Need to Ream Yourself?

[Chubbles]

I found this a long time ago. I wanted to share it with you guys and for prosterity...

If you ever need to enlarge tuner holes on an imported guitar (Epiphone, Squier...) so you can use high quality tuners (Grovers...).

Use one of these...




It's called a "Metric Step Prop Reamer"

It's used for radio controlled airplanes. It will create a straight, square hole. Make sure it does 10mm. A good one would be very sharp and rather delicate. If you drop it on concrete, it could damage the cutting edge.

That's much better than my cheap Harbor Freight reamer which creates a more conical hole.

 

[Session 5]

They are very good and very sharp. Us guys who fly radio control aircraft use them for reeming out the centre hole on wooden propellers and many of them ptops over 1' thick.

 

[Chubbles]

Exactly. And they're cheap. Way cheaper than Stu Mac, and better!

Have you ever used one on tuner holes?

 

[Session 5]

Yes Chubbles the ones I have are black hardened steel, I would think even better, if one had a hobby shop close by I would check in with them.

 

[Session 5]

Here's the ones I have.

 

[Session 5]

Here is a picture of the prop and girth which is three quarters of an inch thick. These prop reamers do the trick, but still have to apply some good pressure to cut the hole . So for using on guitar head would pretty much be a piece of cake.

 

[Session 5]

This is a new prop the centre hole has not yet been reamed out.

 

[Truss_rod]

I know a prop has to be completely balanced but is there a chance using a reamer makes it not so precise?

 

[Session 5]

No Truss_rod the hole that is in the prop is a pilot hole to show the exact centre of the prop, the size of the prop is meant for a quarter size of an inch engine shaft, the prop will stay balanced.

 

[Chubbles]

I checked every hobby shop near me. Nobody has them. Amazon does.

I spend enough damn money on guitar gear, I can't afford another hobby.

 

[Chubbles]

Although I live near Benjamin Rush Park. It's full of R/C planes.

Cutting a tuner hole would easy compared to cutting one on that prop!!!!

 

[Session 5]

You have that right.

 

[jtcnj]

Excellent / right tool for the job.
I would prefer that but the cheapy HF reamer you show has served me well enough.
I work the hole from both sides to minimize the conical effect.

 

[jtcnj]

I must add I only have really cheap guitars, if I was working on something more valuable I would get the stepped one.

The EDIT function / option does not appear in my posts with the quote and reply links.....??

 

[Chubbles]

The stepped ones are often under $10.00.

I have issues editing as well at times. Then again, I'm using a cell phone.

 

[Don O]

I starting using one of those when I was around 6. My dad was into tools and taught me a lot (I was using a soldering gun at that age too). I have his old reamer and I bought one along the way years later (both tapered). Very handy tool.

 

[SG John]

Sorry for the necro-post, but I just saw this thread for the first time.

Got a link for place to buy these?

Thanks.

 

[Chubbles]

No problem!

Necro response:
Amazon: search for metric step prop reamer, check if it does 10mm.

Example (a good one):

 

[SG John]

No problem!

Necro response:
Amazon: search for metric step prop reamer, check if it does 10mm.

Example (a good one):

Found one. These look like they have many, many other purposes built in.

Great Planes 4-Step Metric Prop Reamer (metric sizes) [GPMQ5007] | Cars & Trucks

 

[Chubbles]

Found one. These look like they have many, many other purposes built in.

Great Planes 4-Step Metric Prop Reamer (metric sizes) [GPMQ5007] | Cars & Trucks

That will work.

Funny thing is the Amazon one has many reviews mentioning use for tuner holes.