Official Luthiers Forum!

I was interested in seeing which methods and tools you all use for fretting
those last 5 or 6 frets over the body for those that fret after assembly.

I used my friends Taylor Fret Buck on #2 and I will use it again tonight on
#3. I'd really like to have my own tool but that one is pretty pricey.
Anyone built the fret buck plans available on ebay? If so, did it work
adequately? I can't imagine a wood buck having the mass as the cast iron
model and it seems the mass has a lot to do with it's effectiveness.
I've also read up on the Jaws systems offered by StewMac...anyone using this
system?

Looking forward to seeing your replies

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Christopher C. Cordle
North Muskegon, MI

http://www.yardsaleunderwear.com
http://www.facebook.com/christopher.cordle

My method leaves the tools far away from the top of the guitar, See Bill Greenes "Fret end" thread somewhere near here.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

I use a 1.5" X 3" round piece of metal, its about 2 lbs. I tuck it under the fretboard extention and hold it there with my left hand, lifting the guitar up just enough, then with my right hand using a plastic hammer I tap in the fret that was tucked in to the slot ahead of time. Works like a charm and cost me nothing!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

I use the Jaws II rig from Stewmac now days but for years I used a fender repair dolly and a 1lb dead-blow hammer. Oh and a sheat of 1/16" aluminum with a cutout for the soundhole and fb extension with a mylar backing to protect the finish.

Sorry, your talking about installing and I'm talking about filing ends. I use an auto body dolly as a mass, under the fingerboard while gently hammering the frets in.

Just a hint for those that are new at hammering frets.....
Hammer gently and take your time. Make sure your frets are pre arched to at least and maybe a little more than the radius of your fingerboard. Tap the ends first and then work back and forth across the fret till it's completely seated. Most important though is to hammer gently and if it starts to curl up on an end, pull it out and make a new one because you'll never get it seated properly if you distort the arch. Make sure your fret slots are nice and clean as well.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Great advise John, I will also add that it is very important to keep your hammer level with the plane of the fretboard surface to avoid nice little 1/2 moon hammer marks in the fretboard. I always lay a stack of about 10 strips of LMI brown tape one either side of the fret I'm hammering in.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

[QUOTE=LanceK] Great advise John, I will also add that it is very important to keep your hammer level with the plane of the fretboard surface to avoid nice little 1/2 moon hammer marks in the fretboard. I always lay a stack of about 10 strips of LMI brown tape one either side of the fret I'm hammering in. [/QUOTE]

Now there is a cool tip I wishe I had had when doing my couple guitars.

[QUOTE=John How] Most important though is to hammer gently and if it starts to curl up on an end, pull it out and make a new one because you'll never get it seated properly if you distort the arch[/QUOTE]

Very true. You can also make these fret slots slightly wide or compress the barbs so it does not take very much force to press the frets in, then glue those suckers with CA! I had an early guitar come back with frets that were curling up on just about every fret above the 14th, not fun.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

having originally learned fretting as a repair skill, i still prefer to use the hammer with a small leather shot bag as support inside the guitar. i really envy your access to the fret buck.

i chamfer the slot edges, and depending on the board, will use a tiny bead of water as a lube to help ease the fret in. as lance mentioned, the hammer should only tap; its task is to persuade the fret that the slot is home, and gently guide it in.

I’d like to ask a (sort of) related question here, if I may.

I used a fret caul with my drill press, and installed every fret in the fretboard before gluing it up to
the neck. It worked perfectly from what I can tell.

My question is; Do you prefer installing the last few frets after the neck is attached for a particular reason?

Robert

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Everything has beauty, But, not everyone see's it!

    I use a 6 inch long block that holds a file at about a 30 degree angle
similar to the one Stew Mac sells to file the initial angle cut onto the ends
of nstalled frets and then go to a short series of blocks wrapped in
various grits of abrasive paper to bring them to a place where they can be
polished with the rest of the fret. The top is protected around the
fingerboard tongue by a sheet of 1/16 inch thick plastic while all work is
performed near it.

    My final polish of the frets comes after I've masked the entire
fingerboard and all final level and crown work is complete. I'll use a extra
fine metal compound on a dedicated buffing wheel, crank up the speed of
my buffer a little from what I use on my finish and give the entire length
of the frets a few passes to bring them to a great shine.

   There should never be any indication of filing or grinding on the angles
cut to relieve your fret ends. They should be as neatly anf finely polished
as the length of fret that crosses the fingerboard. It takes time, but is
worth it to both the builder and the player.

    As far as installing frets over the top in the fingerboard tongue, I use a
Taylor Fret Buck to absorb the hammer blows and distribute their force
throughout the upper bout of the top. This tool gives you both hands to
handle the frets and hammer while tapping them in. I used a block of
brass on my earliest guitars to take the force of the hammer blows, but
was never comforable with handling it inside the body as much as you
need to to get the job done.

Regards,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega Guitars

I have one of these which you can wind up to height ...I put a flat piece of wood on top to spread the load and wind it up ....I have used it a couple of times for clamping pressure re-gluing loose braces .

http://www.teamintlco.com/Dr.Parts/ProductsShow.asp?ProductT ype_ID=6&ProductSubType_ID=71&ProductSub2Type_ID=0&Product_I D=621

[QUOTE=robertandsons]
Do you prefer installing the last few frets after the neck is attached for a particular reason?

Robert[/QUOTE]
Robert-
I think many folks install all the frets (not just a few) after attaching the neck to the body so that they can plane/sand the FB level and fine-adjust the neck angle if necessary (by tapering the fingerboard) before fretting.
It also makes things like lowering the bass side of the fingerboard on classicals easier.

Cheers

John