DIY Refret. Tips, tricks and tools...

lovestrat74

I am thinking of dipping my toes into the murky world of fretting!

As a starting point, I have a neck that has a 7.25" radius and vintage frets. I really like the neck profile but can't help thinking it would be an even better neck if it had medium jumbos and was radiused to my preferred 9.5".

I am going to need to get some tools for sure, so what would you recommend and where to buy from. I realise that this won't be cheap, but if I do a few of these then I reckon it will be worth it.

Any tips or useful tFB threads would be good. Also, any recommended youtube videos or channels on this subject would help so feel free to post them below.

BillDL

Is the neck an OLD genuine Fender one?

If so, there is something that would be important to establish before you attack it and try to remove the frets.  There was apparently a period (one of the fender experts or techs will know the dates but I have a feeling that it may even have been up to the late 70s, but not sure when it started) where instead of hammering or pressing the frets down into the slots to seat them, the Fender method was to force the fret tang lengthwise through the slots from the bass side of the neck.  This apparently makes a difference to how easily the frets can be pulled out using the proper nippers with flattened faces and how much wood is chipped out in the process.  To minimise damage to the fretboard with those frets I have heard people suggesting that they need to be tapped out in the same direction they were inserted along the length of the slots and not pulled out.  I'm sure a professional builder or technician will be able to debunk or confirm this.

lovestrat74

Hi Bill, no it's a cheap (but decent) neck I got off the forum. I have heard about those frets and I don't think I will have that problem with this neck.

Roland

Do you really, really want to change the radius? If so, and it’s a maple board, then you’ll also be re-finishing the board. If it’s rosewood then it’s just sanding with a radiused sanding block. 

For frets you’ll need:
1. Fret pullers. Most people use end-cut wire cutters, ground down on a grind wheel to remove the bevel, so that they can get under the old frets. If it’s a maple board, and you’ve decided not to re-radius, then you will also need a craft knife to score the finish so that it doesn’t chip. If the frets are glued in then you’ll need a soldering iron to heat the fret and release the glue. 

2. If you buy fret wire on a coil then you shouldn’t need to radius it. 

3. Wire cutters to cut fret wire. If you’re using stainless steel or EVO Gold wire then these need to be suitably strong. 

4. If your new fret wire has a deeper tang than the old you’ll need a narrow bladed fret saw to deepen and clear the slots. 
5. A soft headed hammer to knock the frets it without deforming them. 

6. A metal file to run along the edge of the fretboard and file the frets to length. 

7. A fret levelling beam. Emery paper glued to a spirit level will work. 

8. A marker pen to colour the tops of the frets so that you can see which ones are high. 

9. A fret rocker to check for problem frets. 

10. Fret radiusing file to reshape frets after levelling. 

11. Fine emery paper for polishing. 

BillDL

[EDIT]  Roland was posting while I was still typing.  He's included a couple of my oversights and suggested alternative improvised methods that would save money.

A list of what I would suggest as essential tools for fretwork:

Notched straightedge in the correct scale length.  This allows you to adjust the truss rod to make the board straight rather than using an un-notched one where you would just be setting the frets level.  You need the actual fretboard to be straight.

A fretting hammer.  The expensive ones are "dead blow" ones with lead shot in the head to stop bouncing and rebound.  You can do the job with one of the lighter ones without the "dead blow" filling and with different hardnesses of plastic screw-on faces, but it takes a good bit more quite hard tapping (and a lot of noise) to do the job.  The alternative is buying a fairly expensive set of fretting pliers with a padded curved back for the back of the neck and a metal caul of the right radius to press the frets home consistently.  You can buy cauls that fit into a drill press if you have one.

For fret removal, subject to my previous comment about method of removal, you need a pair of end-cutting pliers that have been ground away on the front of the flat faces so that the sharp edges can get right under the edge of the fret and then maintain downward pressure on the wood either side of the slot to minimise chip-out.  You just move your way across the width of the board "nibbling" the fret gently out its slot.  Although you can adapt end-cutting pliers, it's less hassle to buy a set made for the job.

It's usually better to have a separate set of end nippers to cut off the bits of fret protruding from the edge of the fretboard rather than using the fret removal nippers that need to be have a really clean and sharp edge.  If the pliers are hard enough metal you could use the same ones though.

Sanding beam and self-adhesive sandpaper in a variety of grits.  This can be used for sanding lengthwise along the neck to clean off any bumps or to assist with re-radiusing, but is also the perfect tool to level any uneven frets after doing a re-fret.  The most affordable beams are usually tubular steel with the edges rounded to prevent damage.  They are heavy enough whereby you can let the weight of the beam do nearly all the work.  Wooden radius blocks of the desired radius and appropriate grades of sandpaper are most useful and effective for applying a different radius or cleaning up a bumpy fretboard while maintaining the original radius.

Recrowning file designed for your chosen width of fret so that it only files away the sides of the metal frets to reapply a crown after levelling, but doesn't sit on top of the fret and file any of the height off.  You can use a triangular file with the three abrasive edges ground off smooth, but it takes a bit of practice and takes a lot longer.  There are loads of different styles at different prices, but the cheapest ones are often quite poor in performance.  A triangular file as described is also good for dressing sharp fret ends.  You can buy various designs of files for fret end dressing, but the simplest is the "safe-edged" triangular file.

Depending on whether you are buying fret wire ready cut to lengths or a coil of fretwire, a fret bending tool MAY be needed.  You ideally need the fret to be slightly over-radiused before hammering or pressing in so that it conforms neatly to the fretboard radius without fear of springing.  It IS possible to gently bend some fretwire by hand, but you risk twisting it or kinking the tang.

Some solid support for the back of the neck if hammering in the frets.  Something that doesn't bounce, and that includes the bench, is good.  A small beanbag of soft sand or something like that works just as well as fancy long neck cradles.

I assume you won't be cutting fret slots in a new neck blank, so it's unlikely you will have fine fret saws with no tooth set.  A scraper to clean out any old crud from the fret slots before fitting new frets would therefore be an essential tool.  You can use the hook-ended craft knives or make a scraper using something like an old thin bit of saw blade, but you can also buy ones made specifically for the job.

If you are re-fretting a bound neck where the body of the fret will lie on top of the binding to the edge, you need a tool to remove a small section of the tang where it would foul with the binding.  Tang nippers are expensive.  If you have loads of time you can use a very fine metal saw and small files to do this, but it's laborious work.  I have used an abrasive wheel on a Dremel and it works well.

That's all I can think of for now.  There are plenty of good videos showing you how to use these tools, but the StewMac (Stewart McDonald / Dan Erlewine) YouTube channels are very good.

Roland

For fret pullers a small pair of cheap cutters from Screwfix etc will do. Screwfix also do side cutters for stainless steel. 

I’ve used Chris Allsop for most of the other tools. Decent quality from someone who knows what he’s doing, and doesn’t charge exorbitant prices. 

If you want a fret rubber don’t buy one of those 2cm things. The same stuff is used for clearing the grit on a band sander, and a big block from Screwfix costs about the same as a 2cm block. 

BillDL

Roland said:

If you want a fret rubber don’t buy one of those 2cm things. The same stuff is used for clearing the grit on a band sander, and a big block from Screwfix costs about the same as a 2cm block. 

Another vote for Chris Allsop's tools.  I bought two of his recrowning files and a flat diamond file on a wooden handle through the classifieds here, and they are excellent.

I'm curious about your suggestion of the Screwfix product @Roland. ; What would I search for on the site?

lovestrat74

Thanks guys! Lots to absorb there  

BillDL

Oh yes, kitchen roll will work for that.

Roland

@BillDL  sanding belt cleaner

BillDL

Thanks @Roland. ; I found it just before you posted.

victorludorum

I've done a couple with just a radius block, a homemade straight edge made out of wood, and files, pliers/cutters that you can get from any DIY shop. Dirt cheap, and it worked well enough for my liking. The action on my guitars is fairly high anyway, so I can get away with things that some wouldn't be happy with. For me it was more about the challenge of doing it with the minimum amount of tools that appealed.

lovestrat74

victorludorum said:

I've done a couple with just a radius block, a homemade straight edge made out of wood, and files, pliers/cutters that you can get from any DIY shop. Dirt cheap, and it worked well enough for my liking. The action on my guitars is fairly high anyway, so I can get away with things that some wouldn't be happy with. For me it was more about the challenge of doing it with the minimum amount of tools that appealed.

Same here ^

victorludorum

lovestrat74 said:

victorludorum said:

I've done a couple with just a radius block, a homemade straight edge made out of wood, and files, pliers/cutters that you can get from any DIY shop. Dirt cheap, and it worked well enough for my liking. The action on my guitars is fairly high anyway, so I can get away with things that some wouldn't be happy with. For me it was more about the challenge of doing it with the minimum amount of tools that appealed.

Same here ^

The most expensive thing I had to buy was the block and that was about 12 quid at the time.