Need some ideas for homemade tuners(school project))

[rscalzi]

Hi Guys,

My 12-String builds are are hold for the moment while I am helping my son with his school project. I am helping him build a stand up bass. Part of the "rules" are that the only "pre-made" pieces he can use are strings. Everything else must be made for scrap. I know someone in here has probably done something similar or might just have a good idea.

Got everything basically done, but not real happy with the tuning pegs.

Right now we just use oak wood dowels and tapered holes so the friction holds them in place.

Just wondering if anyone has a better approach or maybe suggestions on something that would be easier to use?

This is what we have so far..


Any input would be greatly appreciated!

rick

[crazydave911]

That is just too cool! ................as I understand it, the pegs need to be tapered as well to make them effective (and easier to tune). Just don't use ebony, it warps too much. A fruitwood like apple, cherry or pearwood is a better choice. As for a different kind of tuner...............here are three different solutions. They are mostly used with headless instruments, but some could be adapted. LINK, LINK, and LINK

[OpenG Capo4]

Would tuners from a guitar that has been broken or thrown away be considered "scrap"? You wouldn't even need the whole tuner per se, just the gears and worms. You could fabricate baseplates if you've got metal forming skills or machining skills. Or if they're "strip" tuners like a lot of cheap guitars, you can cut the strip to make individual keys.

[RogerC]

That's a really cool project! I don't really have any advice on making tuners, though.

[guitarbuilder]

Home centers sell thumbscrews and t nuts. I bet you could do something with that.

[rscalzi]

Thanks for the links crazydave..... I did taper the pegs as well but unless you get it just right its real hard to move when you want to make fine adjustments. Not real sure we'd want to mess with the tail piece at this point to tune from that end.

OpenG.... unfortunately can't use anything that came from a guitar/bass.

guitarbuilder.... I was also thinking along those lines... was hoping someone had done something like it to help me along. Knowing me, I'll end up at HD and come home with a bag full of bolts and nuts that won't work :-(

Appreciate the input guys!

[xardoz]

Turnbuckles below the bridge?

[crazydave911]

Originally Posted by rscalzi

Not real sure we'd want to mess with the tail piece at this point to tune from that end.

As I said, some of those ideas are adaptable from the head-end................and have been in use a longgggg time











LINK under Portugal


Oh BTW, if you really want some ideas............under Google Images, google this "homemade tuning machines"..............Wow

[rscalzi]

Ah, gotcha Dave. Guess I was hoping I would not have to too much modification to headstock at this point. But, I will explore all options before moving forward.

[SweJim]

Hi rscalzi!
I planned to build a lapsteel guitar soon and found this on Youtube. I don't know if it is anything that you can use but I thaught it was a great idea to make economy-versions of tuningmachines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cyPID1FinM

I'd like to hear how that bass sound. Looks cool!!

[mgdesigns]

I worked with an engineer from Mexico a few years ago, and he hand carved guitar and bass guitar tuner pegs from hardwoods, just like you'd see on an upright cello or bass. He did use rosewood or ebony for the strength.

[R. Stratenstein]

Originally Posted by rscalzi

Ah, gotcha Dave. Guess I was hoping I would not have to too much modification to headstock at this point. But, I will explore all options before moving forward.

Seems like tapering the dowels to match the taper in the headstock holes would cause the least disruption in your headstock. Might need to saw some slits so you could fit in some "paddles" to give some leverage.

[Rich Rice]

I'd add a crosspiece at the top of the headstock, drill four holes, get a few eyebolts, washers, and wingnuts. Thread the eyebolts through from the string side, place a washer above the new crosspiece, and put on a wingnut for each string. That would draw them up tightly- crude, cheap, and effective.

[crazydave911]

Originally Posted by Rich Rice

I'd add a crosspiece at the top of the headstock, drill four holes, get a few eyebolts, washers, and wingnuts. Thread the eyebolts through from the string side, place a washer above the new crosspiece, and put on a wingnut for each string. That would draw them up tightly- crude, cheap, and effective.

And there ya' go

[I_build_my_own]

as crude and brutal as it gets and it aint pretty. the tuning peg of a “6th grade, one afternoon" school project. a one string cookie jar banjo. you can only guess how annoying the sound is after 5 minutes. please note the almost quartersawn but square neck

Anyway, this might get you an idea.

[moody]

If the existing tuning pegs hold tension but you need a fine tuning system, you could use a small piece of steel tubing and a small thumb screw. Drill and tap the thumb screw perpendicular to the tube, and then cut a long oval opening underneath the screw. Slip it over the string between the tail piece and bridge, and tighten to tune...

[Davecam48]

If you can fit the tuning pegs (square section) into an electric drill chuck in a mount, you can taper quite easily by drawing the taper on one side and using two small flat pieces of wood with some 80 grit glued or stapled to it. spin it up while holding the 80 grit on each side.

Once you have some pegs made wrap sandpaper around the pegs and reshape the peg holes to suit each individual peg. A paddle on the end for ease of tuning and Bob's your uncle!

[Ragtime Dan]

pegs in the head for rough tuning. machine screws in the tailpiece for fine tuning. violins sometimes have a similar system. I don't know how the screws function, but they don't mess up the tail piece much from what i've seen

[Rich Rice]

Originally Posted by Ragtime Dan

pegs in the head for rough tuning. machine screws in the tailpiece for fine tuning. violins sometimes have a similar system. I don't know how the screws function, but they don't mess up the tail piece much from what i've seen

The screws press against hinged fingers to which the strings (individually) are attached. As the screw moves one end of the finger, it swivels on a fulcrum point and moves the opposite end slightly, increasing or decreasing tension on the string.

[crazydave911]

Originally Posted by Rich Rice

The screws press against hinged fingers to which the strings (individually) are attached. As the screw moves one end of the finger, it swivels on a fulcrum point and moves the opposite end slightly, increasing or decreasing tension on the string.

Pictures LINK. These can tune quite well...............wish I'd thought of it............