Installing the frets

I am using Stainless Steel Jumbo fret wire. I thought about springing for the fret press 12" radius caul. But decided to use the tools I already had. A fretting hammer. Maybe the next build I will make that purchase. One thing I did buy was a good diamond fret crowning file. I have been using a standard metal fret crowing file and the diamond file saves you a lot of time as there are not as much sanding needed after using the diamond file.
The first thing I did was cut 22 pieces to length. I then had to remove the tang from the end where they over lap the binding.

 

  

  

Here you can see the  process. Using the tang nippers I remove the tang. I then file the little bit remaining flush.

 

After hammering in a few.  The hammering of frets takes practice. This is only the 2nd total fret job I have done. But it's really not that hard. I first make sure the wire is a little over bent. The wire I am using is approx 10" radius. The fret board 12". I start by placing the two end of the tang in the fret slot. I then using 1 firm strike I seat one end. I then seat the other end using 1 firm solid strike. I then hammer the center out. That allows the end of the tangs to slide side ways ever so slightly and seat them well. I am using a small bag off sand that I wrapped well with duck tape to support the neck during the hammering.

14 down 8 to go

 

22 frets installed and trimmed.

I am now using a 6" fret leveling file to bevel the ends.

After that I using 220 and then 320 grit adhesive sand paper on a steel bar to start with the smoothing.

I then use a steel straight edge and adjust the truss rod to get the frets as level as possible.

I then mark the top of the frets with a sharpie.  I forgot to take a picture of this. But what I did was use the 3/8" aluminum plate that was used for drilling the tail piece and bridge anchor holes. I put 320 grit self adhesive sand paper on the plate and ran it back and forth across the top of the frets until a little marker was removed from the top of all the frets.

Then using the fret crowning file I will file the top tops of the frets where the flat spots are until crowned.

While I am crowning the frets I use a rocker gauge and check as I proceed up the fret board.

Now the frets are level and the final filing, sanding and buffing of the frets remain. That will be my next post along with the making of the nut.