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Fret tools

I have just dug deep in my cupboards and found these aids to fret activities.
1. I have found a sharp knife the best for scribing fret positions
2. This is a circle cutter. A block of wood, holes drilled for radius that will fit handy nail to act as a fulcrum. A craft blade held in place by a nut , just screwed into the end grain. Many careful rotations until cut through. I have to say I used it on much thinner soundboards than cigar box lids, but it should work.
3. A file with wooden handle glued on it. Slide this up and down to equalize nut height if you have a problem. It will act like a plane but if you need more than just gentle adjustment, re do the fret! I use it also for chamfering the frets at the edges of the fret board.
4. A set of small round files as seen elsewhere on this board.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on June 3, 2009 at 1:06am

1. I prefer a pencil to mark lines for frets (easier to erase mistakes that to refinish wood), 2. I really like your circle cutter. 3. "multitool for fret dressing.... I like it... and 4. got it, use it, like it...

thanks,

Wichita Sam

Permalink Reply by Brian Lemin on June 3, 2009 at 8:34pm

Yes you are right.. the old adage is measure twice - cut once.

I hope to be able to upload some picks of my methods for fret marking and also a DIY fret presser.
(Still learning about this net forum)

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Permalink Reply by Brian Lemin on June 3, 2009 at 8:39pm

I would like to add the other pics, but cant see how to do it at this moment. ?

OK The "Upload files" has appeared.

I am taking the pictures myself so excuse the props to place the tools where they need to be.

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Permalink Reply by JUJU on June 3, 2009 at 10:39pm

Hey Brian
thanks for your input , you got some great tools and tips , thanks for sharing , i know at first fretting can be very daunting , my first fretting job was much easier than i expected , spent more time thinking about doing it than the actual fretting took .

if you want to post pics instead of links , on the reply to this message box on the top header theres a picture of a camera click it and a window will open for you to browse your PC - find the pic you want to upload and click the add tab the pic will be uploaded to your message you need to go back and repeat the previous steps for each picture you want to upload
Hope this helps
juju.

Permalink Reply by Brian Lemin on June 3, 2009 at 11:04pm

Juju

Thanks for the pic tips. This forum runs a bit differently from other that I contribute to. But it works very well.

I did have a mini circular saw blade that i made up into a fret groove slitter. That was really great and easy, just like a mini drop saw with a pull on it. I believe that a few luthiers use them.

I have been thinking about it and it should be possible to construct something like that with a Dremel/generic tool. I am not planning to do enough to do this but perhaps some enterprising DIYer might do it. Instead of a pull on the saw, you could push your fret board. The drop has to have a stop on it to suit the depth of your fret.

I remember now. I had a rolling board using groves and ball bearings. The fretboard rolled in under the blade "square".

Sorry for faulty memory! If someone would design it, i would bless them! :)

PS re the Dremel idea. The body of the drill would get in the way unless a larger blade was acquired.

Permalink Reply by JUJU on June 4, 2009 at 12:38am

PS re the Dremel idea. The body of the drill would get in the way unless a larger blade was acquired.

this could be a possible candidate for some sort of fretboard slotting tool , looks like the dremel body is angled to make clearance for the body ! juju.

Permalink Reply by Brian Lemin on June 4, 2009 at 1:16am

I have a flexible cord extension to my Dremel that has a "much" thinner body, but that gizmo looks pretty good!

Did you find it on the net?

Permalink Reply by Brian Lemin on June 4, 2009 at 1:23am

I just found thi

s too. 1 1/4 dia by 1/32 thick. I am not sure of the tang thickness of the average fret wire Brian Lemin said:

I have a flexible cord extension to my Dremel that has a "much" thinner body, but that gizmo looks pretty good!

Did you find it on the net?

Permalink Reply by JUJU on June 4, 2009 at 10:42pm

Hi Brian
Yes this is available all over the web its a original Dremel
not sure of the blade /kerf thickness though , but i know the Fret tang width is .023" this is what all the fret slotting tools are that stewmac sells so this must be the most common fret tang width
juju.

Permalink Reply by Brian Lemin on June 5, 2009 at 2:06am

I see the metric thickness is 0.8mm, so it would have to be thinned. It can be done on an oil stone.

Permalink Reply by Brian Lemin on June 5, 2009 at 3:10am

I now realize that I am mixing metric and inches. The metric equivalent of the Stewmac blade is 0.6mm. This would need very little oil stone work to bring it down, "but" can you use the 0.8mm or 1/32 to cut the slots with?

Permalink Reply by William H Bonney on June 5, 2009 at 12:42pm