Plugging stripped holes in bolt-on guitar necks
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 ต.ค. 2012
- Dan Erlewine shows what he does when a bolt-on neck's mounting bolts aren't holding tight anymore.
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If the fit is too tight it creates an airtight seal and you won't be able to hammer it all the way down. I repair broken cello necks with dowels so I know what I'm talking about. I work around this problem by scoring a really small line down the entire length of the dowel with a knife. It creates a small hole just enough for air to escape.
Another thing I do for a better fit is to is shape the tip of the dowel the exact shape of the drill bit. The drill bit is not flat so the dowel shouldn't be either.
Really nice tip!
@@ikereed6847 that's what she said.
haha some guy said the same thing about scoring the dowel in the comments 2 years before this guy did.
Could you not drill a very small diameter hole through the centre of the dowel lengthways so the air can be forced out up the middle of the dowel? I mean you're drilling the dowel out later anyway so in essence you have a predrilled pilot hole as well.
Of course I'm no luthier.
@@ray.shoesmith I wonder the time cost of drilling a hole through a dowel that will
1) not sufficiently damage the structural integrity of the dowel
2) be centered enough to meet criteria one
3) Be small enough to meet criteria one
4) Be simple enough to save time
Glad we have the metric system over here :)
You don't need dowel gauges for that job. Use the non-fluted portion of a drill to do the measurement.
Greg T That's what I do, but gauges are probably considerably more accurate. I can't imagine it's enough to make any difference in finished product, though.
dowel gauges to measure a flogged out hole in wood what a joke!
And this gentleman is why when elders speak we shut up and listen.
@@johanherrera6413 when is the wedding?
When I buy dowels they have the size of the hold i should drill right on the pack. I've never had one be too loose or tight. Perhaps we have better quality dowels here??
Thanks for the pro lessons, Dan. I just copied your method to fix a stripped hole on my '77 Jazz. One concern I had, though, was compressing the air below the plug. You can create a small pocket of air at maybe 100+ PSI inside the neck! I used a utility knife to carefully cut a tiny groove up the side of the dowel, allowing the air to escape and the dowel to drive deep with no back pressure.
I love all these videos; I could watch them 24/7.
Awesome! I always read your repairs! Savex my beloved guitars many times! Thank you, you are a genius in guitar repair!
I used to loiter around your shop on main Street in Ann arbor Michigan watching you and your brother work. Great video and thanks again Dan.
this worked perfect! I don't have quite the shop you do, but even with a cordless drill and a quick run to my local craft store I was able to pull this off.
Just the right amount of information and presentation. Well done!
Dan, Great Video - Stripping the dowel through the metal for size is very helpful - Thanks
Dan, I've been seeing you videos and learning a lot from you. Thanks!
Watching him work is so therapeutic.
As usual, a *ton* of stuff, packed up in 5 minutes... Thank-you again!
subscribed!! im 18 years old and wanting to start repairing and working on guitars i really have no one or know where to learn so i hope to see more diy or learning videoes!
Is there anything Dan Erlewine doesn't know? Brilliant!
He makes the smallest jobs big
wow. incredible work. We used to use toothpicks and superglue to fill striped holes. not as professional as this but worked a treat.
Good thing I've come across this video. Got a CIJ Fender 50's reissue stratocaster neck with not one, not two, but ALL FOUR mounting holes stripped.
So much technique for such a simple task!
No Doubt About It Dan
YOU R THE MAN !!!
THANK U
really great content, as always. you're the best.
Fantastic tutorial.
just went down the list ; Stew-Mac , I get it , you are the rocknroll scientist !
Great information, thank you!
Hey Dan, I was always taught to groove the side of the dowel because you can split the neck as you're creating (in effect) a wooden piston and the compressed air needs somewhere to go. When I was a young cocky kid I didn't believe this and guess. what? Loving your work and guidance G
Pre-drill a small diameter pilot hole through the centre of the dowel. Lets the air escape
you can get dowels with grooves in them from hardware stores, it helps the wood glue seep out also
I love these videos.
Mad skills.
This guy is a legend
Nice trick with the hole punch and tape ... I'll have to remember that one!
Great video..!
Great info, thanks!
great idea! Thanks
Unless its a real vintage instrument, usually I glue in a section of drum stick as its made of hickory which is about twice the strength of maple. It looks odd but the glue area is massive and frankly, none will ever see it!
man Dan is so awesome. I'd love to have him fix my Jim Root Strat neck :(
When I'm in darkness and about to give up Dan appears out of the blue with an awesome idea to save my life 🤪thanks Dan.
Thank you, I'm about to do that kind of job.
I watch Dan's videos to learn how to do it myself and after watching, I just want to send it to him to fix!
I tight fit'n dowel is fun to hammer through!
Hahahahahahahaha
all the way from malta mr you good tns
Super accurate work!
Thank you means a lot
Good vid as always! You're the "Norm Abrams" of the guitar world for sure! When I was a kid I helped my dad working on repair jobs at the apartments he/we owned and whenever we encountered stripped wood screws we just inserted wooden match sticks into the hole and snapped 'em off to depth (removing the flamable tip end of course). These were typically door hinges or cabinet hinges but it would work in a pinch on a cheap-o guitar where you're just looking to fix something quick.
If you're not in a hurry, use Titebond, or another strong wood glue. It takes longer to cure, but it will strengthen the area of the plug significantly.
Man .. You work like a german Master... great
Thank you, Again!!
Man, a bunch of good tips here. I tend to always drill them to 1/4" or 5/16", and use hickory or red oak dowels, but then my aim isn't to look factory and I'm sure I overkill it by a lot. I'll remember that plate steel trick, though. I also use Titebond, should I not?
Well done Dan is the man! I have done threaded inserts on all 4 holes in the past. Sure wish I had that curved block of wood to set the neck on the drill press table!
One trick is to make a jig with two flat pieces of softwood "bookending" the two sides of the neck + a couple of g-clamps. Keeps your neck "flat" + the frets do not even need to touch your table.
Glad to see I'm not the only one who cuts dowels to size with a hobby knife!
Dan that Dowel Gauge case will cost me around $400 or more!. I tend to reverse my wood drills and see which is between a snug fit and a tight fit. That costs me nothing so I'm ahead already! Then I do as Dan does!
This may seem like cheating but is there any reason why you can't just use a slightly thicker bolt screw?
I wish this guy was my grandpa! Haha! He does great work.
Beautiful work! A small tip from a leather worker though; always put a piece of leather under the piece you are punching. That way the puncher will stay sharp much longer. Punches are time consuming to sharpen.
Awesome. Thanks for this info. I was gonna use the wood glue till I saw this video. Yep, crazy glue is the way.
Tape or setting the drill press up for a depth stop. Good job Dan!!
dan is too stupid to do that
Great video. Wish you guys sold dowels.
I'd love to have him as my personal guitar tech.
Dan didn't mention if the dowel was made of maple. Are most common dowels made of a hard wood? Can I use pretty much any wood dowel? (My local Lowe's has dowels made from a few diff woods but none are maple)
Thanks for the guidance on the drill bits. What about the dowel index set in that big wooden case? Google hasn't been my friend ...
@4:53 you can see he drilled through the fretboard a bit. All those tools and no depth gauge???
Hilarious. Good eye, Robert B!
Haha - I was watching thinking that - you're right, bit of rosewood there! Its easily done though, accidentally went right through once. Solution: Inlays!
Lmfao
He did... Lol
@@PrinceWesterburg Rosewood dowel lol...
Seems like there should be more material (diameter) for the dowel in order to not crack out when you drill and reinsert the screw? I've never done one of these, and it just may be the camera angle, but it doesn't look like there's much more than 0.025-0.030" or so material outside the new hole in the dowel. Aren't you worried about it cracking away (or just not holding) when you apply some torque to tighten the screw on reassembly?
Great videos though--amazing education in these StewMac vids...
I've done similar things like that to Old guitars and brought them back to life long time ago. :-) super glue and wood can be your friend :-) hee-hee! Although I remember a long time ago there was this brass inserts that you can use machine bolts to bolt a guitar neck on and it had a heavy brass plate for the neck plate on the back of the body. I can't remember the name of them though, but I've used them in the past, years ago. I don't even think they make them anymore because I have never seen them around for quite a while.
Would you do the same method on a fender strat tremolo bridge? I just updated my trem bridge and the holes don't line up.
This guy know every trick in the book
Quentin Karamitsos Experience I guess.
Something that you just can’t learn quickly
Hey Dan, Thanks.. Suggestion... How about putting a piece of tape on the end of dowel you’re cutting off so it doesn’t fly away? :)
What are your thoughts on threaded inserts?
Thanks! I’m ashamed to say I had never thought of this. I have a music holder on a piano I can now fix properly.
Can you do this in the headstock??
I forgot to ask.. I didn't see you using a depth stop gauge, so how did you keep from drilling through the neck by accident? Just eye-balled it and used an experienced hand? I would definitely have set a depth stop... but that's just me.
Great, super-informative video, as usual! Still, there's something I don't want to drill down to the bottom of when when Dan says, "A tight fittin' dowel is fun to hammer through." 3:18. 🤐😏
You should've used a maple dowel - not poplar - Woodcraft or Rockler has a much larger selection of woods. Also, the dowel didn't bottom perfectly because the air wasn't able to escape. If the dowel is too wide then lathe it down in a vised drill and use sandpaper until a perfect fit can be achieved.
Industrial Pipe and Steel usually has a decent price if you want a really good one. I was shocked at how nice the Harbor Freight Cobalt drill index was made, and for under $100? I paid $279 for the one before it. There is not $180 difference.
try any machining store like MSC ( manhattan tool supply) they used to be a machining store or mcmaster carr they should have one
I agree. I did a true luthrie apprenticeship, not just guitars. After the German guild wars luthiers were allowed to make anything stringed. Guitars could be made by cabinet makers after the dispute was settled. Anyway I have had drill bits grab when graduating contrabass, cello, or other arched tops or necks. A real depth stop is the best bet. That damn drill bit grabs and sucks the top right up the shank. It will do it with a neck too! It sure ruins yer day! Tape will slip up the bit.
I need to do this for my p90 mounting hole that stripped out!!😊
I wish I could work for him
Why not use titebond 2 or 3 wood glue?
Therexs another way to make the dowel fit. I just put one in my drill press and held sandpaper against it for the perfect diameter.
Use threaded inserts?
Very nice video Dan! However, I have a question. Why in one video with dowel hole repairs did he use a maple dowel with wood glue for a tuner knob, then use a dowel from a hardware store with super glue for the bolt on neck piece? I am confused at when to use the right type of adhesive and what type of wood to use, I have a Washburn Patriot 6 string I have all 4 holes (where the neck screws go in) are stripped and one tuner knob hole stripped. I would like some help in figuring out what materials to use for each job and why for each adhesive and wood combination.
dan is an idiot , find a real luthier not a stew mac hack
Where can someone buy the dowel gauge kit that Dan shows ...
Very pro !!
Very complicated and expensive you mean! Lol
+Dylan Hardin Yes... He covers everything with some very expensive dowel measuring little things that cost an arm and a leg... Toolmaker pro tools ! I'm doing a part caster right now and had to plug the 4 holes in the body. I still have to plug a mexican 1970 neck, than install brass inserts, etc. I'm adapting a contour neck plate to that... The only thing where I think he might be wrong is that he is using what looks to be a pine dowel. I'm using hard wood dowels... Much better (and you don't cut these with a little knife...). Cheers !
+Eric D. Agreed, use what you have and but tools that make your work easier it they pay for there self over time
Isn't epoxy filler stronger that the wood?
Why superglue????
thanks!
Not that it matters a whole lot, but why wouldn't you use a maple dowel? I've got dowels from many kinds of wood, using them to fill pocket holes building furniture.
Now we have threaded inserts...easy peezy!
Would this same idea work towards fixing stripped pickup mounting holes?
tooth picks
@@northmanlogging2769 I’ve used toothpicks several times before. I put them in the stripped out hole with wood glue. I then just screw the original screw in (after it dries, of course). I can’t recall any coming back out after that. This is on cabinets door hinges, etc. I’ve never tried it on a guitar, but might if I need to. It will be a choice between dowels or threaded inserts with machine screws. Doubt that I would use toothpicks on a guitar.
Fill it with epoxy?
why you don't use titebond glue?
I guess heat from drilling job might melt the glue down and the plug could be loosened. Or even the heat from the fraction of the screw. Screws are very hot when they are pulled out of super tight hole.
I was thinking also because you don;t want to wait for the glue to set ?
I'm surprised no one suggested using the drill press chuck like an inverted lathe and filing or sanding his dowel to size ;-P.
Since he said he was hanging out with better woodworkers and machinists back in the day,one of them could have suggested a metalworking mini lathe as a shop tool too.
Using the hole drilled in steel is more work but more accurate in diameter (without having to measure it as you go) and likely straighter as well.
I did use the drill-as-a-lathe technique many years ago to made an ebony strap button for a 1937 Gibson archtop. Worked quite well.
Because of the tight clearance. wood glue would be a poor choice. The water in the glue expands the wood, so a super tight fit + expansion = ? I'll let you figure the rest out :D
It is the most complex dowel in the world.
hey dan, don't use cuetips with superglue because CA reacts with cotton and instantly cures. that's why there's smoke.
More work than it's worth. Mountain our of a molehill really. I'd just fill it with whatever dowel would fit.
I assume this is the same if the holes o the body are stripped?
Body holes are clearance holes (no threads at all)
does anyone know where i can get the dowel gauge set in this video? i tried googling dowel gauge and other variants but no luck
Search “pin gage set”
Will watch again... didn't see that he had tape on the bit.
Pleasure to look at the professional
hey McD , advanced machining techniques for a grandpiano or grandfather clock
some good tips like w/ knife & chisel but they're lost in the jumble of overkill
rocknroll not rocket science
bust a switch off the cherry tree and slop on a little soup from ol Betsy's hooves
I am shocked! You did not try to sell me 7 products from Stewmac. You can buy a "drawing plate" that will size your dowels. The true "full index" (ca 1942) has fractional, number, letter, and an extended metric sized set with 1/4 and 1/2 mm sizes below 4mm. After that it's custom bits. Harbor Freight actually sells a Cobalt 115 piece #, letter, fractional that is worth buying for a change for under $100! Their LH set for stripped screws in bridges & changers is great too.
I'm thinking just use the next larger screw. At least that is going to bite into the hard neck wood instead of the approach used in this video where you are screwing into the dowel wood. I guess the purists would be aghast at using a different sized screw than the original 🤷♂️
That's certainly an option in some cases, but generally neck screws are all about the same size. If you can find a screw that fits, it can definitely be a viable solution for some guitars. Thanks for watching!
If you can't find metal stucco lath, use carbon fiber stucco lath!
What about trying one of these new wood screw anchors? Used one on a jewelry box and gave it to my brother for his guitar: www.screw-it-again.com/video-how-to-fix-stripped-screw-hole.html ... Did it in a few minutes and didn't have to worry about dowels or toothpicks or waiting for glue to dry...