Hammering frets

[deadedith]

Right - like I said above, I just use my drill press - a light duty benchtop - and it works great.
DaveB

[naccoachbob]

Thanks, Dave. Might be worth the purchase price. I do ok with tapping them in with a hammer, but it might cut down on the shaping of the frets after.
How easy though is it to get one caught semi-sideways? Or to maybe roll it when pressing?
In other words, is it idiot proof? LOL.

[deadedith]

Really, it just takes attention like anything else - I have not rolled or damaged a thing since I started pressing. I do give the ends of the curved fret a little push into the slot just to make sure I'm lined up, and then just press.
And for me the cleanup is a breeze - no dings and such that my hammering 'technique' always produced.
Just another way to skin a cat...
DaveB

[Dan Bombliss]

I'm sure the drill press method is just the same if not close enough to the arbor press. As far as idiot proof goes, it's easier to get a clean job out of than the hammer in my opinion. When I first started using the hammer it was too easier to 1.) hit the finger board 2.) hit the fret overhand too far causing it to kink up on the end 3.) not get the correct bend in the wire to set easily. All of which are easy enough to learn to avoid after a few fret jobs, but with the press I had none of those problems. Just lower the press down and set it on the fret carefully before applying pressure to make sure it's lined up and the fret isn't angled, and then go for it and put it in.

The biggest difference as I'm sure you probably know, is the required bend for hammering is a little over radiused, and the bend for the press is suppose to be about the same radius if not a touch over than the finger board.

-Dan

[Ken Hundley]

It all boils down to what you are comfortable with. People have been hammering for many many years, and those with practice or a fine touch can do it with no damage to frets, and may prefer the method. If something works for you, then of course, it will be your "go-to" method. Personally, I fret like crap, and the fret caul helps me get consistency where previous methods have failed. I am impatient, lack the time these days to fulfill the committments I have made, and tend to rush things, hence many of the problems I have had to redo....patience is hard to come by and a tough lesson for me, but I am getting better. The fret press for me eliminates one of the weaknesses in my skill set. I can press good even frets that require very little dressing, which is why I like it. Now I need to learn to do a better job on the fret ends.

[Bruce Dow]

Do these drill press cauls work well with stopped fret slots?

I tried to hammer my frets last night, and made a pretty good mess of it. (don't ask)


Bottom line is that I'll probably end up making a new fretboard.

[Dan Bombliss]

What do you mean by stopped fret slots?

[naccoachbob]

Dan, I think he's talking about a bound fretboard.
Bruce, did you taper the binding to match the fretboard?
I bought one of LMI or Stewmac's tapered 8" sanding blocks and sanded the binding down along with the f/b. Used one of those cheap, modified fret nippers from Harbor Freight.

[Bruce Dow]

yes. I don't know all of the right words.

The fretboard is bound, so the slots do not go out through the edges.

I sanded the binding to match the radius of the fretboard.

I didn't have the nippers, but used my grinder to remove the tang under the edges.

Let's just say I had a little "lateral control problem"....

[naccoachbob]

"Lateral control problem" - if I haven't had one of those yet, I'm sure I will.
I've had most every other "problem" available! :)