1st fret board

Posted by T-Gripped on August 15, 2015 at 1:43pm

Rookie question: I am puzzled concerning the optimal order of steps in creating a fretboard. Is it best to first saw the lines, then install the markers, then finish the board, and then install the frets? or would that be asking for the finish to get mucked up? What works best for all you experienced fretboard fabricators??

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  • T-Gripped October 28, 2015 at 8:23am

    306494773?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024

  • T-Gripped October 28, 2015 at 8:22am

    Here is an image or two of how my first one turned out. Plays well through the first seven frets but buzzes after that. Twelfth is horrible. Thinking I'll try raising the bridge.

    • Bama Hound > T-Gripped October 28, 2015 at 5:12pm

      From the side view, I think you are headed right.

  • T-Gripped October 28, 2015 at 8:20am

    306497084?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024

  • T-Gripped August 16, 2015 at 4:47pm

    Thanks to all! Always great input from the Tribe.

  • Bama Hound August 15, 2015 at 3:09pm

          Depending on the type of finish you are using, will determine to what extent this will come into play.Applying finish to the fret slot will tend to expand and fill the cross grain cut made by fretsaw. This tends to make the frets remain seated and that is a good thing. If you have to take one out for any reason it will tears the wood more and that isn't a good thing.Also if you install frets after finish is applied, your finish will be more uniform no matter if it is sprayed or wiped. I would allow at least 3 days go by before fretting. I left terry cloth marks in the back of a neck by hammering the frets, using a piece of 2x4 wrapped in  in a bath towel as a back stop,when the finish was "green" Get a piece of leather to cover your back stop pad. Let your nose tell you when it is ready. Put your nose against the finish and breath in. The degree that you smell the solvents evaporating out of the finish will start to talk to you. That is a little trick you can pick up with practice. Temperature, humidity and the thickness of the finish creates a bunch of variables, but your nose won't lie to you. Another trick is to touch your lip to a piece of wood to determine moisture content. The colder it is, the higher the moisture content. That is if the piece has been in the room for 24hrs or so.Hope this helps you.                                                                                        

  • Don Tucker August 15, 2015 at 2:26pm

    I cut the slots. Install the markers, Install, level, and crown the frets. Then I apply tung oil which wipes off and leaves nothing on the frets. This is the order that works for me. I tried putting the finish on before installing the frets but for some reason the frets didn't seem to want to grip as well and I ended up gluing some in. I have no idea why this happened.

  • William H Bonney August 15, 2015 at 2:25pm
    I do mine like Dan!
  • Dan Sirman August 15, 2015 at 2:16pm
    I marked and cut the fret lines, then I installed the dowel markers, then sanded the fretboard making the dowel markers a nice smooth finish, and finally installed the frets. I made a little jig to cut the frets to the exact length rather than banging them in and snipping them after. I found that I had minimal filing to do after that. There's probably a better way but that seemed to work for me.

    Dan
  • Joe Caruso August 15, 2015 at 2:05pm
    Order I've used is saw fret slots, finish, install frets, protective tape, file frets, install markers. I used a finish once that stayed on the markers and had to replace them.
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