Not bike tech but I am sure one of the machinist in here can help

Frank Krygowski writes:

On 1/18/2021 3:09 PM, Ralph Barone wrote:
Mark Cleary wrote:
I have a truss rod nut that is on a guitar. The truss rod consist of a
hex allen wrench nut that turns. It is stripped and completely rounded. I
cannot tighten it or loosen. Since it sits at the top of the headstock on
a guitar hard to reach. One way to get it to adjust would be to somehow
cut across the nut so that I can simply use a large flat
screwdriver to turn the nut.

Any ideas how I can accomplish this a dremel I don't think will fit into
the area for clearance to make a cut. I don't know how hard the metal nut
is in cutting. There has to be a way.

I hope this make sense and I sure could use some help. In a way it is
similar to turning a stuck seat post by drilling hole thru the exposed
post to put in a straight bar to turn post.

Deacon mark


Use an appropriately sized EZ-out inside the Allen key nut.

I assume you've tried both U.S. and metric allen keys to make very
sure you're using the right size.

I like Ralph's idea. EZ Outs are very handy. I've used them, but never
on a guitar (thank goodness). Depending on the depth of the socket,
you may have to grind the end of the EZ Out so it doesn't bottom out
before gripping the sides of the socket. (Grind slowly, it's _very_
hard steel!)

A possible alternative might be this: Look through your collection of
allen keys (metric and U.S.) to find an allen key that's just barely
too big to go into the socket. Use a bench grinder on that key to
carefully and symmetrically grind its end to a slightly tapered
hexagon - like tapering a 1/4" key down to 6 mm.

With luck, maybe that tapered key might wedge into the nut and allow
removing it.

(You have the strings slack, I assume.)

Before drilling or grinding anything you might try finding a torx
bit that sort of fits. They've got six-fold symmetry.

On Monday, January 18, 2021 at 5:35:17 PM UTC-6, Radey Shouman wrote:
Frank Krygowski writes:

On 1/18/2021 3:09 PM, Ralph Barone wrote:
Mark Cleary wrote:
I have a truss rod nut that is on a guitar. The truss rod consist of a
hex allen wrench nut that turns. It is stripped and completely rounded. I
cannot tighten it or loosen. Since it sits at the top of the headstock on
a guitar hard to reach. One way to get it to adjust would be to somehow
cut across the nut so that I can simply use a large flat
screwdriver to turn the nut.

Any ideas how I can accomplish this a dremel I don't think will fit into
the area for clearance to make a cut. I don't know how hard the metal nut
is in cutting. There has to be a way.

I hope this make sense and I sure could use some help. In a way it is
similar to turning a stuck seat post by drilling hole thru the exposed
post to put in a straight bar to turn post.

Deacon mark


Use an appropriately sized EZ-out inside the Allen key nut.

I assume you've tried both U.S. and metric allen keys to make very
sure you're using the right size.

I like Ralph's idea. EZ Outs are very handy. I've used them, but never
on a guitar (thank goodness). Depending on the depth of the socket,
you may have to grind the end of the EZ Out so it doesn't bottom out
before gripping the sides of the socket. (Grind slowly, it's _very_
hard steel!)

A possible alternative might be this: Look through your collection of
allen keys (metric and U.S.) to find an allen key that's just barely
too big to go into the socket. Use a bench grinder on that key to
carefully and symmetrically grind its end to a slightly tapered
hexagon - like tapering a 1/4" key down to 6 mm.

With luck, maybe that tapered key might wedge into the nut and allow
removing it.

(You have the strings slack, I assume.)
Before drilling or grinding anything you might try finding a torx
bit that sort of fits. They've got six-fold symmetry.

Being a long time guitar repairman I know about all this stuff and thanks to the group for suggestions. In my case the Gripper that Andrew suggested was probably the best solution. I also have some trick that use clamps on the neck to have straight block of wood tension the neck so that is relieves some of the tension on the truss rod. This also is good for any adjustment really in that it does not put all the pressure on the nut to do the work.

In the end because I only needed a very small amount of tension added I drilled out a hole to get a flathead screw driver on it and was able to twist it fine. The neck is perfect and guitar plays wonderful now. I re-fretted this guitar about 16 months ago and it played fine before the adjustment I am just a real perfectionist on guitar set up so I wanted things even better.. This particular guitar was my first guitar I had, my dad gave it to me 48 years ago. It is a Japanese copy of a Gibson L5. Pretty much in near mint condition. I don't play it any more really. Not worth a lot so it is all sentimental to me. It does play great though. By the way if someone wants to buy it I will sell it. Comes with a top quality hard shell case.

Deacon Mark

On Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 8:06:15 AM UTC-8, wrote:
On Monday, January 18, 2021 at 5:35:17 PM UTC-6, Radey Shouman wrote:
Frank Krygowski writes:

On 1/18/2021 3:09 PM, Ralph Barone wrote:
Mark Cleary wrote:
I have a truss rod nut that is on a guitar. The truss rod consist of a
hex allen wrench nut that turns. It is stripped and completely rounded. I
cannot tighten it or loosen. Since it sits at the top of the headstock on
a guitar hard to reach. One way to get it to adjust would be to somehow
cut across the nut so that I can simply use a large flat
screwdriver to turn the nut.

Any ideas how I can accomplish this a dremel I don't think will fit into
the area for clearance to make a cut. I don't know how hard the metal nut
is in cutting. There has to be a way.

I hope this make sense and I sure could use some help. In a way it is
similar to turning a stuck seat post by drilling hole thru the exposed
post to put in a straight bar to turn post.

Deacon mark


Use an appropriately sized EZ-out inside the Allen key nut.

I assume you've tried both U.S. and metric allen keys to make very
sure you're using the right size.

I like Ralph's idea. EZ Outs are very handy. I've used them, but never
on a guitar (thank goodness). Depending on the depth of the socket,
you may have to grind the end of the EZ Out so it doesn't bottom out
before gripping the sides of the socket. (Grind slowly, it's _very_
hard steel!)

A possible alternative might be this: Look through your collection of
allen keys (metric and U.S.) to find an allen key that's just barely
too big to go into the socket. Use a bench grinder on that key to
carefully and symmetrically grind its end to a slightly tapered
hexagon - like tapering a 1/4" key down to 6 mm.

With luck, maybe that tapered key might wedge into the nut and allow
removing it.

(You have the strings slack, I assume.)
Before drilling or grinding anything you might try finding a torx
bit that sort of fits. They've got six-fold symmetry.
Being a long time guitar repairman I know about all this stuff and thanks to the group for suggestions. In my case the Gripper that Andrew suggested was probably the best solution. I also have some trick that use clamps on the neck to have straight block of wood tension the neck so that is relieves some of the tension on the truss rod. This also is good for any adjustment really in that it does not put all the pressure on the nut to do the work..

In the end because I only needed a very small amount of tension added I drilled out a hole to get a flathead screw driver on it and was able to twist it fine. The neck is perfect and guitar plays wonderful now. I re-fretted this guitar about 16 months ago and it played fine before the adjustment I am just a real perfectionist on guitar set up so I wanted things even better. This particular guitar was my first guitar I had, my dad gave it to me 48 years ago. It is a Japanese copy of a Gibson L5. Pretty much in near mint condition. I don't play it any more really. Not worth a lot so it is all sentimental to me. It does play great though. By the way if someone wants to buy it I will sell it. Comes with a top quality hard shell case.

Deacon Mark
It isn't at all clear to me how you could strip out an allen head but there is this removal too' https://www.grainger.com/product/CHI...tor-Set-445M37

Remember that the stress rod is ONLY means to offset the bending forces of the strings and is easily overtightened