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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on November 2, 2010 at 5:28am

VERY debatable. Many opinions you will get on this. I personally do it after finishing. I cover the top of the fretboard with painters tape and finish away. Once done, I remove the tape, set the frets, cut the ends and file them down.

BTW, go to Lowes in Spartanburg and get some Deft brand Clear Wood Finish in the can and aerosol if you want a REALLY great finish that isn't poly-u. My opinion of course.

-WY

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Permalink Reply by Dave Onastik on November 2, 2010 at 5:44am

I've been using the Deft brush-on based on your recommendation Wes, and it is great stuff. My Lowe's didn't sell it, but I found a ma & pa hardware store that carried the 1 qt. cans for $16. That should last a long time.

I applied it with the frets already installed. The last one I used painters tape and tried to pinch it around the frets. The one I'm working on currently I did not apply the tape, and am trying to be very careful to brush the Deft up to the edge only.

My only concern with inserting the frets after is that I would file/sand off some of the finish while I am edging and tapering the frets.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on November 2, 2010 at 5:55am

Thank you Dave [grin], and yes you will remove some of the finish, but I have seen from a video that if you do the tapering at the 45 deg angle right down to the wood that lessens the effect. So yes, if you have a stained fretboard, then you might need to do the finish in a different way.

-WY



Dave Onastik said:

My only concern with inserting the frets after is that I would file/sand off some of the finish while I am edging and tapering the frets.

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Permalink Reply by c# merle on November 2, 2010 at 11:33am

personally i cut the slots then completely finish the fretboard. then a quick drag through with the saw on the slots, install the frets and use a fretboard protector(which i bent on one side to make an L shape) while i file the frets down. no rules of course

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Permalink Reply by Chuck Dubman on November 2, 2010 at 6:39pm

I set the frets before I even carve the neck. A nice, flat, heavy, square neck blank is
real easy to press frets into -- doesn't tilt or otherwise move, and I don't need a specially
profiled neck cradle, just my bench or drillpress table. No uncured finish to mar, either.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on November 3, 2010 at 1:06am

I had thought to do this too but do you finish the neck (I presume you do) and how do you protect the fret/fingerboard from the finish?

-WY


Chuck Dubman said:

I set the frets before I even carve the neck. A nice, flat, heavy, square neck blank is
real easy to press frets into -- doesn't tilt or otherwise move, and I don't need a specially
profiled neck cradle, just my bench or drillpress table. No uncured finish to mar, either.

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Permalink Reply by W.T. Tarapchak on November 3, 2010 at 2:12am

Thanks for the tips....y'all have been very helpful!

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Permalink Reply by Dave Onastik on November 3, 2010 at 5:06am

So Wes.... Sorry if I asked this before, but I can't remember. What is the issue with applying Deft to the fingerboard with the frets? Does it build up too thick of a layer on the surface? Does it make fingering difficult? I've seen a few places on the Nation where members try to avoid that, but still not sure exactly why.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on November 3, 2010 at 5:19am

Dave, I just don't put finishes on the top surface of the fretboard tho I like to put a little linseed oil then some fretboard conditioner. Most fretboards aren't coated, tho I know there are some (Fender?). Its kinda up to you. I use woods that are close grained such as rosewood (actually I use Bacote on good builds. I hate oak.). Maple would do ok too. I like the natural feel and how it can be kept conditioned with oils.

-WY



Dave Onastik said:

So Wes.... Sorry if I asked this before, but I can't remember. What is the issue with applying Deft to the fingerboard with the frets? Does it build up too thick of a layer on the surface? Does it make fingering difficult? I've seen a few places on the Nation where members try to avoid that, but still not sure exactly why.

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