The Hossenfeffer Bass Build

[Rôckhewer]

Didn't you say you had to do some fb leveling?
Depending upon how much you had to do...and how deep you cut your fret slots in the first place . ...
It might be a good idea to double check the slot depth in the areas where you had to remove material .
Just to make sure you are still deep enough for the tang.
Could avert a major headache

Edit:. Nevermind....I just re-read your last post.
(I CAN read....honest I can! ...)
You're already on top of it .

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Rock
I double checked it right after taking the photo, looks like I have at least two fret slots that are too shallow. Have to see what I can come up with to deepen them with binding in place. Stewmac makes these two gadgets for that purpose:
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I may be able to make something like this from an old razor saw, suggestions appreciated.

 

[Hopkins]

Rock
I double checked it right after taking the photo, looks like I have at least two fret slots that are two shallow. Have to see what I can come up with to deepen them with binding in place. Stewmac makes these two gadgets for that purpose:
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I may be able to make something like this from an old razor saw, suggestions appreciated.

I have used a dremel carving/engraving bit to clean the glue out of a binding slot. I see no reason why it wouldn't make quick work out of deepening a slot as well

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Do they make a bit that will fit into a .023 slot? That would call for a steady hand or a fenced setup of some kind. I'll try it on a scrap of slotted FB and send how it goes.

 

[Hopkins]

Do they make a bit that will fit into a .023 slot? That would call for a steady hand or a fenced setup of some kind. I'll try it on a scrap of slotted FB and send how it goes.

Actually, its a small burr on the end of a small shaft. The shaft makes it pretty simple to do by hand. Its a .031" cutter diameter, but smaller ones may be available.

 

[gsnad2000]

They do make smaller ones. I bought a .023 awhile back.
You absolutely want some kind of fence set up! Needn't be anything fancy, just a block you can clamp down in the right spots. Even the end of a short radius sanding block should do the trick.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

They do make smaller ones. I bought a .023 awhile back.
You absolutely want some kind of fence set up! Needn't be anything fancy, just a block you can clamp down in the right spots. Even the end of a short radius sanding block should do the trick.

The radius sanding block as fence idea is brilliant! I have an 18" long wood one I bought for the build, that would work handily. Now I just have to find a teeny dremel bit, a quick search online yielded bupkis. This is the closest I've found:
Micro Cutters

 

[charlie monroe]

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[gsnad2000]

Just found mine. It's from Kodiak Cutting Tools. Made in the USA. If memory serves I got it on amazon.





Kodiak Cutting Tools KCT146287 USA Made Premium Carbide Solid Carbide Micro End Mill, 0.023" Diameter, 4 Flute, 1/8" Shank, 0.069" Length of Cut, 1-1/2" Overall Length Kodiak Cutting Tools KCT146287 USA Made Premium Carbide Solid Carbide Micro End Mill, 0.023" Diameter, 4 Flute, 1/8" Shank, 0.069" Length of Cut, 1-1/2" Overall Length: Straight Router Bits: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

 

[Rôckhewer]

Alex...
Do you really want to risk bringing a dremel bit any where near that gorgeous fingerboard ?

I totally understand and agree that a burr / engraving bit etc... will make short work of deepening those slots.
I understand the dynamics , I've used dremels extensively all my life.
And I am typically fairly adventurous and don't have a problem taking risks in the name of faster production.
Just as long as all goes according to plan .
But....
Just one distraction , one slip, and in a fraction of a second....you'll be trying to patch what you would be calling a "worm hole" ...(except it isn't a worm hole) ....and you'd be kicking yourself, and get that lovely sickening pain of regret in the pit of the gut. ..."oh why didn't I just spend an extra 10 bucks and get a purpose built tool that is waaaay more safe.
Not to mention the risk of making the slot too wide with a rotary tool that is spinning & trying to pull itself sideways.

That said... consider this : $10 cheaper than Stewmac, $10 more than a Dremel bit .
Fret Slot Cleaning Saws - Ryoba, Size: 0.40 mm | eBay

 

[Rôckhewer]

Or......
If you don't want to make that investment...
Try this,
Get a utility knife or xacto & snap the tip off the blade. Use that squared off blade tip like a scraper at the bottom of the slot.
It's not like you have a crapload of material to remove...right?

 

[Gilmourisgod]

One of my big obstacles on this build has been lack of funds overall, with two sons in college, even small expenditures add up quick, but cheaping out has usually been a mistake with luthiers tools. I see the inherent risk in a dremel, haven't ordered a bit yet, per usual I'm agonizing every nickel. I have an old flush cut saw I chipped a few blades on I may be able to adapt for the job, it looks like only one or two slots, frets 19-20 that are too shallow. I'm not sure how much clearance is needed below each fret in the slots. I made a slot depth gauge by scribing the fret tang depth on an old credit card, figuring that if the scribed line is entirely inside the slot depth, I'm ok. The scribed line just peeks above the slot at the outer edges of frets 19-20.

 

[ctmullins]

Are they too shallow all the way across, or just at the ends? If just the ends, couldn't you file down the fret tang for those two frets instead?

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Too shallow at the ends. I assumed filing them down would be a bad idea, less grip?
Is there some kind of rule of thumb for how much deeper slot should be than fret tang?

 

[Jonny5bass]

Too shallow at the ends. I assumed filing them down would be a bad idea, less grip?
Is there some kind of rule of thumb for how much deeper slot should be than fret tang?

Were you planning on gluing them in? I would think that should be sufficient if you went that route.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

This will be my first fret job ever, I was planning on just a friction fit. I have a fret caul I can fit in my drill press, figure that plus a little tapping should do it unless I find a loose one.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Reasons to Love/Hate Stewmac:
Thanks to @Rôckhewer , I got this fret slot saw for $20 at Antique Electronics, vs. the IDENTICAL tool from Stewmac selling for $31.95, plus whatever ridiculous "postage and Handling" charge they tack onto every order. I don't mind a little price gouging , but $11.95 more from Stewmac? Really?

At any rate the tool worked like a charm deepening a few fret slots. This one is two-sided push/pull cut, I didn't find the push cut useable for this, but the pull cut worked great.

I did the first fret entirely with a radius caul chucked in my drillpress, and it didn't seem to set the middle of the fret entirely flush, maybe because it has no swiveling self-leveling joint.

By adding a couple layers of tape to the caul center, i was able to get it to set evenly:

I used my cheap Harbor Freight Jewelers hammer to tap everything tight and flush, worked great with the plastic hammer face, though I did slip once and ding the FB a little, hopefully can steam that little ding out.

Gotta make myself a bevel fret-end file next, then get to leveling. Thanks for looking.

 

[Deleted member 264575]

Wow. That fingerboard looks like it was made to be played. Gorgeous wood. Are you going to clear coat it? Is this one getting paint? (sorry, I forgot...) If so, what color is it to be?
I'm really impressed so far!!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Thanks Neal! Given the number of dings and chipout incurred during the build, an opaque finish is mandatory, but I always planned on Jetglo with clearcoat. I don't think I'll clearcoat the fingerboard, never really liked that plastic feel, and it makes it impossible to fully crown the frets, which is why Ric frets are just filed flat. I think I'll use Tru-Oil or Stewmac fingerboard oil on the fretboard.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I expected to see some minor backbow due to fret pressure on the neck after fretting, but it's still dead straight, I'll take that as a good omen.

Made my own fret beveling file from scrap, one side 90 degrees, the other 35 degrees with set screws to hold a 6" fine cut bastard file. Total cost: $7.99 plus tax. Worked perfectly.

Filed frets to 90, flush with binding, then 35 until it just kissed the top edge of binding, looks and feels good to me but for fret end dressing:

FINALLY time to glue wings on, next weekend I guess.... Got some Christmas vacation coming up, hope to make some real progress then. Thanks for watching, I know, it's painful....