Posted by Paul Doug on October 23, 2009 at 10:14pm
After I've put the fret wire in place, O use a file to shape it on the ends. I've never been real happy with the results. I want it flush with the edge of the neck, without gouging the nice neck and have a good angle to it so it looks nice and doesn't catch or hurt the fingers. I was wondering how do you people do it so they are all the same?
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Nah, don't get em from stewmac. You can find them all over eBay for half of what stewmac charges.
You have to be real careful with needle files because they cut on all sides. Fret end dressing files are ground smooth on two sides so they won't eat up your finger board. Remember what dad used to tell all of us about using the right tool for the job? He was right.
Tim said:
you can get a cheap set of needle files for dressing the ends they come in handy other places too. no need to spend big bucks at stewmac for that one.
Thanks for the input. Guess there is on easy way. I fret over fretting more than any other part of building. Someday I'm going to try mounting a little grinding stone in my router, adjust the fence so I can't go past the edge of the neck and see how that works. Than you could have a piece of wood cut to the angle you wanted the frets ground to and lay the neck on that and pass it by the little stone. I don't know how it would work, maybe get to hot, but worth a try.
The best results I get are from holding a large flat file and running it up and down by hand. I hold perpendicular to the fingerboard first and take the ends all the way down to the wood. I then turn it at about 45 degrees and put a bevel on them. Then I turn it back to straight up and down and see if there are still any ends sticking out.
You sometimes end up putting a little file marks on the neck but that's why you don't sand any lower than 220 before you fret the neck. Once you've got your frets installed and fully dressed, you come back and hit the sides with 220 to clean up any new file marks, then take the whole thing down to whatever grit you like.
Also, unless you get a fret end dressing file to clean up those edges, you're always going to feel a little bit of a sharp snag on the ends of those frets. You can take them down with 400 grit sand paper but it's really just easier and better in the long run to buy yourself the file.
i just run my file up and down the side of the fret board at about a 20 degree angle or so until they are flush then work it more to a 45 or so degree a little just to help dress them out some. basicaly the same as a the beveling block just without the net.
Save the money. You can make your own with a $5 file, a scrap piece of wood, and a table saw. Just cut the angle you want with your saw, insert the file, and you're done. If the file doesn't fit tight, put some super glue in the slot first.
One side files flush to neck, the other side puts on the beveled edge. But frankly, I'd like a flatter angle on that, so I'll maybe someday make my own with a scrap of wood and an old file.
StewMac also has one, but I think it is more like $40, plus shipping.
Replies
You have to be real careful with needle files because they cut on all sides. Fret end dressing files are ground smooth on two sides so they won't eat up your finger board. Remember what dad used to tell all of us about using the right tool for the job? He was right.
Tim said:
You sometimes end up putting a little file marks on the neck but that's why you don't sand any lower than 220 before you fret the neck. Once you've got your frets installed and fully dressed, you come back and hit the sides with 220 to clean up any new file marks, then take the whole thing down to whatever grit you like.
Also, unless you get a fret end dressing file to clean up those edges, you're always going to feel a little bit of a sharp snag on the ends of those frets. You can take them down with 400 grit sand paper but it's really just easier and better in the long run to buy yourself the file.
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/a-little-help-from-old-lowe
I can recommend the "don't scratch your fingerboard" file from this guy on E-bay.
It doesn't do the initial bevel of all the frets at once, but it is great for rounding off the corner of be bevel along the edge of each fret.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fret-Beveling-File-for-Bolt-on-Necks_W0QQitemZ1...
One side files flush to neck, the other side puts on the beveled edge. But frankly, I'd like a flatter angle on that, so I'll maybe someday make my own with a scrap of wood and an old file.
StewMac also has one, but I think it is more like $40, plus shipping.