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Thread: Weird nut on Planet tuners

  1. #1
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Weird nut on Planet tuners

    So the vintage Planet tuners on my National Triolian tenor are becoming unreliable, and I resolve to replace them with new Rickards.

    Come time to remove the old tuners, however, and this is what I see: they are held in place by weird little round nuts with two notches in them. sort of like a castle nut, but castle nuts tend to have more notches.

    Diameter of this nut is about 0.42".

    Any ideas for getting it off without scratching up the headstock? I gather there is something called a "hook wrench" or "locking nut wrench" for nuts like this, but the smallest one of those I can find is 1/2 inch and I'm not sure it would work.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #2
    Registered User j. condino's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weird nut on Planet tuners

    Spanner socket.
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  3. #3
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weird nut on Planet tuners

    Quote Originally Posted by j. condino View Post
    Spanner socket.
    Will look into it, but somehow I've managed to make it this far in life without owing a socket wrench. I might have to spring for a whole set of sockets to get the right one.
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  4. #4
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    Default Re: Weird nut on Planet tuners

    You can probably make something that would work with some bar stock of the right size just bend it into a "U" shape.

  5. #5
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weird nut on Planet tuners

    Quote Originally Posted by Nevin View Post
    You can probably make something that would work with some bar stock of the right size just bend it into a "U" shape.
    I was thinking of starting with an old dinner fork and bending the tines into place ...
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  6. #6
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weird nut on Planet tuners

    A normal socket set isn't going to help you. That needs a spanner. If you know anyone that is really into bicycle mechanics the spanners made for Campagnolo chainwheel nuts will probably fit that. The ones that Park sells won't. It will look something like this.
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    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
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  8. #7
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    Default Re: Weird nut on Planet tuners

    Martin,

    I'd likely go after it with a snap ring pliers............but if you have never even owned a socket set at this point in life I would not go there. And would definitely not modify a fork.

    I see long deep scratches when the tool slips off. Then again, you only have to do it four, not eight times.

    Good luck, sir.

  9. #8
    Registered User j. condino's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weird nut on Planet tuners

    It would be a bummer to destroy or scratch up anything on a vintage instrument from impatience and stubborn improvisation over buying an $11 socket......
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  10. #9
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weird nut on Planet tuners

    Hardware store had many sockets but none of them were spanner sockets. They did have the snap ring pliers.

    It shouldn't be difficult to make 4 holes in a scrap of cardboard and fit it over the string posts to serve as a temporary scratch guard.
    Last edited by mrmando; Aug-12-2021 at 11:42pm.
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  11. #10
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    Default Re: Weird nut on Planet tuners

    Take it down to your local bike repair shop and see if they’ve anything which will fit.

  12. #11
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weird nut on Planet tuners

    Quote Originally Posted by j. condino View Post
    It would be a bummer to destroy or scratch up anything on a vintage instrument from impatience and stubborn improvisation over buying an $11 socket......
    How about a link to the socket in question?
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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  13. #12
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    Default Re: Weird nut on Planet tuners

    I've removed similar nuts by using a pair of needle-nose pliers VERY carefully.

  14. #13
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    Default Re: Weird nut on Planet tuners

    I made a little tool out of flat steel using a hack saw. It's not hard to make and then you have it if you need it again.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  15. #14
    Registered User Greg Mirken's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weird nut on Planet tuners

    You could make a socket from a length of hardware store brass tubing that fits over the post. Either file the end leaving two teeth to engage those notches or solder short lengths of nail to the outside of the tubing.
    And protect the headstock with cardboard!
    Shade Tree Fretted Instrument Repair, retired
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  16. #15
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weird nut on Planet tuners

    Google adjustable spanner wrench
    My avatar is of my OldWave Oval A

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  17. #16
    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weird nut on Planet tuners

    I really like Ray’s suggestion. The guys at a bike shop will probably give you a blank look but then will see the nut and go “Oh, yeah sure, just a second” then come back and pop it right on/off!
    Timothy F. Lewis
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