Will this work?

[ghiggin1079]

I have an old string thru tele body that I wanna convert to a short scale. And of course where I need to put the bridge, is where the string ferrules used to live. B4 i drill and fill this would titebond and dowels be strong to actually hold the bridge under tension..

 

[Beej]

Got a pic? Ferrules go on the back, so they should not impact the bridge mounting on the face, no? Titebond and wood is a very strong joint, presuming you'll be using plugs though, not dowels. Dowels have the grain oriented incorrectly to cleanly plug a hole, plus end grain (dowels) doesn't hold a screw in tension as well as plugs.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

As Beej said, a plug will hold the screws better than an end grain dowel. I’m not sure where plugs, particularly ones long enough to go through the whole body, can be purchased. If you know someone with a wood lathe they should be able to make some. There’s a reasonable chance the dowels would be fine but if you want the most strength plugs are the way to go. Also, whichever route you go make sure the plug or dowel fits the hole snugly. You shouldn’t have to pound it in but a push fit with maybe a few light taps to get it into place. Titebond isn’t a gap filler. Apologies if you already know that.

Edit: are the bridge screw holes actually going to fall where the string through holes are currently?

 

[ghiggin1079]

Edit: are the bridge screw holes actually going to fall where the string through holes are currently?

Yes. Sod law in mathematical form

 

[Beej]

You can make your own 'long plug' by cutting a long square strip of wood, putting it into a hand-drill chuck and ramming it through one of these mounted in a vise - about 25 bucks on amazon:

Ironically referred to as a "Steel Dowel Plate"

 

[ghiggin1079]

You can make your own 'long plug' by cutting a long square strip of wood, putting it into a hand-drill chuck and ramming it through one of these mounted in a vise - about 25 bucks on amazon:
View attachment 7406421

Ironically referred to as a "Steel Dowel Plate"

 

[ghiggin1079]

You can make your own 'long plug' by cutting a long square strip of wood, putting it into a hand-drill chuck and ramming it through one of these mounted in a vise - about 25 bucks on amazon:
View attachment 7406421

Ironically referred to as a "Steel Dowel Plate"

Oh thats handy for multiple things..

 

[Beej]

I wonder if you could just move your bridge plate 5mm in either direction towards/away from the nut, and line up the holes outside of where these are? As long as there's enough travel in your saddles that is.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

You can make your own 'long plug' by cutting a long square strip of wood, putting it into a hand-drill chuck and ramming it through one of these mounted in a vise - about 25 bucks on amazon:
View attachment 7406421

Ironically referred to as a "Steel Dowel Plate"

I forgot about a dowel plate. OP can make one also with thin steel. Start a few 1/16” over your final size and drill holes in the plate progressively smaller until you get to the final diameter.

 

[ctmullins]

Use the ferrule holes. Mount the bridge with long machine screws that thread into an insert in the ferrule holes.

 

[Ostie]

Edit- replied to wrong post

 

[T_Bone_TL]

Route out the holes and glue in a rectangular plug of correct grain orientation. Or epoxy in an aluminum bridge anchor plate. Or epoxy in an aluminum bridge anchor plate sandwiched by wood so it does not show.

Does not show can also be managed by making the bridge anchor plate match the bottom of the bridge and routing out for that on the topside. IIRC Bruce suggested leaving said plate installed that way just a tiny bit higher than the surface for direct metal-to-metal contact. But his default from new bridge anchor install is sandwiched in the middle of the wood.