Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Dog
Actually, the fret wire IS pre-bent at a radius slightly tighter than the fretboard. When I lay the wire across the board, the middle of the curve is more than1/32" higher than the board, depending on where on the board I lay it. The wider the board, the higher the wire is above it.
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Everything is easy in theory, First may I confirm you are working with an ebony board.
Fretting an ebony board is harder than fretting a rosewood board.
If you hammer a fret a couple of things occur, first you locally deform the fret crown ever so slightly at the point of impact, you also end up bending the fret at this point as you are forcing the fret in and the sides are free.
Knowing this, a trick when hammering frets is to seat the ends first down below the barb not fret flush to the surface, then work inwards from each side and then repeat and seat the fret home, this way you are using the fact the fret bends to your advantage.
The other concern is sometimes ebony does not like being deformed by the barb pressing into the wood, well maybe not sometimes more like all ways, so we make the fret slot on an ebony board ever so slightly wider than a rosewood board, or we gently file the barbs down so they are not penetrating as deeply
I like to hit a brass fret caul personally when I hand hammer a fret in, it supports the shape of the fret whilst its being forced in place
Steve