Heating frets for removal....A HOT tip !

[thefishinmusician]

I got this tip from Leonard Shapiro , a local repair master...Been using it for years..Using a regular Craftsman or Weller type soldering gun , you cut the tip off , and bend legs on to each of the elements , file a groove on to each leg...Place it on the fret..The fret itself makes the connection to the two elements...Wet the area around the fret...Apply the gun , and pull the trigger...In about 5 seconds , you will get a puff of steam...Fret is hot , and ready to pull , or go out sideways...May not be good to use near pickups , because of some electrical problem...Just use caution and smarts on maple fingerboards...Too long , and I bet you could scorch the finish...But I haven't in at least 50 maple necks I've re-fretted...

[Hesh Breakstone]

Yeah this is a pretty well known industry method but I prefer to simply file a fret sized grove in the tip of a Weller and not use the fret to complete the circuit.  Why?  Two reasons.  First we frequently work on vintage instruments that may have nitrocellulose bindings.  Get too close while heating a fret and you can start a fire or at the very least smoke the bindings, finish, etc.  Second with a single tip to watch and move as I "lift" frets using the fret nippers with the bevel on the inner jaws as intended I have less going on, only one tip to keep away from the bindings, etc.  I'm generally heating just behind the nippers instead of heating, putting the gun down and going for the nippers.

The split tip method does work very well and lots of pros do use it.  I'm just personally more comfortable with how I do things and again less to watch at a busy and potentially risky time.

The water tip is also widely used as well and I may run a bead of water on each side of a fret if the board is "chippy" such as old ebony.  When the board gets wet instead of chips flying across the room to be lost forever they typically just lift but stay in the general area providing me with the opportunity to CA the sucker back down.  Uppty things that they are....

Not sure if you are using water to keep chips in place or to dissolve glue?  I don't find water necessary to dissolve glue but helpful in keeping chips in their place.

[Mike Kolb]

The "split-tip" Weller points remind me of being a kid... my Mom had one of those oddball electric hotdog cookers, where you'd place each end of the hotdog on a pointed prong and the damned thing would basically electrocute the hotdogs!  It seemed to work fairly well, but imparted a rather....ummm... metallic taste.

Haven't seen one around for years, so I'm guessing they've deferred-to basic old-fashioned grilling!

[thefishinmusician]

I use water for the chip deal , and also lets me know when the fret gets hot...I haven't had trouble with binding , but I don't leave it on long enough for that...It also loosens CA , but don't breath the puffs...

[Mike Kolb]

Truly sorry, but just I couldn't let this go....  Here's that awful hotdog machine... the "Presto Automatic Hot Dogger"!  

[thefishinmusician]

MMMMMM....Snoots and booties !

[Mark Pollock]

I am just horrified that someone felt that they ate sooooo many hot dogs that it was necessary to purchase such a machine.

[Russell Vance]

Hi Guys, Lindy Fralin published this (attached imagery) on the Stewmac Trade Secrets pages this week. It may or may not apply but you have the choice as to whether you wish to adopt this process.  Please resist the temptation to shoot the messenger, even one with an Elec Tech qualification and please feel free to take it up with Fralin if you disagree.

I use the same process as Hesh describes and as the inductive load on a small iron is minimal so to is the alternating electric field generated.    The use of a resistive load (the fret) and the connection wires and a fairly hefty alternating field may cause problems.   Demagnetisers used to be called "growlers" or hummers because of their heavy alternating electric field.

[thefishinmusician]

That's the electric thing I was thinking of....I believe it....

[Hesh Breakstone]

First it was Saw-Stop demonstrating with a hot dog how the table saw blade will be stopped in an instant leaving the... hot dog relatively unscathed.  

Now we are electrocuting hot dogs.....  

It's enough to make a guy feel very vulnerable I tell ya.....;)

[RETROROD]

Bwah-Ha-Ha!

Its crazy....all the gadgetry from the past!

I have read about the "split-tip" method, and like you I think that it would be too much to concentrate on and would be an 'accident waiting to happen' for me....

 

Man, I am gettnig hungry for Hot Dogs!

[Andrew]

This threads becoming pretty entertaining, lol. Its amazing what you can learn from a hot dog. Id love to try that cooking gizmo at least once. I wonder if you could do it with a battery charger... Thatd be pretty safe, right?

That saw stop is pretty amazing Hesh, from what Ive seen anyway. Wish Id had somethin like that in my jointer last year :P. also, I second your method over the heavy soldering gun. One brief question: ever had an incident with blushing when using water to help with fret removal?

Russel, thats somethin good to know. I have to wonder how far from a pickup youd have to be to eliminate this risk. I dont use a gun for frets, but occasionally for soldering grounds to heavier components that wont cooperate. I think Ill be pretty paranoid about that in the future.

[RETROROD]

Hey Andrew, I have found the 40watt Weller solder iron to be great for soldering grounds to pots and amp chassis. It is not so much the watts as it is the broad 1/4" tip.(delivers a lot of heat) I think its safe for work around pickups and magnets.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Weller-40-Watt-Soldering-Iron-Kit-SP40LK...