how to ream a tuner hole on a bass

[blakejcan]

Building my first bass. I got a great allparts bass neck. I got some wonderful looking Badass tuners. The pre-drilled holes on the headstock are a little too small for the tuner bushings. Pretty normal. On a guitar I'd just use my reamer until I got a good fit.

These are flipping massive holes. Way too big for my reamer. Any creative ideas on how to just so slightly ream them out? I don't have a drill bit big enough. My reamer isn't big enough.

I might have a wooden dowel about the same size I can cover in sandpaper?

 

[Chistopher]

Drill press is the right way. I wouldn't exactly trust any of the wrong ways of doing it. Reaming risks the hole drifting out of line, but it's not a big risk

 

[Mincer]

They do make really big reamers for this. Maybe someone you know has one you can borrow? Or if it is something you will do more than once, it might be worth investing in. It is cheaper than a drill press.

 

[jeremy]

i have 1/2" reamers, which i think are pretty common. is that not big enough?

 

[blakejcan]

sorry, I should have clarified. I don't plan on doing a ton of basses and the hole needs just a tiny bit of reaming. I'm hoping we can get away with fixing this without having to buy a new reamer or massive drill bit I'll likely not use again regularly

 

[uOpt]

Don't you have a gun of the fitting caliber?

 

[Chris Pile]

Blake - do you have any sanding drums for Dremel kits?

Thusly - https://au.element14.com/productimages/large/en_GB/42259934.jpg

 

[blakejcan]

ah yea. I might. Thanks Chris.

I also totally forgot that I have a bunch of Forstner bits in bigger sizes that are prob perfect for this

 

[ehdwuld]

So what size are the holes now?

I am trying to get a sense of scale

Really big is a bit ambiguous

 

[Artie]

ah yea. I might. Thanks Chris.

I also totally forgot that I have a bunch of Forstner bits in bigger sizes that are prob perfect for this

I'm not a huge woodworker, but I have some Forstner bits. IIRC, they kinda need the wood in the middle for the tip to sink into so that the bit doesn't dance all over the place. You might want to put a dowel of the size hole that's already in there. It will probably spin, but that shouldn't hurt anything. But it should keep the bit under control.

 

[ehdwuld]

Forstner and spade bits are a mistake

Step drill may work

How big is the whole and how much bigger does it need to be?

 

[blakejcan]

hey gang. I went and bought a normal drill bit the right size and opened them up just a touch. All is good!

Thanks all

 

[jeremy]

that seems like the best way to do it

 

[ehdwuld]

If it's just a little bit
You can drive it by hand