Clear-Coating the Fretboard
Clear-coating commenced on November 15 and concluded in early December. The job basically involved spraying light and even coats of Samurai 1/128 Clear, with gentle abrading after every three or four coats. To even out the final coat and give it a matte look, I employed 0000 grade steel wool. This would have been on December 8.
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| Clear-Coating in Progress |
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| The Fretboard on December 8 |
Refretting Commences
As the client requested super jumbo frets, Dunlop Accu-Fret 6000 fret wire was used on this job. Fretboard prep included cleaning out and deepening the fret slots with a Luthiers Mercantile Fret Saw, all the while checking fret slot depth with a StewMac Fret Slot Depth Gauge.
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| Luthiers Mercantile Fret Saw in Use |
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| Checking Fret Slot Depth |
After cleaning the fret wire with naphtha, each two-foot length was gradually curved into a 7.5" radius with a StewMac FretBender. A 7.5" radius would help ensure that each fret would seat securely on the 9.5" radius fretboard. After cutting the fret wire to length, I also went one step further and slightly
overbent the fret ends by hand.
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| StewMac FretBender in Use |
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| Fret Wire Cut to Length |
The frets were installed by the "hammer-in" method, as I have yet to own a fret press. The fretboard was then waxed in preparation for the next procedure, which was super gluing the fret ends. Here, drips can sometimes happen, so the back of the neck was taped off beforehand.
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| First Seven Frets Installed |
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| Fret Installation Completed |
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| Applying Super Glue to the Fret Ends |
After leaving the super glue to cure overnight, the fret ends were trimmed with a StewMac Fret Cutter. The next task was leveling the trimmed fret ends flush with the fretboard edge. Two files were used for this purpose, a dedicated flat file and a plastic-bodied fret end leveling/beveling tool. This tool incorporates a removable flat file. This file may be installed in one of two slots, the first, perpendicular to the fretboard edge, and the second, angled at 35 degrees.
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| Trimming the Fret Ends |
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| Files Used For Fret End Leveling |
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| Fret End Leveling in Progress |
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| Fret Ends Leveled - Side View |
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| Fret Ends Leveled - Top View |
With the fret ends leveled, it was time to bevel them. For this purpose, the plastic-bodied fret end tool was once again used. Repurposing this tool only required a Phillips screwdriver. The flat file was unscrewed from the perpendicular slot, and reinstalled in the angled slot.
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| File Angled for Fret End Beveling |
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| Fret Ends After Beveling |
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