Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I had always though to make myself some Truss rods for my instruments as some of them need new ones, one in particular was my 70 4001 21 fretter, it had been messed with a few times in it's life and one rod was 1 inch shorter than the other, the threaded ends were very worn, bent and re straightened many times, basically they were well past it.

My background has always been with metals, so the process wasn't too difficult. I work with Historic racing cars and mostly have to remake many parts, you wouldn't believe some of the rubbish that people sell in this area, so if you want it right, you just have to make it yourself.

I decided from the outset that the material would not be ground to shape but it would be cold formed (like the originals) which gives a higher strength, I went for a higher spec material too, which will help prevent the bending of the rod at the nut end, it wasn't easy to source and it wasn't cheap, plus I had to have a large quantity done, but so what, my 21 is very happy and back on the road , plus it's on Rotosound 105's and has just the most fantastic action.

Cool!


Care to give any details on the material, etc?

Nice!

cjj wrote:Cool!


Care to give any details on the material, etc?

Ahh, I knew someone would ask, I think it was EN3B, which lends itself to cold forming and has a touch more strength, certainly not sway bar material, I went this way because mild steel hot rolled is, well, awful stuff.

How many did you make? It looks like the non threaded ends are not cut at an angle, is this so?

jps wrote:How many did you make? It looks like the non threaded ends are not cut at an angle, is this so?

Hi Jeff, I have enough bar to make about 20 guitars.

This angle, which does differ in its examples, is my idea of ideal, this angle does the basic which is to keep the end located, the sharper the angle the more it wants to force itself down the hole for the threaded end which in turn will act like a lock on the movement, this I wanted to avoid.

Very nice, Sean. You have a new money-making sideline now.

johnallg wrote:Very nice, Sean. You have a new money-making sideline now.

Yeah, if only I can get him to make me a new crank for my 250LM.

jps wrote:

johnallg wrote:Very nice, Sean. You have a new money-making sideline now.

Yeah, if only I can get him to make me a new crank for my 250LM.

I know a man who can, that is the 4 wheel one and not the 250cc version with two . Either way I'm envious.

Seans wrote:

jps wrote:

johnallg wrote:Very nice, Sean. You have a new money-making sideline now.

Yeah, if only I can get him to make me a new crank for my 250LM.

I know a man who can, that is the 4 wheel one and not the 250cc version with two . Either way I'm envious.

Mine's only 1:18 scale! I'd like to have a full scale one, or a 206SP would be just as nice to have.

Seans wrote:Ahh, I knew someone would ask, I think it was EN3B, which lends itself to cold forming and has a touch more strength, certainly not sway bar material, I went this way because mild steel hot rolled is, well, awful stuff.

Unfortunately, higher strength material beyond mild hot rolled has often had a resonance problem. While I'm not familiar with EN3B, many who have tried stainless alloys have been less than satisfied. Still, I would imagine that the stronger, stiffer materials would thread much cleaner and be easier to adjust, as well as having better life.

johnhall wrote:

Seans wrote:Ahh, I knew someone would ask, I think it was EN3B, which lends itself to cold forming and has a touch more strength, certainly not sway bar material, I went this way because mild steel hot rolled is, well, awful stuff.

Unfortunately, higher strength material beyond mild hot rolled has often had a resonance problem. While I'm not familiar with EN3B, many who have tried stainless alloys have been less than satisfied. Still, I would imagine that the stronger, stiffer materials would thread much cleaner and be easier to adjust, as well as having better life.

Hi John, the resonance issue is interesting, I had thought that about higher strength and alloy steels too, with forming and drawing being more restricted also, 4130 would make an extremely strong and efficient rod but the resonance , mine is far from this spec.
Mild steel is quite a broad term and has many types, though non have alloying elements and a low carbon content of around 0.10% to 0.25%, basically I went for the next one up from the normal hot rolled but in a bright bar (cold) form, which has a spec for cold forming plus free cutting.

jps wrote: Mine's only 1:18 scale! I'd like to have a full scale one, or a 206SP would be just as nice to have.

206SP an absolute beauty.
I worked on a 166 in my early apprentice days, what a red faced drooling kid I was then, but I can say that car was some sort of fuel for passion, awesome.

S/N 032 keeps going around the block, I am not sure who has it now, Michael Sheehan or Duncan Hamilton. Either way, I could never afford one, let alone the insurance required on it.