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Just wanted to say. After doing all this work, I didn't expect the fret job to be the most frustrating step in the kit guitar build process. I am using a brass fret hammer from stewmac and a firm backing surface. I just can't get the frets to set all the way without them bouncing back out again at the ends. The slots are a little worn out now from pulling frets in and out. So may have ruined this fingerboard. Maybe I was using the wrong size fret wire.

Did you see the video I have on fretting?
I do use tite bond in the fret slots I also use a small triangular file to break the corner. The frets sometimes will hit that and it keeps it from setting. Also I don't use straight frets they are bent .
here is that vid I hope it helps you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52rsYtL5rxI

I pressed the frets in with Channellock pliers (obviously need a block in between to keep from marring the frets), before I contoured the back of the neck so I had a flat surface for the other jaw of the pliers. That worked pretty well, although I had a problem with a couple of fret ends. I eventually got them to stay down by applying some of StewMac's #10 water-thin CA glue and holding the fret down until the glue set.

In retrospect, I should have pre-bent the frets to a slightly tighter radius than the fingerboard before installing.

Yes the radius if the frets are important. It really doesn't matter much if you hammer or press. I am a hammer guy but getting the frets to seat is a matter of matching the fretboard radius and the fret bend radius. I get my fret wire pre radiused so that saves me time .
Also if you do hammer if your doing it off the neck you can't let the board bounce. I do the frets on the neck now. I do that for 2 main reasons , 1 I can prep the board to the guitar. 2 I don't have to worry about the bounce.

Fretting is all about the prep. Get the fretboard well prepped and proper fret tang , all will work better.

let us know how you make out. Find the technique that works best for you and go with it. There are more than one way to do things.

"...the most frustrating step...."

You haven't gotten to finishing yet, have you? That was certainly the most frustrating for me.

Try this if you haven't bound the fretboard - that is, you can see the ends of the frets in their slots.

Take a length of wood about 16" long and 3/4 x 3/4" and clamp it in your vice along the very edge of the fretboard. The idea is to push all the fret ends down into place, and to have the ends facing up. Add a clamp or two if needed.

With everything where you want it, drop a small amount of thin CA through a pipette onto each fret end. If you don't have accelerator, wait a few minutes, then flip it over and do the other side.

If you made the fretboard and have a radius sanding bar, use that as the "caul".

A little harder with a bound fretboard, but same idea being very careful with the CA.

Ed

Okay. Got it. I did not bend the wire to the board radius. I guess it's pretty important to do such with stainless steel. Where could I obtain already bent stainless fret wire? I believe I have a 7 foot radius on the board.

Thanks for the help.

I get my fret wire in spools, from LMI so it is a little over radiused. It helps because I can tap in the sides and then work toward the middle.
7' is almost no radius at all for a fret board.

A more typical fretboard radius might be on the order of 16 inches.

Yeah, sorry. I believe I measured wrong for the radius of the fingerboard.