Thursday, November 11, 2004
Fret Bender
I apologize for not updating, the problem is that I'm very lazy.
Here's a little break from the class photos to show the fret bending tool I just made from about $10 worth of stuff from the hardware store and a piece of scrap. This tool allows you to pre-radius the fret wire so that it will fit well with the curved surface of a fingerboard. In class, we used a tool like it to not only radius the fret wire, but to temper it as well. This is done by running an 18" or so piece of fret wire through the rollers, and then pulling it back through and pulling it down against the direction of the curve, as if you were trying to make the wire straight again. Repeating this about ten times will harden the fret wire and gives a longer wear life to the frets.
I got my Omega heating blanket today, and with a few more adjustments to my Fox side bender it'll be ready to bend some sides. I'll post pics of that when I have it ready to go.
I also just worked out a deal where I'm going to trade some computer tech support for some shop space out in the country where I can keep and use some power tools. This afternoon I'm going to help a friend load up his big old bandsaw on a trailer and we're going to take it over to the shop and I'll start getting it tuned up. The plan is also to keep a spindle sander, and a combo disc/belt sander over there. This will be nice because I won't have to generate tons of sawdust in my house, and I won't be sneezing rosewood dust.
Here's a little break from the class photos to show the fret bending tool I just made from about $10 worth of stuff from the hardware store and a piece of scrap. This tool allows you to pre-radius the fret wire so that it will fit well with the curved surface of a fingerboard. In class, we used a tool like it to not only radius the fret wire, but to temper it as well. This is done by running an 18" or so piece of fret wire through the rollers, and then pulling it back through and pulling it down against the direction of the curve, as if you were trying to make the wire straight again. Repeating this about ten times will harden the fret wire and gives a longer wear life to the frets.
I got my Omega heating blanket today, and with a few more adjustments to my Fox side bender it'll be ready to bend some sides. I'll post pics of that when I have it ready to go.
I also just worked out a deal where I'm going to trade some computer tech support for some shop space out in the country where I can keep and use some power tools. This afternoon I'm going to help a friend load up his big old bandsaw on a trailer and we're going to take it over to the shop and I'll start getting it tuned up. The plan is also to keep a spindle sander, and a combo disc/belt sander over there. This will be nice because I won't have to generate tons of sawdust in my house, and I won't be sneezing rosewood dust.
