Official Luthiers Forum!

Some good suggestions guys. I build classicals, and the first time I tried hammering in frets above the 12th fret, I knocked loose about a dozen tentellones. I was using hide glue, which may have accounted for some of the problem.

Now I have a steel billet the right size to fit in the palm of my hand while inside the guitar, and a nylon-headed mallet. Not the same as a dead-blow, but it doesn't put a massive amount of force against the fingerboard, either.

Also, and probably more importantly, I no longer use my LMI fret saw. It cuts about a 0.023" kerf, which is too narrow for LMI fretwire, with its 0.019" wide tang. Now I use a Crown brand backsaw, which cuts about a 0.027" kerf. This is ideal, and the correct slot size, according to an article I read somewhere -- maybe even at LMI's site? -- which states that a slot about 0.008" greater than the tang width is ideal. BTW, the Crown backsaw and LMI fretsaw (and the Stew Mac one as far as that goes) look identical. Think maybe Crown is making theirs? :)

I like the idea of using a deadblow hammer, but I have found so far that the nylon faced hammer allows me to rap hard enough without knocking anything loose.

I also like using the leather bench rest support for supporting the neck while hammering in frets, as was previously mentioned. You can get the adjustable tripod front rest for $40 or more, but it isn't really necessary. I use a rear rest, made from suede and filled with sand. You don't need shot. If I need the "bag" to be a bit taller, I set pieces of wood under it. I've never needed it to be shorter. Typically I use 1 x 3 offcuts of mahogany left over from making necks as the shims.

You can find a large variety of rests at Midway: midwayusa.com. You can probably also order shot from them, and maybe even the hammer I use, which has a nylon face on one end and a brass face on the other. If not, you can get it from Brownell's -- brownells.com. Brownell's is a gunsmithing supply house, and it is their hammer that I use. Incidentally, there is a fair amount of crossover between the tools that luthiers and gunsmiths use, so Brownell's website is worth a look.

Best,

Michael
Michael McBroom38544.8000115741

_________________
Live to Play, Play to Live

StewMac just came out with "Jaws 2" which is a arbor press type system that
has a block that fits in the soundhole around the upper transversal. It may
work wll for those that press in there frets.
Andy

_________________
Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

Another "alternative" that I did not see mentioned here is to superglue in all frets over the body. This requires that the slots be widened with a small burr in a Dremel type tool, then each fret is held in place with a caul as the superglue hardens. Do one fret at a time and you can spritz them with accelerator...making sure that the accelerator is LAQUER SAFE...to speed up the process. Then dress and finish as usual. Removal requires a soldering iron to heat up the fret and vaporize the superglue. Then pry out with a nipper that has been ground flat so that the jawes get under the crown edges.HankMauel38545.4822337963