DIYing jack install?

TimmyO · May 2018

Assuming I can find my stepped drill bit how bad of an idea is.it for me to just go ahead and hand drill a 1/2 inch hole in there?

Ditto neck strap pin? (Not with that bit obv)

stickyfiddle · May 2018

Definitely do-able. You need to be careful (*obviously*) but I fitted an endpin jack to my old Taylor without strife.

You do need to be careful where you fit the neck strap pin though - into the block (and not just through the wall of the guitar) but also in a sensible place to the guitar balances ok.

iirc @ICBM knows more... (as usual

)

ICBM · May 2018

Do you mean hand drill as in a *hand* drill, or a hand-held power drill?

Be very careful with a hand-held power drill - if you're unlucky and it 'grabs' the wood you can end up splitting the endblock and the sides of the guitar.

I use a hand reamer and a 1/2" drill bit held sideways in a pair of mole grips - it looks crude, but actually gives you full control of how much and how fast you're cutting.

Drilling into the neck heel also needs care - some guitars have metal bolts hidden inside and if you hit one you're in real trouble. Check thoroughly inside the guitar first. Usually the best place is about halfway up on the treble side of the heel, *not* on the back of the heel cap.

Funkfingers · May 2018

ICBM said:

full control of how much and how fast you're cutting.

This. Always.

Keefy · May 2018

TimmyO said:

Assuming I can find my stepped drill bit how bad of an idea is.it for me to just go ahead and hand drill a 1/2 inch hole in there?

Ditto neck strap pin? (Not with that bit obv)

If by 'stepped drill bit' you mean one of these, then NO!

Image: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/WJIAAOSwogpaXmwA/s-l300.jpg

I'm no woodwork expert, but that is way too coarse a tool to use on a guitar body. You'd be better off with a brace and bit and/or hand-held reamer.

Incidentally, most Taylor acoustics have a bottom strap pin that removes easily to leave exactly the right size hole for an end-pin jack socket.

TimmyO · May 2018

ta @ICBM ;

I'm just getting frustrated at the lackadaisical tech - he did finally reply but is away until the middle of next week <sigh>

I'll probably just cool my jets.

But to understand better (because why not) - would you use a hand reamer to open out the hole (they seem to come as 3-12mm commonly) then a 1/2" drill bit to get the final size?

ICBM · May 2018

TimmyO said:

But to understand better (because why not) - would you use a hand reamer to open out the hole (they seem to come as 3-12mm commonly) then a 1/2" drill bit to get the final size?

Yes. I use the hand reamer to go in as far as possible - well below the surface - then the drill bit to open out the hole to parallel inside. If the reamer is only 12mm not 1/2" it should still be OK.

TimmyO · May 2018

ok ta, see how impatient I get lol

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DIYing jack install?

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