Question about fret slot/fret tang width

[Reif]

My question is, what is the proper fret slot width for a given tang width? And how tight does the tolerance have to be?

I'm looking at doing a refret with some gold EVO wire that is listed as having a tang width of .020". The fret saw sold (Luthier's Mercantile) is specced at .023" kerf. Would that saw be OK for that wire? What would be the ideal slot width?

Thanks.

[William F.Eden]

Reif   StuMac sells a tool to make the tang biger or smaller on the fret.Bill..,.........

[Ian Supplee]

STEWMAC sells better wire its cheap and good also so are the tools. as far as that goes what is your method of putting in the frets, are you glueing or hammering?. in my shop we make it snug and add a little glue for extra strength. hope this helps.,

Ian Supplee

[Reif]

I'd like to try the EVO fretwire. I've heard good things about it but have yet to use it.

Right now all I have the tools for is hammering the frets. I'd like to stick with that if I can get a good result. Then apply some glue afterwards.

I don't want to get fretboard compression and wind up with a back bowed neck. 

[Ian Supplee]

Hmm i am gonna have to try that. and one method that fender uses is the side ways method where the insert the wire side ways have you tried that?.

[Reif]

Have not tried the sideways method. When I first saw the "put the glue in from the side" method, after the fret is seated, I thought "How's this gonna work?" But it works very well.

[Paul Verticchio]

Ian:

Fender stopped sliding in their fret wire in 1983.  It would take 5 longer than traditional fretting and has no distinct advantage. I know of no one and no factory that still uses this method.  I believe (& I could be wrong) that Fender was the only company that did this with modern (not bar) fret wire. Also, it won't work on bound fingerboards.

Reif:

If this is your first fret job, buy Dan Erlewine's books on fretting and general repair and read up on the subject.  Also, a fret bending machine is a MUST to uniformly over-bend the fret wire.  You can make one for yourself for around $15 from stuff you can buy at your local hardware center.  BTW: when using glue to assist with the fret seating, it SHOULD be done before the fret is set into the slot, not after.

I can't encourage you enough to get Dan's bibles. If you already have them, you have all the info you need.

Also, check the discussion archives on this forum. EVO wire was specifically discussed in detail a couple of weeks ago.

Best of luck guys (-:

[Hesh Breakstone]

+1 to what Paul said.

Although the EVO wire is said to have a tang width of .020 when you mic the tang with the barbs it's more like .030 - .035 and it is this extra width of the barbs that will bite into the slot and hold our frets in place.  I have used EVO a good deal now including on my own guitars as well as repairs and I have not had to be concerned with the tang not fitting the slots for a .023" kerf.  It's great wire by the way, my favorite, and I like working with it so very much that I can almost stand the color now...;)

I press my frets using various fret press cauls (I have a custom made set of fret press cauls that includes 27 different radi).  I also glue my frets and I also break and slightly bevel the top edge of the slot which does two things 1) helps the fret seat more completely and 2) makes for less possibility of chipping when someday someone pulls these frets for a refret.

But yes - the .023 kerfed slot is a great match for the EVO wire and as mentioned you also may want to slightly bevel the slot edges for the reasons mentioned.  Also check-out the Stew-mac fret slot depth gauge and consider either making one of purchasing one so you can know in advance that your slot depth is correct too.

[Reif]

Thanks, that's very helpful. I guess I'll go ahead and get the EVO wire and make a .023" slot. I'll also bevel the tops of the slots. I fashion my own depth stops out of pickguard material.

This is not my first refret, but I decided to think it through a little more and try to head off problems especially since I'm trying this new wire. 

Thanks for all the input. If anyone else has anything to contribute I'll be happy to hear it.

I wish I had a way to press the frets, it just seems like an inherently superior way to install frets, though I know many have done great fret installation by hammering. 

[Ian Supplee]

I agree with Paul on the book by Dan Erilwine its a must have and very very helpful. and i tried the sideways method a few times it works but i am open to any new methods. P.S THANKS PAUL I AM GLAD I JOINED THIS SITE EVERYONE IS HELPFUL TO YOUNG BUILDERS SUCH AS ME THANKS =]