Plugging an endpin socket ......

[B. Graham]

..... and starting over. What's the recommended technique, and material to use, for doing so?

Reason is a crookedly reamed socket, and one that too big for most end pin plugs at this point.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

[arnoldschnitzer]

The best way is to turn a face-grain plug of the correct diameter and taper, then glue it in place. After that you would drill and ream to properly install a new endpin. The plug would best be cut on a metalworking lathe, as the revolving piece will present alternating side-grain and end-grain to the cutting tool. On a wood lathe, this would be tough to cut accurately, and a little dangerous. I suppose you could also use a large dowel (closet rod, for instance), which would be easier to machine, but not as stable in place.

[Bob Branstetter]

It is also a good itea to ream the ream the hole out a little before you turn your plug so that you have a nice even taper in the hole before you start. The old endpin socket will sometimes compress the wood in the hole on one side or worse yet, someone in the past may have attempted enlarging the hole with a rasp or file.

[B. Graham]

This an old bass, with many signs of files and rasps having their way with it.

I'll see what pans out. This is a neverending project to restore it, as best I can, someday.

Bob, you may or may not recall you gave me some good advice a couple of years ago and I sent you some linen.

Hope all is well.

[Bob Branstetter]

Originally Posted by Bill Graham

Bob, you may or may not recall you gave me some good advice a couple of years ago and I sent you some linen.

Hope all is well.

I certainly do recall that. Glad to hear my advice was good and thanks once again for the linen.

[peasandhoney]

The best way is to turn a face-grain plug of the correct diameter and taper

Arnold, why would one place the grain apposing the grain of the block? My fear would be that the plug would react to humidity in a way contrary to the wood around it and might promote a split. Also, what wood would you use (maple would be nice but may be too hard to hold the new endpin where as spruce may be too soft. or perhaps boxwood as tuningpeg bushings in our smaller cousins...)

[nicklloyd]

A large poplar tapered plug would work. I don't see the need to use a same-grain plug...?

[toman]

Wouldn't a face grain plug have the grain oriented the same way as the block? I assume the block's grain runs top to back, so a face grain plug would line up with that, whereas a straight grained plug woud meet the endgrain inside the hole at a 90 degree angle?

[arnoldschnitzer]

In reality the grain direction should not matter too much as the plug will end up only a few mm's thick. My thinking was to try to make it look good and be stable. Then again, the endpin will probably cover it...

[360guy]

I bought about 100 end pin plugs from my old teacher Ray Doerr. It was one of those things I thought I might use but true be told I have never (or maybe once, years ago) had to use them. I'd be happy to send you a few in different sizes---no charge.

If we could arrange it I also had some very large tapered reamers made for prepping the socket. Maybe I could loan you the reamer somehow. I had the local high school machine shop do it. And actually tthe teacher finished the job.

I think Ray's book shows the blueprint specs for the tool.

John

[B. Graham]

I would love to avoid plugging this thing, and starting over from scratch, but I suppose this is the most solid approach.

I would hope that some of guys I've sold to and bought from might vouch for me that if you were to loan me a reamer, I wouldn't run off with it.

I don't know much about reamers i.e. how large of a whole you can make. The hole I've got now, is about 30mm, but it's crooked. I bought two Onyx ebony end pins (one for the Eberle, and one for this restoration project). Straightening it out will make for a larger hole, so a larger plug would be needed. Maybe a 32mm?

Does any of this sound like it would work?

Thanks for considering this.

Bill

[360guy]

It's on its way including several plugs of various sizes. I just shipped it.

[Damon Rondeau]

Gotta love TalkBass!

[B. Graham]

Originally Posted by 360guy

It's on its way including several plugs of various sizes. I just shipped it.

Thanks John!