Suggestions for ukulele fret leveling tools?

dkame

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I would like to learn how to set up a ukulele properly, level the frets, and lower the action. I have looked at some online videos and looked at the tools at different sites and there are all kinds of different approaches to doing this. I'm willing to invest some money in tools towards the goal of doing more set ups and maybe trying my hand and building in the future. I'd appreciate any thoughts and recommendations on tools (considering my level of experience - generally pretty handy with tools but have never done a set up).

Fret leveling: Leveling files? Beam w/ sandpaper?
Fret crowning: Crowning files like the ones sold through japarts? Sandpaper on a grooved block?
Nut adjustment: Nut files? How closely do they need to match the string diameter?
Fret polishing: Sandpaper? Steel wool? Flexible abrasive cloths?
Any other thoughts or suggestions?

I reviewed this thread and found it pretty helpful regarding crowning files.

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?72166-Fret-Recrowning-Files

Thanks!
 
A black felt tip marker for giving you witness marks on the top of the frets helps you see what you are doing.

A 6" long diamond stone is good, or a small piece of reasonably hard wood, aluminium or glass with fine sand paper will do the trick for levelling.

Japarts fret profiling files are about the best I've used. Don't need the diamond one. Just get the 1R regular steel one.

You only need one nut file in reality. You can widen a slot by just rolling that file in the slot. Will save you heaps on tools, and will learn a bit of hand skills.

Very fine wet and dry paper will do for bringing up the shine on those frets. I also like to use a nail buff. The type that the missus gets to keep her finger nails all purdy. I buy them out of China on Ebay for just pennies each. But any shopping mall will have the same thing. They work a treat on frets and bone saddles.

A fret rocker or similar is a very handy tool to have in the kit. As is a string action gauge, or a good ruler. Oh, and if your eyes are getting old like mine, your reading glasses.
 
I'm amazed at all the kit they use these days just to dress a few frets. Seems you have to take out a serious Bank loan to fund it all.
Anyway, here's my 'old fashioned' approach:
Nut files. I've never had or used the gauged type. I bought a fine round needle file (good make) and ground two opposite edges flat. It's effectively a home made Pippin file except that it's MUCH better than the piece of rubbish that LMI sells. Of course you don't need to grind the sides. You can just use the round needle file as is.
Fret leveling. 5" or 6" piece of hardwood with Wet/Dry glued to it. Get the wood flat. I use no less than 400G, although I guess it depends on how bad the frets are.
Fret crowning files. This is a difficult one. If they are Guitar sized frets I'd just recommend a small flat fine cut file. It's what I use and it certainly works way better that that awful 3 in 1 Gurian effort (why is it still being made?). The problem with Ukulele and other thin frets are that it's not easy to reprofile the fret using a flat or 3 square file. It takes practice. Bigger/fatter frets are much easier.
You need some sort of straight edge, something that you know is very straight. With it you can make wooden notched straight edges or just plain wooden straight edges that aren't going to mar the frets. You can also make your own fret rocker - I did, out of an old thin saw blade. Took about 20 minutes.
Set of feeler gauges. One that goes down to 0.05 mm's. Very handy.
Abrasive pads are pretty good. Forget the name, it's the ones that look like they are woven. Come in different colours dependent on the grit.
0000 Wirewool is OK but don't forget a big magnet.
 
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