STRAP BUTTONS

I MADE A BUNCH OF STRAP BUTTONS on the lathe today.  I have three recently sold ukes that need strap buttons.  I hate the looks of those screwed on shiny steel buttons and refuse to install them on my ukes but I love the look of a hand made wooden button.  
At the owner's request for a strap button I install them free of charge, just part of the deal.  I usually make the buttons from scraps of Honduran Rosewood and that is what I did this afternoon.

First you need to drill the hole in the uke.  The end is the best place because of the thick butt plate in the rear end center of any uke.  (better check for it before y0u drill).  I pad the uke well, put a piece of wood across the bout and clamp it carefully and gently to the work-bench.
Then, measure and mark the spot you want to drill with an ink pen. 
Then be sure to take an awl or a sharp pointy thing to start the hole and guide the drill bit in.

Start with a smaller drill bit just large enough to make way for the smallest part of the step drill seen in this photo.  The step drill increases the size of the hole in graduated steps as you push it in.  I use it to the third step.  It has never failed to make a perfectly smooth hole and is completely controllable.  You won't tear up your uke with one of these remarkable step drills.

See, the hole is perfect.   now to make the button

Here is the Rosewood in the chuck and turned round.  This is pretty delicate work for this very husky lathe that is capable of turning huge heavy bowls.  There is 400 pounds of sand in the wooden box/frame.  Sitting on a concrete floor there is no vibration in this lathe.

and here is the second uke of the day to get a button

Here's the first uke done.  These are made to fit fairly tight and then are glued in.