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Well, I need some help please.

First off you all need to know that I'm cheap and won't spend $90 on the Stew-Mac Fretbender and I have a lot of straight fretwire before I can buy pre-bent wire from someone like Shane.

So now that you know all this I won't expect "buy the stew-mac fretbender" or "buy pre-bent wire".

So here's how I've been doing it to date, but I don't like this way so I'm looking for something better and just a inexpensive.

I have a block of scrap cut to a curve with a groove for the fret tang



Than I have a block that I hold with the wire between



I pull the wire through using a pair of pliers to pull the fret wire, here's the curve I get. It's usable but I'd like something a little more consistent.



Any help would be very appreciated.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Rod,
Here are a couple pictures I downloaded off of eBay a few months ago. Some guy makes these and sells them. I got the pics cause I thought I could make them if I ever needed too.

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

Rod, Stew Mac's FretBender is what I use. Quick and fast (for me); If you are using one radius for fretboards you can leave it dialed in. Here's a link...

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_su ... ender.html

A lot of builders will bend wire by hand. I dropped the ninety bones and have yet to look back; great tool.

Thanks Anyway Andrew

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

I understand Rod. I'd recommend seeing if any builders in your area have the FretBender. If so take 'em a six pack and bend enough wire to last you until the next visit. You could bend a few year's worth of wire in less than one hour. Best of Luck!

I made my own. I had access to a lathe so I turned the rollers. But someone made one using sliding door rollers for the nylon ones and different sized washers for the drive roller. In fact, that's what the second photo could be. Only one of the rollers need to be adjustable to vary the curve.

I bought plans from LMI a few years ago. I think I saw the plans last week on their web site. It is made, as was stated earlier from screen door rollers and looks jsut like the one pictured above.

Try this link:http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?CategoryName=Fretting&NameProdHeader=Fretwire+Bender+Plan

Happy Bending!

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Steve Walden
Aspiring Builder,
Bartlesville, OK

Buy or find a couple of pairs of cheapo pliers, then use a dremmel cutoff wheel (or perhaps a file) to cut a fret tang-sized slot in one jaw of each. Place fretwire in pliers and bend.

I got the idea from John Calkin in AL #90.

Rod...I built one that sorta looks like the one Chuck showed. I wouldn't part with the $90 either. If I had plans, I'd send them your way but I just winged it. It's worked great for 4 years.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

I spent a fortune on this one.



If I remember right, the handle is an RV window handle from the hardware store.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

If you don't have the money then you must have the time...Almost every jig is able to be duplicated but the biggest contribution is the time willing to be spent building it. For me Spending the money on a bender that bends accurately, consistantly and right out of the box is worth the asking price. I usually use three pieces of wire per guitar for fret jobs. I bend the wire in under a minute and that includes wiping with naptha to clean. Later on as I move up the neck toward the bridge I can actually straighten out a piece on the tool to fit the lessening fret board contour in 5 seconds. I do a lot of fret work...I am very glad I bought my fret bender. I once built a Fox side bender and then decided I needed a second one...I bought the second one...
I believe it was Mr. Collins that recently displayed his neck re-gluing jig, made of aluminum, here on the Forum. Very nice jig...decided to build one...between the cost of aluminum, the cutting, and everything else, I sure wish I could have talked him into building me one

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Stick your wire on EBay.

Buy some rolls from Shane.

I've purchased varius rolls and never needed to do that step, but we hear ya.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

My fretwire bender is the most hi-tech one you'll ever see. I cut a kerf with a fret saw in the edge of my bench and run the wire with my thumb pressing it into the kerf. Voila, radiused fretwire.

I bought the plans from LMI that Steve mentions above. I haven't had time to build it yet, but it
looks simple and cheap. Like Dave mentions, screen door rollers and other hardware store items
are all that is required.

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Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

Go look at Kathy Matsushita's website, I believe she has one on there that she made from cheap hardware store bits.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

LMI sells plans for a "hardware store fret bender", but if you buy them you'll smack yourself on the head for not just figgering it out on your own.
I (blush) bought the plans... The hardware you need is;
1) window crank
1) set of sliding patio door rollers
2) 5/16 or 3/8 fender washers & 1) 1/4" fender washer. Stack them with the smaller washer in the middle & you have your drive roller. You'll have to drill out the washers to fit the bolt. (Choose the bolt size by the threads in the window crank.)
1) 1/4" alum plate. about 4" X 8"
Then you'll need some bolts, washers & nylock nuts to put it all together. Don't buy the bolts 'till you grind off & drive out the pins that hold the sliding door wheels to its frame. The pins (bearing I.D.) are different sizes from different manufacturers.
I built my first one with a 1/2" plywood plate... The second (successful) one uses a piece of scrap 1/4" aluminum plate.
Take a good look at the pics above & you'll see what it's supposed to look like when you're done.
I used to dread running the wire over the edge of my workbench to get it to bend... Now its actually a fun job.
You need to carefully bend the first 2" of wire for it to feed well into the bender.
Have fun with it!
PM me if you need more info.

Over the edge of the workbench, takes a few seconds, works well, and doesn't cost anything.

I use a pair of smooth jawed pliers with a little groove ground into the jaw for the tang.
Quick, simple, versatile....
does any radius I want....
all I have to do is think it.

Mark

Well you could spend $15 and make your own

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index ... opic=14027

I hope this doesn't violate any forum rules by posting a link to another board

Paul

Well you could spend $15 and make your own

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index ... opic=14027

I hope this doesn't violate any forum rules by posting a link to another board

Paul

I use regular pliers and my fingers.

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Guitars, guitars and more guitars.

Right you are!

Here's a link to a fellow that has a how to 'Make Your Own Inexpensive Fret Bender' on his site:
http://terrydownsmusic.com/technotes/fr ... bender.htm

God and your parents gave you fret benders...your teeth.

"Que es mas macho, la curvatura de los trastes o los dentellones?"

I bought one on E Bay a few years ago that looked just like the StewMac one and works great. It was cheap.
Terry

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