Hi all. Just fishing for thoughts and comments here regarding mounting of keyheads. I am working on a console 8 string and have a stepped aluminium keyhead to use. This will be screwed onto body in front of neck piece of wood like nearly all I have seen. However a friend made the comment this morning that if he wanted a console made, he would not want to see screw heads (countersunk or not) on the keyhead. I asked him what he meant and he said he'd rather tap the underside of keyhead and put bolts through the body and into the keyhead instead of screwing keyhead onto body from top. I told him that in my opinion, its easier to place neck piece of wood on body then align the keyhead accurately from the top up against the top of neck.
Has anyone mounted stepped keyheads without screwing down from top. If so, how?
I'd like some comments ifpossible guys as to your thoughts on alternative mounting of stepped keyheads. My keyhead has the neck up flush against a flatpiece at neck side of keyhead.
I think its less of a hassle just screwing down from top into body.
Cheers
Billy
Keyheads
Re: Keyheads
Billy, I'll take a couple of pics and show you the way to do it.
http://benrom.com/
21 BenRom pedal steel guitars, a Nash 112 and a 1967 TOS Milling machine with many cutters making one hell of a mess on the floor.
21 BenRom pedal steel guitars, a Nash 112 and a 1967 TOS Milling machine with many cutters making one hell of a mess on the floor.
Re: Keyheads
Let me let you in on a trade secret on how to line up a blind hole:
Drill a blind hole in the headstock and tap it out to whatever thread you are using.
Screw a socket setscrew (in the uk they are called grub screws) upside down into the blind hole, so that about 1/32" of the pointed end of the setscrew is sticking out proud of the headstock.
Put the headstock in position on the body, and when you are sure that it is located exactly where you want it, hit it moderately hard with a hide mallet directly above the setscrew.
This will leave an impression in the wood of the exact position to drill the bolt hole.
Drill a blind hole in the headstock and tap it out to whatever thread you are using.
Screw a socket setscrew (in the uk they are called grub screws) upside down into the blind hole, so that about 1/32" of the pointed end of the setscrew is sticking out proud of the headstock.
Put the headstock in position on the body, and when you are sure that it is located exactly where you want it, hit it moderately hard with a hide mallet directly above the setscrew.
This will leave an impression in the wood of the exact position to drill the bolt hole.
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Re: Keyheads
Billy, that's exactly what I was gonna show you, but Burt got in ahead of me 
I thought I was the one who had invented this handy procedure - I even made the screw points. hehe not so inventive after all!
A neat trick you might consider: grind a flat on either side of the point, taking care to leave the point itself intact. that way you can use some kind of wrench or needle nose to get the point as deep as you wish
I thought I was the one who had invented this handy procedure - I even made the screw points. hehe not so inventive after all!
A neat trick you might consider: grind a flat on either side of the point, taking care to leave the point itself intact. that way you can use some kind of wrench or needle nose to get the point as deep as you wish
http://benrom.com/
21 BenRom pedal steel guitars, a Nash 112 and a 1967 TOS Milling machine with many cutters making one hell of a mess on the floor.
21 BenRom pedal steel guitars, a Nash 112 and a 1967 TOS Milling machine with many cutters making one hell of a mess on the floor.
Re: Keyheads
Thanks Burt and Bent. That'd be easier than doing a paper template off the bottom of the keyhead I reckon. Even with a template, I dont trust the accuracy. This is a better sounding method to me.
Hey Bent ! I cant get over the finish on your blue Pedal steel. I want the address of where it is so that I can steal it. I dont care where it is. I have a decent Sea Kayak I can strap it to mate. lol
Hey Bent ! I cant get over the finish on your blue Pedal steel. I want the address of where it is so that I can steal it. I dont care where it is. I have a decent Sea Kayak I can strap it to mate. lol
Re: Keyheads
Hey Billy my aussie buddy! No need to become a crook...How about I make you an identical one? I got more of that pretty blue and I can certainly get more of that curly maple. Can't guarantee the lightning bolt but will certainly try!
http://benrom.com/
21 BenRom pedal steel guitars, a Nash 112 and a 1967 TOS Milling machine with many cutters making one hell of a mess on the floor.
21 BenRom pedal steel guitars, a Nash 112 and a 1967 TOS Milling machine with many cutters making one hell of a mess on the floor.
Re: Keyheads
See how good your work is Bent? You've got an ex cop here planning to paddle overseas and nick the blue pedal steel 
have to get heaps of projects out of the way (and get some money back) before I get a pedal steel mate. I'd love to build one but I cant fabricate the metal parts so it would end up a pricey project in the end I reckon. That's why I am sticking to making non pedals at present.
have to get heaps of projects out of the way (and get some money back) before I get a pedal steel mate. I'd love to build one but I cant fabricate the metal parts so it would end up a pricey project in the end I reckon. That's why I am sticking to making non pedals at present.