I'm getting to the end of my first build and need some advise on finishing. I have everything shaped and the fret slots cut. I am going to stain then use lacquer for a clearcoat. Do I need to install my frets before or after the stain and lacquer? Also, for future builds, if I use tung oil or something else, would it be the same order?
Thank you for your time!
Sodbrother
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I have used maple and oak for fret boards. When I spray with clear, I do this is a last step and after it is dry I clean off the frets with 0000 steel wool. It is a little tedious, but the bonus is the clear locks the frets into the slots really nice.
I have always glued on the fret board before finish profiling the neck. My personal process is:
Glue up neck blank if laminate
Rough cut length and scarf
Glue on headstock if scarf joined
Rough rounding of the back and blending neck to headstock - never taper yet.
Glue on fretboard and cut fret slots while the neck has perfectly straight sides.
Taper neck, if desired and finish rounding back, other profiling
Hammer in frets
And it goes on from there with finish sanding, drilling for tuning machines, stain, oil, etc, etc.
I used a large hole saw to make a U-shaped neck cradle that I lined with a strap of leather so the neck is well supported when hammering in the frets and it doesn't mar the back side. It is just some scraps of pine screwed together. Before I had a strap of leather I used a strip of cardboard.
The important thing to me is to cut the fret slots before tapering the neck and then do all the profiling and sanding before hammering the frets in. I'm pretty careful when beveling the frets not to get too much into the meat of the fret board, but I often have to retouch starting with 400-600 grit paper and working up.
I have a bunch of clamps, but only enough to do one laminated blank, one scarf joined head stock and a couple other misc tasks so I like to keep a few things going in sequence so I always have something to do, when I want to do it. Plus, now that it is getting colder in the northeast and I don't have heat in the shop, I have a few neck blanks in the basement where I can work when it is too cold outside in the barn.
Fish-O > Bad Finger (Eric)November 4, 2013 at 2:12pm
ok, just wondering. I usually hammer my frets in before I glue the board to the neck....I don't seem to be having any issues so far.....I can see how the frets would get in the way...and they do but no big deal...when doing final shaping and sanding of neck and fret B after gluing.
I use a dark brown shoe polish on my fret board...after I hammer the frets in. I used this color and seal method on numerous wood projects through the years....its works pretty well...
If you put frets on after the fretboard is glued to the neck, always put the frets on before you finish the neck. Mask off the fretboard if you have to (if you're using stain or something). If you try to put the frets on after you finish the neck then you're just going to scuff up the finish when you dress the frets. Then you'll have to sand everything down and refinish again anyway.
On my last few I've been shaping the neck and finishing it and the fretboard separately, cutting slots in the fret board, gluing it to the neck, and then installing the frets. I use a scrap wood block laid in top of each fret to keep a dead blow hammer a long way from the finished neck - I screwed one up in exactly the way Wes described with a bad hammer whack. :)
Oh and I have had GREAT luck with Deft brand Clear Gloss Wood finish (can as well as spray). Its a Nitrocellulose lacquer which is similar to what is used on reg guitars.
I would prolly do the 1) shaping (done), 2) stain, 3) clearcoat the sides, head, back of neck (takes a while to get that the way you want), 4) tung oil or linseed oil the top of the fretboard, 5) fret.
If you clearcoat the fretboard and miss when you tap the frets in, you will marr the surface and clearcoat and it will show more. Plus you would have to rework clearcoat while the frets are in place. Put painters tape on the top of the fretboard to keep any clearcoat off. Also tung/linseed oil will make the wood look great as well as accept any fretboard oil (lemon oil) to keep it 'moist'.
Just my way of doing. OMHTO (Others may have their own)
Replies
I have used maple and oak for fret boards. When I spray with clear, I do this is a last step and after it is dry I clean off the frets with 0000 steel wool. It is a little tedious, but the bonus is the clear locks the frets into the slots really nice.
I have always glued on the fret board before finish profiling the neck. My personal process is:
And it goes on from there with finish sanding, drilling for tuning machines, stain, oil, etc, etc.
I used a large hole saw to make a U-shaped neck cradle that I lined with a strap of leather so the neck is well supported when hammering in the frets and it doesn't mar the back side. It is just some scraps of pine screwed together. Before I had a strap of leather I used a strip of cardboard.
The important thing to me is to cut the fret slots before tapering the neck and then do all the profiling and sanding before hammering the frets in. I'm pretty careful when beveling the frets not to get too much into the meat of the fret board, but I often have to retouch starting with 400-600 grit paper and working up.
I have a bunch of clamps, but only enough to do one laminated blank, one scarf joined head stock and a couple other misc tasks so I like to keep a few things going in sequence so I always have something to do, when I want to do it. Plus, now that it is getting colder in the northeast and I don't have heat in the shop, I have a few neck blanks in the basement where I can work when it is too cold outside in the barn.
ok, just wondering. I usually hammer my frets in before I glue the board to the neck....I don't seem to be having any issues so far.....I can see how the frets would get in the way...and they do but no big deal...when doing final shaping and sanding of neck and fret B after gluing.
Am I missing something?
I use a dark brown shoe polish on my fret board...after I hammer the frets in. I used this color and seal method on numerous wood projects through the years....its works pretty well...
-WY
If you clearcoat the fretboard and miss when you tap the frets in, you will marr the surface and clearcoat and it will show more. Plus you would have to rework clearcoat while the frets are in place. Put painters tape on the top of the fretboard to keep any clearcoat off. Also tung/linseed oil will make the wood look great as well as accept any fretboard oil (lemon oil) to keep it 'moist'.
Just my way of doing. OMHTO (Others may have their own)
-WY