| Author |
Topic: New rubber feet for my steel |
Bob Metzger
From:
Waltham (Boston), MA, USA
|
Posted 21 Feb 2022 1:27 pm |
|
While playing recently, I discovered my pedals were bottoming out, hitting the floor before hitting their stop. After an examination, I decided the rubber feet on the front legs were wearing down too far at both ends, where they contact the floor and where they contact the bottom of the pedalboard. I took some measurements and I need black rubber feet that are 1-1/4" high with an inner diameter of 1/2" for my steel leg. I've been to all the local hardware stores in my area to look for these things and the closest I can come are ones that are only 1" high that can still fit my steel leg snugly.
Here's a pic of an old Sho-Bud rubber foot (My steel is a Pro I).
Notice the vertical stripes in the rubber. This is what I need.
Does anyone know someone selling these black rubber feet (with the size I need)?
I saw one guy on Ebay but he wants $25 for two rubber feet - my local Hardware store sell a package of four for $2.69 but they are a little shorter than what I need.
Thanks for the help,
Bob M.
P.S. I'll never make it as a scientific photographer. This rubber foot in the pic is actually 1-1/4" in length, maybe even a 1/16" or 1/32" shorter than that but you can get the idea of what I need from this pic.
_________________
Bob M. |
|
|
 |
Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
|
Posted 21 Feb 2022 1:43 pm
|
|
n/a
Last edited by Jerry Overstreet on 6 Aug 2022 9:22 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
Jerry Van Hoose
From:
Wears Valley, Tennessee
|
Posted 21 Feb 2022 1:50 pm
|
|
Hello Bob, I bought these at Ace Hardware and you’re correct on the size. They’re a little bit shorter than the ones you have pictured however, they’re the same ones on newer legs. I placed a washer in the bottom of the tips before I installed them on my guitar. It raised it to about the height you need and also keeps the ends of the legs from wearing through the rubber tip.
 |
|
|
|
Jerry Van Hoose
From:
Wears Valley, Tennessee
|
Posted 21 Feb 2022 1:52 pm
|
|
| Jerry O. found the correct leg tips.👍😀 |
|
|
|
Roger Crawford
From:
Griffin, GA USA
|
Posted 21 Feb 2022 5:52 pm
|
|
| George L dealers should have them. Try Bill Ferguson. |
|
|
|
Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
|
Posted 22 Feb 2022 4:27 am
|
|
Bob, Crutch
tips at any drug store.
_________________
Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
|
|
|
Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
|
Posted 22 Feb 2022 9:11 am
|
|
As Jerry said, many times the problem isn't that the bottom of the rubber tip is wearing down, but that the thin leg tubing is cutting through on the inside of the rubber tip. A quick solution for this, and a "tip" that will make the leg tips last a lot longer, is to put from one to three washers in the bottom of the rubber tip before you push it onto the leg. Get some washers whose outside diameter is the same as the inner leg tube. For most legs, a regular 1/4" washer will work, as it's almost exactly the same size as the hole in the rubber leg tip.  |
|
|
|
Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
|
|
|
|
Bob Metzger
From:
Waltham (Boston), MA, USA
|
Posted 23 Feb 2022 10:09 am
|
|
Thanks for all the replies. I will try that washer trick. I'm not doing a stock restoration here; just trying to get my pedals off the floor.
Bob M.
_________________
Bob M. |
|
|
|
Paul Redmond
From:
Illinois, USA
|
Posted 4 Mar 2022 6:33 pm
|
|
Contact Frenchy's in Rio Rancho NM.
PRR |
|
|
|
Bob Metzger
From:
Waltham (Boston), MA, USA
|
Posted 5 Mar 2022 10:58 am
|
|
Thanks to all who contributed. The washer trick was the way to go. I ended up with 5/8" diameter, 1-1/8" tall rubber feet from Ace Hardware and I inserted a washer into the rubber foot. (4x rubber feet for $2.69 + the washers that I already had). My pedals are a little higher off the ground than I'm used to but I'll adapt.
Normally in the past, this guitar's tuning is stable, stable, stable. I tune the open strings and adjust/tweak a knee lever or two and I'm ready to rock (or pick and grin, your choice). Imagine how freaked out I was when I had to do a major and radical re-tune on a gig recently before I figured out the pedals were bottoming out. Anyway, all's well that ends well. Thanks to everyone for your insights and help.
Bob M.
_________________
Bob M. |
|
|
|
Tom Gorr
From:
Three Hills, Alberta
|
Posted 5 Mar 2022 11:21 am
|
|
Your pedal rods have threaded adjustments on them if you want to set the pedal height back to normal.
The nut above is a jam nut that first needs loosened.
Turn them exactly one turn at a time to keep the height change consistent between them - and then do a feel test.
Thanks for the thread - its been helpful for my Shobud legs also.
Last edited by Tom Gorr on 6 Mar 2022 9:31 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
Dan Robinson
From:
Colorado, USA
|
Posted 6 Mar 2022 9:23 am
|
|
I experienced the same issue with my Carter guitar. The rubber tips deform, compress, and get worn over time. They don't provide a secure, hard-stop for the pedal-bar.
I tried crutch tips, but they were too BIG, not tight on the legs, and reminded me of Herman Munster's shoes.
My solution was installing a small hose clamp on each leg, just above the rubber leg-tip. The clamp is mechanically secure, and allowed fine tuning the pedal-bar height. They're not pretty, but hardly noticable, and got the job done for a couple of bucks.
 |
|
|
|
Bob Metzger
From:
Waltham (Boston), MA, USA
|
Posted 8 Mar 2022 10:03 am
|
|
Well, if you can't find steel players at a music store or a steel guitar convention, try the auto parts store, they are probably hanging out there!
Bob M.
_________________
Bob M. |
|
|
|
Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
|
Posted 8 Mar 2022 2:15 pm
|
|
| Dan Robinson wrote: |
I experienced the same issue with my Carter guitar. The rubber tips deform, compress, and get worn over time. They don't provide a secure, hard-stop for the pedal-bar.
I tried crutch tips, but they were too BIG, not tight on the legs, and reminded me of Herman Munster's shoes.
My solution was installing a small hose clamp on each leg, just above the rubber leg-tip. The clamp is mechanically secure, and allowed fine tuning the pedal-bar height. They're not pretty, but hardly noticable, and got the job done for a couple of bucks.
|
Something I have used, instead of the hose clamps, are rubber hose washers, designed for garden hoses. They are flat and stretch right over the small part of the steel guitar leg. I used a stack of those on one of my guitars some years ago, to get the pedal rack positioned at just the right height above the rubber feet.
~Lee |
|
|
|
John Drury
From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
|
Posted 18 Jun 2022 1:57 pm Re: New rubber feet for my steel
|
|
| Bob Metzger wrote: |
While playing recently, I discovered my pedals were bottoming out, hitting the floor before hitting their stop. After an examination, I decided the rubber feet on the front legs were wearing down too far at both ends, where they contact the floor and where they contact the bottom of the pedalboard. I took some measurements and I need black rubber feet that are 1-1/4" high with an inner diameter of 1/2" for my steel leg. I've been to all the local hardware stores in my area to look for these things and the closest I can come are ones that are only 1" high that can still fit my steel leg snugly.
Here's a pic of an old Sho-Bud rubber foot (My steel is a Pro I).
Notice the vertical stripes in the rubber. This is what I need.
Does anyone know someone selling these black rubber feet (with the size I need)?
I saw one guy on Ebay but he wants $25 for two rubber feet - my local Hardware store sell a package of four for $2.69 but they are a little shorter than what I need.
Thanks for the help,
Bob M.
P.S. I'll never make it as a scientific photographer. This rubber foot in the pic is actually 1-1/4" in length, maybe even a 1/16" or 1/32" shorter than that but you can get the idea of what I need from this pic. |
Bob,
I bought out a guys supply of PSG parts, and steel related items and I found these in one of the boxes, a bag of five new Genuine SHO~BUD factory rubber feet. They are in amazing condition! The rubber is very live!
If you can use them, they are yours. Just let me know where to send them.
Hope all is well,
John
_________________
John Drury
NTSGA #3
"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr |
|
|
|
Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
|
Posted 19 Jun 2022 4:45 am
|
|
| Same thing has happened to my Emmons. Is 5/8" pretty much standard with steels (including my LeGrande)? |
|
|
|
Ken Byng
From:
Southampton, England
|
Posted 19 Jun 2022 4:59 am
|
|
| Roger Rettig wrote: |
| Same thing has happened to my Emmons. Is 5/8" pretty much standard with steels (including my LeGrande)? |
Hi Roger
Yes 5/8" is the standard size of the outside diameter of the inner leg on most pedal steels. Most hardware stores and shops sell that size rubber ferrules for walking sticks and chair legs. Our old buddy Ron Mawn used to stock up on 5/8" rubber feet every time he went to his local hardware store. He always had a huge stock of them. I have always stuck a penny piece (UK) inside the rubber foot before installing it, but an appropriately sized washer does the same job.
_________________
Show Pro D10 - amber (8+6), MSA D10 Legend XL Signature - redburst (9+6), Sho-Bud Pro 111 Custom (8+6), Emmons black Push-Pull D10 (8+5), Zum D10 (8x8), Hudson pedal resonator. Telonics TCA-500, Webb 614-E,
Last edited by Ken Byng on 19 Jun 2022 5:06 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
|
Posted 19 Jun 2022 5:05 am
|
|
Hi, Ken - thanks! Mine are thoroughly worn through.
Dear Ron: he helped me out of mechanical disasters more than once. And I recall that gorgeous Gretsch 6120 (a '56, I think) just propped up on his settee. It now belongs to another friend of mine, Laurence Bird, but it was way beyond my reach at the time.
RIP, Ron. |
|
|
|
Ken Byng
From:
Southampton, England
|
Posted 19 Jun 2022 5:12 am
|
|
| Roger Rettig wrote: |
Hi, Ken - thanks! Mine are thoroughly worn through.
Dear Ron: he helped me out of mechanical disasters more than once. And I recall that gorgeous Gretsch 6120 (a '56, I think) just propped up on his settee. It now belongs to another friend of mine, Laurence Bird, but it was way beyond my reach at the time.
RIP, Ron. |
Ron eventually lived a couple of miles from me on the outskirts of Southampton, and I used to give him jobs to do on my steel guitars so he could keep his hand in (and earn a few bob). We got on really well, and I loved the stories of his days in Denmark Street. He used to collect parts for pedal steels, and it was he who tipped me off to put a penny piece in each rubber foot.
_________________
Show Pro D10 - amber (8+6), MSA D10 Legend XL Signature - redburst (9+6), Sho-Bud Pro 111 Custom (8+6), Emmons black Push-Pull D10 (8+5), Zum D10 (8x8), Hudson pedal resonator. Telonics TCA-500, Webb 614-E, |
|
|
|
Ken Byng
From:
Southampton, England
|
Posted 19 Jun 2022 5:19 am
|
|
Both eBay and Amazon sell 16mm / 5/8" rubber walking stick ferrules. I find this type has plenty of 'meat' on the business end of the ferrule. They can be picked up very cheaply.
_________________
Show Pro D10 - amber (8+6), MSA D10 Legend XL Signature - redburst (9+6), Sho-Bud Pro 111 Custom (8+6), Emmons black Push-Pull D10 (8+5), Zum D10 (8x8), Hudson pedal resonator. Telonics TCA-500, Webb 614-E, |
|
|
|
Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
|
Posted 19 Jun 2022 10:40 am
|
|
We took a trip to Home Depot (round the corner from us; Ken Byng - that's B&Q to you  ) and they had a wall full of rubber cane tips. Every colour under the Sun and almost every size - but no 5/8", though.
Back at home, we ordered from Amazon Prime. Well, we did TRY to support a local shop, even they are a huge corporate chain. |
|
|
|
Frank Freniere
From:
The First Coast
|
Posted 21 Jun 2022 5:52 am
|
|
Excellent thread guys - comes at the right time for me.
Question: any tricks to remove the leg tips/ferrules more easily? |
|
|
|
Ron Pruter
From:
Arizona, USA
|
Posted 29 Jun 2022 7:06 pm
|
|
Frank, they should come right off. If not, they must have been glued on . Cut 'em off and get some new ones. Ace or Home Depot. 5/8" RUBBER.
_________________
Emmons SKH Le Grande, '73 Fender P/J bass, Tick tack bass, Regal high strung, USA Nashville 112. |
|
|
|
Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
|
Posted 29 Jun 2022 8:24 pm
|
|
| Ken Byng wrote: |
| I have always stuck a penny piece (UK) inside the rubber foot before installing it, but an appropriately sized washer does the same job. |
I use washers. But this post brought me up short--when I was a kid and mid-teenager (I was born in 1951) I was a casual coin collector, and had foreign coins brought back to the US by my grandmothers. A penny piece in a steel guitar foot??? A British penny is more than an inch in diameter!! Might still have some somewhere. Had some shillings, too, and farthings, and halfpennies, maybe a florin or sixpence or two. Tempus fugit.  |
|
|
|
