Inexpensive fret saw?

[Tim Benware]

Retirement = good.

That jig = awesome. Unless you're pulling my leg, which also would be awesome. :-)

No leg pulling here. 1st pick is 20 of them for a 25.34 Martin board. 2nd pic is all of them stacked together.



They'll be mounted and spaced and a motor will be movable between jigs. Hope to sell some on ebay.

[Dave Bagwill]

Well, if that don’t put pepper in the gumbo! I want to see that at work when you get it together.

[Mark from Ashland]

Egad! That promises to be an interesting machine! Do keep us informed.

I have used only the Stewmac fret saw, with their fretboard jig. It must be a defecto saw, because it binds so badly in the kerf that you must labor for hours, uttering curses all the while, before you have a perfectly cut fretboard. I have two plans that may correct this:

1. Get said saw sharpened, asking for a bit more set to the teeth
2. just buy Stewmac's Japanese fretsaw, which also fits their jig.

I'm leaning toward #2.

[TonyinNYC]

Mark,
The stew Mac fret saw has no set to the teeth which is why it binds. Rub the blade with wax then use naphtha to remove the wax from the slot if it worries you that the frets won't stay in due to the wax. I have the same saw and that trick works. Learned it from a guy online. If you add more set to the teeth you will increase the kerf and it won't match the tangs. The Japanese saw is a good idea. It has the right kerf but doesn't bind.

Tim,
You will be crowned the jig master if you make that slotting jig!

[Tim Benware]

It's not an original idea they are out there. I've used one. However when I'm done I will allow the coronation:)

[Mark from Ashland]

And then you'll do a little jig?

[Dave Bagwill]

Just don't jiggle.
I have no idea what that means, but at least I got the word in ...:-)