And more fine shaping after that. I keep getting interrupted by his other customers coming and going, but having a lot of fun.

On to fretting finally now...

I cut off lengths of fret for the odd number frets and set them in the porcupine I made.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ca4588608b.jpg

Then use these pliers to over radius them.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...084fe0a9c6.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...149348f102.jpg
So they are curved just a bit more than the fret board.

We had some killer BBQ for lunch
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That's so cool that you can do that there.

What did you have?

It is So cool. And I'm welcome back anytime.!

The best way of inserting the frets into the slots is with a press. I have a bit that fits into my drill press and holds these little brass cauls that have radiuses. Radii? Pete has a machine that does just that.

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Oh, here's Pete:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...05d0daeaf6.jpg

My neck is pretty chunky though, so I struggled with that.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...aa45b0de70.jpg

I finished them the old fashioned way. Hammer time.

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Then trim the ends. Which is why we did every other. So you can get the clippers in there.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...418ac31365.jpg
Voila
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...197e0aeb5d.jpg

No, no voila, how are you going to finish the ends of the frets so they don't shred your hand, and not cut into the wood?

Chicken platter. It was proper.

I could live in that town.

I'm going to file them by hand, and then I'm going to spend hours leveling and polishing them.

I'll show you

I dinged my fret board it seems.

Far edge near the fret on the left.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...df00b6c64b.jpg

I know some magic though. And I have that new burn in kit.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...661f60d70d.jpg

It's a little oven that you heat knives up in. I ordered 2 knives, but one was back ordered. Really? Cuz you heat one while you work with one.




Wet the area around the dent, and let the water soak in a bit. Apply heat directly to the spot. I've seen guys use a soldering iron to do this, but you have to keep a wet cloth over the work with them. The knife is clean, and cooler so you don't have to worry about burning the wood unless you try to.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f729759e16.jpg

The knife :

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...26a5515f51.jpg
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After the heat gun, I touched it up with super fine sanding sticks.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0c3ac25849.jpg

Pretty frigging gone. You can see a slight discoloration if you know where to look, but no dent at all.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...11ea9c3f64.jpg

Steam is a powerful force.

nicely done

Wow, that's impressive.

Sweet!

Kinda/sorta similar to the way ya take a ding out of a cue stick.

Do a lot of bends right there, and you'll have the rest scraped away in no time.

Good job.

Yeah, I put a few more in this moring while inserting the rest of the frets. I had to stop with 3 to go cuz I needed a nap before work today. Plus, I'm having a hard time keeping it still. I've ordered a sand bag for this job, but that's not coming until Monday. I'll improvise something tonight to finish.

The sand bag deadens the hammer blow so the board doesn't bounce back. I think I have sand somewhere....

wow, cool.