10 mm hole = 23/64"?

i have some gotoh style tuners, and apparently they fit in a 10mm hole. but i dont have a metric drill bit set. Whats the closest to 10mm? My best guess is 23/64" Is that close enough to use?

edit - i just looked it up and its closer to 25/64" will that work or do i need to go get a 10 mm bit?

That's a bit under a tenth of a millimeter small. If that's what you have, I'd give it a try - worst that happens is it's a tight fit or you need to ream it a bit.

Edit: That's the 25/64 that I was referring to. The 23/64 is way too small. And if you have it, 13/32 is too big.

Try both your bits in a piece of scrap and check the fit?

I use a 25/64 bit and haven't had any problems with the size.

Give it a go on a test piece of wood and check the fit.

The exact conversion factor is 1 inch = 2.54 cm. or 25.4 mm.

25/64 inch * 25.4mm/inch = 9.9mm

26/64 inch * 25.4mm/inch = 10.3mm (13/32 inch)

Myself, I'd get a 10mm bit.

I wish the US would convert to Metric. It's so much easier (at least if you're not converting all the time) and the trade consequences would be dramatic. Why would a farmer in Bolivia buy a US-made tractor with parts in some weird measurement system that he doesn't have the tools to fix, when he can buy somebody else's tractor where all the parts are metric sizes? Just another stupid human trick, I guess.

Borrow a 10mm or go buy one. You run the risk of splitting the headstock when you force a tuning key bushing into a hole that is too small.

13/32" bit has always worked just fine for me.

13/32" = .40625" = 10.31875 mm

10 mm = 0.3937"

.40625"-.3937 = 0.0126 which is < 1/64". It's actually like 1/80".

We are not taliking about a big difference. Basically adding 1/160" clearence around the bushing.

heres something bizarre: i live in canada and none of the hardware stores seem to carry metric drill bits!

anyways, i drilled into a spare piece of wood, and it looks like the magic bit is 3/8" - not what i expected. its fairly snug, but doable.

now i have to drill into my finished neck with the 3/8 to enlarge the holes already there. any suggestions so i get everything done right - or is it just a matter of going for it?

edit - on actually trying this on the guitar - the 3/8 was too snug, and the 25/64 is a little loose - there is some wiggle room. So the 10mm would seem to fit right in between. Is a little wiggle room acceptable?

I am measuring now two 10mm bits, one is a steel type, the "normal" standard bit, and the caliper gives a cuasy pefect 10,00mm, the other, a wood type bit, the read is 9,92mm.

I think 25/64" will be close enough, and if you go up and down a couple of times this cent will go out too. 13/32" can work too. But measure first the real size of the bit, and relax... some times it drives me too a little paranoic, but this is wood, not metal, and there are more tolerance... some times.... :mrgreen:

Here, in europe, you can buy a box of aceptable bits for this work, from 1mm to 10mm in +0,5mm for 10 to 15 euros or even less, for sure there are the same in inches, even cheaper, tools there are a lot cheaper....



Some times I think in a post for trade this things.....

now i have to drill into my finished neck with the 3/8 to enlarge the holes already there. any suggestions so i get everything done right - or is it just a matter of going for it?


Be very careful, this a high risk operation, the bit can eat the wood and make a tragedy in your neck, I split an entire headstok this way, going from 6mm to 8,5mm, it split along 3 holes... it was at the end of the day, I was tired and go the fast way, by hand ... and got neck for dinner :mrgreen:

Fix the neck firmly to the table and go really slow.

If you are enlarging a hole, don't just go to the size you want on the first cut. Enlarge the hole one size drill bit at a time until you get to the size you want. That will minimize the chance of f*cking up.

Winnie

edit - on actually trying this on the guitar - the 3/8 was too snug, and the 25/64 is a little loose - there is some wiggle room. So the 10mm would seem to fit right in between. Is a little wiggle room acceptable?
25/64" is smaller than 10mm. If the thing fits loose with that, then they expected it to do so.

I think that I must hsve just about every size and shape file there is from jewelers on up..When I need to enlarge a hole I'll get close with a drill then use a file..Just gotta take your time and be careful..

heres something bizarre: i live in canada and none of the hardware stores seem to carry metric drill bits!

anyways, i drilled into a spare piece of wood, and it looks like the magic bit is 3/8" - not what i expected. its fairly snug, but doable.

now i have to drill into my finished neck with the 3/8 to enlarge the holes already there. any suggestions so i get everything done right - or is it just a matter of going for it?

edit - on actually trying this on the guitar - the 3/8 was too snug, and the 25/64 is a little loose - there is some wiggle room. So the 10mm would seem to fit right in between. Is a little wiggle room acceptable?

A little wiggle room is not a big deal on guitar tuners.

But just going for it, as pertaining to enlarging holes, is not the best option. While it may work just fine, it may also grab and tear a chunk out of your neck. I have seen it happen, more than once. Like another suggested, it would be better to go one size at a time, and work your way up to 13/32 or 10 mm.