Hughes Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 As most of you know, I have access to a metal lathe and a milling machine. So I was wondering if its possible to make your own tuners? got some questions though such as if i just make really deep threads on the pole like this http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/Mar...wavecircled.jpg and where i could fine a small gear like that also, i could make something like this http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/MartyrMetal/stien.jpg so oppinions? am i jsut better off to spend $30 on a cheap set? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarGuy Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 Gears are quite difficult to cut on a lathe (worm gear like the post of the tuner). To cut the pinion gear at minimum you will need the mill with a rotary table. Judging by your need to ask this question it may be way outside your experiece with machine tools. I'd stick to somthing simple like the stop tailpiece and studs. Even a tailpiece is going to be a challenge with little experience in machining but you gotta start somewhere. Things to remember....machine tools have no mercy. A lathe that is gear driven can literally rip your arm off if you catch your watch or ring on it. Just be carefull, wear safety glasses, and think before cutting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hughes Posted November 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 ive been using this lathe with my shop teacher and have learnt lessons. this one can also be set to cut threads (600 threads per inch for example) and i have done threads, i was thinking i could just go deeper then i have...as long as it catches the gear right? and doersnt strip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarGuy Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 ive been using this lathe with my shop teacher and have learnt lessons. this one can also be set to cut threads (600 threads per inch for example) and i have done threads, i was thinking i could just go deeper then i have...as long as it catches the gear right? and doersnt strip ← Theres alot more to cutting gears. There is alot of math involved that I can't even come close to explaining on here. My point is that if the gears do not mesh with a very close tolerance you will have backlash as you are tuning the guitar. If you put a tuner with a lot of backlash on a trem guitar, when you dive the trem it will slop in the tuner and your string will be out of tune. I'm not saying its not possible. but for somthing you can buy for $20 do you want to spend 3 weeks or so doing it? Thats a conservative estimate considering this is your first time. Took me a month to build a hammer first time around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hughes Posted November 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 thanks for the explanation i DO however have a shop teacher who somehow knows what he is doing, but i was actually more interested in the Gearless Steinberger Tuners. Any idea on them? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 I believe steinbergers are basically a screw in a nut. I'm sure it's more complicated than that, but you get the idea. Something to point out about steinbergs...they say it's a 40:1 ratio. You can't havy any ratio if it's not geared in some manner. So what they mean when they say "40:1" is that it's got the sensitivity of a geared tuner with a 40:1 ratio. peace, russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hughes Posted November 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 so those things when your putting strings in you loosen it up, stick the string through, turn it till its tuned then tighten it? i cant see how good that would work...im obviously msising something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 I believe steinbergers are basically a screw in a nut. I'm sure it's more complicated than that, but you get the idea. Something to point out about steinbergs...they say it's a 40:1 ratio. You can't havy any ratio if it's not geared in some manner. So what they mean when they say "40:1" is that it's got the sensitivity of a geared tuner with a 40:1 ratio. peace, russ ← Since they're locking tuners, the strings are already pulled tight --a 3/4 turn is about the most any of the tuners should need to do. Even less if the strings are pulled tight enough before clamping (that's why they suggest you pull your high E even tighter). So all you really need is a screw-in-a-nut type of design to rotate it just that little bit. The teflon washers probably make that go nice n' smoothly, so you end up with a similar accuracy to 40:1. Anyway, Hughes, these things are precision made by machines --I think cutting your own gears will be more trouble than its worth. But why not pick up a decent set of tuners and make your own buttons? I don't know about all the brands, but the Grovers I buy have screws that let you change the buttons --you could come up with a really cool design for that. The buttons don't all have to be the same either! Endless possibilities there.... If you really want a button-less design, you could probably modify the shaft for that part --say, trim it back, reshape the end so that it'll accept a socket wrench. That would make it more difficult to tune up on the fly, of course. (And I personally like the look of tuner buttons, it's part of that functional design thing --and pickguards!--I keep complaining about). Locking tuners will definitely help, because of what I stated above. But you could also modify the shaft to have a wee little wheel or similar--welded on to the head of the shaft--that you could spin with your thumb. If you have really strong thumbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarGuy Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 I was under the assumption that steinbergers were a planatary gear much like a cordless drill. I've never touched a set let alone take them apart. So I most definately could be wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hughes Posted November 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2005 ok thanks, i will jsut pick a set up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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