Cutting the frets

I made a little block that sits on the fretboard and has a lip on that goes over one side of the neck to act as a square. The height of the block means that when the brass back on the saw hits then the slot is the right depth. I clamp the block to the neck and bench (kitchen table). The saw has no set (it did have but I ground it off) so it is a bit stiff in the slot, which is why the candle is used to lube it a bit.By the way, it's at times like this that I realise how much grey hair I have.
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Comments

  • Thanks Randy. I 'll give it a go.

  • hey Wade when i cut my slots with my power scroll saw i use those hand scroll saw blades, just take the pins out of the ends.

  • Hey Phrygian,

    picked up a used scroll saw- what size blades do you recommend?

    thanks,

    wade

  • Hi Jef.

    You are probably right. I put this here when I was doing one at a time. This weekend I will be doing eight and will see how I get on. Not enough time to get a scroll saw, but if doing the eight drives me insane (would any of us be doing this if we were sane) I will sort something for next time.

  • Clever jig but seriously guys get $50 together and grab a second hand scroll saw fret slotting by hand is too time consuming and nerve racking
  • Brilliant idea! I'm nicking it too!
  • Hi Penny.

    Sounds like you have a good method there. You can't ask more than that it plays in tune.

  • Fretting is certainly the most nerve wracking part of the process. I like  your setup mine is dodgey as but works for me. I took the fret to my local hardware and got them to put a micrometer on it so I could find a blade for the dreaded junior hacksaw.  I install my neck and use a cooking skewer as a temporary fret and put the strings in and tune it. That way any issues with ill fitting parts come to light early rather than later. I then use a tuner and the skewer to mark the frets (my builds have a short scale length so fret calculators arnt accurate for me). I mark and leave it for a day and recheck. Then I have liner tape that I use to mark exactly where the cut should be. I use a teeny bulldog clip on the blade to regulate the depth. I use a bar of soap to lube the blade. As I said dodgey but works & they are in tune.
  • Hair is very temporary, trust me.
  • Hi Jeff and Uncle John.

    Jeff. I love your idea of shining a light threw the saw teeth. As far as the grey is concerned, what choice do I have, so embrace it I will.

    Uncle John. The knife is made from a parting tool blade incased within two pieces of ramin (because I didn't have any box wood at the time). When it gets blunt you just grind it down and cut a bit of the handle away, rather like sharpening a pencil.

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