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Fretting help

Posted by David Bowes on July 2, 2013 at 8:50am in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

I am having trouble with fitting frets. My first couple of builds were successful using a hack saw to cut the grove for the frets, but since then I cannot get the correct size 9ended gluing some in place). I purchased a fine blade pull saw but this appears to be too fine. My question is what is the best saw for the job and how do you keep the cut square? Using a mitre block has damaged my pull saw. Any advice would be welcome.

Thanks David

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Replies

  • Slowpaw Steve T July 4, 2013 at 2:03am

    Mark up the fretboard using an unmounted fretted board as a template (according to scale length), scoring the slots with a Stanley knife using a metal square.

    Cut the slots 2mm deep using a Junior hacksaw, place in the frets from 12" lengths using a little glue,  hammer in using a small nylon jewellers hammer and snip off, wipe off any excess glue.

    Using a long file take off the sharp ends on the bench in a sliding action and then dress the fret ends using micro files, test with a yellow duster for any remaining sharp bits, a couple of coats of spray lacquer....finished! (-:

  • David Bowes July 2, 2013 at 3:55pm

    Thanks to all  for the advice, I am going to invest in a fret saw can anyone recommend a UK supplier?

    • ChickenboneJohn > David Bowes July 2, 2013 at 11:48pm

      Try ToneTech Luthiers supplies. I usually use Touchstone Tonewoods, but they didn't have any last time I looked. ToneTech seem a bit pricey, but I've used them in the past and got no complaints about the stuff I've bought.

    • David Bowes > ChickenboneJohn July 3, 2013 at 1:18pm

      Chickenbone John

      Thanks for the information, I will give them a try.

      Do you sell the blank boxes I have seen used at your work shops, as i am having problems finding suitable boxes.

      Regards David

    • ChickenboneJohn > David Bowes July 4, 2013 at 1:13am

      I don't sell the boxes -they are just a 40x18mm softwood frame with 3mm MDF or hardboard back and front.  It's very crude, but it works - after all its exactly the same materials as Danelectro uses!

    • David Bowes > ChickenboneJohn July 4, 2013 at 7:22am

      Thanks CBJ

      I will have a go making some.

      David

  • Suspect Device July 2, 2013 at 11:49am

    I made a fret caul out of scrap hardwood. It is cut with a slight taper and to slot the groove I used a needle file, though you could also just wrap a fret in sandpaper and make the groove with that. The hammer is a 14oz claw hammer from the dollar store with a plastic soda bottlecap hot-glued to the face. The homemade slotting box is built from the cutoffs of the aluminum yardsticks I use for fret scales. I often build and use homemade/inexpensive tools, but a .023" kerfed blade ain't one of them.306086298?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024

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