Official Luthiers Forum!

I think I'm in need of gluing down one of my fret ends as it seems to be lifting and touching the string when you fret the note below it. Not much but enough to make it a little less lively. I'm thinking CA would be the way to go. I'm in need of some advice on how to go about doing it without making a mess. It seems that whenever I touch anything with thin CA it ends up everywhere unless I use a pipette. I think I read here of Tony using wax to make clean up easier. Just a stick of paraffin? The FB is unbound and the tang is not nipped. Your tips would be appreciated.

BTW I promise to glue in all frets in the future.

Thanks in Advance,
Danny

I've had stubborn fret problems too.

I think CA is the way to go, thin viscosity. Use some wax paper to keep the rest of the fretboard clean. If the CA does get on your fretboard, I've found that a Q-tip doused with acetone is good for cleaning up leftover CA...assuming you don't have a sealer or some kind of finish on your fretboard already, acetone is deadly to basically any finish. just make sure you are quick about pushing your fret into place before the glue sets up, or you'll have another issue to deal with.

Let us know how it goes!

_________________
Jake

~Make a joyful noise unto the Lord~

Danny, I agree with Jake on the CA and the Q-tip...however, I'd say don't wait til you have rogue CA on the fb to get the Q-tip...have it on the bench before you even open the CA! Also, last time I did this I just rubbed the end of a birthday cake candle down both sides of the fret in question and on the edge of the board above the loose fret end...press the fret end down, THEN wick in a drop of CA from a pipette...1 minute later you can let go and use solvent and a razor blade edge to remove the wax from the candle...it sounds like more trouble than it actually is...if you're lucky enough to have 2 or 3 loose frets it'll become second nature!

_________________
http://www.presnallguitars.com

A great way to apply very small drops of thin CA is to drop a puddle on wax paper and pick up small drops by using a straight pin as an applicator. A small drop will cling to the tip of the pin when it is dipped into the CA and it then be applied where needed. I have done this to a loose fret end with no mess. I clamped the end down tight to the Fretboard and wicked a little CA along the edge of the fret. It is slower than other application methods but makes no mess. The CA puddle on the wax paper is usable for 5 or 10 minutes so a whole fret board can be done with one puddle. Applicators for different size droplets can be made from sewing needles, grind the end of the eye off to make a little fork this will pick up a accurate size drop depending on the size of the needle, after use clean the eye with acetone of CA debonder.

As a word of advice get rid of the wax paper when done with it, I have stuck the puddle of CA to a few things when I forget. I picked this idea up from my other hobby ultra light indoor model airplanes.

Fred

_________________
Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Thanks guys! Thin CA worked great. I used a q- tip to swab the area with paste wax. Clamped with a caul and applied CA with a pipette. I think Fred's idea of a dipping a pin in the CA would give a little better control of the glue. I ended with more than I needed, but cleaned up with a razor and a little rub with steel wool and Bob's your uncle.

Thanks Again,
Danny