Jump to content
Hamer Fan Club Message Center
  • 0

Need help with partscaster neck alignment.


Jack C

Question

I’m putting together a parts Strat. The neck arrived today and I love the profile, but when I tried to bolt it onto the pre-drilled body, the bottom screws went in, but the top holes don’t quite line up.  See the indentations in the pic that show where screws hit.  What’s the best way to address this?

 

68CA09C9-28CB-411E-8069-DADE1C0287CF.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Recommended Posts

Musikraft is pretty much dead-on Fender spec, although sometimes their "seconds" on eBay are drilled for Tele on a Strat heel or vice versa, so may be slightly off.  Where is the body from?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah - I should have said to dowel the neck. D'oh!

Suggestions? It depends on what you're using for doweling material, but I would drill the tiny hole out to a size just slightly smaller than the dowel you are using so it's a nice tight (but not too tight) fit. Put a very small amount of Elmer's on the dowel and gently tap it in with a BFH.

You could also just jam a bunch of toothpicks slathered in glue in there and call it a day. A little crude, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Drill holes to 5mm diameter and dowel. Redrill holes in the correct place. Nice easy job...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, Lowe’s had 3/16 poplar and 1/4 oak.  I bought both.  I would prefer to use oak because it’s harder, but I like the smaller size of the poplar.  I’m experimenting on a 2x4 to see how it goes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Either should work.  You could also order a set of those screw retainers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/4/2020 at 3:47 PM, hamerhead said:

5mm? What the hell kinda talk is that?

LOL English! We just don't get why you guys measure stuff in imperial measurements. Every time we watch a USA tech video we instantly reach for our converters so we know what the heck you are talking about :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And I cuss every engineer for every metric blueprint that lands on my desk, then reach for the calculator. As easy as your way is, I can't wrap my head around it. Those numbers just don't compute. Commies. B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ugh.  I think this thread cursed me.  Yesterday was one of those days where most everything I did started snow-balling.  I was drilling mounting holes in a neck, taking my time, using my press, going slow, and the freaking bit broke at full depth, leaving about 1/8" above the surface.  I grabbed my smooth jaw mini-vise grips and slowly started the process of backing it out, but it was only turning, not backing.  I switched to my most delicate pliers with the hopes that even the slightest grip would help me guide it out, but the nub quickly deteriorated to nothing.  The bit was too small for any of the "backout" bits I have, and it was probably too brittle for them to work anyway.  It was too big for the handy-dandy stew mac small screw extractor bit.  I tried drilling through the center, but was straining the bit in use to the point I didn't want to start breaking more.  I decided to use a tiny bit to drill several holes around the original. I was about halfway around when the second bit broke at approximately the same (full) depth as the first.  

When all was said and done, I was reaching for a (gulp) 3/8" (that's 9.5mm for you Vic) dowel to fill the hole required to provide a clean result.  I will not be taking a picture of that shit, but it most definitely happened.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

58 minutes ago, hamerhead said:

And I cuss every engineer for every metric blueprint that lands on my desk, then reach for the calculator. As easy as your way is, I can't wrap my head around it. Those numbers just don't compute. Commies. B)

The Metric System is bullshit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, cynic said:

Ugh.  I think this thread cursed me.  Yesterday was one of those days where most everything I did started snow-balling.  I was drilling mounting holes in a neck, taking my time, using my press, going slow, and the freaking bit broke at full depth, leaving about 1/8" above the surface.  I grabbed my smooth jaw mini-vise grips and slowly started the process of backing it out, but it was only turning, not backing.  I switched to my most delicate pliers with the hopes that even the slightest grip would help me guide it out, but the nub quickly deteriorated to nothing.  The bit was too small for any of the "backout" bits I have, and it was probably too brittle for them to work anyway.  It was too big for the handy-dandy stew mac small screw extractor bit.  I tried drilling through the center, but was straining the bit in use to the point I didn't want to start breaking more.  I decided to use a tiny bit to drill several holes around the original. I was about halfway around when the second bit broke at approximately the same (full) depth as the first.  

When all was said and done, I was reaching for a (gulp) 3/8" (that's 9.5mm for you Vic) dowel to fill the hole required to provide a clean result.  I will not be taking a picture of that shit, but it most definitely happened.

Damn. That is the quintessential 3 hour '5 minute job'.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, cynic said:

Ugh.  I think this thread cursed me.  Yesterday was one of those days where most everything I did started snow-balling.  I was drilling mounting holes in a neck, taking my time, using my press, going slow, and the freaking bit broke at full depth, leaving about 1/8" above the surface.  I grabbed my smooth jaw mini-vise grips and slowly started the process of backing it out, but it was only turning, not backing.  I switched to my most delicate pliers with the hopes that even the slightest grip would help me guide it out, but the nub quickly deteriorated to nothing.  The bit was too small for any of the "backout" bits I have, and it was probably too brittle for them to work anyway.  It was too big for the handy-dandy stew mac small screw extractor bit.  I tried drilling through the center, but was straining the bit in use to the point I didn't want to start breaking more.  I decided to use a tiny bit to drill several holes around the original. I was about halfway around when the second bit broke at approximately the same (full) depth as the first.  

When all was said and done, I was reaching for a (gulp) 3/8" (that's 9.5mm for you Vic) dowel to fill the hole required to provide a clean result.  I will not be taking a picture of that shit, but it most definitely happened.

Sounds like you could use some better quality bits. The stuff they sell at the big box stores are really brittle and just plain crappy bits. Hamerhead could probly suggest some currently made good twist bits. I bought a set of machinist bits years ago at an auction. USA made lord only knows when but they sharpen great and I have yet to break one. The box say’s Norseman Made in USA. That’s all I know about them. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/7/2020 at 9:49 AM, Victor (Fret Friend) said:

LOL English! We just don't get why you guys measure stuff in imperial measurements. Every time we watch a USA tech video we instantly reach for our converters so we know what the heck you are talking about :D

Hey!  WE are keeping YOUR engineering heritage alive.  You know, the sun never set on English measurements and all that rot.  Pip pip.  Cheerio.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/8/2020 at 8:28 AM, Dutchman said:

Hamerhead could probly suggest some currently made good twist bits.

It's been a while but I think the shop uses Dormer bits and Besly or OSG taps. Those things take a pounding.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...