Gluing Frets - Experiences Requested

[nervous]

I believe I have a few frets that need to be glued down. I noticed that when I cleaned and oiled the fretboard that I would get some squeeze out of the oil when I pressed on the fret. I confirmed this on a second occasion. The bass sounds far 'clackier' than any bass I have ever owned and think the loose frets might be a contributor (I respectfully request that you save the 'improve youe technique' for now because I have owned many, many basses, played the exact same way, and this is the first that is this noticable). At the very least they need to be secured and that will tell me if that was the problem and eliminate one possible source from the equation.

So, I have reviewed some threads both here and elsewhere but would like a few first person successes or failures as well as tips, dos and don'ts before I commit to the job. It look spretty simple but I don't what to create a problem by missing an important detail or two. Thanks.

[JLS]

I clamp the fret down with a radiused caul, and wick some water thin superglue under it, using a pipette, not the superglue bottle. I follow this with a swipe with a Q tip dampened with superglue accelerator.

[john grey]

Same as above: Biologic-lab Glass pipette or 31 gauge insulin syringe.

[nervous]

Very interesting and thank you both. I like the idea of clamping first and then gluing. Everything I have seen until this indicated to glue, wipe and then clamp. That seems to be a pretty tight sequence time wise with little rooms for error.

Tell me this.

1) Do you take any special precautions with the fretboard, i.e. wax or tape to protect or just wipe before any glue dries?

2) Do you have a preference of which side of the fret you apply the glue to, nut side or bridge side?

3) Do you have any special pre-treatment in case the fretboard had been recently oiled or treated to insure better adhesion?

[JLS]

1) Do you take any special precautions with the fretboard, i.e. wax or tape to protect or just wipe before any glue dries?

If you finesse this, you won't have to do anything. The superglue will wick right under the clamped fret from the pipette. Water thin CA likes tight joints, has incredible capillary action.

2) Do you have a preference of which side of the fret you apply the glue to, nut side or bridge side?

Nope. As before, we're talking about the *tiniest* touch of superglue.

3) Do you have any special pre-treatment in case the fretboard had been recently oiled or treated to insure better adhesion?

I've never run into that problem; the wicking of the thin CA seems to trump other substances.

Once you have solidified all the frets, I can just about guarantee that you'll need to do a fretlevel/recrown. Once you have done so, and don't have fret ends flapping around anymore, you're going to be playing a much better instrument.

This is a universal radius fretclamp I made; the idea is from John Kelchack, a luthier in Michigan:

[Marty Forrer]

I dunno.... the oil that has squeezed down into the fret slot could be a problem. Only one way to find out. Do not use superglue in the little tubes, that stuff is tame. The good stuff comes in a bottle and needs to be refrigerated once opened. It seems to be available at hobby shops. It is 50 times better than the tube stuff.

[Turnaround]

Originally Posted by JLS

This is a universal radius fretclamp I made; the idea is from John Kelchack, a luthier in Michigan:

Very cool tool! Didn't know I needed one of these, but now I don't see how I can work without one.

Thanks.

[nervous]

Originally Posted by JLS

Once you have solidified all the frets, I can just about guarantee that you'll need to do a fretlevel/recrown. Once you have done so, and don't have fret ends flapping around anymore, you're going to be playing a much better instrument.

That's what I am hoping. It's not the ends that are the issue though, it's more inside which should make the repair easier I'd guess. I am goung to have to make up some sort of radiused caul. I am think some thin maple sanded to the proper contour and a Quick Grip clamp will get the job done. Thanks.

[walterw]

Originally Posted by JLS

This is a universal radius fretclamp I made; the idea is from John Kelchack, a luthier in Michigan:

that's it!

i've had a murky idea in the back of my head for one of these forever, but could not see how to do it without too many moving parts. that's perfect!

[JLS]

Originally Posted by walterw

that's it!

i've had a murky idea in the back of my head for one of these forever, but could not see how to do it without too many moving parts. that's perfect!

It's a pretty close copy of the one shown p.21, "Trade Secrets"., Stew Mac. The inventor's name is Dan Kelchack, not John.

I'm going to make another one, to deal with wider fingerboards. The hardest part, was getting the hardened pivot pins of the kant-twist clamp's jaws, out, so I think that starting from a vise grip like this one, may prove to be an easier build: Vise Grip VGP11SP Clamp C Lock 11 in W/Pad

You'll want to be able to immobilize the lower jaw, I learned from experience.

Another interesting, vise-grip like pliers:C.H. Hanson : All Products

I've thought for quite awhile, that these would make great fretsqueezers.

edit: And I just ordered one, to find out.

[JLS]

Originally Posted by Turnaround

Very cool tool! Didn't know I needed one of these, but now I don't see how I can work without one.

Thanks.

The upper, universal caul, could be built into a visegrip-type fretsqueezer.

For that matter, crazed inventor thought of the day:a universal radius caul, that would slip into an existing 1/8" slot. You'd have to be able to open the jaws of the tool more, for the extra height...

[202dy]

Eighteen years old. Upper caul is Stew-Mac. Replaceable lower caul held in place with masking tape. Crude but effective.

[JLS]

Originally Posted by 202dy

Eighteen years old. Upper caul is Stew-Mac. Replaceable lower caul held in place with masking tape. Crude but effective.

Love it!

[walterw]

that first pic totally cleared a mental logjam for me.

i'd been thinking of something with three contact points, which would require a complex articulated mechanism like a windshield wiper.

with 4 contact points, i was able to whip something up with a half-hour and a belt sander!

i took a 6" radius fret caul, and chopped it up into two "teeth".


6" will be just narrower than any radius i'm gonna run into, so i know they'll hit the fret at each edge (which i rounded off with a .120 bass nut file).

i then put a peak in the center of each "back".


this way, they'll always get pressure from the center, distributing it relatively equally to each side.

(oh, they're sitting on a CPU heatsink i salvaged; it's solid copper, which conducts heat better than almost everything, and with a little spritz of water works really well at cooling off bits of metal after grinding.)

the solder blobs are there to make them just thick enough to stick in the stew-mac "jaws" 1/8" caul slot.


it'll swivel from that, all the way to this and even the other way.


i've used it twice so far to clamp questionable fretwork for wicking in superglue, and it works perfectly!


i can start with the "teeth" slid closer together, then slide them apart as the neck gets wider.


they don't really "hang" in the slot that well (it's hard to get the solder blob the right thickness to hold the teeth in without jamming them up so they won't pivot).

i'm thinking of drilling a hole in each one and inlaying a little neo-d magnet from mcmaster-carr, like 1/8" around and 1/8" long. i think that will hold the teeth firmly in the steel slot, while still letting me slide them around for the spacing i want.

the best part is the jaws tool itself is totally unaltered.

[walterw]

hell, now that i look at it again, i realize i could have just as easily made it with 3 contact points like i first thought of!

one piece like i have there (wider, of course), and another that just sat flat in the slot and presented one pressure point for the fret. slide them so the three points (two one one piece, one on the other) were equidistant, and they'd all distribute the pressure evenly.

[JLS]

I'da never thought of having them in the caul holder, "loose", like that, and just pivoting on their own apexes!

Little bitty neo magnets, set into the brass, also brilliant!

Damn, this is fun!

BTW:The two brass cauls in mine, I made from some straight brass stock, that I'd milled a groove into. The chord cutout in the middle of each one allows them to contact the fret at 2 points each.

I'm now thinking that 2 longer brass cauls, cutout in the center, could provide even clamping all across the fret. For crazy wide bass necks, a separate wider setup may be necessary.

Gotta stop thinking about this, I need to sleep...

[JLS]

20 Pcs Neodymium Disc 3/8 inch X 1/8" Earth N42 Magnets | eBay

100 NdFeb Neodymium (N48) Rare Earth 1/4"Dia x 1/8"T | eBay

100 PC N45 3/16" x 1/8" Neodymium Disk Magnets | eBay

...and so on.

[nervous]

How much space is there to see what you are doing under the caul? I have been working on a couple options before I dig in to the gluing but the visibility is not so good in there and you only get one chance to get it right, no? How do you see where your are working and gluing?

[walterw]

i will get the clamping caul ready, and set it in position but right beside the fret; i then wick in a little water-thin superglue, then quickly clamp.

[nervous]

Originally Posted by walterw

i will get the clamping caul ready, and set it in position but right beside the fret; i then wick in a little water-thin superglue, then quickly clamp.

Interesting. This is the method I had read before posting this thread but the first two replies both clamped first. I am sure I'll soon get to try both. I am assembling and dry running some different clamp and caul ideas before getting too serious.