Pin Vise

Iamnobody

I've got a wee job to do - putting a new Bigsby on a semi.

I have a question for the more experienced modders...

Would I be best off with one of these for making the pilot holes?

http://spruemart.co.uk/products/model-craft-pin-vise-and-drills?utm_source=googlepla&utm_medium=cpc

Thanks in advance.

While I'm asking the strap button hole is not quite in the right place for the new Bigsby - what's the best method to fill and re drill on a semi?

Thanks again!

ICBM

http://www.powertoolsdirect.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/600x600/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/s/t/stanley-105-hand-drill.jpg

Plug the old strap button hole with a piece of shaved-down dowel that you cut to a taper, put wood glue in the hole and tap it in, then cut off flush when it's set.

Make absolutely certain you line the Bigsby up properly before you drill anything! I usually do it by using long strips of masking tape to 'extend the sides of the fingerboard' right to the back rim of the guitar, so you can be sure everything is centred correctly. Don't rely on the position of any old mountings for trapeze tailpieces, they're often not in the right place - or even any apparent centreline like a join the the wood.

Iamnobody

Thanks @ICBM

Is the hand drill a better alternative or THE alternative?

It's replacing a licensed Bigsby with a USA model B6 so all the work is at the strap pin end.

Good advice on the dowel. Is it likely to be strong enough to re-drill into after?

And cutting off flush do you saw then sand?

Thanks

ICBM

I use one of those Stanley wheel-braces for pretty much every drilling job on a guitar - I prefer it to a power drill since it's very controllable.

Yes, if you make the dowel as tight a fit as you can it will be easily strong enough to dril into. If you taper it just right you may not even need to cut it down, if you can drive it in to flush - but don't overdo it, at worst you could split the rim. If you do need to cut it I would use a fine saw to about a millimetre above the surface and then a sharp craft knife or chisel.

Fez

I agree with ICBM I never use an electric drill if I can do the job with a hand drill.

A small vice is always useful for guitar related jobs.

Iamnobody

Thanks for the advice I ended up getting one of these:



It's a neat little tool actually. Also glued the dowel in as @ICBM suggested very easy and got it flush without having to cut or saw.

ICBM

Oooh… want one of those. You can release your inner five-year-old with a pointy gunny thing like that .