Filling fret slots with epoxy

[Rolling Thunder]

So I'm building what I want to be a fretless Squier Jag bass and the body refinish is a heavy-sparkle burst (think Spiders from Mars).

In keeping with the semi-glam paint job, I was thinking of converting a neck to be fretless AND filling the empty fret slots with clear epoxy mixed with ultra-mega-fine holographic glitter.

I don't care about your thoughts on the appearance or "period-correctiveness" of the glitter, I'm asking if the glitter would somehow compromise the hold integrity of the epoxy?

 

[Big B.]

I dont think so. I've seen multiple people use grain filler to fill fret slots that lasted years and that stuff is far less structurally sound than any decent epoxy. Just do a few tests on a scrap piece beforehand to make sure you have the right mix of epoxy and glitter and that you are getting the end result you want.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

Just do a few tests on a scrap piece beforehand to make sure you have the right mix of epoxy and glitter

Good call. I have a fret slot saw already because I use it to accurately start nut slots (before using actual nut files). Do a tester before attempting the real thing.

 

[WillyW]

The slots may be a little thin to really show off the glitter.

Consider widening the slots AND painting the inside of the slots with white paint to make it stand out.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

The slots may be a little thin to really show off the glitter.

Consider widening the slots AND painting the inside of the slots with white paint to make it stand out.

True. It's not something I'm married to (the glitter, that is) but I would like it to be fretless. Subtle can be OK too sometimes.

 

[dwizum]

Someone in last year's buildoff (either the winter buildoff or the spring one) was experimenting with glitter or glow additives in fret slots, I just can't remember who. Maybe you can find the thread if you dig.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Someone in last year's buildoff (either the winter buildoff or the spring one) was experimenting with glitter or glow additives in fret slots, I just can't remember who. Maybe you can find the thread if you dig.

I know @Fat Freddy did some important, pioneering work in glowy goo material. Seems like there may have been someone else too.

 

[Fat Freddy]

I know @Fat Freddy did some important, pioneering work in glowy goo material. Seems like there may have been someone else too.

My stuff is here.....
Special Edition Build Off Freddy Slides Into The LC Via The Back Door...

It's.....errrrrm.....lengthy....

I've gone away from epoxy and back to Bondic...It sets rock hard and sands beautifully....

More expensive though....

 

[Rolling Thunder]

It's.....errrrrm.....lengthy....

Yep....

After about 6 pages I decided to go backwards from the end. I like how the 12th & 13th frets stand out.

I'll look into the Bondic (not familiar with this). Time is on my side because it's more of a pastime project so there's no rush at all.

 

[Rôckhewer]

If you sand into glitter or metal flake filled epoxy... you expose the flake to the surface.
You lose a lot of the sparkle...& just get a weird grayish...
The glitter needs to be under a clear finish.
If you do the glitter thing... use it in your first fill....
...let that shrink back, then top fill with clear only.
Then you can level & polish the epoxy... and have sparkle lines.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

If you sand into glitter or metal flake filled epoxy... you expose the flake to the surface.
You lose a lot of the sparkle...& just get a weird grayish...
The glitter needs to be under a clear finish.
If you do the glitter thing... use it in your first fill....
...let that shrink back, then top fill with clear only.
Then you can level & polish the epoxy... and have sparkle lines.

I was thinking about what someone else said....paint white in the slots before filling. Building on what you said, I could apply super fine glitter to the white paint and then fill with clear epoxy. Again, I'm just spit balling. I'd also probably be happy with just a standard neck.

 

[BarfanyShart]

Jaco didn't need glitter.

 

[Rôckhewer]

I was thinking about what someone else said....paint white in the slots before filling. Building on what you said, I could apply super fine glitter to the white paint and then fill with clear epoxy. Again, I'm just spit balling. I'd also probably be happy with just a standard neck.

Ok... yeah.
White paint in the slot for a reflective basecoat ... dump in dry glitter while paint is wet... glitter sticks kinda, (but needs to be saturated. )
Let paint dry...then top coat with thin viscosity CA saturation into the glitter.
Epoxy might not flow into dry glitter without bubbles.
But thin CA will.

 

[dwizum]

CPES would easily flow into anything, probably more than you'd want! West and other epoxies meant for composites laminating would flow around rough glitter just fine. I would stay away from thick epoxies though, I agree it would be a problem.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

Ok... yeah.
White paint in the slot for a reflective basecoat ... dump in dry glitter while paint is wet... glitter sticks kinda, (but needs to be saturated. )
Let paint dry...then top coat with thin viscosity CA saturation into the glitter.
Epoxy might not flow into dry glitter without bubbles.
But thin CA will.

Asking for a friend....what's CA?

 

[dwizum]

Cyanoacrylate - super glue.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

My real concern is having multiple stages of filling (be it paint or glue or glitter) what amounts to "not a lot of real estate" to work with. There's only so much that can be applied to a fret slot, right?

 

[DISCOSTUVW]

It absolutely will not affect the epoxy. We use epoxy every day to keep samples from chipping during cutting or suspending particles for sem. Just make sure you work the air bubbles out. If you can, put the epoxy under vacuum for a couple minutes.

 

[DISCOSTUVW]

Also, what about glow in the dark paint in the slots then glitter epoxy?

 

[Rôckhewer]

not a lot of real estate" to work with

So..?...

Consider widening the slots

Yes, slightly... there's bound to be some tearout from fret removal anyway.
Besides ...
You can't argue with Willy Wonka... you will never obtain a golden ticket that way. Not to mention an everlasting gobstopper.

Make them lines sparkle. I think it's a fabulous idea. I wanna see it.