Fretting Mallets

PeteC

Hi Folks   
are the cheapish fret mallets available on Ebay worth bothering with? or should I splash out a bit ?

 Its one of the tools I don't have yet. Was thinking about making a fretting caul for my drill press but realised that I need a mallet too. 
cheers
Pete 

TTony

If I remember, I’ll take a photo of my cheapy, Aldi £5 drill press, based fretting “machine” tomorrow.

PeteC

Yes please.  I do have a spare cheapo Wolf drill press stand which takes standard power drills and has been retired since I got the Fobco drill - maybe I could adapt that with a bit of inspiration? 

TTony

And one of these
https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Fretting/Pressing/Fret_Press_Caul_with_5_Fret_Press_Inserts.html

With a little insert into into your drill press.

TBH, a hammer is still handy to tidy it up, but the caul does most of the work.

TTony

TTony said:

If I remember, I’ll take a photo of my cheapy, Aldi £5 drill press, based fretting “machine” tomorrow.

Found an old photo ...

PeteC

what did you use for the plastic insert ? 

TTony

PeteC said:

what did you use for the plastic insert ? 

That was the outcome of a lump of old plastic block and 5mins on a friend's lathe.  

PeteC

I ordered an identical caul and 5 brass radius inserts ( from chguitars in Tyneside ) . 
My small drill press is standard 43mm collar so just need to find something to use like you have to grip the caul. 

TTony

I'd not really noticed ch guitars before.  Looks like they've got a few of the STewMac  - or Stewmac-esque - tools available there.  Useful to know!

axisus

Drill press is a million times better than hammering in in my opinion.  

PeteC

TTony said:

I'd not really noticed ch guitars before.  Looks like they've got a few of the STewMac  - or Stewmac-esque - tools available there.  Useful to know!

Yes - it looks remarkably similar , and it was cheaper.  I'll see what the quality is like when it arrives.  Hopefully good, I'd not heard of them before. 

TTony said:

PeteC said:

what did you use for the plastic insert ? 

That was the outcome of a lump of old plastic block and 5mins on a friend's lathe.  

Ah!! Nice to have that luxury - so I might "chuck" the new fret caul in the Fobco instead of the little Wolf press - that will definitely work !!  
Need to make a neck support now... its endless the first time isn't it ?
At least I'll have everything ready to go and the next build will be much quicker.  

Made a Heath Robinson fret bending jig last night which worked OK.

Rather disappointed with the single action rod that arrived for the other build I have started......think I will make my own instead 


 

TTony

PeteC said:

 

I have something remarkably similar ...



I used door runner/roller for mine - they came "pre-grooved" too, so the fretwire sits in them nicely.  It could really do with a handle on one of the bolts to make turning a little easier, but it works.