Ebony fretboard refret - FRETS.NET2024-03-29T06:53:58Zhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/forum/topics/ebony-fretboard-refret?commentId=2177249%3AComment%3A36373&feed=yes&xn_auth=noIf the frets have not been gl…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-22:2177249:Comment:364842010-07-22T17:39:21.624ZHoward Klepperhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/HowardKlepper
If the frets have not been glued, I cannot see what good heating them does.
If the frets have not been glued, I cannot see what good heating them does. Here's a couple pics of my fr…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-21:2177249:Comment:363902010-07-21T23:23:09.512Znathan clarkhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/nathanclark
Here's a couple pics of my fret-lifters.<p style="text-align: left;"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2167731556?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt=""/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2167731680?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt=""/></p>
Here's a couple pics of my fret-lifters.<p style="text-align: left;"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2167731556?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt=""/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2167731680?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt=""/></p> As my picture may suggest, I…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-21:2177249:Comment:363832010-07-21T23:13:16.544Znathan clarkhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/nathanclark
As my picture may suggest, I have lots of experience refretting this particular model and vintage of guitar and have worked out the kinks over the years. I too use a modified gun that uses the fret to complete the circuit. I don't use water. What's very helpful is filing your fret-lifters so they have a very shallow bevel and a V-shaped opening. This brings the fret up at a shallower angle which allows for cleaner fret-extraction. Does this make sense?
As my picture may suggest, I have lots of experience refretting this particular model and vintage of guitar and have worked out the kinks over the years. I too use a modified gun that uses the fret to complete the circuit. I don't use water. What's very helpful is filing your fret-lifters so they have a very shallow bevel and a V-shaped opening. This brings the fret up at a shallower angle which allows for cleaner fret-extraction. Does this make sense? if you put a groove in the gu…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-21:2177249:Comment:363732010-07-21T22:57:27.967ZLennyBrookshttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/LennyBrooks
if you put a groove in the gun with a round file it will stay on the fret better. wait for the smell and go slow. them make a batch of ebony dust to fill the chip outs i like a little dam of teflon in the fret slot to prevent the glue from closing the fret slot
if you put a groove in the gun with a round file it will stay on the fret better. wait for the smell and go slow. them make a batch of ebony dust to fill the chip outs i like a little dam of teflon in the fret slot to prevent the glue from closing the fret slot Let me know how it works for…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-06:2177249:Comment:319922010-07-06T21:59:06.622Zthefishinmusicianhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/thefishinmusician
Let me know how it works for ya'...It realy helped on a recent " Teeter " epoxy refret...
Let me know how it works for ya'...It realy helped on a recent " Teeter " epoxy refret... Just read this, what a brilli…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-06:2177249:Comment:319892010-07-06T20:01:58.615ZGrahame Myershttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/GrahameMyers
Just read this, what a brilliant idea! I have a Weller soldering gun that's 30 years old and still going strong, but until now I've only used it to remove frets with the normal copper tip filed half round to fit over the fret. I bet your mod is much more efficient, it's top of the list of things to do tomorrow when I open my workshop. Pity I didn't read it two days earlier, I just refretted an old Takamine, it's the second refret, someone else did the first one using some kind of glue. It was a…
Just read this, what a brilliant idea! I have a Weller soldering gun that's 30 years old and still going strong, but until now I've only used it to remove frets with the normal copper tip filed half round to fit over the fret. I bet your mod is much more efficient, it's top of the list of things to do tomorrow when I open my workshop. Pity I didn't read it two days earlier, I just refretted an old Takamine, it's the second refret, someone else did the first one using some kind of glue. It was a sweat getting them out without chipping the board, and your mod would've helped. Looking forward to trying it on the next fretjob.<br />
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Grahame 32 volt DC used to be the ind…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-06:2177249:Comment:319582010-07-06T12:18:09.658ZRussell Vancehttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RussellVance
32 volt DC used to be the industry standard for safe DC operation - the current range to electrocute humans is fussy and is a function or resistance and dc/ac voltage applied to a very wet and conductive human (such as a fisherman doing his repairs in salt water!).......anyotherwize - if 9 Volts was dangerous there would be legions of dead musicians hunched over their effects pedals as they changed the batteries. R.
32 volt DC used to be the industry standard for safe DC operation - the current range to electrocute humans is fussy and is a function or resistance and dc/ac voltage applied to a very wet and conductive human (such as a fisherman doing his repairs in salt water!).......anyotherwize - if 9 Volts was dangerous there would be legions of dead musicians hunched over their effects pedals as they changed the batteries. R. A couple more tips on the sol…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-05:2177249:Comment:319082010-07-05T14:47:23.164Zthefishinmusicianhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/thefishinmusician
A couple more tips on the solder gun heater...I just brush a bit of water with a small paintbrush, doing a couple frets at a time..It wicks right in..On Ebony or rosewood, you can quickly see the moisture evaporate along the fret edges..That's plenty hot..I also filed a couple indentations in the legs to hold them on the fret..If you slip with the gun, the legs don't hold enough heat to damage a maple finished fingerboard..If you slip with a pencil type gun, well, guess what !...Do a couple…
A couple more tips on the solder gun heater...I just brush a bit of water with a small paintbrush, doing a couple frets at a time..It wicks right in..On Ebony or rosewood, you can quickly see the moisture evaporate along the fret edges..That's plenty hot..I also filed a couple indentations in the legs to hold them on the fret..If you slip with the gun, the legs don't hold enough heat to damage a maple finished fingerboard..If you slip with a pencil type gun, well, guess what !...Do a couple dozen frets on your cadaver, you'll develop the technique.. Thank you all for your help a…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-05:2177249:Comment:318882010-07-05T12:08:19.269ZBilly Etheridgehttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/WilliamREtheridge
Thank you all for your help and comments. Everyone's input was applied to this job in an effort to make it go easy. Having done a few ebony boards in the past (but mostly rosewood and maple), I haven't had the problems this fret board posed. Unfortunately, this guitar has been neglected over the years and poorly cared for. The fret board, obviously, was extremely dry and difficult to work with, even after treating it with lemon oil and wicking water under the frets to the slots.<br />
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Acids from…
Thank you all for your help and comments. Everyone's input was applied to this job in an effort to make it go easy. Having done a few ebony boards in the past (but mostly rosewood and maple), I haven't had the problems this fret board posed. Unfortunately, this guitar has been neglected over the years and poorly cared for. The fret board, obviously, was extremely dry and difficult to work with, even after treating it with lemon oil and wicking water under the frets to the slots.<br />
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Acids from hands sweating on the board were obviously a factor since frets 3 through 15 were the most difficult. Frets 1 through 3 and 16 through 22 were reasonable. In my opinion, if you have an ebony fretboard, treat it annually with your favorite oils to preserve the resiliency of the wood for future preservation and fret work.<br />
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All the right steps were taken to remove the frets in this particular situation. I maintained a little pressure on the truss rod to relieve the fret tangs for removal. Though it will be a time consuming job, I intend to repair this board through careful repair matching and filling, and unfortunately, gluing in the new frets. I can't take a chance on a fit I feel would be tight enough to hold the frets in for fear of more damage during fret installation. I will use either Hide or Tightbond so the frets can be removed in the future. Though the jury is still out for a lot of luthiers and repair techs on gluing in frets, I will minimize squeeze out to maintain contact between the fret crown bottom and the fret board. This will help maintain a good string-fret-board-neck to body coupling for tone and sustain.<br />
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I did consider replacing the fretboard but the aged finish around the binding is beautiful and I would prefer not to upset it with a fret board replacement.<br />
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I will follow up and post a photo of the finished job<br />
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As for The Fishin Musician, I like the idea of making the fret part of the heating circuit instead of just applying heat. I'm going to try this out on one of my cadaver guitars. I guess if you smell wood burning, it's hot...............just kidding. Wick a little water under the fret with a Stew-Mac pipette and you should be good to go.<br />
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Thanks again to you all : >) I always wet around the frets…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-05:2177249:Comment:318702010-07-05T01:33:53.640ZDavid Houchenshttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/DavidBryceHouchens
I always wet around the frets as well before adding the heat.I bought a cheap set of nippers and ground down the face myself. I ground one side down thinner then polished. Starting with the thin side in, they sort of act as a ramp while easing the fret out. I think this helps, but wetting and steaming the slot does the trick usually. And then sometimes............
I always wet around the frets as well before adding the heat.I bought a cheap set of nippers and ground down the face myself. I ground one side down thinner then polished. Starting with the thin side in, they sort of act as a ramp while easing the fret out. I think this helps, but wetting and steaming the slot does the trick usually. And then sometimes............