Turnbuckles On ZB Custom S - 10

Peter Goodchild · Post by **Peter Goodchild** » 24 Jun 2012 12:13 pm

Hi,
I own a ZB Custom S-10. SN = 399S. I need to make a pull rod. Greg Jones a while ago was good enough to send me a couple of replacement turnbuckles. Can anyone give me the specification of these turnbuckles and where in the States I might get them? I have asked Greg but not heard back from him yet. I have looked in UK but can't locate them. If I know the specification I can get a left and right die to thread the new rod sections,then everything will match and fit.
Cheers.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 24 Jun 2012 3:23 pm

6-40 threads. You can bet blanks at Mcmaster Carr and drill and tap them. Left hand tap on one side.

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 24 Jun 2012 8:21 pm

What do name do you search for Kevin on McMaster for the blanks?

Peter Goodchild · Post by **Peter Goodchild** » 24 Jun 2012 11:53 pm

Kevin Hatton wrote:6-40 threads. You can bet blanks at Mcmaster Carr and drill and tap them. Left hand tap on one side.

Hi thanks,
I don't know very much about taps and dies. I have spare turnbuckles that Greg sent me.

Looking at the various dies and their specifications, I'm quite confused. I only need to put threads on the rod and the hook part no need to do turnbuckles.

On Ebay UK I can get mild steel rod 3mm and motorcycle spokes 3mm for the hook part. I would need a right and left hand die to do the threading. If you are fully conversant with die specifications and if you have 10 minutes to spare could you do me a favour? UK Google, Amazon UK, Ebay UK for a good quality reasonably priced die set that has the correct size L/R dies. Failing that, just two dies with a correct die stock to put them in.
Thank you so much,
Peter.

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 25 Jun 2012 5:27 am

The "turnbuckles" are the tubes that connect the motorcycle spokes to the pull rods and are used to obtain the correct length. They are called turnbuckles because they have a left handed thread at one end and a right handed thread at the other allowing for their function as they are turned.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 25 Jun 2012 5:44 am

Peter, I just did a search for you. I think you'll need a specialty machine shop, or perhaps call Rolson directly and ask where THEY'D go.
It's hard enough finding right-hand thread, I've no idea where you'd find left.
I even tried to fire up my Usenet reader to ask uk.rec.sheds, but it's balking. If you have newsgroups, that's the first place I would look.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 25 Jun 2012 6:51 am

I need to make up a bunch of pull rods for a ZB.
I looked and found brass hexagonal key stock on the internet. I plan to drill and tap these for turnbuckles. I also am going to use bicycle spokes, cut to length, to hook up to the changer fingers.
They have the bent end with the flange.

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 25 Jun 2012 6:59 am

Lane Gray wrote:Peter, ....It's hard enough finding right-hand thread, I've no idea where you'd find left.
I even tried to fire up my Usenet reader to ask uk.rec.sheds, but it's balking. ....

http:

http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/Left ... _Dies.html

Michael Yahl · Post by **Michael Yahl** » 25 Jun 2012 8:02 am

OK guys, is this something that there would be sufficient demand for if I made them? Could I sell 100 of them?

Sounds like they're not much different from the Fender Cable Adjusters. I'd just have to purchase the taps and dies for the #6-40 LH/RH.

I have to be able to justify the tooling and expenses.

What do you think Jim?

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 25 Jun 2012 8:31 am

I've got the taps and dies for that already for doing this on a "1 of" basis and not much of an investment ($40-$50) and, while nothing else suffices, as soon as you make 100 of them the need will disappear as surely as we're here discussing it. That being said I'd love to have a dozen 2" turnbuckle female tubes with 6-40 L and R hand thread on opposite ends- they could work for both the ZB and Fender cable guitars depending on what you screwed into them.

Peter Goodchild · Post by **Peter Goodchild** » 25 Jun 2012 8:38 am

Tony Glassman wrote:
Lane Gray wrote:Peter, ....It's hard enough finding right-hand thread, I've no idea where you'd find left.
I even tried to fire up my Usenet reader to ask uk.rec.sheds, but it's balking. ....
http:

http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/Left ... _Dies.html

Hi,
I found that site a few days ago and added it to my favs. Any idea of which would be the correct die to use to put the threading on the rods? Which would also fit the tapping in the turnbuckles I already have?
Cheers.

Michael Yahl · Post by **Michael Yahl** » 25 Jun 2012 8:43 am

Anybody have a picture of these units/assemblies?

Peter Goodchild · Post by **Peter Goodchild** » 25 Jun 2012 8:53 am

Lane Gray wrote:Peter, I just did a search for you. I think you'll need a specialty machine shop, or perhaps call Rolson directly and ask where THEY'D go.
It's hard enough finding right-hand thread, I've no idea where you'd find left.
I even tried to fire up my Usenet reader to ask uk.rec.sheds, but it's balking. If you have newsgroups, that's the first place I would look.

Ok thanks for going to the trouble of looking for me.
Earlier today I found a machinest forum I'll try asking there too. As I mentioned the thread I put on the rods has to match the tapping in the original turnbuckles, so they fit together.

I'm getting a 3/4 hp floor standing pillar drill for my woodworking in a few days. ( Also got carving gear, tools, thinking of carving my own PSG case... and coffin shaped electric guitar case with trees and wildlife on it, stay tuned

I could drill holes in blanks then tap them. Make up new turnbuckles and use the matching die to thread new rods. I don't really want to go down that route. As I have several original tapped turnbuckles that fit the original rods I have. Is easier and quicker to find a die that will thread new rods to match the original turnbuckles.
Easier and quicker, don't know about that, so far

Stay Cool.

John Roche · Post by **John Roche** » 25 Jun 2012 9:18 am

Hi Peter, I live up in Wellingborough, are you playing anywhere locally?

Eric Dahlhoff · Post by **Eric Dahlhoff** » 26 Jun 2012 10:49 pm

Michael, here are pics of the turnbuckles & pull-rods.

I am in the midst of fixing up and old ZB. (and learning as I go...)
The pull rod end is left-hand thread. The pull rods all need to be different lengths. The "bike spoke" end is normal thread. The hex nut and spacer are "normal".
At least that's how it is on mine.
Eric

Michael Yahl · Post by **Michael Yahl** » 27 Jun 2012 7:04 am

Thanks Eric.
Jim P. said that they are 2" long and I'm going to assume that it's made from 1/4" hex material.

I may pick some up when I go to Phoenix next week and give these a go.

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 27 Jun 2012 7:18 am

I don't recall having measured the connector but it seems to me that 1 1/2"-2" is about right- just long enough to keep the 2 ends from bumping into each other

Eric Dahlhoff · Post by **Eric Dahlhoff** » 28 Jun 2012 7:45 am

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 28 Jun 2012 7:48 am

Thanks Eric- hope all is well in your beautiful neck of the woods.

Jim Hollingsworth · Post by **Jim Hollingsworth** » 28 Jun 2012 7:56 am

And I hope all is well in your neck of the woods!

I miss coming by & visiting the shop!

My regards to all!

Jim Hollingsworth