Fret board dots

[Taildrager]

I am looking for metric fret dots . I need 7 7mm 2 5mm 1 6mm and 2 4 mm . I see that Stewmac sells them individually but my concern is that they are only .050 thousands thick. To me that doesn't seem like much. Plus I was not that crazy about there shipping charges for something that could be put in an envelope ? Does anyone know of another source that will sell sizes individually and maybe be a little thicker

[RogerHaggstrom]

I buy quality dots from https://www.ebay.com/str/J-N-Pearl

[Fathand]

Aliexpress has lots of pearl, abalone and plastic dots, squares, diamonds etc. I think I usually pay $3-5 for 10 dots. Shipping is usually cheap or sometimes free but can be slow. I'm not sure I've seen 7mm though.

e.g. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000...f-81de3ccb87c9


.050 inch is about the standard thickness for pearl inlay. Plastic comes thicker.

Occasionally when I've needed one of an odd size dot like 5mm I've superglued a 1/4" or 6mm dot to the flat end of a 5mm drill bit, chucked it in a lathe or drill press and reduced it with a sanding block. A little heat and it comes off.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Taildrager

I am looking for metric fret dots . I need 7 7mm 2 5mm 1 6mm and 2 4 mm . I see that Stewmac sells them individually but my concern is that they are only .050 thousands thick. To me that doesn't seem like much. Plus I was not that crazy about there shipping charges for something that could be put in an envelope ? Does anyone know of another source that will sell sizes individually and maybe be a little thicker

Many of us use DePaule:

https://www.luthiersupply.com/

[phavriluk]

There's a mob of vendors in China who offer MOP dots in all metric sizes FOR CHEAP. I've bought a bunch from various vendors.

[Quickstep192]

You can make your own by supergluing a piece of pearl to the butt end of a drill bit of the appropriate diameter, putting the bit into a drill press upside down, then sanding until the sandpaper contacts the bit. Then, heat the bit to release the pearl.

[Fathand]

Originally Posted by Quickstep192

You can make your own by supergluing a piece of pearl to the butt end of a drill bit of the appropriate diameter, putting the bit into a drill press upside down, then sanding until the sandpaper contacts the bit. Then, heat the bit to release the pearl.

I'm glad you agree with me

[phavriluk]

How much fabrication we do when off-the-shelf bits are available is a topic that can occupy folks for years!

My opinion on the fret marker dots available commercially is that they are so precisely made that no effort of mine would be their equal, and raw shell to make my own would cost an order of magnitude more than buying the precut dots. For me, I save time and money on a job I don't consider central to my project, and get better results besides. There's limits to my autarchy.

[Taildrager]

Originally Posted by phavriluk

How much fabrication we do when off-the-shelf bits are available is a topic that can occupy folks for years!

My opinion on the fret marker dots available commercially is that they are so precisely made that no effort of mine would be their equal, and raw shell to make my own would cost an order of magnitude more than buying the precut dots. For me, I save time and money on a job I don't consider central to my project, and get better results besides. There's limits to my autarchy.

I can't argue that at all . For no more than I need the Stewmac price per dot didn't stop me . It was the fact i was hoping to find some thicker than .050.