What size drill bit for vintage Bridge mounting holes?

[redddog]

I've got the Wilkinson compensated Bridge that I'm installing this week end and I'm terrified that I'm going to either drill a hole too big (and be screwed) or too small (and split something).

Can anyone tell me the exact drill bit size for this job?

As always,

Thanks boys.

[jwells393]

When predrilling for any wood screw I look at the screw and select a bit about the size of the screw shank.

Be prepared to fill and redrill those holes. If you don't get the holes centered with respect to the holes in the bridge plate, the bridge can shift slightly when the oval head screw mates with the countersunk hole in the bridge plate. The second screw you install can make the bridge rotate slightly if it doesn't go in perfectly centered.

There's almost no screw up in guitar building that can't be fixed ........... almost.

[blacklinefish]

Get a hunk of scrap wood and practice on it. Your concerns are valid, but this is not insurmountable. Follow Jack's advice about the shank size.

If you spent a lot of time in the construction trade framing houses or building decks, you may have become too comfortable with green or treated pine's forgiveness and acceptance of 'wrong' sized fasteners. You have to think differently with harder wood. I had to unlearn so much when I started messing with stuff that more resembled cabinetry than rough carpentry.

--gh

[martyb1]

Originally Posted by jwells393

When predrilling for any wood screw I look at the screw and select a bit about the size of the screw shank.

Be prepared to fill and redrill those holes. If you don't get the holes centered with respect to the holes in the bridge plate, the bridge can shift slightly when the oval head screw mates with the countersunk hole in the bridge plate. The second screw you install can make the bridge rotate slightly if it doesn't go in perfectly centered.

There's almost no screw up in guitar building that can't be fixed ........... almost.

Good points Jack.
I got myself a set of these.Makes the job much easier

[jwells393]

Marty ............... please explain. I've never see one of those.

[redddog]

Yeah. What the hell is that thing?

[SwampAsh54]

A Vintage Tele Bridge is attached with (4) #6 Oval Head Wood Screws.
The correct Pilot Drill size for a #6 Screw is: 7/64" in Hard Wood or 3/32" in Soft Wood.

[Telehotrodded]

""" Drill perfectly aligned hinge screwholes. Self centering, spring-loaded drill bits are guided by the hinge screw holes. Great for shelf pin drilling! The self centering bits are
equipped with hex shanks that fit all quick-change drill/drive systems."""

http://www.ptreeusa.com/drill_products.htm#vixbit

[jwells393]

7/64 differs from 3/32 by 1/64 in. Do you really think it matters?

Thanks Telehotrodded.

[redddog]

Is Alder soft?

[SwampAsh54]

Alder is Classified as a Hardwood.

[mellecaster]

Do yourself a favor, and pickup one of these little Drill size guides in either metal or plastic, next time you're at a Home Center or Sears.

Attachment 12094

[blacklinefish]

Originally Posted by mellecaster

Do yourself a favor, and pickup one of these little Drill size guides in either metal or plastic...

...on a related note: Sometimes a hardware store has a thread-guide as well, for bolts. It's a hunk of aluminum with different sized threads tapped into it. Does anyone know where I can find one of these?

--gh