Has anyone here ever tried to "disassemble" a tuning machine? I'm curious if the cylinder part of the tuning machine can be removed and replaced with a different one from another tuning machine. Thanks
Pic below for reference
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That part is called the Post. That style of tuner, that you are showing in the picture, can be taken apart, and the post is a separate part from the Gear (the large gear). The top end of the Post is machined into some form, which engages a shaped hole in the gear. The big screw holds them together. Different manufacturers use different machined shapes. Some are round with two milled flats, some are six or eight milled teeth, etc. Even if they look the same, they may be different dimensions. It's not likely that posts from one manufacturer will fit into the gears of another manufacturer.
On two different model tuners from the same manufacturer, they may interchange. For example, Hipshots with 3/8" or 1/2" posts use the same machined interface, and the posts can be swapped.
On the Scroll Basses that I build, I need special tuners to fit the scroll-style headstock. I buy Hipshot HB-1 tuners, and I machine up custom posts for them. Here's what the posts look like, and how they assemble into the Hipshot gear.
That particular shape on the end of the post is unique to Hipshot. I've also made up custom posts for Schaller and Grover tuners, and they are all different.