Roasted Maple Neck w/ tight bushing holes

[3000]

This is my first custom build so I'm trying to be extra extra careful on everything. I started out thinking I'd do a cheap parts caster, but after seeing my buddy's roasted maple neck, I knew I needed it. Started with an old MIM strat body. Anyways, that's beside the point.

Ordered everything and so far soldering and working on the body has been no trouble. But after reading horror stories of people cracking their roasted maple necks, I am being extra paranoid. I ordered the Gotoh vintage 11/32" tuners, and got the neck reamed at 11/32", but putting the bushings in is SUPER tight. I would definitely need a hammer or something to get them in there, but am very hesitant. I am told that they should go in by push of a thumb.

I guess my question is: should I take a light sandpaper and go around the ream holes until the bushings fit in with just hand pressure? As for the pilot holes for the tuner screws on the back: some videos show a pilot hole that is basically the inside width of the screw, with the teeth biting into the wood, and a countersink for the shank of the screw. The roasted maple say go a size bigger on all pilot holes. I'm guessing maybe go the entire width of the shank? Would it be better to go a bit bigger and have it held in by tension or wood glue in a worst case, rather than go too small and crack the head?

Thanks in advance!

 

[dmraco]

Correct.  Do not force.  Roasted maple is prone to crack.  Several methods to making them bigger.  Sand paper or a rasp would work nicely

 

[rolloman]

Sandpaper around a dowel rod possibly.  As for the wood screws maybe do a test with different size holes in a piece of hardwood from Home depot, Lowes, or when no one is watching turn a piece of hardwood furniture upside down. Be careful not only for cracking but twisting the screw in half. I always use a little bee or candle wax on screws in wood.

Now we don't want to see you come back on here later telling us you drilled the screw holes too deep, all the way thru the headstock. Lol. It happens even by distracted pros.Lol  I wrap masking tape around my drill bit at the depth I want to drill to just a tad little bit longer than the screw so it will not bottom out in the hole..