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When fretting a fingerboard after finish, I find it fussy to install the frets above the heel; my fret press can't accept the neck with the heel and hammering in frets off-axis sometimes doesn't go well.

I found a f-clamp with a fret caul (supply your own radiused inserts) in its movable jaw that looks like it might help out. There's a bunch of them on EBAY starting at thirty-and-some bucks.

Any experience with these?

Thanks

https://www.ebay.com/itm/403042558413

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Peter Havriluk

I made something much the same using the stu mac holster in a block, and found it very troublesome as it didn't seat the frets in plumb.
Had a look here to try and find the solution for that, as not too long ago it was posted, but cannot find it.
Its really simple, basically a radius caul sitting on multiple frets, instead of said tippy method.
Anyone remember?

Tom

Are you speaking of fretting a traditional acoustic with a sound hole? The SM Jaws II tools and others like them benefit from the use of many clever, shop made cauls including a cantilever situation for getting to some of these over the body frets on acoustics and arch tops where pressing is traditionally difficult.

But you know although we can press a fret in any location for speed at times we just hold a lead block under the extension and tap them in with a hammer, old school baby and get her done.

I bought and used a fret caul from SM, I used it in my drill press. I'm not sure I'm impressed with pressing frets. They came out great but they would have with a soft hammer as well. Maybe I'd like it more if I attached it to an F-clamp. I have some fretting to do so this topic is perfect.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

Hesh, no worries on the extension. And no, there's no soundhole involved, the neck's not yet mated to the body. I've got shaped blocks that let me hold the extension firmly against a bench. I'm trying to make nice on those frets between the body joint and the body end of the heel.

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Peter Havriluk

[quote="phavriluk"]Hesh, no worries on the extension. And no, there's no soundhole involved, the neck's not yet mated to the body. I've got shaped blocks that let me hold the extension firmly against a bench. I'm trying to make nice on those frets between the body joint and the body end of the heel.[/quote

Good going and be sure to impart some fall away too on the over the body frets. Spent the last two days, part of each day dressing out a poorly refretted Les Paul that is in because the prior repair person did not impart fall away and now the thing frets out on bends above the 12th.

I can do FAR more with pressing frets than I can with a hammer. Many of us press frets and our shop has done hundreds of refrets where all the frets are pressed. Mario presses his frets too and wrote an excellent article in Guitar Maker back in the day 15 years ago.

I can press a fret and then leave the press on it and glue the sucker all in one operation where the caul and press hold the fret home end to end as I run a bead of thin, fresh CA under one side wicking up the other side. You can't hold an entire fret in place for gluing with a hammer aka g*bson tool

No such thing as a 'simple' job when it's necessary to care.

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Peter Havriluk

Found it for you Peter, rather genius I think.
I feel a bit foolish looking back at the monstrosity of a yoke I made when I had less stuff.

viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=47508&hilit=fretting+jig

Tomas

Tom. thanks for the heads-up. Sure is an impressive hunk of equipment.

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Peter Havriluk