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Topic: can steel guitar legs be cut down? |
Quentin Hickey
From:
Nova Scotia, Canada
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Posted 15 Nov 2015 6:30 am |
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Guys.
Is there a way to cut down legs one inch? I would assume if there is a way it would involve the lug end and not the feet end. |
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Carl Kilmer
From:
East Central, Illinois
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Posted 15 Nov 2015 6:47 am
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Yes, they can be shortened. I always took mine to a machine shop
and they knocked out the threaded ends and cut the legs perfectly
in a lathe. Always came out like new. The total cost including
shortening and rethreading the pedal rods was only $40 
_________________
aka "Lucky Kay"--Custom built Rittenberry SD10 3X5, Walker S/S, NV-112, and Hilton Pedal |
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Willie Sims
From:
PADUCAH, KY, USA
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Posted 15 Nov 2015 11:40 am
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| You can drive the threaded plug out of the leg with a steel pipe that will go inside the leg. After driving the plug out, take a tubing cutter cut off the amount you need to, drive the plug back in by using a socket that will fit over the threads of the plug. I normally use the concrete floor to drive the plug out. Drive the plug back in the leg, use a socket that will fit on the plug that's long enough to keep from damaging the threads on the plug. Never hit the other end of the leg with the adjustment threads on anything. Only cut the inside part of the back legs by removing the rubber tip. Cut the amount you need and put the rubber tip back on the leg. I forgot to say you can drive the plug back in by pounding it on the top of a vice. You can cut and thread the petal rods if you are mechanically inclined. All you will need to change the guitar back to the original height, is petal rods extenders. And reversing the back and front legs. |
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Quentin Hickey
From:
Nova Scotia, Canada
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Posted 15 Nov 2015 6:50 pm
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Thanks for the replies guys.
I am tempted to ask a machinist about it. Just curious if pounding the lugs out and back in with they be as solid and square as done in the factory when the legs were made.
The pedal rods alreay have 1 inch extensions on them so it will just be a matter of removing them. I am 6'2" but I am used to playing a standard height steel tilted forward a tiny bit. I had a hard time getting the knee levers with the 1 inch overheight kit on it. |
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Willie Sims
From:
PADUCAH, KY, USA
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Posted 16 Nov 2015 7:40 am
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| I HAVE DONE QUITE A FEW STEEL GUITARS THIS WAY .IF YOU US A TUBING CUTTER AND DRIVE THE PLUG,BACK IN FLUSH TO THE LEG ,IT WILL BE AS GOOD AS NEW. |
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Asa Brosius
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Posted 16 Nov 2015 7:51 am
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| Hey Quentin- I asked friends about this awhile back- they recommended the jewelry dept. at NSCAD in town. I ended up selling the whole guitar-never followed up. |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 16 Nov 2015 11:43 am
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If you are having the work done at a machine shop, for example, having the leg tube cut on a lathe, you should ask them to roll new threads on the pedal rods. I would want the threads rolled, not cut.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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Steve Spitz
From:
New Orleans, LA, USA
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Posted 16 Nov 2015 5:31 pm Cut down legs ?
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| I'd contact forum brother Glen Porter, and ask him if he would be interested. His work is outstanding, and he makes steel guitar legs. Id be surprised if there's anything he can't do. |
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George Kimery
From:
Limestone, TN, USA
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Posted 16 Nov 2015 9:06 pm Can pedal steel legs be cut down?
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| When you put the threaded plugs back in, if they are not tight as they should be, take a center punch and hammer and hit the plug part, not the threaded part, several times. This will give a bunch of little "bumps" that will translate into making the plug tigher. Screw a couple of 1/2 inch nuts on the threads to protect them and use a wood block and a hammer to knock them back in, or go to a shop that has a press and let them them slowly press them in. If all else fails, just use some JB Weld. |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 17 Nov 2015 9:50 am
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All you need to reseat the plugs is old fashioned ferrule cement. You can buy it at fishing shops. It is s stick cement that you melt with a lighter and apply to the two mating surfaces. Heat both surfaces so the cement can flow a bit. It cools fast and holds fast. And can be undone simply.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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Jeffrey Smith
From:
Harvest, Alabama, USA
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Posted 18 Nov 2015 1:04 am One More Thing To Consider
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I am a really short player... about as tall as my talent.
Anyway, I have had mine cut down... but there is another issue for short players. The twin "leg slots" created by the "harness" formed by four knee levers also needs to be narrowed. That would typically mean moving RKR and RKL to the left. Otherwise, the short player sits with legs splayed as wide as they'll go and it's hard not to accidentally lean on one of the levers.
I have heard of folks buying a normal sized set of legs and rods when they order their steel so the resale is uneventful.
Much luck!
Jeff |
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Willie Sims
From:
PADUCAH, KY, USA
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Posted 20 Nov 2015 7:30 am
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Sometimes you may have trouble driving the plug out of the leg. The best way I have found is to measure the inside of the leg to the plug, then measure outside of the leg the same distance to the depths of the plug. Then take a tubing cutter and cut the leg. Then take a dremal tool are a chisel and split the piece of the leg on the plug to get it off.
I have never had a problem with the plug not being tight enough when driven back in the leg. like mentioned before useing a metal punch to score the leg will solve the problem if the plug is not tight enough. Not very likely. |
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Bent Romnes
From:
London,Ontario, Canada
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