MIMF

Is there a commercially available 5th string peg reamer that fits "fiddle" pegs? I have the Stew Mac 5th Reamer, too large for my needs. Do I need to just buy another tapered reamer and modify? Thanks

It's pretty easy to make a tapered reamer, and if you're only going to use it a few times it doesn't have to be fancy. Reamers for wood have to be 'half fluted' if they're to cut a round hole across the grain. The ultimate of that is the single fluted reamer, which has a 'D' cross section. It cuts with a scraping action, and makes a nice smooth hole. To make one you turn a metal taper and file or grind almost half the diameter off. If you're only going to use it once or twice aluminum will work, but any sort of steel will do. It's not too hard to make a short taper by chucking a piece of rod in the drill press, and with mild steel or annealed metal you can file the taper. I've got several of these in various sizes; the one I use for reaming end pins I've had for over forty years.

thanks, but I have a few 5 strings in line for the process, so will be using several times, and on stuff like this, I'm persnickety.

I'll note that the fifth peg reamer I bought is fully fluted, and makes a rougher hole than a home made half-fluted reamer would. I didn't feel like making one at the time; perhaps I should have been more persnickety and done so.

Alan Carruth wrote:It's pretty easy to make a tapered reamer, and if you're only going to use it a few times it doesn't have to be fancy. Reamers for wood have to be 'half fluted' if they're to cut a round hole across the grain. The ultimate of that is the single fluted reamer, which has a 'D' cross section. It cuts with a scraping action, and makes a nice smooth hole. To make one you turn a metal taper and file or grind almost half the diameter off. If you're only going to use it once or twice aluminum will work, but any sort of steel will do. It's not too hard to make a short taper by chucking a piece of rod in the drill press, and with mild steel or annealed metal you can file the taper. I've got several of these in various sizes; the one I use for reaming end pins I've had for over forty years.

I enjoy making simple tools and this seems like one I will try. I have the reamer sold for working copper pipe, which I understand is about a 6% taper.


I have a 1/4" drill rod stick which should be easy to taper for bridge pins.