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Permalink Reply by HENRY LOWMAN on November 30, 2009 at 6:27pm

Coooooooool idea!

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on December 1, 2009 at 4:09am

Paul +5

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Permalink Reply by Tres Seaver on December 1, 2009 at 4:35am

Paul, are you using "real" fret wire from StewMac / CBGitty? I didn't need any glue at all for that, as the teeth on the ridge grabbed the groove just fine. I will look at the pen for projects where I'm using some hand-rolled alternative (copper wire, cotter pin halves, etc.) -- thanks for the tip!

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Permalink Reply by Mark Werner on December 1, 2009 at 5:12am

When I was testing various adhesives to secure non-standard frets (copper wire, nails, etc.) I didn't have any luck with super glue. I used the gel type, and the initial hold was good but then things just popped off.
Non-porous surfaces seem to be troublesome...
Of course, there are dozens of different types of cyanoacrylate glue....

I use "JB Weld" epoxy, which holds very well but is a pain to use... I mix up a bit, then use a toothpick or bamboo skewer to pull fine lines of the stuff into the slots I've cut.
Stuff dries quickly, you are doing good to get six or seven frets in before mixing up some more.
Excess can easily be rubbed or scraped off when it solidifies but hasn't hardened all the way yet.

I found some good fret material in a hobby store that caters to R/C airplane guys; it's small-gauge brass rod stock and tubing that comes about as fine as you'd like. Only costs a couple of bucks for enough to make a guitar.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Doug on December 1, 2009 at 6:21am

I'm curious what kind of saw do you use to cut the slots. I haven't found the perfect saw yet to get a tight enough fit without being too tight. I've been using a Crown hard back lately but it is a hair too wide and the wire just slips in but won't hold without glue. I like the japanese saws, hut I haven't figured out a way to control the depth of cut.

Tres Seaver said:

Paul, are you using "real" fret wire from StewMac / CBGitty? I didn't need any glue at all for that, as the teeth on the ridge grabbed the groove just fine. I will look at the pen for projects where I'm using some hand-rolled alternative (copper wire, cotter pin halves, etc.) -- thanks for the tip!

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on December 1, 2009 at 6:43am

Paul,
The "perfect saw" can be found at Stewart MacDonald. Its the best, but its expensive. If you want a good saw for much less, tho is NOT a fret saw, I bought one from Harbor Freight for around $10. Its .024" which is .001 greater than stewmac's fret tangs of .023" ( I suppose one could sand the excess out of the saw ). I've put frets in with this and it works really well. You will have to make your own depth gauge tho. There are solutions for that. - WY

Japanese Flush Cut Saw

Paul Doug said:

I'm curious what kind of saw do you use to cut the slots. I haven't found the perfect saw yet to get a tight enough fit without being too tight. I've been using a Crown hard back lately but it is a hair too wide and the wire just slips in but won't hold without glue. I like the japanese saws, hut I haven't figured out a way to control the depth of cut.
Tres Seaver said:

Paul, are you using "real" fret wire from StewMac / CBGitty? I didn't need any glue at all for that, as the teeth on the ridge grabbed the groove just fine. I will look at the pen for projects where I'm using some hand-rolled alternative (copper wire, cotter pin halves, etc.) -- thanks for the tip!

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Permalink Reply by Robin Miller on December 1, 2009 at 7:25am

I second Harbor Freight's Japanese flush cut saw. I picked one up last week & it works just fine for frets. I clamp a block of wood to the neck as a guide since the saw blade is so flexible.

Wes Yates said:

Paul,
The "perfect saw" can be found at Stewart MacDonald. Its the best, but its expensive. If you want a good saw for much less, tho is NOT a fret saw, I bought one from Harbor Freight for around $10. Its .024" which is .001 greater than stewmac's fret tangs of .023" ( I suppose one could sand the excess out of the saw ). I've put frets in with this and it works really well. You will have to make your own depth gauge tho. There are solutions for that. - WY

Japanese Flush Cut Saw

Paul Doug said:

I'm curious what kind of saw do you use to cut the slots. I haven't found the perfect saw yet to get a tight enough fit without being too tight. I've been using a Crown hard back lately but it is a hair too wide and the wire just slips in but won't hold without glue. I like the japanese saws, hut I haven't figured out a way to control the depth of cut.
Tres Seaver said:

Paul, are you using "real" fret wire from StewMac / CBGitty? I didn't need any glue at all for that, as the teeth on the ridge grabbed the groove just fine. I will look at the pen for projects where I'm using some hand-rolled alternative (copper wire, cotter pin halves, etc.) -- thanks for the tip!

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Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on December 1, 2009 at 7:47am

Robin, I use a very similar procedure, except instead of a block of wood I use two corian sample blocks (2X2X1/2) as guides. It keeps me "vertical" and works really well.

BTW, that's the Harbor Freight Japanese Flush Cut Saw that I'm using in the pic. If you cut enough to make the teeth disappear, the cut will be perfect for fretwire tangs. the best, Wichita Sam Robin Miller said:

I second Harbor Freight's Japanese flush cut saw. I picked one up last week & it works just fine for frets. I clamp a block of wood to the neck as a guide since the saw blade is so flexible.


Wes Yates said:

Paul,

The "perfect saw" can be found at Stewart MacDonald. Its the best, but its expensive. If you want a good saw for much less, tho is NOT a fret saw, I bought one from Harbor Freight for around $10. Its .024" which is .001 greater than stewmac's fret tangs of .023" ( I suppose one could sand the excess out of the saw ). I've put frets in with this and it works really well. You will have to make your own depth gauge tho. There are solutions for that. - WY

Japanese Flush Cut Saw


Paul Doug said:

I'm curious what kind of saw do you use to cut the slots. I haven't found the perfect saw yet to get a tight enough fit without being too tight. I've been using a Crown hard back lately but it is a hair too wide and the wire just slips in but won't hold without glue. I like the japanese saws, hut I haven't figured out a way to control the depth of cut.

Tres Seaver said:

Paul, are you using "real" fret wire from StewMac / CBGitty? I didn't need any glue at all for that, as the teeth on the ridge grabbed the groove just fine. I will look at the pen for projects where I'm using some hand-rolled alternative (copper wire, cotter pin halves, etc.) -- thanks for the tip!

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on December 1, 2009 at 8:06am

Not to out-do any of the others here... But I got the urge to make a jig from this thread. Scraps of wood left over and some dowel made a removable jig to cut square frets with. I also looked at StewMacs saw and decided to make an adjustable depth gauge. Once the guide reaches the top of the jig, the cut should be the depth. Nice and even. I just need some 1/8" screws to hold it with.

(The blade is not burnt. Just the overhead light vs the flash).

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Permalink Reply by Kevin on December 1, 2009 at 2:22pm

Hobby lobby and itger craft stores sell a thin sawblade attachment for exacto knives and a small mitre block that fits the stock 1.5" wide neck perfectly


Wes Yates said:

Not to out-do any of the others here... But I got the urge to make a jig from this thread. Scraps of wood left over and some dowel made a removable jig to cut square frets with. I also looked at StewMacs saw and decided to make an adjustable depth gauge. Once the guide reaches the top of the jig, the cut should be the depth. Nice and even. I just need some 1/8" screws to hold it with.

(The blade is not burnt. Just the overhead light vs the flash).

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Permalink Reply by Roger Martin on December 1, 2009 at 3:19pm

I trust that nobody here will give away my secret,,,,,,,LOL but I hate to install fret wire so much that I simply dont do it anymore.
Thats why I build almost 100% fretless.
Now that I'm outed, I'll get back to trying to get the shop up and running.Major milestone today,got the new cash register set up and working,now tomorrow ,back to building product so I'll have something to ring up come Friday.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on December 2, 2009 at 5:57am

More "Monster of Fretsaw". Just made this adjustable depth gauge. Fits the above jig, tho you can do most anything you like.

-WY

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