Steel Guitar Builder

You might be ok with a wood nut, but I think that wood pillow blocks are just not mechanically strong enough, and cabinet drop will be a major problem. Cabinet drop is always a problem, even with an all-aluminium construction, but it can be managed, but I think that having the changer mounted in woo...

I can see only one reason that the lowering rod should be nearest to the body, and that is so that the bellcrank half-tone tuner (for the knee lever raising the string a half tone) is easily accessible. If the lowering rod is furthest from the body, it might get a bit fiddly trying to tune the raise...

This one has an 8mm bore, but it does cost £23

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/magnetic- ... s/3256672/

Jason, Bent is correct. Before you make any adjustments, check that the 'final lower screw' on string 9 hasn't wondered in, preventing the 1/2 tone lower. If the screw is clear, increase the knee lever travel until the 9th lower is achieved, and set the 2nd string full-tone lower with its 'final low...

Mac, The screws at the top of the changer arrest the backward motion of the changer finger, just like on a pull-release steel, and so are used to tune the lowest note. The nylon tuner that would normally tune the lowest note is used to tune the 'split' note eg, tune the 5th string to C by raising th...

Sorry Ron, I omitted to answer your question about the rivetted on plate. Yes, definitely a good idea. If you can use bolts instead of rivets all the better, as a plate that is too short can be removed easily and replaced with a longer plate. I bolted on extension pieces to the changer fingers on my...

Ron,
If you do decide to make new fingers, then it might be a good idea to make provision for helper springs, even if ultimately you find that you don't need them.

Option 2 is the way that I do helper springs.

Ron,
If you draw your changer in the raised and lowered positions (at least 7 degrees of rotation each way, see THIS POST) you will see how much movement there is of the lowering segment.
Read my reasons for using a longer spring HERE

My preference is for longer-than-usual lower return springs, they make full-tone lowers a lot easier.