Question - hand radiusing fret wire
- sebastiaan56
- Blackwood
- Posts: 1279
- Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2007 5:23 am
- Location: Blue Mountains
Question - hand radiusing fret wire
Hi everyone,
As you have guessed by now, Im a bit cheap (ask Tim I have a fancy to make the fingerboard on the mando a bit wider than usual and also to finish to a slight radius. The sanding to the radius is pretty straightforward (my hand technique almost guarantees it.....) but radiusing the fret wire is a bit more of a challenge. As the radius is slight I thought some gentle percussive persuasion might be in order. Im thinking to make a template to ensure even radius and then pounding the little puppies into submission. Has anyone had to resort to this method? Apart from flattening the tops of the frets are there any other risks?
I know that Stewmac, Gilet, Aus Luthiers sell all of this gear but it is definitely out of budget at the moment, any other suggestions?
As you have guessed by now, Im a bit cheap (ask Tim I have a fancy to make the fingerboard on the mando a bit wider than usual and also to finish to a slight radius. The sanding to the radius is pretty straightforward (my hand technique almost guarantees it.....) but radiusing the fret wire is a bit more of a challenge. As the radius is slight I thought some gentle percussive persuasion might be in order. Im thinking to make a template to ensure even radius and then pounding the little puppies into submission. Has anyone had to resort to this method? Apart from flattening the tops of the frets are there any other risks?
I know that Stewmac, Gilet, Aus Luthiers sell all of this gear but it is definitely out of budget at the moment, any other suggestions?
I remember a lengthy, almost nasty discussion over at MIMF about radiusing fret wire and the necessary jigs. Mario piped up with his solution. Its about as low tech as you can get. He cut a grove into the edge of a bench and would pull the fret wire through that until it was curved enough for his needs. It seems to fit your budgetary needs and God knows Mario doesn't do something unless it works.
- sebastiaan56
- Blackwood
- Posts: 1279
- Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2007 5:23 am
- Location: Blue Mountains
You can build some simple jigs that will do this for you as well. The simplest I've see in just 3 largish nails hammered into a board making a triangle that the wire is pulled through until you end up getting the amount of radius that you want.
You can tart this system up by using bearings etc. It is a very simplified version of a tool you would find in a blacksmith shop. Don't try to get the radius in one go, no matter what method you choose. Rather light passes several times will stretch the fret top and cause the wire to acquire a radius.
You can tart this system up by using bearings etc. It is a very simplified version of a tool you would find in a blacksmith shop. Don't try to get the radius in one go, no matter what method you choose. Rather light passes several times will stretch the fret top and cause the wire to acquire a radius.
G'day Sebastiaan,
Hey , I'm cheap too !
Couldn't quite bring myself to fork out the ( considerable) amount for a Stewmac or L.M.I. one ,so made this one . Cost bugger- all . I bought some nylon door runners and a couple of little bearings for the handle part. A few 1/4 " mudguard washers and you're done.
Probably about $20 max. . It gives a perfect and consistant radius , which I think is very helpful in getting a nice even fret job.
The runner wheel on the left is adjustable up and down to give the required radius
Cheers, Craig
Hey , I'm cheap too !
Couldn't quite bring myself to fork out the ( considerable) amount for a Stewmac or L.M.I. one ,so made this one . Cost bugger- all . I bought some nylon door runners and a couple of little bearings for the handle part. A few 1/4 " mudguard washers and you're done.
Probably about $20 max. . It gives a perfect and consistant radius , which I think is very helpful in getting a nice even fret job.
The runner wheel on the left is adjustable up and down to give the required radius
Cheers, Craig
- Bob Connor
- Admin
- Posts: 3132
- Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:43 pm
- Location: Geelong, Australia
- Contact:
-
- Wandoo
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2007 4:46 am
- Location: Jordanstown, Northern Ireland
I get a block of waste wood with a 3 or 4 mm hole in it.
I put the fret in the hole and bend it towards the tang.
then I flip it and do the same at the other end.
I press them into place with Stewmac's arbor fret press caul.
works fine for me, and possible even lower tech than Mario's!!
I put the fret in the hole and bend it towards the tang.
then I flip it and do the same at the other end.
I press them into place with Stewmac's arbor fret press caul.
works fine for me, and possible even lower tech than Mario's!!
Sorry I'm not from the Southern Hemisphere.....
I have an aunt in New Zealand and another in South Africa, can I still play?
I have an aunt in New Zealand and another in South Africa, can I still play?
- sebastiaan56
- Blackwood
- Posts: 1279
- Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2007 5:23 am
- Location: Blue Mountains
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: Google and 216 guests