Saw for cutting fret slots

Posted by David L. on August 13, 2010 at 8:56am

Hi,

 

Can anyone point me in the direction of where I can get a good hand saw for cutting fret slots please?  Also am I right in thinking that a flush saw/ pull saw/ gentlemans saw/ japanese saw are all the same thing?

 

Is it like most tools and an ebay mega cheapie will not do the job well?

 

I have tried the forum search but I am really after a UK source.  I recall seeing a saw with depth gauge but cannot find it now.  Google hasn't been much help either.

 

Thank you,

David

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Replies

  • Simon Cartlidge April 16, 2016 at 5:44pm
    I've been using a Stanley fatmax mini flush cut pull saw with a piece of wood taped to the side as a depth gauge. They're less than a tenner and the wood holds them rigid while still giving a thin cut. The brilliant thing about them is, if you're using dowel or anything like that for fret dots they'll cut them flush too (obviously, hence the name) so it's a tool that does 2 jobs in one. If you don't know what they're like, this is them:
    Stanley 020331 FatMax Mini Flush Cut Pull Saw https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001QUOS0G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_5aRexbDYZ...
    Incidentally, I don't use double sided tape because it can slip sideways. I got a great tip from Ben at Crimson Custom Guitars; a piece of masking tape on each surface you want to join, then superglue the two pieces of masking tape back to back. Much stronger than double sided, no sideways slip, no residue to clean after and templates etc separate really easily.
  • Fomhorach April 12, 2016 at 9:18am

    I use a £1.50 junior hack saw .. Very carefully.

  • ChickenboneJohn January 22, 2016 at 8:17am

    If you want a saw for slotting fretboards, this is the proper tool for the job. Luthier's saw, 022" kerf, 250mm long Sheffield steel blade, brass back, rosewood handle. If you are only going to buy one specialist tool for guitar making, this is the one to have.

    http://chickenbonejohn.myshopify.com/collections/tools/products/fre...

    £24.50 including FREE UK shipping

    306524841?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024We also stock these lovely fretting hammers from Thor. UK made, they come with 2 nylon faces and  spare extra hard and medium hard faces. The right tool for the job of driving in frets - nicely weighted at 250grammes with 25mm diameter replaceable heads.

    306525962?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024http://chickenbonejohn.myshopify.com/collections/tools/products/fre...

  • Stuart Baldwin September 16, 2015 at 7:45pm

    I'm a bit late to the party as I've only just signed up.

    The saw I use for frets is an Irwin pullsaw from Screwfix (http://www.screwfix.com/p/irwin-mini-dovetail-pull-saw-22tpi-6-165m...). i can tap or press the fret wire into the resulting slots and it stays put without glue.

    There's a video somewhere of Glenn Watt (I think) recommending the same saw for the same job.

    • Anthony Collins > Stuart Baldwin November 22, 2015 at 9:49am

      And this would be good for trimming fretboard dots too?

    • Stuart Baldwin > Anthony Collins November 22, 2015 at 7:15pm

      I've just done a repair job (non cbg related) on some MDF furniture that involved drilling out blown screw holes and glueing dowels in. The pull saw described above was perfect for flush cutting the dowels, so I imagine it would be good for fretboard dots if they were made the same way.  I suggest making sure that there are no scratches on some scrap first though.  Watch your fingers though as the saw is very sharp and goes through a dowel with only a few strokes (and I was using 1/4 inch ramin doweling).

    • Anthony Collins > Stuart Baldwin November 23, 2015 at 8:37am

      Thanks, just bought one (a pound less in Machine Mart). The wooden mitre box (Rolson) I bought at the same time is pretty shoddy but will probably do when modified with shims to make the slots fit the saw. Putting a micrometer on the saw blade I get 0.5mm.

  • john mackay May 6, 2015 at 2:15pm

    I use this.

    work fine for me.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Zona-Razor-Saw-Set-3-in-1-PSA35-100/28165...

  • Gary Charnock March 24, 2015 at 2:16pm

    I have recently bought a proper fret slot cutting saw with guide from Stewart Macs but prior to that used a hacksaw with no problems

  • Tony Brown February 7, 2015 at 5:51am

    One thing I am not sure of is as   FretWire comes in different sizes 

    do the saw blades come it different sizes to fit the different Fret sizes

    If u see what I mean

This reply was deleted.