I've previously fitted Waverley pegs to a mahogany soprano by drilling the headstock with countersinks on the front and back, as recommended by StewMac. It works very well and the pegs are superb but it's not suitable for every situation: the headstock might be too thin or, as is the case with the uke I currently have, a permanent modification might not be desirable.
You can see from the first photograph why the countersink is needed, to maximise the surface area contact between the wood and the metal which creates the friction for the tuners to work at their best. I've been wondering whether putting a countersunk washer—also called a cup or finishing washer—between the body of the tuner and the back of the headstock would do the trick, something like the black washers in the second picture. Two options come to mind: a nylon countersunk washer; or a metal countersunk washer with a thin lining washer (silicone or plastic, maybe) to stop it being metal against metal. The metal washer would probably look better overall but involves an extra complication.
Has anyone tried something similar? or are there any glaring issues I might be missing?
You can see from the first photograph why the countersink is needed, to maximise the surface area contact between the wood and the metal which creates the friction for the tuners to work at their best. I've been wondering whether putting a countersunk washer—also called a cup or finishing washer—between the body of the tuner and the back of the headstock would do the trick, something like the black washers in the second picture. Two options come to mind: a nylon countersunk washer; or a metal countersunk washer with a thin lining washer (silicone or plastic, maybe) to stop it being metal against metal. The metal washer would probably look better overall but involves an extra complication.
Has anyone tried something similar? or are there any glaring issues I might be missing?