Counterboring Tele String-Through Ferule Holes?

[777funk]

Just wondering how this is done. I had one shop say they had a 3/8" bit turned down to 5/16 up to the depth of the ferule and let the 3/8" diameter cut the counterbore. But I'd think there's already made for this application. What do you use?

[RandK]

Try industrial supply places like McMaster.com, mscdirect.com, use-enco.com, american-carbide etc. They have counterbores, long-reach 1/8" end mills etc. All kinds of good stuff. Metalworking industry stuff. Vortextools and precisebits have good specialty stuff. Prices vary so look around.

[RandK]

For tuners like Grovers I drill for the shaft using an endmill, 1/4 I think, and then I do a clean-circle (helix) operation to cut the larger counterbore for the tuner body. A few times I've had to drill as deep as I could with the bit I had on hand and then use that hole as a guide on the drill press to finish it out. I don't do tele's so I can't help with that. Ed Hawley has a really in depth thread somewhere here where he does a very detailed cnc build of an Esquire or tele. Check that out.

[luthier]

Buy a step drill from a place like Harbor Freight. it goes 1/4-5/16-3/8-7/16 etc in steps.

[luthier]

try a step drill like this

3 Piece Titanium Nitride Coated High Speed Steel Step Drills