Double Bass Stripped eyelet thread

[fdeck]

The eyelet in my frog has stripped out, where it goes into the ebony frog. It looks like the eyelet was probably poorly threaded from the beginning, but the hole frog is stripped out.

The shank appears to have a 4 mm x 0.5 mm thread. I've got a new eyelet from a crummy bow, and could probably gently thread it into the frog for a few more weeks of life, as its diameter is about 0.005 inch bigger.

Also, M4 x 0.5 is not a standard tap size. Nothing like it in the McMaster-Carr catalog. One is available from Amazon, however.

Grrrr. Any advice?

 

[T_Bone_TL]

So to understand more clearly, the interface of the (typically brass) eyelet into the frog wood is what's stripped, (i.e. the threads in the ebony are stripped out?) not the interface of the eyelet to the steel shaft in the bow stick?

At the risk of horrifying traditionalists, cleaning up the "poorly threaded" eyelet threads (or having a jeweler/watchmaker do that for you if a mechanically minded architier is not handy) waxing them, and applying a drop of epoxy to the stripped out wood to restore the threads would be an approach. I suppose you could fuss about with drilling out the relevant portion of the frog, cutting an ebony plug and hide-gluing it in if more traditional suits you better, though I'd also observe that the same approach could be used to completely remove the epoxied thread restoration if you were not happy with it after trying it. The wax serves as a mold release so the eyelet can still be adjusted, though you do want to set it in as deeply as it would want to go to form threads, since there's no tap involved.

Could to the same with the "new eyelet from a crummy bow" or another new eyelet if the eyelet threads match the steel adjuster and the threads for the wood are better formed.

If that does not sound like something you'd like to do based on the value of your bow, then it's architier time anyway.

 

[fdeck]

That's right. The ebony is stripped out. I think I'll stay put until I have a new tap and die set on hand, and a spare eyelet.

I like the bow, an old Finale carbon, but it's an appliance not a collectors item. I'd be OK with re-forming the threads with a bit of epoxy and a tap, to get it working again.

 

[fdeck]

Meanwhile, it looks like this vendor has everything I need...

 

[james condino]

MET music usually has everything you need. Call them if you don't see it on the website:

Bow Parts

...

www.metmusic.com

 

[Ryan in PDX]

That's right. The ebony is stripped out. I think I'll stay put until I have a new tap and die set on hand, and a spare eyelet.

I like the bow, an old Finale carbon, but it's an appliance not a collectors item. I'd be OK with re-forming the threads with a bit of epoxy and a tap, to get it working again.

Aren't the finale frogs ebonol? Pretty sure mine is... Not sure if that makes is easier or harder to work with in this case.

 

[fdeck]

Aren't the finale frogs ebonol? Pretty sure mine is... Not sure if that makes is easier or harder to work with in this case.

I got mine used from a fellow TB'er, easily 15+ years ago, so I should probably find out.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Just epoxy it. Most of the bow is already epoxy anyway. Avoid screwing up the angle of the new set.

 

[Michael Eisenman]

Have you tried dropping a few splinters of wood into the hole to give the eyelet threads something to grab on to? A toothpick would be too large.

 

[fdeck]

Well, plans change as the conditions change.

The new eyelet arrived, and it's a slightly larger diameter than its predecessor. So I simply threaded it into the stripped out hole, and it fits great. No tapping needed, though I now own a 4 x 0.5 tap. The first tap I got from Amazon was of phenomenally low quality as seen under my inspection microscope. The second one, ordered from Home Depot, is just fine. Lesson learned about buying cheap tools of course.

The bow is back in business.

 

[Ryan in PDX]

Well, plans change as the conditions change.

The new eyelet arrived, and it's a slightly larger diameter than its predecessor. So I simply threaded it into the stripped out hole, and it fits great. No tapping needed, though I now own a 4 x 0.5 tap. The first tap I got from Amazon was of phenomenally low quality as seen under my inspection microscope. The second one, ordered from Home Depot, is just fine. Lesson learned about buying cheap tools of course.

The bow is back in business.

Welcome back to "Finale Alley."