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Hello, LMI sells the so called fret dolly. I think I might need something similar since I always have problems in pressing frets over the guitar body. But it is expensive. What do you think? it is only a block of steel after all. I might purchase it but before spending all this moeny I would like to be sure of what I do. I might just go to a machinist an order something similar. thanks

If you cut the fret slots a little wider (maybe 0.7 mm's instead of 0.6) you should find that the frets are very easy to press in. I use Fish glue or HHG. Just a G clamp and a hardwood block. Tap the fret in with a hammer, then use the clamp. Over the body it's probably best to glue and clamp two frets at a time. You will have to wait for the glue to dry before removing the clamps. Don't remove the clamp until it is fully dry otherwise the fret will probably lift in places. Try it on scrap wood first. It's always worked for me.

can someone please explain to me what a lead or buck shot/bag is? Thank you

I just cast a block of lead, stick a bolt in it (so I can attach a handle) and use that to support the guitar body when hammering. I cannot get lead shots in Taiwan because no one can even legally own a gun, so there's really no purpose to selling lead shot. Closest thing I can find is diving weight but they are blocks rather than shots. Other things like wood just doesn't have enough density to offer much support when hammering frets.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

In my case it's an old athletic sock with about a fist sized amount of steel BBs in it. With the hand you'll hold the guitar with, insert under the FB extension and rotate guitar head down to help the bag conform to your UTb or whatever you've got under the hood, hold in place and hold guitar off the bench when hammering. That absorbs the shock. But ALSo either widening the slots as previously mentioned or barbering the fret tangs will help it go in with a bit of glue to keep it there.

Here's the original fret dolly, circa 1970:



To make this tool, I made a little box of plywood, and lined with with aluminum foil. Then I melted some lead on my kitchen stove (toxic, but quick) and poured it into the mold while holding a bent steel bar in there to form the handle. Later, I added some shrink tubing to cover the 1/2" square steel handle.

In the years before I made this one, I used a simple block, hand-holding it under the portion of the fingerboard where I was tapping the frets. One fateful day, I was distracted and set the block down inside the guitar, came back later after forgetting it, and picked up the instrument, allowing the block to drop down and hit the side, cracking it slightly. NEVER wanting to do that again, I recast the lead block around a big iron handle, so I couldn't leave it inside anymore. I still hold it up against the fingerboard by lifting from the bottom.

Many years later, when I got into machining, I was doing some collaboration with LMI and designed and prototyped the fret dolly they have in the catalog. In our shop, we use them interchangeably.

It may be a matter of habit, but I prefer the heavy single block for its pinpoint accuracy of contact under the guitar top. A shot bag can do quite well, but I find it doesn't necessarily give support the way I like.

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Cheers,

Frank Ford

FRETS.COM
HomeShopTech
FRETS.NET

Wow, what an honor! Mr. Ford in person, I think I visit your website at least twice a day. It has been such a source of inspiration. I think I should send you some money for all this service
Anyway, the original question was about the high price of the "fret dolly". I am sure it is a good piece of equipment but it is a block of steel after all. I was wondering why that is the case.
I, like you prefer a single block below the fingerboard. And I like to hammer the frets in rather than clamping them. The reason is that my classical guitar fretboards have a custom radius. They are not completely flat, but not even 20" radius because that is too much for a classical fretboard. So, I would not be able to find a corresponding caul. But I must say that I own the clamping system sold by stewmac and it works ok.

Yea, I learned most my repairs by following frets.com and doing them, it has worked out for the most part and was able to earn a living (albeit limited) off of it.

I don't know why they make the fret dolly so expensive... I suspect it's the same reason why Stewmac charges so much for simple block of metal as well. Lead is cheap and easy to cast, and you can buy all the stuff you need for less than 10 dollars, including a portable stove needed to do this outside. Make a mold out of plywood and pour lead into it. It's that easy.

_________________
Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

I often use a cambered fretboard for Classicals and press/glue frets in. I just made a caul out of wood that corresponds to that camber. Not difficult to make. The problem is that the frets leave an imprint on the caul and after several uses it's no longer accurate enough. Now I place a thin 1.5 mm hardwood between the caul and the frets and let that take the damage. Two or three sheets of standard veneer might do the same job.