Posted on April 16, 2026April 16, 2026 by Dale Phillips It Worked for Me: Knobs It Worked for Me: Knobs by Mark French Originally published in American Lutherie #112, 2012 The shafts on guitar pots come in 1/4" and 6MM diameter. For some reason, I sometimes wind up with the wrong size knobs. In theory, it should be no problem to drill out 6mm knobs to fit 1/4" shafts, but I have had problems holding knobs securely while drilling. Definitely don’t try to hold them in your hand! Last week, I finally found a method that works. The knobs I had were 3/4" diameter, so I drilled a 3/4" hole in a piece of hard scrap wood, adding a notch for the set screw. By backing out the set screw about halfway, the knob won’t turn while being drilled. A 1/4" hole through the center of the larger hole lets a chuck key pop the knob out with no hassle. ◆ Both photos by Mark French.
