Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi Folks,
Here's any easy question for all you Pro's.
What is your preferred adhesive (Glue) for setting fretwire?
There seems to be a lot of brands by all suppiers.
Would you please suggest your favorites?
Thanks, walter

sweat and friction is what i use

OK!!!!!

Bruce!!! Shouldn't you be in bed???

Fretwire is a press fit. Some camfer the slots to assist starting the wire and later it aids in cutting down chipout on a refret.

Some folks do glue frets in, some only glue down problem fret ends usually with a little super glue. The traditional method is hammer 'em in, while some now use a fretpress or a drill press equipped with a fretpressing mandrel.

Order you up a slotted fretboard from StewMac and a fret hammer and a chunk of wire and just go for it. I used to cut twenty frets and put them in a numbered carrier to install one at a time. Now I just hammer in the wire in two foot pieces, snip, do the next one, snip do the next one, well, you get the idea.

What I learned, is that I had a fret handle with the extra length of wire. But take a cut to size piece and it wants to lay over one way or the other. So I just hammer away, and completely enjoy the fretting process. But I'm glueless.

Oh, hey everyone, I wanted to introduce my buddy Walter K. Here we are on a recent get together. Looks amazingly like my twin brother don't you think? He's deathly afraid of frogs.



That's me on the left.

Glad you recycled that picture, Bruce. Wasn't that your first Bio picture?

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

I stole that off Bill Moll's website, credit where credit is due.....

Say, I'm the guy taking the picture!!!!
WalterK

I'm with Bruce, no adhesive. I cut my wire to about 1 foot lengths for ease of handling, then bend it to radius on a fret bending jig. I slightly chamfer the fret slot with a little square file and press it in with a Stew Mac caul on my drill press. Then just snip it off and move to the next fret. A little rosewood dust is mixed with CA glue and applied to the fret ends after initial dressing to fill any gaps.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Thanks Colin,
I appreciate the advice.
Somewhere I read that they use super glue?
You and Bruce's method sounds better. Thanks...WalterK

I use superglue to hold down the ends of frets on bound fingerboards (I cut off the tang with Stewmac's fret nipper). I've read a number of comments by people who use a small amount of titebond when fretting, which they say helps the fret slip in, and fills up any air gap below the fret. Doesn't glue the frets in at all, though.

I also use CA and wood dust to close off any remaining visible gap at the side of the fretboard on my unbound instruments.

I use StewMac's fingerboard oil. I liberally apply it to the whole fingerboard, prior to fretting,wipe off the excess leaving excess in the slots, install frets, wipe on another coat, wipe off excess and let er dry. The "stufff" in their oil sets up in the slot and locks the wire in extremely well. I havn't had any problems with ends popping loose. See my [how to] article in the jigs and tools section for more detail.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

First off, I press my frets before gluing the fingerboard. I place a tiny drop of water in the fret which seems to make the frets press in easier. I have read that some folks do use superglue on the upper frets when doing a fret job. They cut a larger kerf so that the fret will go in easy without damaging the soundboard.

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA