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| Cleaning Fret Slots http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=2717 |
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| Author: | Sprockett [ Thu Aug 04, 2005 2:43 pm ] |
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Ok Gang... I'm working on a snakewood fingerboard, it's bound and has some violin purfling in it. Looks great... However I need to clean out some of the slots because they got CA in them, right now I'm using the SM fret slot cleaning tool and some CA Debonder but it's not working very well... Anyone else have a better way to do this or a better idea?? Thanks -Paul- |
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| Author: | John How [ Thu Aug 04, 2005 2:53 pm ] |
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I use my dremel and a small bur bit that just fits in the slot. It is actually a ball end bit and the shaft follows the slot without wandering and it cleans the bottom of the slot very well. then I can go back with the SM tool and get everything out. works like a champ. |
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| Author: | tippie53 [ Thu Aug 04, 2005 2:58 pm ] |
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I use an exacto knife blade. I turn it around and then make the clamped end a scraper. It looks like a morticing chisel . This I can work in the slot and pop the junk out of the slot. It is easy to make and yo can control the chip well. john hall |
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| Author: | Sprockett [ Thu Aug 04, 2005 4:34 pm ] |
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[QUOTE=John How] I use my dremel and a small bur bit that just fits in the slot. It is actually a ball end bit and the shaft follows the slot without wandering and it cleans the bottom of the slot very well. then I can go back with the SM tool and get everything out. works like a champ.[/QUOTE] You mean like a little dental bit?? that's a great idea... I'll pull out the dremel tomorrow and go through all my bits, I have a collection from my dentist as well... You may have just saved me a TON of time.... -Paul- |
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| Author: | John How [ Thu Aug 04, 2005 4:41 pm ] |
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It is a very thin bit that has a tiny ball on the end so that the shaft doesn't cut the slot but instead sort of guides it along. I have used a small straight bit as well. The bit wants to take the path of leasy resistance anyway which is the slot. Just be careful at the slot ends, you don't want to go thru the binding. I have accidently scuffed up a fingerbaord using the SM tool but after you loosen the glue up with the dremel than the SM tool will pull iy ouy very easy. Good luck |
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| Author: | LanceK [ Fri Aug 05, 2005 12:52 am ] |
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i use a dental bit, and a propane tourch, I head the end of the bit red, takes about 1 second! And it plows through the glue like its not there! |
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| Author: | Michael Dale Payne [ Fri Aug 05, 2005 3:33 am ] |
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Im with Lance here |
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| Author: | Pwoolson [ Fri Aug 05, 2005 3:36 am ] |
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I've got an old fret saw that I cut to be about 1" long. Unless the slot it completely full, it is a quick few strokes and does a great job. |
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| Author: | crazymanmichael [ Fri Aug 05, 2005 3:55 am ] |
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stew s-m sells a tool with two short blades, each with teeth set toward the center for this very purpose. |
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| Author: | Alan Carruth [ Fri Aug 05, 2005 5:18 am ] |
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It's late for this one, but in the future.... The best way I've found to keep the slots clean is not to get them dirty in the first place. After I cut the slots and before I trim the fretboard to width I fill them in with strips of plastic, in the same way that you would use no-stick strips when you're doing a pearl edge. The soft plastic tops of coffee or peanut cans are just the right thickness. I use my little strip cutter to take off slices and put them into the slots. Often they are such that I need to stretch them just a little to get them into the slot, but that helps hold them in. Once the slots have their 'keepers' I trim off the board and bind it in the usual way. I use Titebond to bind the board, wrapping it with a long strip of rubber to clamp it. Since the slots are filled with the plastic you don't need to worry about plugging them up with excess glue. I leave the plastic in the slots until I'm ready to fret. For me that's one of the last things I do. It's easy to pick up one of the ends of the plastic with the point of a knife, and pull it out with pliers, and the slot is perfectly clean; no glue, no dust, no finish. |
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| Author: | LanceK [ Fri Aug 05, 2005 5:39 am ] |
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Fantastic tip Al! Thanks! |
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| Author: | Dave-SKG [ Fri Aug 05, 2005 6:53 am ] |
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I too use the dremel. For bits I use a couple different ones depending on whether or what type of glue or CA or whatever, that is fighting me. I buy the tips from some supply house that sells them in a 50 per box mix. Several suppliers carry them. they are carbide tipped and in each box you always get a wide variety of tips and sizes. The cost is something like $15-$16. I've seen it cheaper on sale but once you buy one box you have enough for a long time. I also use the SM saw blade saw with two blades. Each blade has the teeth goig in opposite direction so if a pull or a push is needed it's right there. They also sell a fret slot "knife" or "Pry blade" tool. It's sort of like a thick pen and comes with a curved, unsharped blade. After sharpening it works real well to dig out all those crusties and gunk. |
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| Author: | Sprockett [ Fri Aug 05, 2005 8:35 am ] |
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Good tip Al... I'll do that on my next one, I have tons of those lids because I use them to seal the soundhole when finishing (I put dry sponges behind them to prop them up against the back of the soundhole). Lance's trick did it, I used the SM tool and a torch and was even able to get out the 24th fret which is really small and was filled solid. I was going to use the dremel but I figured with my luck I would screw something up so the hot tip seemed safer... Cheers -Paul- |
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