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I like stiff necks and use fish glue with my fretting. I like using this glue as it dries so hard compared to other glues. My process is simple , hold the bottle over the fret slot and watch the glue be forced into the slot. The glue will also act as a lube to let the barbs slip into the wood end fibers.
This helps to fill voids on the fret tang and keeps things snug. I would like to hear from other builders like Running Dog and Howard to hear your fretting techniques. Beginners can get to learn new techniques.
thanks

John, are using fish glue now instead of titebond? I like the process use showed of diluting titebond and water and spreading it over 2-3 frets at a time. I learned a very similar method elsewhere and that is what I use. On re-frets I leave the fret long and double up a #63 rubber band and hook it over both ends and under the neck to keep the ends down until dried, works good for me.

I switched to fish glue. My friend David Laplante and a mentor of mine taught me the value of fish glue. This is just what I do and tite bond served me well . I do find that the more I use Hot Hide Glue and Fish glue the less I reach for tite bond.

Doesn't the glue squeeze out onto the fretboard? Isn't it hard to clean up as it's difficult to sand with the grain between the frets?

I find if you get the squeeze out right away it comes up easy. If I miss any I use a razor blade as a mini scraper to remove it from the fret board.

I have yet to use any glue when installing frets, and so far it has worked okay. None that I know of have come, or worked their way loose. Am I taking a risk with not giving that little bit of insurance......glue??

Kevin

Probably not on new work, just added insurance. On re-fret work I always use glue.

On my last four guitars I used a caul to put pressure on the installed fret,then with a pipette put CA glue at the fret-fingerboard interface.Did this to each fret one at a time. Then used a bit of acetone and safety razor blade to clean up any showing CA glue. Takes a bit of extra work but this is the closest I've come to not having to do any fret dressing.A very light dusting to level tops and minimal rounding. This will be my procedure in the future. By the way I use a bound fingerboard so there is no spill over at the endof fret.
Tom