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Fret polishing
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Author:  Bill Braske [ Tue Nov 22, 2016 9:10 am ]
Post subject:  Fret polishing
How do you guys polish frets? I can get them "pretty good", but I see guitars with mirror polished frets and try as I might, I just can't get them quite that smooth & shiny. What I've been doing lately (with my best results) is using Stew Mac fret erasers. After I get them crowned and the ends dressed I use 800 (blue), 2000 (green), and 8000 (yellow) grit erasers. Then I go over them with a fret polishing micro abrasive paper (I don't remember the grit or where I got it). They look and play pretty good, but I'm looking for that really shiny smooth finish.

Any help?

Thanks
Author:  Chris Pile [ Tue Nov 22, 2016 9:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret polishing
My method... sand the length of the fret using wet-or-dry 320, then wet-or-dry 600. Finally, buff with white Meguiar paste. Looks like chrome! No evil steelwool. (if you must, use Scotchbrite)
Author:  Hesh [ Tue Nov 22, 2016 11:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret polishing
We have a machine that puts a high polish on the frets in only a couple of minutes.

We call it the Collin's Fret Buffer since David Collins invented it. It was also invented out of a study that Dave was doing of vintage methods and tooling at the old G*bson Plant on Parsons Street. Those guitars look like they were subjected to a wire wheel which was the inspiration for the Collins Fret Buffer.

Mind you we are a commercial repair facility and do fret work every day so it may be over kill for you, I understand that.

The buffer uses progressive grits of 3M abrasive impregnated wheels. We can get a mirror shine very quickly. IME we also can do hundreds of guitars and have before these wheels need replacement.
Author:  fumblefinger [ Tue Nov 22, 2016 11:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret polishing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v6IvrU8gqw
Start at 12:31 for Freddy's polishing methods. It's a bit time consuming, but it works wonders.
Author:  Bill Braske [ Tue Nov 29, 2016 8:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret polishing
Thanks for the replies, guys. I'll give some of these things a try.

Am I the only one who wants to lay that thing of Hesh's down in the street and see how fast it will go? Maybe it's just the 13 year-old inside me that rears his head at the most inopportune moments.
Author:  SteveSmith [ Tue Nov 29, 2016 10:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret polishing
Bill Braske wrote:
Thanks for the replies, guys. I'll give some of these things a try.

Am I the only one who wants to lay that thing of Hesh's down in the street and see how fast it will go? Maybe it's just the 13 year-old inside me that rears his head at the most inopportune moments.


Ha - I've had the opportunity to test drive that one and I will admit, it is a bit intimidating at first :shock:
Author:  Alex Kleon [ Tue Nov 29, 2016 6:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret polishing
SteveSmith wrote:
Bill Braske wrote:
Thanks for the replies, guys. I'll give some of these things a try.

Am I the only one who wants to lay that thing of Hesh's down in the street and see how fast it will go? Maybe it's just the 13 year-old inside me that rears his head at the most inopportune moments.


Ha - I've had the opportunity to test drive that one and I will admit, it is a bit intimidating at first :shock:


I opted to polish by hand instead of potentially eating my guitar! :oops:

Alex
Author:  SG Lou [ Wed Nov 30, 2016 2:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret polishing
I use a Dremel with a felt wheel chucked into it. I load the wheel with Menzerna Polishing compound and run the felt pad over the fret once or twice....comes out looking like a newly chromed bumper !
Just make sure you use masking tape to tape off both sides of the fret your polishing.
Author:  Clinchriver [ Wed Nov 30, 2016 6:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret polishing
Alex Kleon wrote:
SteveSmith wrote:
Bill Braske wrote:
Thanks for the replies, guys. I'll give some of these things a try.

Am I the only one who wants to lay that thing of Hesh's down in the street and see how fast it will go? Maybe it's just the 13 year-old inside me that rears his head at the most inopportune moments.


Ha - I've had the opportunity to test drive that one and I will admit, it is a bit intimidating at first :shock:


I opted to polish by hand instead of potentially eating my guitar! :oops:

Alex


I was first in line and was very impressed with the Collins's fret buffer, not sure if I can
justify a 4 wheel unit but having the wheels to mount on my buffer would be nice.
Author:  DanKirkland [ Wed Nov 30, 2016 3:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret polishing
The Music Nomad Frine stuff gets some decent results provided you have the frets sanded and polish enough. Just gives a little extra sheen that's nice
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