Why won't the ball end of my guitar strings come out of my electric guitar?
Hello! It sounds like the ball-end of the strings have firmly wedged into the bridge block, probably with a little help from moisture. Trust me, they are not permanently attached! Try spraying a small amount of silicone lubricant into the holes on the top of the bridge (below the saddles), and then through the openings in the tremolo block (back side of the body). If you still cannot work them loose, try straightening out a small paper clip, and pushing against the ball-ends through the bridge (from the top side). You can also try cutting the strings short, leaving about ½-inch exposed from the bridge, and then pushing directly inline (with the string travel) using a pair of pliers. A riskier technique using pliers would be to twist the short section until it either comes loose or breaks; in the latter case, you would then need to use a pin punch (or a small drill bit) and light hammer (from the top) to remove the ball-end. Hope some of this helps. Best regards, Dana
If you had only your musical instrument and its accessories, how would you beat someone in a fight?
I can play an array of wind instruments. Some better than others. Here's what's up:I choose FRENCH HORN. I would attempt to un-wind the entire thing with my 20 minutes prep time. That's 12 feet of metal right there (I've got a single F horn, so sue me, Horn purists). That's 12 feet of straight blowing power, once unwound.After it is properly unwound, I would strategically use the springs from the rotary valves placed in the wide part of my disassembled horn to be blown straight at the enemy. Aiming for the eyes, of course. Those springs are pointy and will hurt like a bitch in the eyes!Then, when the enemy advances after my spring-in-the-eyes attack, I will use the “horn” part of the tube (the wide end) to stuff my enemy's head into. I will hold that sucker down until the end. My horn will defeat the enemy, and the enemy will never have a head the same shape again. I'm going to bruise and re-shape that motherfucker's head permanently. And THEN, when the head is properly stuck, I'll attempt to coil the unwound horn around the enemy's body like a goddamn Anaconda. So it'll be there for a while, keeping my enemy properly restrained.Don't fuck with brass players. We are ruthless.Okay, I'm pretty violent inside my head — be thankful this is hypothetical. Unless it's not….. And in that case, MUAHAHAHA! Y'all better not get my horny. Apparently it's dangerous.
Metal/Death Core amp settings?
Basically, for a typical metal setting, you'll need tons of gain. Bass around 8-9, mids at 0, treble around 8 or 9. It will differ slightly on every amp. You'll probably also need an MXR 10 band EQ, so you can scoop your mids even more. Your amps mid section will only go to 0... but you want to cut them out even more, and this is done with an EQ pedal. The more gain you incorporate into your sound, the more "muddy" your tone will become, and therefor unrecognizable by the ear, especially when using chords... even 2 string power chords. This is when good guitar pickups and a nice amp come into play. Also, there is a Boss metalcore pedal that is good. I use a moddified MT-2, which works more as an overdrive for me now. These pedals can be incredible bad sounding for live situations. They will definitely muddy your tone, but what I did when I moddified it, was it took out a good chunk of the distortion, and it left the bass, so I had that really HUGE deep sound, but my tone isn't muddy. For distortion, I use the distortion on my amp, along with a compressor/sustainer pedal, also hooked into a noise suppressor. I then turn the bass down on my amp, and add it back in with the EQ pedal, and the moddified MT-2.
If I drill a hole with bit diameter “x”, what is the diameter of the resultant hole? How is the bit diameter related to the actual drilled hole size? I'm sure the latter is slightly larger, but by how much?
The short practical answer to your question is to finish your hole with a reamer. Reamers should be run with plenty of lubricant and much slower than drills. You may even want to size your mating cylinders according to available reamer sizes. For example - dowel pins present a common case where precise press fits and slip fits are desired. Dowel pins are sold in standard sizes with tight prescribed tolerances. Reamers are commonly available that are sized specifically to produce press fits and slip fits for particular dowel pin sizes.If you are in the U.S. McMaster-Carr is a good source for drills, reamers etc.If you don't have a reamer at hand but need to make an accurate hole - first use a drill one or two sizes below the final size you want. Then go back and drill with your final size drill. This is called drill reaming and can usually get a hole to within a few thousandths of an inch of the nominal final drill size.If you are not using a drill press or a mill or lathe, you may consider building yourself some kind of guide block with a drill bushing which can help you guide in your drill perpendicular to the surface of your plate - more so than drilling by hand anyway.
Why have so many of my Ryobi drill bits snapped on first use when simply drilling wood?
The smallest commonly commercially available drill bit is about 1/32″ (1mm) in diameter. There are many sizes smaller than this but they require special chucks and skill to use.Since you didn’t mention what size bits are breaking (I’ll assume here that they are small diameter), what you are drilling, and what you are using as a drill machine I can only offer some random suggestions:Bit is bending as you drill- if you are using a bit about 1/8″ (4mm) or smaller in a powered hand drill the odds are VERY great that you’ll break the bit;Speeds and/or feeds are wrong- if you are pushing the bit through the material rather than allowing the bit to do the work it is very easy to have the bit flute “catch” into solid material which can twist the bit in half with ease. To make a hole you should set the bit on the correct spot and just barely touch it- just enough to break the surface of the material. Then go a little more, then a bit more, then follow through. Pay close attention to the rpm of the bit as well- too fast or too slow will also contribute to breakage;Using the wrong length bit. The bit should be no longer than absolutely necessary. It should be inserted into the chuch all the way to the flutes- but do NOT clamp onto the flutes. All bit manufacturers have a variety of bit lengths for each size- choose the most appropriate for your project;No lubrication. If drilling metals you should ALWAYS use a lubricating oil available in any home center or store that sells tools. You can use tap oil as well but DO NOT use motor oil or Liquid Wrench or 3-in-1 oil or WD40. Follow the instructions for use. Carnuba wax may be used to lube wood bits for extremely hard woods;Wrong bit for the material. Just because something is titanium coated or carbon infused or has a PlayDoh core doesn’t mean that it is good for drilling anything. Use the correct tool for the job.
How do you drill and tap different kinds of metals?
Seriously? You drill a hole the appropriate size for the tap. Doing that is subject to proper feeds and speeds for the materialThen comes the questions - are you doing this by hand? What is the material? Is it a thru hole or a blind holeDoing it by hand? You want a nice standard “Hand tap” - you use the proper tapping fluid for the material (aluminum and steel use different fluids). Make sure you start the tap “square” in the hole - any lean will cause a problem - 1/2 turn in, 1/4 turn back to break the chips, repeatIf it is a thru hole, you can also use a “Spiral Point Tap” aka a “Gun Tap” - they are designed to push the chips forward, and you DON’T have to back off to break the chipsThe ultimate, if you are tapping in malleable metals (Aluminum, soft steel etc) is what is called a “Thread forming tap” - the hole size is different, and the tap doesn’t cut the threads, It forces the metal from the larger part of the thread to the smaller. Makes a stronger thread, and no chips.
How should I remove my stuck flute footjoint?
As Victor has said, wiggling from side to side is your best option. Try to grip bare tube as far as possible; putting pressure through the keywork can bend the rods and push pads out of alignment. A (gentle) tap against a hard object can sometimes help to unstick the joint, but don’t overdo it.If you feel you’re going beyond what you’re comfortable with, or you feel like you’re in danger of damaging your instrument, stop and take it to a repair shop. They do this sort of thing regularly, and can separate even the most reluctant joints. They won’t even laugh at you too much.Once you have the pieces apart, try to work out why they stuck in the first place before you put them back together. The most likely causes are:A piece of dirt has been caught in between the two parts. Clean the joints carefully, because any dirt that stays in place will cause scratches.There’s been a buildup of residue on the joint surfaces, gluing the two parts together. Again, clean the joints, and stop eating sweets while you play!The flute has taken a knock, pushing one or both tubes out of round. This is an easy fix for a repair technician, but not one you should attempt yourself.Good luck, and thanks for the A2A.
I need to repair holes in my Ikea bookshelf so I can use it. How do I do it? Any relatively easy ideas? Was thinking of epoxy and the re-drilling.
Do you mean that holes for screws got stripped and won’t hold screws anymore?If the hole location can’t be moved, as is often the case, go to the store and buy some 1/4″ wood fluted dowel pins. You can find them in the tools department by the joinery equipment. Amazon.com: wolfcraft 2960405 Straight Fluted Wood Dowel Pins, 1/4in., 36 Pieces: Home ImprovementYou can buy ordinary dowels (36 inches long) and cut to length but these are superior. They have flute to hold glue and chamfered ends so they are easy to drive in.You will also need some wood glue, the PVA type made by Titebond or Elmers, the plain, non-waterproof should be fine.Use a drill with a 1/4″ bit. Flag the depth on the bit with a piece of tape so you don’t drill too far. Drill out the stripped hole. If there’s enough depth drill to 1.25″ deep. Put some wood glue in the hole and on dowel pin spreading it with your finger and tap the dowel pin home. It will take some practice but you want enough glue to not squeeze out but fill the hole and flutes. Wipe off the excess glue with a damp paper towel (including any you get on the finished parts). Allow the glue to dry overnight.If the pin is too long, you may have to cut it off flush - cut and then sand flush.Now drill the center of the dowel with a 1/8″ or 3/32″ drill bit to make a pilot hole. The diameter should be the width of the screw thread root shank not including the threads. Make sure you use a starter punch so that the bit doesn’t walk off to the side when starting.Now you should be able to screw into the dowels and have very good holding power. The glued dowels should be at least as strong as the original material (stronger if it was particleboard) and stronger than an epoxy plug.