Steel Guitar Builder

Guys
Most builders have gone to 3/8" sqr. al. for cross rods. To do them you will need
a lathe or hollow mill tool (expensive) to mill the ends round. As i am always looking
for a simpler or less expensive ways i am thinking of doing this. I could drill a 1/4"
hole in the ends of the cross rods, then insert a pc. of 1/4" drill rod and use a 1/4"
id. bushing. This method can be done with only a drill press. If you-all see a problem
with this method please do chime in!
Thanks
Wayne

Hi Wayne , i think that would work if you drill in the ends deep enough for stability sake , you might try some lic tite in the hole to keep the rod you inserted from moveing so it will turn only on the bushing end and not inside the hole you drilled. I know you have to improvise where you can when you dont have access to tools , another thing is freeze the enserted rob so you ll have a tight fit when it warms up to room temp , cold contracts and heat expands , anyway buddy i hope you understand what im thinking here , give it a shot , ya never know unless you try . Russ

azureskys wrote:Hi Wayne , i think that would work if you drill in the ends deep enough for stability sake , you might try some lic tite in the hole to keep the rod you inserted from moveing so it will turn only on the bushing end and not inside the hole you drilled. I know you have to improvise where you can when you dont have access to tools , another thing is freeze the enserted rob so you ll have a tight fit when it warms up to room temp , cold contracts and heat expands , anyway buddy i hope you understand what im thinking here , give it a shot , ya never know unless you try . Russ

Hi Russ Yes i hear ya! I was thinking to scuff up the steel pc. with course sand paper
and epoxy it in! Thanks for your comments!
Wayne

Inserting a 1/4" dowel in 3/8" square aluminum stock is not a good idea, the aluminum would be weakened too much.

Burt -

I must add my support to your post. The result would be analogous to a thin-walled aluminum tube.

Besides - the hole should be precisely concentric with the longitudinal axis of the rod. Not an easy thing to do on a drill press.

Sorry, Wayne - gotta tell it like I sees it.

Richard

Hi again , wayne didnt say if it was aluminum or steel ,i was thinking steel, which could be done.

In the first sentence of his topic, Wayne stated that it would be in aluminum. "al"?

Guys
Yes i did mean aluminum! Using a 1/4" dowel would leave only a 1/16" wall
and as Burt says it might be too weak for the load. I value you-alls opinions
as more experienced builders than my self!
Thanks to all for your opinions!
Wayne

Works for me.

Jon, I follow Richard (Burt)'s thinking but it does look robust enough. I was going to suggest thin roll-pins to fix the ends in the square tubing. I was thinking of how to get the hole precisely centred down the middle of the square section rod.

Those who use a hollow mill usually use a slotted tube that just won't quite close around the square rod - that allows the rod to be gripped in a 3-jaw chuck and spun in a lathe. A drill in the tailstock will then put a hole down the middle, just as a hollow mill in the tailstock would machine away the metal around a central "pip" if you are doing it the other way. Concentric, for both methods. (See Pickgetter's post in "Finishing cross shaft ends")

Will C