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It does - hence sometimes drilling the plugging hole considerably off-centre so that the old string hole is removed at the edge of the plug. It's worthwhile practicing on a piece of scrap. There's another way round this by soldering on a backing plate with 60/40 solder, but it depends on how much clearance there is between the back of the plate and the cover;
1. Drill out the old holes slightly oversize and tap them with so that the threads are only just forming - a brass screw needs to be a tight fit. Using acid flux paste (I use Fluxite or Powerflow) on the threads, screw in a stub of threaded rod (or a brass screw) in each hole, leaving them a bit proud on the pickup side. Cut them off flush on the other side.
2. File or abrade the chrome away down to bare brass on the edge where the ball ends locate. Make sure it's flat. The way I do this is to first get the chrome. Then set the file in the vice and press the edge to be filed against it - move the metal against the file, keeping gentle pressure and making sure it doesn't rock another clockmaking technique).
3. Clamp the plate so the filed surface is uppermost, apply flux and gently heat the area until solder will flow over it. Wipe the molten solder across with a piece of dry cotton to tin the surface until it's smooth, flat and coated. To avoid discolouring the chrome you can clamp the rest of the plate in the vice. Don't apply more heat than necessary and heat evenly.
4. Cut a piece of hard brass slightly oversize to fit over the area and file one edge flat. It doesn't need to be massively thick and certainly no more than 1/16". Rub one side flat on the file and tin it. Flux both tinned surfaces and clamp the strip over the bridge plate with the filed edge towards the bend. clip it in place with a Bulldog clip or similar. I have some old toolmakers clamps for this kind of work. Heat the assembly until the solder flows and feed the joint with a little more solder. Don't overheat it. If it moves it can be nudged into place.
5. Allow to cool and clean off the flux. File the projecting screws level and file the overhanging edges back to the parent bridge plate.
6. Mark the new holes and centrepunch. Drill with a small pilot drill and follow with the correct size.
It sounds involved, but with everything to hand you're probably looking at 1/2 hour or so excluding marking/drilling.
1. Drill out the old holes slightly oversize and tap them with so that the threads are only just forming - a brass screw needs to be a tight fit. Using acid flux paste (I use Fluxite or Powerflow) on the threads, screw in a stub of threaded rod (or a brass screw) in each hole, leaving them a bit proud on the pickup side. Cut them off flush on the other side.
2. File or abrade the chrome away down to bare brass on the edge where the ball ends locate. Make sure it's flat. The way I do this is to first get the chrome. Then set the file in the vice and press the edge to be filed against it - move the metal against the file, keeping gentle pressure and making sure it doesn't rock another clockmaking technique).
3. Clamp the plate so the filed surface is uppermost, apply flux and gently heat the area until solder will flow over it. Wipe the molten solder across with a piece of dry cotton to tin the surface until it's smooth, flat and coated. To avoid discolouring the chrome you can clamp the rest of the plate in the vice. Don't apply more heat than necessary and heat evenly.
4. Cut a piece of hard brass slightly oversize to fit over the area and file one edge flat. It doesn't need to be massively thick and certainly no more than 1/16". Rub one side flat on the file and tin it. Flux both tinned surfaces and clamp the strip over the bridge plate with the filed edge towards the bend. clip it in place with a Bulldog clip or similar. I have some old toolmakers clamps for this kind of work. Heat the assembly until the solder flows and feed the joint with a little more solder. Don't overheat it. If it moves it can be nudged into place.
5. Allow to cool and clean off the flux. File the projecting screws level and file the overhanging edges back to the parent bridge plate.
6. Mark the new holes and centrepunch. Drill with a small pilot drill and follow with the correct size.
It sounds involved, but with everything to hand you're probably looking at 1/2 hour or so excluding marking/drilling.
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