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Topic: Drilling out a Bullet nose bar |
Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Ulrich Sinn
From:
California, USA
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Posted 13 Apr 2014 5:29 pm |
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a gazillion years ago when I learned about that kind of stuff we were taught to use aluminium jaws on the vise.
Times might have moved on though... |
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Glenn Uhler
From:
Trenton, New Jersey, USA
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Posted 13 Apr 2014 6:27 pm That's the ticket.....
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That's the right set-up to use, Ulrich. The jaws are bored out to exactly the same diameter as the bar. Unfortunately, it's much easier to bore out the bar while it's being made on the lathe. A new bar might be easier to obtain.
_________________
1974 Marlen S-12 1968 Tele 1969 Martin D-35H |
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Stephen Abruzzo
From:
Philly, PA
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Posted 13 Apr 2014 7:16 pm
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| Use a small 6x6" sheet of thin rubber.....you should be able to buy that at a decent hardware store. The bar will not move in the vise with the rubber wrapped around the bar. |
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Tom Snook
From:
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA
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Posted 14 Apr 2014 5:30 am
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You can buy one of those round rubber jar opener things at a grocery store,that'll hold it .
_________________
I wanna go back to my little grass shack........ |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 14 Apr 2014 6:05 am
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| You will probably need a special drill bit. I doubt that standard drill bits will bore into the hard material that Jim Burden uses. |
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Bill Mollenhauer
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 14 Apr 2014 11:25 am
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| You can buy those 6x6 rubber pieces at Lowes in the plumbing parts section |
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Roger Shackelton
From:
MINNESOTA (deceased)
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Posted 14 Apr 2014 2:27 pm
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DOM,
I would recommend drilling your tone bar on a lathe. 
Roger |
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Posted 14 Apr 2014 9:31 pm
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I already started drilling out the bar, stepping up in size slowly. The material is not super hard, and the bits are holding up well.
Now I must decide how much material to remove... I have two of the exact bars so I can compare how they feel as I play.
I am hoping the lighter weight will allow faster and smoother bar movement, while being less less demanding on my wrist.
Dom
_________________
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYG9cvwCPKuXpGofziPNieA/feed?activity_view=3 |
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Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 15 Apr 2014 8:06 am
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| Dom,,,many years ago Jim made me a hollow bar that I filled with BBs to get the exact weight that I wanted,,,,it was my go to bar until I got my zirc bar. |
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Don Sulesky
From:
Citrus County, FL, Orig. from MA & NH
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Posted 16 Apr 2014 2:52 pm
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Dom
I have several of Jim's Bullet bars all bored out.
My 7/8" bar is bored out to 3/8" which gives me a 7 oz. bar which is about right for me.
Don
_________________
Private one on one lessons available
Member: FSGC, PSGA, TSGA
Co-founder: Florida Steel Guitar Club
"Steel guitar is like playing chess in the dark with three players". Jeff Newman quote from 1997 seminar |
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Posted 21 Apr 2014 5:50 am
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Since I have two identical bars, I thought I'd risk drilling one out myself.
After removing the plastic cap in the back I found it already had a hollow center.
I removed some material with a slightly larger bit and weighed the bar again...
With less than 1 ounce removed, there is a noticeable difference in how it feels to play!
I am going to remove a little more and live with it for awhile. It is the perfect length for my 12 string lap steels.
Dom
_________________
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYG9cvwCPKuXpGofziPNieA/feed?activity_view=3 |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2014 6:55 am
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I understand the BJS, John Hughey bar is drilled out.
The 15/16" bar weighs the same as a 7/8" bar. |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 21 Apr 2014 7:40 am
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i don't get the lighter/faster concept. i use a 1 inch solid dekley bar that just turned up one day. it became my go to bar because it has a more substantial feel, the tone is always consistent even between my different steels and my original bars....even my old favorite 7/8 emmons bar feels wimpy and light and weak of tone.
the reason to have a big bar is partly for the density and the tone it produces. if that much added weight slows down your picking you should go to the gym and work out. |
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Greg Cutshaw
From:
Corry, PA, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2014 9:20 am
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| I use three bars: BJS solid, Dunlop hollow, and a zirconium. The Dunlop has the most mellow tone and is great for getting a thick fat tone. I drilled out another old solid bar that I had lying around and that made it more mellow too. The BJS has the most sustain and the zirc has the clearest notes above the 12th fret. The tone change when going to the Dunlop is not something you have to be looking for, it's HUGE! |
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Steve Hogge
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2014 10:17 am
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| Drill press is the wrong tool. You need a lathe. A job like this would take 15 minutes. |
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Steve Hogge
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2014 11:04 am
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| Maybe my comment wasn't brilliant, though. I know it can be a real pain getting machining done. |
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Dennis Saydak
From:
Manitoba, Canada
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Posted 21 Apr 2014 12:33 pm
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Take a block of wood and drill a hole in it the same diameter and length as your bar. Then split the block in half lengthwise on a band saw. Use the two halves to clamp the bar in a drill press vise and drill away.
_________________
Dennis
Just when you think you're getting ahead in the rat race, the rats get faster. |
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Posted 3 May 2014 3:44 pm
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I ended up removing 2 ounces by stepping up to a 15/32" bit.
I played my steel today with it and the un-drilled bar side by side, alternating between them. I really like the slightly lighter weight. It will be my go-to bar, and I will live with it for a while.
I am going to buy another new one and drill it out even larger... I could always fill it back in with something to add weight.
Dom
_________________
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYG9cvwCPKuXpGofziPNieA/feed?activity_view=3 |
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Sam White R.I.P.
From:
Coventry, RI 02816
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Posted 3 May 2014 4:56 pm
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Dom I have a 1 inch bar that I had my brother in law drill out for me on a lath where he worked.The bar is a 1 inch thick and it is 3 3/4 inches long and he drilled it and the walls are about 1/4 inch thick and he drilled it 3 inches deep. It feels comfortable and I filled it with hot glue from a glue gun.I used it on my pedal Steel I had and I have been trying it on my 8 String Dynalap Lap Steel and I like it.I also have a 5/8 Emmons bar and did the same thing to it and I like it also.I also have a Dobro Bar with the curved nose and I have used it also but I like the Emmons bar that is ligher and feels good .
Sam White
_________________
Dynalap lap 8 String Lap Steel Fender frontman 25B speaker changed Boss TU-12H Tuner.Founder and supporter of the Rhode Island Steel Guitar Association Founder of the New England Steel Guitar Association and the Greeneville TN Steel Jams and now founder of the North Carolina Steel Guitar Jams. Honorary member of the Rhode Island Steel Guitar Association,Member of The New England Steel Guitar Association.
Member of the Florida Steel Guitar Club,and member of Mid Atlantic Steel Guitar Association |
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Paul Arntson
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 6 May 2014 8:57 am
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Dom - if you go too far you can add weight again by tamping in lead fishing weights, I believe. There was some talk a while back about making super heavy bars that way.
_________________
Excel D10 8&4, Supro 8, Regal resonator, Peavey Powerslide, homemade lap 12(a work in progress) |
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Joe Naylor
From:
Avondale, Arizona, USA
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Posted 6 May 2014 2:27 pm my experience
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Several years ago I made a bunch of bars - several I drilled out - I just took my time and drilled slow - you simply cannot get in a hurry.
When I took them to the first steel guitar show the drilled ones sold out first. Once I sold all of those I was our of that business.
Between the polishing the outside and drilling the inside I decided you just had to have lots of time on your hands to be in that business. I did not use a lathe either.
Joe Naylor
www.steeleseat.com
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Joe Naylor, Avondale, AZ (Phoenix) Announcer/Emcee owner www.steelseat.com *** OFFERING SEATS AND Effects cases with or without legs and other stuff ****** -Desert Rose Guitar S-10, Life Member of the Arizona Carport Pickers Assoc., Southwest Steel Guitar Assoc., Texas Steel Guitar Assoc., GA Steel Guitar Assoc., KS Steel Guitar Assoc. (Asleep at the Steel) tag line willed to me by a close late friend RIP |
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