Fretting about fretting

You can ask questions here about Trevor and Gerard's exciting new book on Luthiery.

Moderators: kiwigeo, Jeremy D

Post Reply
dshaker
Myrtle
Posts: 77
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 6:38 am
Location: Palo Alto, California

Fretting about fretting

Post by dshaker » Tue Apr 15, 2014 3:57 am

The Book recommends running a thin bead of Titebond along the fret slot and
then pressing or hammering the fret wire in place.

I have not had much luck putting a thin bead of Titebond accurately down the
slot. Sometimes I get it right, but often I get slop on my nice sanded-to-400-grit
fretboard and sometimes I get squeeze-out. In the end, I took a box-cutter, dipped
the blade in glue, then ran that down the slot. Not great, but better than the other
methods I came up with.

Does anyone have have a better solution?

I also found that using a fret-hammer was faster and less fussy than trying to press the
frets in using a drill press and a caul from Stewart-MacDonald. I couldn't get enough leverage
with the conventional drill-press handle and needed to improvise another tool to get it to work
at all. Even then, it was just awkward. The plastic-face fret-hammer was way easier.
-Doug Shaker

Craig Bumgarner
Blackwood
Posts: 195
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 10:28 pm
Location: Drayden, MD, USA

Re: Fretting about fretting

Post by Craig Bumgarner » Tue Apr 15, 2014 4:18 am

For better or worse, I do not glue the frets during installation for the same reasons you mention. I shoot some CA down the slot from both ends after I have dressed the fret ends.

I press my frets because I feel it gives a much more accurate set, but I know my little bench drill less is not up to job. I use a floor stand Rockwell, work well, get very uniform fret sets which require almost no dressing after install.
Craig Bumgarner

Bumgarner Guitar Blog

DeanP
Gidgee
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Mar 27, 2013 10:35 pm

Re: Fretting about fretting

Post by DeanP » Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:36 am

How about this for a fret press:
Fret Press.jpg

I had just finished mortising my first two necks from the book and I hadn't put away my Jet mortiser yet. As I was about to press the frets on my cheap drill press, which is near useless for the job, the light bulb went off. I can tell you, the Jet mortiser makes a very stout fret press :D .

Dean

User avatar
Nick
Blackwood
Posts: 3641
Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 11:20 am
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Contact:

Re: Fretting about fretting

Post by Nick » Tue Apr 15, 2014 1:57 pm

Hey Doug, I used to be like you and worry about the mess on the board e.t.c until I saw Bob Benedetto's DVD on making an Archtop guitar when he came to putting in the frets and he made it all look easy. I've done it 'his' way ever since. I run/squeeze three short runs of glue into the slot (one at each end and one in the centre), then you get a damp cloth or paper towel and just wipe off the excess, wipe with the slot. Once the fret's in (by whichever method you use or are happy with but pressing is my method of choice) then another wipe with the damp cloth to remove any squeeze out and you should be all good to go.
"Jesus Loves You."
Nice to hear in church but not in a Mexican prison.

User avatar
Trevor Gore
Blackwood
Posts: 1605
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:11 pm

Re: Fretting about fretting

Post by Trevor Gore » Tue Apr 15, 2014 3:46 pm

I use this little bottle, which I think originally came with a printer cartridge refill kit. I fill it with Titebond then I hold it vertically on the fret slot and squeeze gently whilst sliding it down the length of the slot. The hole in the nozzle is about the same diameter as the fret slot is wide, so it doesn't take much care to leave glue only in the slot and virtually none on the fretboard. Any excess can just be wiped off, as Nick said.
Mini glue bottle.jpg
Mini glue bottle.jpg (130.54 KiB) Viewed 7062 times
Most of my fretboards are bound, even on the classicals, so I can't do the CA-down-the-ends trick.

This little bottle is really good for rosettes, bindings etc., basically anywhere the standard Titebond bottle will give you an overdose.

If you Google "glue syringe" you'll likely find something similar, if you can't find anything suitable in your junk box.

I find the Jescar fret wire is best glued in as it seems to have a shorter tang than some of the other wire I've used.

dshaker
Myrtle
Posts: 77
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 6:38 am
Location: Palo Alto, California

Re: Fretting about fretting

Post by dshaker » Wed Apr 16, 2014 4:00 am

Excellent!
1) I have a second reason to buy another tool (my wife would say "YET another tool")!
2) I have a reasonable way of dealing with the glue overflow!
and
3) I have a way of avoiding glue overflow.

That's what I call a productive forum inquiry!

-Doug Shaker
-Doug Shaker

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests