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| Which fret pullers? http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=39146 |
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| Author: | WendyW [ Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:25 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Which fret pullers? |
LMI's are only $8.95 and Stew Mac's are $26.45. Why such a big difference in price? This will be my first time pulling frets, so I want the ones that will make the job easiest. Which one? Thanks, Wendy Also any tips or advice on the pulling technique is appreciated. I did a lousy fret job and now have to face the music and redo 
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| Author: | Ron Belanger [ Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:34 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Which fret pullers? |
For pulling frets I use a Weller pistol style soldering gun with a groove filed in the tip so it doesn't slip off the fret. When the fret is heated, a few seconds, ease the fret pullers under the fret at one edge. Once you have the edge lifted walk the puller along the fret a wee bit at a time, 1/8th in. or so until you get to the other side. If all goes well the fret should be out with no chips out of the fret board. Chips can be glued back in with CA. When all of the frets are out level the board, clean out the slots and refret. |
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| Author: | Tom West [ Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:37 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Which fret pullers? |
Wendy: I don't have them but the LMI ones look OK to me. If your frets are glued in use a electric solding iron or gun to soft glue. If HHG a bit of water on the fret area. I generally start at one end and squeeze the pliers to get the edges under the fret. Close the jaws till you hit the tang......don't rock the pliers. Work your way across the fret in steps equal to the width of the pliers. By the time you have gone the lenght of the fret it should be loose. Have fun. Tom |
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| Author: | Lincoln Goertzen [ Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:38 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Which fret pullers? |
Wendy, I can't explain the price difference, but that is something you will be able to make yourself. Find yourself some miniature end nippers at your local hardware store, and grind the jaws flush. I bought mine in a package with 4 other miniature pliers, on clearance for $15. So, after $3 and about 2 minutes at my belt sander, I had a perfect little fret puller, plus some other matching tools. You might have to de-burr the jaws with a file to avoid scarring the fretboard. Edit: one other thing- you can start at the treble side so that if you do have a tiny "oops", it won't be as noticeable as if it had been on the bass side. |
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| Author: | meddlingfool [ Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:59 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Which fret pullers? |
I heartily recommend the fret cutter #0619. Yes it's the same tool that you use to cut the fret ends off. It's like a giant 'puller', it's much more comfortable to use, gives better control, and you may already have it. If not, just get that one, not the little wee rinky dinkers and you'll have a tool for both jobs. Definitely worth the extra coin IMO. And follow the advice of walking it across a few mm at a time without rocking it... |
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| Author: | WendyW [ Tue Jan 29, 2013 6:06 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Which fret pullers? |
Thanks for the tips. I'll go with the cheaper ones, since I don't have a belt sander to grind them myself. The frets are not glued, so I shouldn't have to heat them. Maybe if they had been glued it would have helped to lubricate them and they would have gone in easier. Seems like I'm having an awful hard time getting frets in unless I file the barbs on the tang. I am getting slotted boards from LMI and ordering their fretwire, so it should fit, but it seems like I really have to hammer away on them to get them in. Next guitar I think I would rather try to press them in before gluing the fingerboard. This is a classical and I hate hammering over the guitar, even with a bag of shot under. Fretting seems to be my real weak point. Thanks, Wendy |
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| Author: | Mike Dotson [ Tue Jan 29, 2013 6:42 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Which fret pullers? |
When making your own nippers make sure and keep them cool while grinding/sanding, otherwise you'll lose the temper. I made my own from a $5.00 set of cutters and they've laster 10 years or so. |
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| Author: | Tom West [ Tue Jan 29, 2013 8:56 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Which fret pullers? |
Wendy: You should be OK with LMI boards and wire.I've used them without a problem. Just a couple of points that may help. A couple of light strokes across the fretslots to break the two sharp edges. Helps with future removal hopefully to prevent pulled up chips. Also in my mind it ensures the fret will go in until cotact is made by the wings. Take a short section of wire and file off the tangs. Use this as a gage to make sure before fretting that the slots are deep enough. Hammer in frets. Then take a caul and clamp a fret to ensure it is sitting on the board. Run thin CA glue on the edges of the fret and wait till set. Do each fret in turn. Clean up board with acetone and single edge razor blade. If your board has been leveled before fretting I think you'll find that you'll not have much leveling and crowning to do on the frets. Takes a little extra time but I find it works for me. Good luck. Tom |
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| Author: | jfmckenna [ Wed Jan 30, 2013 11:00 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Which fret pullers? |
You don't even need a grinder to make one. A regular old flat file will work. That's how I made mine probably 15 years ago and it's been going strong ever since. Sometimes you need to brush it up with a file once in a while. |
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| Author: | WendyW [ Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:17 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Which fret pullers? |
Thanks for the answers and tips. I realized that, although I didn't glue the frets, I filled the ends of the slots with black CA. So does that mean that I will have to heat at least the ends of the frets to remove them? |
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| Author: | Alain Moisan [ Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:35 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Which fret pullers? |
callyrox wrote: Thanks for the answers and tips. I realized that, although I didn't glue the frets, I filled the ends of the slots with black CA. So does that mean that I will have to heat at least the ends of the frets to remove them? Heat the entire fret, regardless if its glued with CA or not. It will make the operation a lot smoother. |
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| Author: | Jeffrey L. Suits [ Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:59 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Which fret pullers? |
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| Author: | Tom West [ Fri Feb 01, 2013 5:56 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Which fret pullers? |
Keep an eye out for Stew-Macs next catalog.........................!!!! |
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| Author: | Eric Reid [ Fri Feb 01, 2013 10:50 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Which fret pullers? |
Alain Moisan wrote: callyrox wrote: Thanks for the answers and tips. I realized that, although I didn't glue the frets, I filled the ends of the slots with black CA. So does that mean that I will have to heat at least the ends of the frets to remove them? Heat the entire fret, regardless if its glued with CA or not. It will make the operation a lot smoother. Alain is right. Even without glue, the frets will tear up a lot wood on the way out if they're not heated. As others have mentioned, pinch, don't pull or rock. |
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