At last ...the StewMac Z Fret crowning file

[murrmac123]

I will finally be able to kiss goodbye to my trusty old triangular fret crowning file ...http://www.stewmac.com/Content/Downl...143.pdf#page=2

I would imagine that in the years to come this will become the crowning file of choice for every tech. One can only wonder why it took so long to come up with this product.

[funkymonk#9]

Just curious how this product is different than the diamond offset fret crown file that comes in 150 and 300 grit, seems to be the same result intended. Different look for sure.

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools...Fret_File.html

[dekutree64]

Kind of looks like a ripoff of the LittleBone approach to crowning...

Originally Posted by funkymonk#9

Just curious how this product is different than the diamond offset fret crown file that comes in 150 and 300 grit, seems to be the same result intended. Different look for sure.

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools...Fret_File.html

The offset file is somewhat tricky to use because it has a very large radius, which also makes it shallow. Almost like using a flat file, but just slightly concave, and with nice safe edges so it won't scratch the board. You have to carefully angle it to only touch one side of the fret at a time, or else you get a schoolbus profile. The new one has a deep triangular profile, so it would be a challenge to hit the top of the fret with it directly (but of course you can still go too far filing away material from the side of the fret). It creates a faceted fret profile, which you then smooth out with sandpaper.

[endpin]

Looks to me like the LittleBone would still have the advantage of following the fretboard radius as a guide whereas other schemes involve free handing the cutting motion (in two axes no less) ) which is where it can go wonky.

[Shuksan]

Seems like a solution in search of a problem and it also doubles the amount of work needed to crown a fret.

As far as leaving the top of the fret untouched, I have zero problem doing that with this file: http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools...Fret_File.html

What puts me off most about the z file is that it basically doubles the amount of work per fret. Unless I'm missing something, you file a fret with the file in one orientation and then you have to flip the file and file the same fret yet again to get a symmetrically crowned fret. Crowning frets is tedious enough as it is without having to do two rounds of filing on every fret.

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by Shuksan

Seems like a solution in search of a problem and it also doubles the amount of work needed to crown a fret.

As far as leaving the top of the fret untouched, I have zero problem doing that with this file: http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools...Fret_File.html

What puts me off most about the z file is that it basically doubles the amount of work per fret. Unless I'm missing something, you file a fret with the file in one orientation and then you have to flip the file and file the same fret yet again to get a symmetrically crowned fret. Crowning frets is tedious enough as it is without having to do two rounds of filing on every fret.

There are three different Z files ...I have ordered only the centered Z file, which files both side of the fret simultaneously, and creates what might be termed a "pyramid" profile, like an inverted V. This is similar to the profile which I create at present with the triangular file , and which is the ideal in terms of feel and intonation.

Conventional diamond crowning files create a "school-bus" profile which is less effective than the inverted V profile both in terms of feel and intonation.
(The inverted V is the way that Bruce Springsteen and Glen Campbell have their frets shaped btw).

I will be refretting my 000-18 very soon and will post details of how the file performs.

[Frank Ford]

Reckon I'll continue use my triangular safe-corner files. I use two - equilateral 60 degree and "cant saw," with 100 and 40 degree corners. It takes almost no time to "safe" the edges, and they are cheap to replace, so I always have sharp ones at hand in various lengths and cut.

Never could stand the rounded concave ones. . .

[Shuksan]

Originally Posted by murrmac123

There are three different Z files ...I have ordered only the centered Z file, which files both side of the fret simultaneously, and creates what might be termed a "pyramid" profile, like an inverted V. This is similar to the profile which I create at present with the triangular file , and which is the ideal in terms of feel and intonation.

Conventional diamond crowning files create a "school-bus" profile which is less effective than the inverted V profile both in terms of feel and intonation.
(The inverted V is the way that Bruce Springsteen and Glen Campbell have their frets shaped btw).

I will be refretting my 000-18 very soon and will post details of how the file performs.

If I was going to give any of them a try, that centered Z file is the one I would go with too. At $90 a pop though I'll be sticking with what I have that works. I'll be interested to hear what you think of it once you've had the chance to put it through its paces.

[Rodger Knox]

I guess I'm in good company without a specialized fret file.

[J.acoustic]

Originally Posted by murrmac123

There are three different Z files ...I have ordered only the centered Z file, which files both side of the fret simultaneously, and creates what might be termed a "pyramid" profile, like an inverted V. This is similar to the profile which I create at present with the triangular file , and which is the ideal in terms of feel and intonation.

Conventional diamond crowning files create a "school-bus" profile which is less effective than the inverted V profile both in terms of feel and intonation.
(The inverted V is the way that Bruce Springsteen and Glen Campbell have their frets shaped btw).

I will be refretting my 000-18 very soon and will post details of how the file performs.

I did my first refret and this happened to me. My frets have a schoolbus profile. Is this wrong? I basically thought you supposed to level the frets and then crown them (top included) all equally. I guess I technically unleveled them slightly but I tried to hit tops each equally.

Should I instead by using my offset file only at 45 degree angles to hit everything BUT the top to get a more rounded shape? The shallow radius had me worried and I went and got ALL the file sizes to compare and they all fit poorly in that regard.

So, it seems I approached it wrong and maybe this Z file will help.

[Ned Milburn]

Originally Posted by Frank Ford

Reckon I'll continue use my triangular safe-corner files. I use two - equilateral 60 degree and "cant saw," with 100 and 40 degree corners. It takes almost no time to "safe" the edges, and they are cheap to replace, so I always have sharp ones at hand in various lengths and cut.

Never could stand the rounded concave ones. . .

I'm with you on this one, Frank. I find I have more control with a "safed" triangle file.

I've found with the different convex files I've used that it is too easy to over file, and too easy to get an inconsistent result across the length of the fret. Certainly, when I use a triangle file, it takes me longer than the concave files (diamond or mill) but I get noticeably more consistent results.

Each to his own, however. Many ways to skin a cat!!

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by J.acoustic

I basically thought you supposed to level the frets and then crown them (top included) all equally. I guess I technically unleveled them slightly but I tried to hit tops each equally.

When you crown the frets, you don't touch the tops ..if you are marking them with a sharpie before you crown them, there should be thin line of marker left in the center after you have finished crowning. A rub with fine sandpaper finishes the job and you can then polish them as much as you wish.

The advantage of the Z file is that it will remove more material from the sides and shoulders of the fret than the conventional concave diamond file, and remove it twice as fast as is possible with a triangular file, which is what I use at present to give that desired profile.

As an analogy, think about speed bumps in the road ... a speed bump with a "vertical", or near vertical edge will give you a nasty jar if you drive over it without slowing down ... a speed bump with a shallow angle will allow you to drive over it without such a jar. Same thing with fingertips on a fretboard ... the frets are the speed bumps.

[maxtheaxe]

Originally Posted by Shuksan

Seems like a solution in search of a problem and it also doubles the amount of work needed to crown a fret.

As far as leaving the top of the fret untouched, I have zero problem doing that with this file: http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools...Fret_File.html

What puts me off most about the z file is that it basically doubles the amount of work per fret. Unless I'm missing something, you file a fret with the file in one orientation and then you have to flip the file and file the same fret yet again to get a symmetrically crowned fret. Crowning frets is tedious enough as it is without having to do two rounds of filing on every fret.

Yes, this. I have those crowning files with the concave edges and they work great! It looked to me like these new ones might tend to remove too much from the shoulders of the frets, if that makes sense.

[D. Churchland]

I like certain things about stewmac but you have to remember that they are trying to sell tools, ergo they will make tools in order to sell them. I don't think about it too much, too much work to do.

This is pricey and it's a bit of a unitasker. Unitaskers do not belong in my shop because real estate is at a premium.

It's easy to buy a tool, it's tougher to think through a problem and develop a solution.

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by Will Kirk

I like certain things about stewmac but you have to remember that they are trying to sell tools, ergo they will make tools in order to sell them. I don't think about it too much, too much work to do.

This is pricey and it's a bit of a unitasker. Unitaskers do not belong in my shop because real estate is at a premium.

It's easy to buy a tool, it's tougher to think through a problem and develop a solution.

Interesting weltanschauung ..." you have to remember that they are trying to sell tools, ergo they will make tools in order to sell them" ...well DUH ... just like every other similar commercial enterprise on the globe.

The thing with Stewmac is that you have to separate the wheat from the chaff. I concede that they do have some tools which could be classed as luxuries or indulgences, but the question I always ask myself is .."A : will this save me a significant amount of time compared to the alternative, and B: will this produce a better end result than using the alternative".

In the case of the centered Z file, it is a no-brainer ...it will halve the time taken to crown the frets and because there is now no need to mask the fretboard (as has to be done with a triangular file, even with a safe edge) time is saved there as well.

As far as multi-tasking is concerned, there are plenty of essential tools which are dedicated to one single purpose ...I have yet to find an alternate use for a string winder or a bridgepin reamer , to take two examples at random.