Ol' Tex Project: String through the Body Conversion

Welcome back to the workbench! Today is the day we take a deep breath and attempt one of the most nerve-wracking mods in the shop: converting Ol' Tex, our Fojill Tele-style project, into a string-through-the-body setup. In this episode, I break out the Milescraft DrillMate 1318 (lovingly dubbed the DrillMate 5000) to see if we can finally get those perfectly straight holes. Things get a little "cattywampus" right out of the gate as I realize the factory return spring is actually blocking the depth I need to clear the guitar body. We're taking the tool apart, removing the spring, and "holding our mouth just right" to get the job done. Does the DrillMate deliver the straightest lines in the history of the shop, or are we looking at a "relic" mistake? From pilot holes with a common nail to the final vacuum assessment, come along for the ride as we push this $102 Fojill one step closer to being a Texas rock and roll machine. Grab a Diet Coke and settle in—let’s see if we’ve got what it takes! Fojill Vintage Aged Heavy Relic https://amzn.to/48GqIXO Catch up on the series: Ol' Tex - Guitar Project (Fojill FTLR-50) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMhTW3lOIKQ38SuaA17lSoA94i2HcV9Xz Timestamps 0:00 - Intro: Guitars, Life, and the DrillMate Challenge 0:41 - The Spring Problem: Modifying the DrillMate 5000 for Depth 1:50 - Tool Teardown: Removing the Spring for Extra Clearance 3:10 - Measuring Depth: Making Sure We Clear the Body 4:52 - The First Hole: Putting Theory into Practice 5:38 - Length Issues: The Search for a Longer Drill Bit 7:25 - "Ted Flounders": Dealing with Tool "Dancing" and Bit Slip 9:05 - The Big Reveal: Flipping the Body to Assess the Exit Holes 10:46 - Verdict: Are These the Straightest Lines I've Ever Drilled? 11:22 - Finding the Ferrule Drawer: Fender Genuine Parts Check 12:50 - To Freestyle or Not? Resisting the Urge to "Willy-Nilly" It 15:41 - Depth Stop Settings: Precision (Sort Of) for the Ferrules 18:00 - Vacuum Assessment: Cleaning Up the Sawdust 19:25 - Sanding the Cavities: Cleaning Up Output Jack Roughness 21:26 - The Ferrule Plate Decision: Waiting on Tomorrow's Mail 22:29 - Outro: Shoutout to The Jacks & The Pick Crew DIY Tips from the Workbench Pro Tip: If your portable drill press isn't reaching deep enough for a string-through conversion, removing the return spring can give you those extra few inches of travel. Just be careful—without the spring, the drill will want to drop on its own! ____ Shoutouts: @j-mansgearcave (Jay) @sparkyguitars971 (Sparky) @SmokeEaterGuitars (Jon) Checkout our playlist page for more series and journeys https://www.youtube.com/@TedTalksGuitars/playlists Special Thanks to our channel members "The Jacks" Want to support the channel? Feel free to explore Channel membership options: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBr6kaWeOvldTHvntB3tnMg/join Ted Talks Guitars & Life Merch Store: https://tedtalksguitars-shop.fourthwall.com/ Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/3W3PZox *If you click on this link to shop at Amazon the channel will receive a modest financial commission from your purchases. Disclaimer: This video is not sponsored. Some links are affiliate links. If you buy something I may make a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Guyker Referral Link: https://www.guyker.com/?ref=tedtalksguitars If you use the link you will save 15% at Guyker Use the coupon code: TEDSMITH #TedTalksGuitars #OlTex #Fojill #GuitarMod #DIYGuitar #LuthierJourney #Telecaster #Milescraft #StringThrough #TheJacks #GuitarRepair