That is not true. Once the reamer passes all the way through the material, the hole is straight sided. It's only tapered if you stop shy of its maximum size.
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Need to enlarge 1/2" output jack hole to 7/8"
- Thread starter el_Bajo_Verde
- Start date
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- Tags
- 1/2 7/8 hole input input jack jack output switchcraft
That is not true. Once the reamer passes all the way through the material, the hole is straight sided. It's only tapered if you stop shy of its maximum size.
Please explain how a tapered reamer will pass all the way through the edge of the body of a bass.
If all else fails, and all you have is a 7/8" bit, plug the hole with dowel, glue in very well, and let dry. Find the center, and drill. This is not ideal, but I've done it.
Ya all need to remember that when drilling from the outside in, to increase the hole diameter, there won;t be any way for the jack to be secured. A football or another plate of some kind will be needed to secure the jack. This takes away the necessity to be precise and a little minor chipping is nothing to concern yourself with; so really, using the 7/8 bit from the get go is no big deal.
You keep turning it until all of it is inside the control cavity. If the cavity is not the right shape, it may not allow for that however.
Why not just replace it with a high quality barrel jack, Switchcraft or Neutrik? I built my first bass back in 1988, has seen thousands of hours of use, and the jack is still like new.
What ruins these jacks is plugging in cheap, non-standard 1/4" plugs ( largely Chinese offerings) with too much hook angle at the tip, that catch on the contacts inside the jack and bend them out of shape when removing. Use genuine S/C 280 or Neutrik NP2C, and you won't have any issues.
What ruins these jacks is plugging in cheap, non-standard 1/4" plugs ( largely Chinese offerings) with too much hook angle at the tip, that catch on the contacts inside the jack and bend them out of shape when removing. Use genuine S/C 280 or Neutrik NP2C, and you won't have any issues.
he intends on using an Electrosocket: http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/Jack_Plates/Electrosocket_Jack_Mount.html
He only needs to go in as far as the thickness of an Electrosocket.
http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/Jack_Plates/Electrosocket_Jack_Mount.html
Hello all,
I've been going at it with a round file. It's going well, but I don't know how I will get the hole to be perfectly round when I'm done!
I've been going at it with a round file. It's going well, but I don't know how I will get the hole to be perfectly round when I'm done!
That's the trick. It's not easy. It won't be perfect.
If doing it by hand is the goal, use a tapered reamer to get close and finish up with a rasp and file. It will go quicker and will be more precise.
- Imagine the face of a clock
- Instead of 12 spots, imagine 24
- File in each spot
- Count the strokes
- Use the same number of strokes at each point
- Spin the file to around the entire perimeter occasionally
If doing it by hand is the goal, use a tapered reamer to get close and finish up with a rasp and file. It will go quicker and will be more precise.
Do you have the jackplate in hand? I wouldn't do it until you have it.
I'd do similar, first I expand the hole 4 ways, then between those spots to 8 ways, etc. Get it just undersize. Once you round it out, keep it round. Keep holding up the jackplate for comparison, make sure you're not too big. Looks like there's a little forgiveness with the lip of the plate, plus you say it's a cheap backup bass so if there's a little gap not a big deal. But you should be able to get it just right if you keep trying the jackplate constantly. When it just starts to go, you'll feel where you need to whittle the wall of the hole just a tad more.
If it was me, I'd clamp down the bass securely, and be using a 1/2" die grinder bit in a drill to make my work faster and easier, just keep going around and around, in and out, keeping it round and on center with the body. By the time I get close, I'll be comfortable with just a light touch to finish the hole. Or finish it by hand.
I'd do similar, first I expand the hole 4 ways, then between those spots to 8 ways, etc. Get it just undersize. Once you round it out, keep it round. Keep holding up the jackplate for comparison, make sure you're not too big. Looks like there's a little forgiveness with the lip of the plate, plus you say it's a cheap backup bass so if there's a little gap not a big deal. But you should be able to get it just right if you keep trying the jackplate constantly. When it just starts to go, you'll feel where you need to whittle the wall of the hole just a tad more.
If it was me, I'd clamp down the bass securely, and be using a 1/2" die grinder bit in a drill to make my work faster and easier, just keep going around and around, in and out, keeping it round and on center with the body. By the time I get close, I'll be comfortable with just a light touch to finish the hole. Or finish it by hand.
I will pick up some step bits tomorrow. One goes up to 7/8" and the other one goes even larger. There is a step from 7/8" to 1" on the larger bit, so I will use that to countersink a 1" lip for the electrosocket to sit in. I expect there to be some finish chips but it already had some when I bought it, I don't mind.
The pickup route is too small as well, so I'll have to dremel it. More chips probably, but what can you do!
The pickup route is too small as well, so I'll have to dremel it. More chips probably, but what can you do!
Don’t countersink the Electrosocket. You want the 7/8 portion to fit in the hole fully supporting the sides of the unit against movement and the 1” lip covering the the edges of the hole, but external. Clean installation. If you do it your way, the mounting screws will pull out or break over time as the lip is the only part against the diameter of the hole.
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Everything went well! I learned a lot and it will be cleaner if I ever have to do this on another instrument!
I decided to go with Tone, Volume instead of the 2-band EQ. I liked the tone knob better.
I already countersunk by the time you posted this! The side of the bass was very curved, thin and round, so I countersunk the Electrosocket so it sat nice and tight.
I decided to go with Tone, Volume instead of the 2-band EQ. I liked the tone knob better.
I already countersunk by the time you posted this! The side of the bass was very curved, thin and round, so I countersunk the Electrosocket so it sat nice and tight.
I used two step drill bits. One that went up to 7/8, and one that went larger. I used the larger bit to countersink the hole. It did chip like I expected, but I don't mind. Just wanted to get it done quick and dirty.
Cool. The reason I initially suggested a file was that I did not know what the electrosocket looked like, and what hole profile it really needed, and so I thought that you needed a 7/8 through hole. I figured the cost of a file compared to the cost of a step drill for a one time job did not justify the step drill. Good step drills are expensive, but for one time in wood, I suppose you don't really need an expensive high quality bit. I can't bring myself to buy cheap tools. The last step drill bit I bought was 60.00$