Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Tech => Topic started by: f.sardis on December 19, 2008, 03:20:51 PM

Title: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: f.sardis on December 19, 2008, 03:20:51 PM
I need to widen the shaft holes so my CTS pots fit. I previously had EMG pots. I am planning to use sand paper as some people suggested here before but what grit do i need?
It is a maple top guitar and it has a gloss see through black finish.

Cheers
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: Twinfan on December 19, 2008, 03:30:26 PM
I've used a drill before - if you're careful, you can waggle it to enlarge the holes slightly.

Failing that, you want a nice coarse sandpaper otherwise you'll be there forever....
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: f.sardis on December 19, 2008, 04:02:10 PM
Cheers mate,
by coarse what grit do you mean?
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: Philly Q on December 19, 2008, 04:26:36 PM
I usually use a 10mm countersinking bit in my hand drill, and work on it from both sides so it  doesn't rip the wood or the finish.

If you're using paper, about 180 grit should do it.  You only need to widen the hole about 1mm on each side (from 8mm to 10mm diameter), so don't go crazy with it.  Use the washer from the new pot to mark the outline of the new hole, and wrap the paper round something like a pencil or drill bit so the hole stays rounded.
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: rohlfo on December 19, 2008, 04:52:22 PM
a rounded file?
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: Philly Q on December 19, 2008, 05:13:04 PM
a rounded file?

Yeah, it'll do the job, but it's a bit aggressive - tends to chip the paint, unless you countersink the hole first.
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: WezV on December 19, 2008, 05:30:55 PM
A REAMER!!!!
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: Philly Q on December 19, 2008, 05:33:06 PM
A REAMER!!!!

Yeah, but nobody actually owns one of those except you pro boys!  :P

You'd have to go out and buy one especially.  Though I don't suppose they actually cost much....
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: rohlfo on December 19, 2008, 05:49:39 PM
a rounded file?

Yeah, it'll do the job, but it's a bit aggressive - tends to chip the paint, unless you countersink the hole first.

I'd just hope the knob would cover any small chippings!  :lol:
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: WezV on December 19, 2008, 06:36:11 PM
yeah i know... not sure why i shouted! ...tbh  a bit of sandpaper around a pencil does work quite well as long as you make sure no stray bits of sandpaper are scratching into the top
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: f.sardis on December 19, 2008, 08:09:12 PM
i did it with sandpaper. pots fitted just fine  :D

watch out for the next thread, it is more technical.
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on December 20, 2008, 02:02:37 AM
A tapered reamer
(http://i14.ebayimg.com/02/i/01/d6/53/0c_1_b.JPG)

Or just go to a guitar /violin repairer and get them to do it
Wont charge you much - quick job
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: MrBump on December 20, 2008, 09:23:47 AM
I did exactly the same thing with my Yam SG - but I used an oversized drill bit and just used it as a file in my hand.

Didn't realise that I'd cut my hands to shreads and was bleeding everywhere until some time after...

 :(
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: HTH AMPS on December 22, 2008, 12:17:09 AM
I've done it with drill bits in 0.5mm steps and had no trouble so far - probably out of pure luck though and I do recognise that a reamer is the 'proper' tool for the job.
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: f.sardis on December 22, 2008, 12:19:46 AM
sandpaper worked just fine. took about 10 mins per hole.
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: gwEm on December 22, 2008, 12:26:34 AM
despite showing large drill images in previous threads on this topic, i actually use a 1/2 round needle file for this job.
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: Jonny on December 22, 2008, 11:42:55 AM
You could wrap sandpaper around a pen. That would be easier. Also outline how wide you want the hole too.
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: Philly Q on December 22, 2008, 11:48:53 AM
This thread has reached "flogging a dead horse" point.
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: f.sardis on December 22, 2008, 02:59:49 PM
everyone came to the rescue after i had finished the task  :lol:
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: WezV on December 22, 2008, 04:55:54 PM
and yet no mention of how you did it!!! :P
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: Philly Q on December 22, 2008, 05:11:37 PM
<Cough>

i did it with sandpaper. pots fitted just fine  :D

watch out for the next thread, it is more technical.

</Cough>
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: f.sardis on December 22, 2008, 05:52:43 PM
and nobody yet to help out in the other thread i made about the wiring  :(
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: WezV on December 22, 2008, 08:55:50 PM
damn you philly... i'm only human :P
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: Philly Q on December 22, 2008, 09:58:33 PM
 :lol:
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: HTH AMPS on December 24, 2008, 05:20:51 PM
(http://home.cc.gatech.edu/teams-class/uploads/8/flogging%20dead%20horse.jpg)
Title: Re: Widening control holes luthier advice needed.
Post by: f.sardis on December 24, 2008, 06:53:34 PM
 :lol:
this is almost epic.
i received my bridge pickup earlier today and will start soldering tonight.