are freezing the tuners to shrink to fit in the holes?  This sounds like a split headstock soon. Good luck, and I wanna see the pics too.

 

[jackthehack]

Not the tuners, the inserts that have to pressed in from the front of the peghead.

As always, I recommend a small hammer and a folded washcloth as it adds to the excitement factor....

 

[-CB-]

Brothers,

What I've done.... is take a nice rubber washer (Home Depot, faucet fix section) and a metal washer with 1/4-20 bolt, nut.. washer (Home Depot, hardware section) and made a sandwich and just screwed em on down.

Never one to pass up some generous screwing down action, here's the trick -

Get the the ol' bush started by finger pressure - if its really tight, you can chamfer the hole just a little to get it started.  Then put a flat washer on the bolt (I use stainless steel, dunno why) and slip the bolt trough the bushing.  Put the rubber over the shank, put a flat washer on that, and finally... apply the the nut.  Begin screwing.  Keep screwing till ya hit bottom, then take it out.  Repeat for the rest of 'em.  Done.

And thats that!~

 

[Phrygian]

That sounds much safer (but slower) than what I did, CB.  Thanks for the tip.  I'll definitely try that the next time.