A follow-up to the previous thread:

I know at least a couple of forum members have made the 5/32 ball-end allen wrench easier to use by rigging some kind of handle on the short end. Can one of you describe exactly how you did that?

(Man, I wish Collings would commission from some toolmaker a wrench that is well-suited to reaching that truss rud, then make it available for customers to purchase!)

quote:

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Originally posted by musicologydoc:
A follow-up to the previous thread:

I know at least a couple of forum members have made the 5/32 ball-end allen wrench easier to use by rigging some kind of handle on the short end. Can one of you describe exactly how you did that?

(Man, I wish Collings would commission from some toolmaker a wrench that is well-suited to reaching that truss rud, then make it available for customers to purchase!)

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i'd be interested in the same info as i need to purchase one shortly. i stuck a mirror and a light in there last night just to confirm there was truss rod access there.

/guy

doc and Guy: it may have been me that mentioned a modification that I once made. Back in 1994 or so I had a '91 D1 and wanted to tweak the truss rod, but all I had on hand was a long-handled, L shaped allen wrench. I didn't want to buy a whole set of ball ends, and since the purpose of a ball end anyway is to allow the use of a hex wrench at an angle, I tried to bend a short end into the long one I had, to get around the top brace directly above the sound hole. I ended up, though, in simply "balling" the end and bending the thing into a shape that went around the brace and stuck up through the strings so that I could adjust the truss rod with the strings at full tension (although I loosen the tension a little when tightening the rod, to avoid undue stress on the threads). I used a file to round the edges of the tip into a ball end. To shape the allen wrench you need to heat it with a propane torch until its red hot, then bend it to shape. (One bend at a time, of course, not the whole thing.) The one I started with was about 9" long, I think. It helps to heat the end before you attempt to file the hex shape into a ball end, too, since the rods are usually hardened quite a bit against wear. Just let it cool naturally before filing.
I have no idea how well a standard allen wrench shape works on a Collings, since I've never tried one.
The shape is sorta like the cross section outline of a flat-bottomed eaves gutter, with one side pulled open a bit. I don't know how I can reproduce it here for you.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: gbeecham,

I think I figured out how to do this (with the help of my daughter). Let's see...

Whoops...sorry, don't know how to shrink it. Here's another...

Here's the one I made. Basically, buy a 1/4" dia dowel from your favorite DIY store, cut to length (mine is a little more than 1 1/2" long), drill one end of it to accept the allen wrench and fit it onto the allen wrench.

Doc,
I went to a good local hardware store and purchased a ball-end allen wrench that was 4.5" long on the ball end side and about 2" on the handle side (90 degrees).
Then I found a metal sleeve (like an exacto blade holder or a piece of small piping) to slide on the handle side and super glued (or epoxy) it on, so as to make the handle easier to hold onto. I then got some heat shrink tubing (Radio Shack) and put it on the handle side and heated it up with a lighter, to cushion it, so it doesn't mar up anything. It works great has good leverage.
It's a facsimile of one that Richard Johnson showed me that they use at Gryphon for adjusting the truss rods when I bought my OM3C. I would post a pic, but I'm not quite sure how to do that just yet.

Rich

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RnB,

Here is a picture of the wrench I put together:

Here is a tip to try out.
Find yourself a Larrivee dealer. They supply a wrench with each guitar, at least the higher end ones I know. It is a strange shaped thing with the hex (allen) end on it and a bent to heck handle. It will go in betweent he strings, and if what I just tried was correct, it will work on a Collings truss rod.
I don't know how to post a pic, but I'll take one if anyone wants to e-mail for it.