roller nut

[Bay]

How do you cut grooves in roller nut with basic tools at home
Bay

[Bent]

Bay how about this. Do you have a band saw? if so, cut several slits to a controlled depth. Then clean out with a narrow file. If you don't have a bandsaw, use a hacksaw instead and clean out with file. If doing it in aluminum, this is entirely possible. Of course, you have to make the width of your rollers a shade narrower than the width of the slot. Take your time.

[Bill Ford]

Bent, Not to be a smart A** , but I think he means the groove the string rests in.
FWIW...I did it mounting the roller on a countersunk machine screw,put in a drill press/hand drill, using a really small three corner file, using the drill as a makeshift lathe. The bevel on the backside of the screw will hold it pretty well centered.
I salvaged the rollers off of limit switches, they were about the right size with oilite bushings in them. Another..FWIW..My mentor Charles (of CLR) said the bushings would hurt the tone..Whadda I know bout that stuff, is it subjective?
Check the link, and/or do a search for the size you are planning on using.
Sorry, here I go off topic again...Bill

http://www.mcmaster.com/#unthreaded-spacers/=e9ywe9 -----part #92510A622

[Bent]

Bill, he did say roller nut which always means the thingie you put the rollers in. But then he calls the slots "grooves" so you could be right.
Let's hear it Bay..
Nah, to me you're never a smart a$$ Bill. You're just plain smart. Keep that thinking cap on!

[Bent]

Bill, you asked "will the bushings hurt the tone..." The way I think is that the tone quality is affected by the rollers only on open strings. With the bar on the strings and your fingers dampening behind it, the rollers don't matter one iota.

[Bay]

I did mean the roller the string goes in(sorry).I had thought about using hand drill and small triangle file.Also thought about using brass ends off bass strings,just wouldn't be guaged to strings.
Bay

[Bill Ford]

Bay,
Sho-Bud used string balls on some of their models, don't remember which one(s). I think I would go for the McMaster spacers, and the triangle file, use the smallest file you can find and start with the smallest groove first. If you go with the bought rollers/spacers,I would get a couple extras. Also they carry a threaded 6-32 X 1/4"od X 3/8" wide standoff that I have used for the rod swivel/connector in the bellcrank, a little tricky to drill for the pullrod. I would not make them as cheaply as you can buy them unless I needed some now, or yesterday.

FWIW...ALWAYS..put handles on yer files, or wrap a bunch of tape around where you hold it, cause it hurts like crazy when it sticks in the palm of your hand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bent,
I totally agree with the open string tone statement, how much open string playing does a player really do anyhow.
Bill

[Eldon]

Bay, On my first build I bought 2 large truck tire valve bodies. They are made of brass(??) and easy to work with and have a hole in the middle for self centering. I chucked it in my drillpress and very gingerly (drill presses aren't made to be pushed on sideways too much) with a point file ground to a cutting tip "lathed my roller nuts". It worked very well.

[Bill Ford]

(drill presses aren't made to be pushed on sideways too much)

Very true, Most drill presses have a taper fit mounted chuck that will/may come off when side pressure is applied.
Be careful when working with any rotating tool.

Bill

[Bent]

Drill presses can be pushed on sideways only if they have a draw bar coming down thru the spindle and attaching to the taper (like on a mill)