Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
- Rod True
- Siberian Tiger
- Posts: 234
- Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 10:18 am
- Location: Abbotsford, BC Canada
Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
Here's my shot at doing Semi-Hemispherical fret ends. Never done it before but I didn't think it would be to difficult.
So, this is the first time I tried semi-hemisperical fret ends. Never seen a tutorial on this and wasn’t going to pay $25 to Sylvan Wells to see his method, so I came up with my own way. Actually, I’ve had this idea in my head for a couple years now, just never tried it.
I ensure that the fretboard is level before fretting (one reason for waiting till it’s attached to the body) and in this case, I had no sanding to do, sweet!
Ok, so I protect the upper bout area of the guitar and rest the neck on a bag of sand I have.
I then radius my fretwire, homemade radius thing too (of course)
I then pre-cut my fretwire for each fret and put it in a holder (no picture sorry).
I started at the soundhole end of the fretboard incase I cut one of the frets to short, I can use it on the next one up
First thing I do is undercut the fretwire for the binding. I have the Stew Mack fret tang nipper and It works perfect for me.
I then held the fret in the slot and marked the edge of the fretboard on the fret with a sharpie I chiseled to a fine point (I need one of those fine point sharpies in the shop).
Then I take it to the jig I made
It’s a block of hardwood, with a grove cut for the fret tang and a channel for a fret file. The holding face is also radiused to about 10" so the fretwire doesn't bend back straight/flat. Here’s a bunch of pictures.
The thin board along the front is shimmed 0.020” (veneer) on the end held in the vise. This allows the fret to slide up into the groove and then holds the fret tight with the screw on the left.
I’ve made a pencil mark where the fret needs to be ground round (this was done by trial and error to get the location right), so I align the sharpie mark to the pencil mark.
I then run the fret file over the fret to round it, also tilting the fret file down to get a curve to the top of the fret end.
I then pull the fret out and do a quick little touch up with the file free hand to make it look round and even.
Then I check it on the fretboard to make sure the other end is marked right, then I repeat for the other end. I’ll sneak up on it, checking it on the fretboard to make sure it looks right. I only want a couple 0.001” offset from the edge of the fretboard. If it looks like it’s offset too much, I’ll save it for the next slot. Then I hammer them in and move on to the next one.
Once they are all done, I check the board for level and as has been the case in many of my last boards, there is a slight back bow from fretting (about 1/64”). I don’t mind this as I know the neck will pull forward with the strings so I don’t need to level the frets.
That's it. Give it a shot, you'll love the results.
So, this is the first time I tried semi-hemisperical fret ends. Never seen a tutorial on this and wasn’t going to pay $25 to Sylvan Wells to see his method, so I came up with my own way. Actually, I’ve had this idea in my head for a couple years now, just never tried it.
I ensure that the fretboard is level before fretting (one reason for waiting till it’s attached to the body) and in this case, I had no sanding to do, sweet!
Ok, so I protect the upper bout area of the guitar and rest the neck on a bag of sand I have.
I then radius my fretwire, homemade radius thing too (of course)
I then pre-cut my fretwire for each fret and put it in a holder (no picture sorry).
I started at the soundhole end of the fretboard incase I cut one of the frets to short, I can use it on the next one up
First thing I do is undercut the fretwire for the binding. I have the Stew Mack fret tang nipper and It works perfect for me.
I then held the fret in the slot and marked the edge of the fretboard on the fret with a sharpie I chiseled to a fine point (I need one of those fine point sharpies in the shop).
Then I take it to the jig I made
It’s a block of hardwood, with a grove cut for the fret tang and a channel for a fret file. The holding face is also radiused to about 10" so the fretwire doesn't bend back straight/flat. Here’s a bunch of pictures.
The thin board along the front is shimmed 0.020” (veneer) on the end held in the vise. This allows the fret to slide up into the groove and then holds the fret tight with the screw on the left.
I’ve made a pencil mark where the fret needs to be ground round (this was done by trial and error to get the location right), so I align the sharpie mark to the pencil mark.
I then run the fret file over the fret to round it, also tilting the fret file down to get a curve to the top of the fret end.
I then pull the fret out and do a quick little touch up with the file free hand to make it look round and even.
Then I check it on the fretboard to make sure the other end is marked right, then I repeat for the other end. I’ll sneak up on it, checking it on the fretboard to make sure it looks right. I only want a couple 0.001” offset from the edge of the fretboard. If it looks like it’s offset too much, I’ll save it for the next slot. Then I hammer them in and move on to the next one.
Once they are all done, I check the board for level and as has been the case in many of my last boards, there is a slight back bow from fretting (about 1/64”). I don’t mind this as I know the neck will pull forward with the strings so I don’t need to level the frets.
That's it. Give it a shot, you'll love the results.
"I wish one of the voices in your head would tell you to shut the hell up." - Warren De Montegue
Re: Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
Thanks Rod for the tutorial. That was clear and easy to understand. Much appreciated.
Re: Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
Good one Rod.......I'll be giving this one a go!
Re: Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
That's great!
Thanks
Thanks
Re: Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
Wish you posted this a week ago as it's a better solution to the one I used.
- Mike Thomas
- Blackwood
- Posts: 227
- Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:34 pm
- Location: Adelaide
Re: Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
Very interesting and useful tutorial Rod. Thanks for posting. Could I ask, is it as difficult as I imagine to hammer in a very precisely dimensioned fret, and have it sit exactly where it's supposed to sit, and not a bit off to one side or the other.
Mike Thomas
"There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness is the true method"
"There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness is the true method"
Re: Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
Yes....
- John Maddison
- Blackwood
- Posts: 356
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 11:15 pm
- Location: Albany, Western Australia
- Contact:
Re: Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
Great tute, Rod
Can you explain how you do your fret slots which don't run fully out to the edge of fretboard? Looking at your image the fretboard seems to be one piece ... i.e. doesn't appear to have edge strips glued on.
Are the slots routed? If so, what size bit is used .... and can you post images of the slot-cut tooling/jig that you use?
Thanks
Can you explain how you do your fret slots which don't run fully out to the edge of fretboard? Looking at your image the fretboard seems to be one piece ... i.e. doesn't appear to have edge strips glued on.
Are the slots routed? If so, what size bit is used .... and can you post images of the slot-cut tooling/jig that you use?
Thanks
John M
- Rod True
- Siberian Tiger
- Posts: 234
- Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 10:18 am
- Location: Abbotsford, BC Canada
Re: Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
Thanks folks.
John, I bind all my fretboards with the off cuts from the same board. So I find my largest dimension for the board, before the binding, and I cut it to that size (rectangular). Then I slot the board on my table saw, then I taper the board, glue on the binding and radius.
This BRW just happens to be a perfect match and is really hard to see the seam of the binding.
Mike, as Allen mentioned, it's a bit hard to ensure the ends of the frets site right where you want them. When I hammer the frets in, I make sure the hammer blow is as vertical as possible, any angle will push the fret over. I always hammer the ends first, then work my way toward the middle of the fret.
Honestly, by the time you get your first board done, you'll want to go back and re-do the first few frets...
John, I bind all my fretboards with the off cuts from the same board. So I find my largest dimension for the board, before the binding, and I cut it to that size (rectangular). Then I slot the board on my table saw, then I taper the board, glue on the binding and radius.
This BRW just happens to be a perfect match and is really hard to see the seam of the binding.
Mike, as Allen mentioned, it's a bit hard to ensure the ends of the frets site right where you want them. When I hammer the frets in, I make sure the hammer blow is as vertical as possible, any angle will push the fret over. I always hammer the ends first, then work my way toward the middle of the fret.
Honestly, by the time you get your first board done, you'll want to go back and re-do the first few frets...
"I wish one of the voices in your head would tell you to shut the hell up." - Warren De Montegue
Re: Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
Hey Rod, What measurement do your fingerboards end up being at the nut?
Cheers....Rod
Cheers....Rod
- Rod True
- Siberian Tiger
- Posts: 234
- Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 10:18 am
- Location: Abbotsford, BC Canada
Re: Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
Hey Rod,
I change them depending one the owners taste and desire. I'm really liking 1-23/32" and that is what this one is.
I change them depending one the owners taste and desire. I'm really liking 1-23/32" and that is what this one is.
"I wish one of the voices in your head would tell you to shut the hell up." - Warren De Montegue
Re: Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
Nice tute Rod,
I love the look but do mine a little differently shaping with a rubberized ceramic grinding disk, and using a caul to install the frets with a drillpress. I explained how I align the fret ends in a tute I done on hemispherical ends a few years back, this may help with your method also however I would imagine that pressing would make it a bit easier to get right.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=793
Cheers
Kim
I love the look but do mine a little differently shaping with a rubberized ceramic grinding disk, and using a caul to install the frets with a drillpress. I explained how I align the fret ends in a tute I done on hemispherical ends a few years back, this may help with your method also however I would imagine that pressing would make it a bit easier to get right.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=793
Cheers
Kim
Re: Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
Good questions John and thanks Rod for the answers. It sure leaves the board neat and tidy with a top end look.
Steve
Steve
Re: Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
Great tutorial Rod! It's good to see your approach. If I can make one suggestion towards marking on metal, after marking your cut with a sharpie, use a scale and a scribe to mark the edge of the fretboard and you can get within a couple of thousandth's of the actual edge and cut to a greater precision.
Great fretboard work all the way around!
Great fretboard work all the way around!
- Rod True
- Siberian Tiger
- Posts: 234
- Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 10:18 am
- Location: Abbotsford, BC Canada
Re: Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
Brilliant, Billy! ThanksBillyT wrote:Great tutorial Rod! It's good to see your approach. If I can make one suggestion towards marking on metal, after marking your cut with a sharpie, use a scale and a scribe to mark the edge of the fretboard and you can get within a couple of thousandth's of the actual edge and cut to a greater precision.
Great fretboard work all the way around!
"I wish one of the voices in your head would tell you to shut the hell up." - Warren De Montegue
Re: Semi-Hemispherical fret ends
Rod's not hard to spot in a crowd......the left leg of his jeans are about 18" shorter than the right legRod True wrote:
Martin
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