Dude, thanks. I have been trying all sorts of crazy methods without the proper tools and getting some atrocious results on this neck I just built...this was enlightening.
Nice video as always! One small detail that I'd like to mention, since you precut the frets to length (I do the same)... You'd better start from the end of the fretboard and go up, so if you accidentally cut a fret shorter than you'd like, you can use it a couple of slots up! ;)
I have a couple small arbor presses but for pressing frets I like using a drillpress. I don't want to press frets hard anyway and I like the way the caul swivels in the drill press making it easier to align it with the frets. I use c-clamps to attach a piece of plywood to the drill table large enough to support the neck or entire guitar. The drill press is already in place so no extra room required and height is perfect for viewing. I can pull up a stool or stand plus my drill press has a dedicated light. My drillpress is a small, cheap bench-top Harbor Freight model
Fantastic video and presentation.A quick question for anybody…Is it 100% necessary to have the frets pre curved to the fingerboard radius or will it be ok to use the fret press if it’s “near enough curved”? Thanks guitar lovers 😊🎸
Hi, nice video, I´ve just suscribed. Can you please tell the size and inside diameter of the shaft collar, size/caliber/diameter/lenght/material/use of that spring in order to find one exactly like that one?? That´s exactly what I had in mind but was not sure how to do it. That blue clamps used to fix the arbor press too please. I´m asking you to share this info since it´s not easy to me look for that items, so If you could help with a link or detailed info of the shaft collar and spring I´ll be highly grateful. Thanks in advance
Interesting. I have been thinking about a press but get good results just hammering them in. I think an improvement to my process will be to lightly hammer in each fret and then cut it to length. Repeat for each fret and the use the press on all frets one after the other.
Have thought about building a box the same size as the fret press to lift it up as a stand? It could be open at the front to house your fret organizer and cutter etc when not in use.
Not interested in guitars but love watching your videos so I watch anyway! As far as your press at eye level why not just make a short stand to sit on your bench. Then you can just store it with your press!
Excellent video - thank you! It would be really nice to see more content like this - focusing on guitars. How about a video on dressing the fret ends, followed by a fret level, re-crown and polish - that would be excellent! Cheers.
I made my own fret press out of scrap wood. Its a leaver with the pivot point at one end. Than there are 3 holes from there spaced 3", 4", and 5". Then the 3 foot handle goes out from there. The pivot point is attached to a 6" tall end pivot that has a 1 foot square base. I can put my press "foot" at the 3, 4, or 5" mark to increase or decrease the pressure i need to set the fret in the neck. Cost me nothing but an hour of my time. Been using it for 6 years now. Maybe i should make a video on it. 🤔
Great vid! Your channel is one of my all time favs, so helpful man. I'm still searching for an alternative to fret wire...maybe it's time to just order some lol. Peace homezzz✌🏽
Would it be worth building a small crate to position under your arbor press on the bench, as a temporary measure, to resolve your eyeline issue? Maybe a few finger holes in it for clamping purposes.
Absolutely. A brass hammer will work great. Make sure its not a steel hammer. It needs to be softer than the fret material so as not to damage the fret.
I like to leave them a little long and sand them flush. For some reason I don't like to get the nippers that close to the fretboard. I feel like I could somehow pull the fret out when trimming them off. I have never had that happen and don't think it ever would but its a weird thing in my head. Lol.
Well my fears of refretting my sg have left. While I was pulling the the threaded bridge studs from the body for replacement,the lower section of the guitar completely separated,fell off,hahaha.......crap! Oh well, what are ya gonna do.God bless.
@@homebuiltshop yeah,it had been completely bare of any paint or finish of any kind for so many years,I'm guessing that may have contributed to the glue fail,and wood separation.i really wanted an sg,but I'm not too confident that a diy kit would play anywhere near as good as an authentic Gibson.
I believe the search term you were looking for was “heavy duty compression springs”. Sorry I’m so late. I figure you can probably just measure your arbor to determine a suitable inner diameter for the spring and cut it down to size with an angle grinder or something. Hope this info isn’t to late to be helpful.
You can bend it by hand if youre careful. If you hold the tang with some pliers. Ive bent it by carefully pressing it on the end of a bench. Its not perfect but it can be done.
