I have built 5 guitars, all with a radiused fretboard. The fret wire has come curved/bent and I have had no problems installing it in 1/4" or so thick fretboards.
I am building my first uke, an Osage Orange copy of a Ditson Style 3 from 1916. The StewMac tiny fret wire came flat, and I assumed that was correct for a flat fretboard - this one is about 5/32".
The fret wire did not want to behave, but stayed relatively flat for the first 12or so frets. However, the upper 5-6 frets did not want to behave and the sound hole end of the fretboard ended up curved side to side, with the edges higher. Of course they are glued in with thin CA.
I have heated these frets until I get good smoke out the ends of the slots then clamped the area flat with hardwood cauls, but I can't get them flat so they will hold:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/26776822810/in/album-72157668383466386/
What am I doing wrong?
I am thinking I will pull these troublesome frets and start over, but what would I do differently?
Many thanks
Ed
I am building my first uke, an Osage Orange copy of a Ditson Style 3 from 1916. The StewMac tiny fret wire came flat, and I assumed that was correct for a flat fretboard - this one is about 5/32".
The fret wire did not want to behave, but stayed relatively flat for the first 12or so frets. However, the upper 5-6 frets did not want to behave and the sound hole end of the fretboard ended up curved side to side, with the edges higher. Of course they are glued in with thin CA.
I have heated these frets until I get good smoke out the ends of the slots then clamped the area flat with hardwood cauls, but I can't get them flat so they will hold:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/26776822810/in/album-72157668383466386/
What am I doing wrong?
I am thinking I will pull these troublesome frets and start over, but what would I do differently?
Many thanks
Ed
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