In my reading, I've seen that many luthiers prefer to install their frets with a press instead of a hammer. They go in more evenly, seat better, and are less prone to coming loose later.
I've seen a few presses people use in some videos. Some look like basic machine shop presses with special additions to cradle the neck and press the fret in with a die of the proper neck radius. Some are more like a large pair of Vice-Grips with similar pieces to hold the neck and fret wire.
Since I use flat fretboards instead of radiused ones on my guitars, I figured building a press would be a good idea and not too complicated. Has anyone here done it? What does your press look like? Anything you'd do differently if you did it again?
Thanks,
Scott
Replies
persuasive press.
fret press from old grommet press. second photo for leverage with ebony. works great. chunk of aluminum softer than nickel.
I'm sure you could use a carpenter's hammer but I can't find mine to tell you. I have been using a wooden mallet and a 1x2 block of acrylic. I used the thin fret saw first and then a regular saw but slightly, just so the frets sink in the board all the way.
I like your idea of using the thicker kerf saw but not all the way to the bittom
of the slot.
I get them lightly started and press them in with my vice. Block of hardwood of the fret side, soft wood on the back of the neck. It can overdo it on some woods if you crank on it but usually you can feel it bottom out.
I’m surprised to hear so many people with a fret press still prefer to use a hammer. With a vice, I would be concerned about pushing it too far. That’s why I want a hand operated lever type device. With that you get a little bit more feel.
This is all great information. Thanks to everyone.
Over the years I have seen homemade fret presses, and I believe it would be relatively easy to built one using scrap wood. I have seen a few on this site, in random pics. The factory made ones are known as an arbor press, and I thing at Harbor Freight they are around $60, and good bit cheaper than the one from Stew-mac.
I still set my frets with a carpenter's trim hammer and a small block of wood ( to avoid denting the frets )
I use a block of wood too. That way the hammer never gets near the wood of the fret board. Also, it spreads the load across the whole fret.
I found the fret saw I got from Gitty was a bit too wide and some frets tended not to stay in place. I got the same brand but a bit finer. It is sometimes a challenge to get them started but they stay in place. I saw the fellow from Crimson Guitars on YouTube creates a very slight V in the top of the slot with a triangle file before setting the frets. I'll be trying that, looks to get them started and keep them upright quite well.
Scott
Yes I have always put a "V" in the top of the slot. That is done mainly to assist in the later removal of the fret, it limits the tearing out of timber along the edge of the slot.
i have always run a bead of glue along the tang of the frets, not on narrow flat CBG boards though. You'll find the fret tang will push the soft wood fibres to one side and be loose, instead of forcing into the fibres of hardwood and gripping firmly.
Ha ha Jerry, I don't call myself a Luthier. It's always been a hobby, spend most of the time doing repairs. I build Stringed instruments in between that and CBG's in between that.
Taff
I could see where it would make later removal cleaner too. Seems like a good idea all around.
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