Second refret attempt

Skodadad

Finished this £10 eBay neck (or did I?) today. It went better than my first attempt that's for sure but am wondering is this a good enough job with some crowning and a Polish. I have levelled it and it didn't need a lot. Some very slight moment on the fret rocker (about 6 frets in total) but I do mean very slight. I can see why it's expensive, it's not the tap it in and done job I used to think it was. Some bits just won't tap down any further and I just had to level that bit out. Not having all the tools I rounded the edges with a box file (taped one side) I think I overdid them but can't put it back now.
http://i64.tinypic.com/15yw12a.jpg

Andyjr1515

Looks OK to me.  

Bear in mind that all you are trying to do is end up with a thin apex to the curve (ref the fret shape in section), which is the bit that is actually going to touch and intonate the string, so therefore the actual shape of the curve below the apex is not critical at all.  As long as the frets are smooth, and the line formed by the apex along the length of the fret is even and thin, it will be OK.

Skodadad

Cheers @Andyjr1515 I don't have a crowning file yet but will see if I can make a better version of the wooden one I made

WezV

don't be hard on yourself.  it looks good so far, next one will be even better. 

on some not seating fully, did you check slot depths first and make sure the slots were free of debris.  also it makes sense to bevel the top of the slot very slightly like this

but knowing how much to bevel and doing it consistently is another skill to learn towards getting that "pro fret job"

Skodadad

I used an upside down Stanley blade, tapped into a piece of wooden mop pole to clean out the frets @wezv I marked a depth line on it and checked as I pulled it through the slots. The depth was consistent but maybe not deep enough. I don't have a saw that would cut the fret slots so the fretboard only had a very light sanding so not to reduce the slot depth too much. I didn't know about be bevelling but I do now thanks. I used a jewelers hammer with a plastic tip, it doesn't have a lot if weight to it and didn't want to whack it. I did think of making a small piece of hardwood strip with a fret sized slot in it and some clamps but not sure that would work.

WezV

I use a fretting caul in an old cheap drill press, obviously not turned on
I put wood blocks under the table so its fully supported.  I alwasy intended to buy a proper press, but have never needed to

the bevel on top is crucial to getting a properly seated fret, it also helps prevent chip out on any future fret removal

most fretwire diagrams look like this

but you don't have those perfect right angles below the crown   instead you get rounded corners

you can see the rounded corners here.  Its small but it means you need to squash wood to get the fret to sit flat on the board - it may not stay there!!

 

Skodadad

Makes perfect sense @wezv thanks. I am learning slowly. I love this stuff so much I often get a bit carried away and think I can do things I can't. I do learn from my mistakes though. With £10 necks it's not the end of the world just disappointing. This neck started as a cheap strat neck from a "Rock star" guitar. It has had the neck reprofiled, headstock reshaped, heel sanded and angled, refretted and new nut. It's for the la cabronita body I'm doing (hand routed p90 aperture) . I just strung it and wired the p90 to a socket and it actually plays OK, the action is low and it sounds good. Bit of a surprise all in forgive the paint, as soon as we get the weather it will be sprayed. I am trying to find some wood thin enough to make a pickguard and may yet get a second p90.http://i66.tinypic.com/xp965t.jpg

WezV

Nothing wrong with learning by doing