Filing Fret Ends

[Brian Farrell]

So, how do you get the fret ends smooth and flush with the edge of the fretboard without gouging the edge of the fretboard. Even when I cover the edge of the fretboard with masking tape, if I'm really going to get the end flush I'm going to dig into the finish on the edge of the fretboard. I'm sure this is a skill that takes time to develop, but is there a quick tip for a rookie that will help me move a little faster on this job?

[Brian Farrell]

I'll follow my question with a question...is it really important to use a mill file rather than a double-cut file?

[FRANK]

YES follow this gut s instruction cut with a file a Mill File and Buff out

[Ron Frazier]

I hold the file at a 30 degree angle or some where there and file full length of the fret board and file down to the wood and just touch it. There is no finish on the top and you need the sharp edge beveled some.

If you want a good file to round the ends try a fingernail file, it has a safe edge or a fish hook file or a file to sharpen Japanese saws. These need a safe edge sanded on. Another file is a diamond file from Harbor freat and it has a safe edge and is big enough for these big hands!

Ron

[Nick Anthony]

actually you can tape off the neck under the binding or finger board and sand them flat w/ 220 grit or a file first if their really bad...then steel wool and finish with linseed oil.....looks great when your done and definately the easiest way to do it...this is how taylor guitars finish their refrets at the factory

[Bob Webster]

Hi, Brian. If you really want to leave the finish on the side of the fingerboard intact with no damage, there is a way to do it, but it's a bit more work than just pounding the frets in and trimming them off.

What you need to do, before you finish the neck, is fill 2-3mm of the end of the fret slots with black shellac stick, dyed 5-minute epoxy, or thick black CA and level it with the fingerboard. After finishing, the frets need to be prepped by cutting away the tang of the frets so that the tang will not contact the fill. Pound them in, clip off the ends at almost the angle that you want them, and then file, buff, etc. LMII sells a nice tool for trimming the tangs or you can use a Dremel with a cutoff wheel.

I agree that a mill file is the best. It cuts smoothly without gouging. Also, when I'm filing the ends, I like to take it down until I just break the sharp edge of the fingerboard. Nice finishing touch and it feels better in the hand when everything's done.

Cheers,
Bob

[Jim Bancroft]

I use this technique on either a new fretboard or a refret.

I use a 6" mill file, (purchased at the local hardware). Once the frets are trimmed flush with a modified end niper(same tool I use for pulling frets). I place the length of the file along the edge of the fretboard( I'm spanning 4 or more fret ends), then move up and down the fretboard until all frets are flush with the wood, you can feel when it's not cutting metal anymore. Then I put a 30 degree bevel or so on all the frets. I sight down the fretboard edge and make sure everything lines up and is perfectly straight. Then I round and smooth fret ends with a fret file, sand paper, ect.

I don't use masking tape, it's just in the way.
I sometimes will do some minor finish touchup on the fretboard edge. I apply finish(shellac or lacquer) with a Q-tip, dip in finish and make a few swipes along the fingerboard.
Jim

[Brian Farrell]

All of this is very helpful. I don't expect to get my technique down by the end of this first job, but I would like it to be playable and not too shoddy looking. I'm gettin there. I've been masking of the edge, but I'll need some finish touch up later anyway.

With every new repair I try, I gain an ever stronger respect for those that have real skills in this craft.

B

[Nick Anthony]

you can just take the finish all the way down on a wood binding and wipe on linseed oil or a french polish and it's much quicker than touching up.... when you mask the neck with pin striping tape you get a clean line and no one will ever see it...on a nitro binding you just do the same thing but not all the way through the finish and hit it w/ steel wool and linseed ...looks perfect not just okay

[Brian Farrell]

So Nick, If this is an unbound rw fretboard (it is), and I end up with some file marks on the edge that take the finish off the sides (its nitro) of the fretboard (where binding would be), then I can go over these areas with 0000 steel wool and linseed oil and it will look good?

[Russell Vance]

Pretty much what everyone says one way or the other with the file down to edge and just take a lick off the finish to get the edge comfortable - on rosewood/non bound boards I then run a Micromesh stick along the edge (rolling it with a couple of runs from the fret edge surface to almost parallel to the side of the neck) - use a couple of grades and it polishes the fret ends(after rounding) - takes off any random burs missed and blends/polishes the exposed edge of the board into the neck finish. Works a treat. Rusty.