How To File Fret Ends Without Damaging

[shimmy]

Hi,

Ive done about 10 refrets now, but they have all been on strats that I have finished the back of the neck at the same time. I cant help but wonder, How do you file the fret end (tang) absolutely flush with the side of the fretboard without damaging the finish on the side of the fretboard?

please enlighten as Im sure its well known...I jst dont know

Cheers

Shimmy

[Mattia]

There's a page on the main site on how to make your fret beveller; I undercut the tang (even on unbound fingerboards) with a tang nipper, nip flush, and then bevel the edges of the frets, stopping just as the file reaches the edge of the fingerboard (just the corner, not the side). If it's a finished 'board, I'd guess you have to stop earlier (I don't like maple boards, and have never refretted one, so...)

[erikbojerik]

All the necks I've done, I leave the edges of the neck very slightly wider than finished dimension, but only very slightly....like 1/64 or something like that. Then fret, then sand down to finished dimension and sand in a bevel at the same time.

[soapbarstrat]

On this one, I "rolled the edges" of the fret-board even before installing the frets.

http://files.photojerk.com/soapbarstrat/fretwork_7_05_16.jpg

But in the end there was a glossy finish, because I sold my soul to the fret devil long ago

http://files.photojerk.com/soapbarstrat/sunn_frets_done.jpg

I really prefer the "silver mushroom" look of un-notched fret-ends on the fret-board edges, but if the guitar was made with notched fret-tangs and filled fret-slot ends, I'll usually leave it like that

http://files.photojerk.com/soapbarstrat/da...ass6_done_1.jpg

[Setch]

So how do you do it when refretting a Fender-style, lacquered maple board? It must be a real wild-ride trying to get the fretends flush, and bevelled without sanding through the lacquer....

[Nitefly SA]

they laquer it after the frets are in

[Mattia]

they laquer it after the frets are in

Well, yes, but the question was regaridng REfretting. You don't refinish a maple neck just 'cause it needs new frets. Or you shouldn't have to.