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My current process order is to install frets after board is glued to neck and neck is finished. I don't like spraying with frets on board. I end up with a pretty clean result, but I can still "feel" fret ends as slightly sharp. How do you do it?

I got a file from Stew Mac for this purpose that works pretty well. It's just a small file with one edge smooth. The smooth side slides along the fretboard and the file is positioned to start parallel to the fret. As you slide the file you roll it so that it turns up the sharp corners of the fret ends like a burr then you just file that off. Kind of hard to explain but I bet Stew Mac has a video.

I pretty much use Don Teeter's methods and shop made polishing tool. A standard fine cut three corner file is easy to modify for fret work. I found that the angle of the final passes on the outside edges of the fret ends is critical.

http://kennethmichaelguitars.com/fretdressing.html

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

File, then 320 grit sandpaper, then grey compound on buffing wheel. No sharp ends here.

I use 4 sided micromesh sticks. http://www.sylmasta.com/acatalog/Micro-Mesh-3-Way-Flexi-File-939.html#SID=148
If the ends are not actually sticking out(edit ), just rub them against the edges of the frets and board. You can kind of squeeze them in at 45 degrees and round everything off.
Use the pink first (grey is coarse, 180 grit and seldom needed), then the white, then gray to polish out, frets, and finish as well.
Works for me.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I use a file that I modified with a smooth bottom, then 320-400 sandpaper, buffing wheel......like Barry does, works great.

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Gwaltney Guitars

I use my bevel file to bevel them, and also to add a narrow (1/32" or so) bevel/brake into the edge of the fretboard.

Then I use my crowning file to ease the transition from the top of the fret into the bevel.

Then I use my fret dressing file to ease the sides of the fret into the bevel and smooth the end in general.

All files are from Stew Mac.

Finally, I polish either with a buffing wheel in my Dremel and rouge compound, or by using progressively finer grades of sandpaper, starting at 600, folded into a small square (1" or so) and backed by my fingers so that the paper hits the entire surface of the fret (top, sides, and end).

I round the fret ends before installing them, so I can make them slightly narrower than the board. Totally smooth feeling, no chance of fingernails snagging when plucking over the board, no chance of ends poking out in dry weather, and no danger of marring the board with files (which means you can work faster). The main disadvantage is that you're unlikely to get all the fret ends precisely the same distance from the edge of the board, so it looks a little squiggly if you pay close attention. Also is frustrating if you install a fret slightly offset to one side or the other and then damage it when pulling it out and have to make another.

+1 I've had some luck tapping the fret in slightly on each end and then sighting down the fretboard to see if it's in line. If it's off a little I can usually fudge it one way or the other before I seat it completely.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

Here is a method of dressing the fret ends before installation and also lining them up straight. A little jig making, but works well.
http://www.mimf.com/library/Randy_Rober ... -2012.html

Been using the Stew-Mac fret end file and the Stew-Mac (small) three corner and a nice, worn OO file safed with shop-made handle for fret ends. Frets are installed first, the ends and a "slight" bevel is done prior to dressing and then the ends are done with the two SM files.

Polish is done for us with The Collins Fret Buffer which removes scratches from the frets and leaves a super high polish in 5 minutes or less. Before the Fret Buffer I use 320 to address some of the scratches on the fret sides.

All fretting is done on a finished guitar with the neck installed and neck angle set.

SM files and sandpaper.

I'd love to know a little more about the buffing process. What sort of buffer and wheel size.

Great process. Wonder what type of adaptations you would have to make for fretting on a board that's on a guitar already.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

Danny here's what we use to remove scratches and buff the frets and ends to a mirror shine.

Dave Collins invented this fret buffer around 8 years ago now and we have since used it nearly daily for hundreds of refrets and new fret jobs.

Four abrasive wheels with each one being progressively finer in grit. The guitar/neck is moved back and forth at moderate speed over the wheel starting of course with the most abrasive wheel, upper left side. Then the neck or guitar is turned around to do the other side of the neck. One pass does one side of a neck/guitar. After the first wheel we move to the second and so on and so forth. Four to five passes on each wheel again at moderate speed is all that's needed. We wear dust masks while doing this since it does throw off some dust.

I believe that after we posted this on FRETS.net David Farmer made his own as well.

Some background this the Collins Fret Buffer is what resulted from a historical study that Dave was doing on how back in the day in Kalamazoo G*bson did their fret work. The belief is, the fact is actually.... they used a wire wheel to speed up production as evidenced by the scratch marks seen on the fret boards of Kalamazoo G*bsons.

Dave took the idea further, exploited the availability of modern (and expensive...) abrasive wheels and what has resulted saves us lots of time and for me this time of year split finger tips from using sandpaper instead.

The buffer works fantastic and is a joy to use and speeds our production without sacrificing quality.

I used to use sandpaper going all the way to 2,000 but the Collins Fret Buffer provides better result in 1/10th the time.

Hey Hesh, any idea what the angle of the slight bevel for the fret end is?

And that buffer looks slick!!


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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Hey Rod:

No idea what the bevel angle is but it's far less of an angle than you will see on production instruments and most Luthier instruments as well.

Here's why: Beveling as done by the f*ctories was a quick and dirty way to get costs out of production without the requirement for any of the things that you will see discussed in this thread. From individually shaping fret ends to semi-hemi shapes etc. f*ctories don't want to get into this again for cost reasons.

So along we come.... individual Luthiers perfectly willing to lose our souls taking the time to individually shape and polish each fret and and most of us still radically bevel the fret ends as well because this is what we've seen done.

Every couple of months someone will come into our shop, usually the better players and request a refret with far less of a bevel. It seems that these folks benefit from and want more fret top surface provided that the ends are not sharp or proud.

More specifically since we just eyeball the small degree of beveling that we do prior to shaping the ends

I have re-thought the production bevel as well -- I decided on a minimal angle mostly to be able to place the "E"'s slightly closer to the FB edges thus spreading the string spacing a fraction.

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

Hesh, could you please spec the wheels on that buffer?

Here's the old thread that David did.
viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=14758&hilit=wheel&start=0

I believe the wheels are here

Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

Man that thread brings back memories, thanks Kevin!

Hey Mike, Kevin beat me too it but if we can help you with any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Great info.

I've been using a homemade version of the Stew Mac fret beveling file http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/To ... _File.html

At 35* I think this is still too much of a bevel and think I'll make a new holder for the file at somewhere around 15* which will keep more real estate for the string benders

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Hmmm nice! guessing we will get to check this out in April?

15 degrees sounds more like what we do and should work nicely. Sorry I don't have a number for you we've never actually measured it.

You bet my friend so long as you are wearing eye protection and a dust mask and we will supply both so no worries.

We will be teaching the old school method of using sandpaper for scratch removal and polish since you likely don't have a fret buffer at home (yet ). But we also want you to see the possibilities as well so sure you can use the Collins Fret Buffer.