Fret Slots

[sexybeast]

I'm getting ready to cut my first fret slots by hand and I have a question. How do you guys get the slots really accurate? When I try and mark them, it's hard to tell if I'm right at the exact 64th of an inch I want. Should I use a magnifying glass and a razor to mark them? And after that, won't the saw kerf travel just a little?

A little advice would make my day.

[low end fuzz]

my thinking on it is that, the fret is fatter than a 64th so spot on shouldnt be do or die; the closer definatly the better; i have a jig now , but even the then i know my saw prolly moves the slightest bit from perfect every now and then and i have no problems;

the way i use to do it was get a old fretboard i knew was good, rip out the frets,flush cut the new piece to exact; hold it upside down against your new board and tick where the lines were; then grab your bevel edge

match the old ones to the new ones; check and change the degree every 3-4 frets for symnetry, and cut;

now thats even more of a chance of being off and it STILL worked perfect;

hope that helps a lil

[JohnRossitter]

Go up to your local arts and crafts store and get an Exact-o razor saw.

Costs about 20 bucks, but is a great tool...thats what I use at present and it gets a great kerf for StewMac fretwire

[prs man]

get a stew Mac fret saw.

http://stewmac.com/

they have everything you will need

if your like me and like making fret boards out of different woods like blood wood or purple heart this might be cool for you.

[fryovanni]

Print accurate templates and tack glue them in place (use good quality paper). It is going to be more accurate than you trying to mark with a ruler, not to mention much faster.

Good luck man!

Peace,Rich

[jaycee]

I marked my frets out with a fine pencil line, checked it ,checked it once more , and another just in case, then put a tri square along the fret line and scored it with a Stanley knife (with a new blade in) when that is done you have a slot for your saw blade to sit into and saw away.

They came out very well. I was very pleased with it, my first build as well.

One other thing after I did all that checking I left the pencil marked board overnight and re checked it the next day, that way I thought if I was fatigued the previous day it should show up on the re check.

It's not as scarry as it seems