Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum
Other Stuff => Guitars => Topic started by: Platefire on January 07, 2011, 10:00:05 am
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This is a question for those with experiance with frets. My Tacoma acoustic plays very good but sometimes when I accent a note on the little e string the string hangs on a fret edge around the 8 of 10th fret. Looking at the fret end, it is raised a little out of the fingerboard providing the an opening for the string to hand in. I'm pretty good at setting up all guitars for my own use but frets are my weak point so I haven't attempted any correction so far but been playing a lot of acoustic lately and this thing is getting on my nerves.
Is there something I can do to properly correct this without taking it to the repairman. My past experiance when I tried to do my own fret repairs, I usually make it worst! Thanks! Platefire
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Possibly.
What you want to do is clamp down the fret end (you can try holding it down with something - an end nippers works pretty well - but it is usually better to use an actual clamp if you can. We use some little plywood cauls that have raised edges so they only clamp down the ends of the frets), and then run a small bead of thin cyanoacrylate glue (super glue), followed by a quick shot of accelerator. Leave it clamped for a minute or two (I usually leave it for 5 or so, but it doesn't really need that much). IF the only problem is that they fret end has popped up, then that should take care of it. Assuming, of course, that you don't clamp it too hard and create a low fret. That can work, much of the time, but I would say you are probably 50% likely to need at least a light fret dress before everything is said and done.
Good luck with it.
Gabriel
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Gabriel
Thanks for the reply. Let me go over this with you, the clamp I'm having a hard time visualizing but I'm thinking of the a "C" type clamp with one end grabbing the back of the neck and one end pushing down the fret???? I am also not sure what you mean by accelerator? hair dryer Heat????
So the proceedure would be to dab some super glue under the fret maybe with a toothpick, clamp it down to where is appears close to the adjacent frets or use a straight edge accross the frets to match & level and then use your accelerator to speed up the drying. Take clamp off and test after about 10 minets. Platefire
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http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&biw=1024&bih=679&q=loctite+accelerator+7452&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=15284687921812823749&ei=ftArTfMS5-ydB4nHocQM&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCYQ8wIwAg#
I use the loctite brand with both scotch and loctite glues.
I prefer to "clean and prime" both parts with the accelerator and an old tooth brush. spritz it on, tooth brush it, spritz again to flush contaminants, let dry.
it contains acetone so beware of where it goes (protect your finishes).
Only where or when you will not see the glue or glue joint do I use accelerator as an accelerator, it turns the glue frosty white instead of clear when it dries. it does however make glue cure instantaneously when spritzed on the glue before it is cured.
When working with those types of glue I also have a bottle of UNDO around.
http://www.cyberbond1.com/products_list.aspx?Category=UNDO+Remover&Subcategory=UNDO
It is mostly nitro methane and will let your fingers free from whatever you have glued them to.
Ray
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As for clamping...the couple of times I've had to glue a fret in this manner, I used one of these in my drill press (link below). I was able to lay the guitar flat and support it on a cork-lined concave block (held in the drill press table vice) and gently clamp the guitar to the bench. Then pulling down on the drill press with the fret setter let me hold it down quickly post-glue rather than fumbling with a clamp. I found I couldn't get the clamp to apply force in the right place. Them guitar necks are too curvy! This method left me with a free hand to spritz the catalyst.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_tools_for_Fretting/Fret_Setter.html
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How about a capo for a clamp? :laugh: you might have to fold some cardboard or a small piece of hardwood to get the pressure where you need it ....
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Accelerator (http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Glues,_adhesives/Stewart-MacDonald_Super_Glues/Accelerator.html).
This isn't the brand I use, but they are all basically the same. If there is a good woodworker's store near you (Rockler, Woodcraft, etc.), they will probably have the Hot Stuff brand, including the accelerator. It's essential if you are going to be using cyanoacrylate on oily woods. You DON'T want to spray it when doing fingerboards, for a variety of reasons, but a drop on each fret end usually works, or you can use a q-tip to wipe it on. We use pipettes (http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?CategoryName=Adhesives&NameProdHeader=Micro-Pipettes+for+Super+Glue) to apply cyanoacrylate, and it by far the most precise method.
As for clamping fret ends, we use a set of cauls one of our repair folks (Michelle) came up with. A few photos should help you understand the method. The caul spans several frets at a time, and you can do all the frets which are covered by the caul. I would have posted pics last night, but I couldn't find any, so here are some brand new ones. Click pics for bigger.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5347438010_54d10cba31.jpg) (http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5347438010_b4ed2920ba_o.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5347441022_f5f9780cc5.jpg) (http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5347441022_d53e38f210_o.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5166/5346834451_af28b98ea9.jpg) (http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5166/5346834451_35eb0f80f5_o.jpg)
Hope that explains it.
Gabriel
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Yeah that's even better. I've stored that for future use.
Accelerator (http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Glues,_adhesives/Stewart-MacDonald_Super_Glues/Accelerator.html).
As for clamping fret ends, we use a set of cauls one of our repair folks (Michelle) came up with.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5347438010_54d10cba31.jpg) (http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5347438010_b4ed2920ba_o.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5347441022_f5f9780cc5.jpg) (http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5347441022_d53e38f210_o.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5166/5346834451_af28b98ea9.jpg) (http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5166/5346834451_35eb0f80f5_o.jpg)
Hope that explains it.
Gabriel
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Gosh! I'm getten Chicken! I thinking I don't want to experment with My nice Tacoma ER22C to find I missed the boat. Somehow I was thinking you could squeez or tap the fret back in place and it would stay down but I see it's a lot more complex than I expected.
I can see how the peice of plywood with the strips on each end would bridge over the fret radius and
catch the end of the frets where the pressure needs to be and I see how the clamp works. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. I guess I could make one of those? I may already have a clamp that will work. Would Hobby Lobby have the glue/accelerator.
Also I took a closer look at the culpret raised fret and the amount/space is so micro you would almost need a magnifying glass to see it properly.
Thanks for the discussion and pictures. I'll have to meditate on that one. Thanks, Plate