HELP! How to repair fretboard? SULLY?!?!?!!!

[DalyTek]

OK, had a tech friend teach me how to replace frets, and I installedstainless steel frets into my Gibson SG with an unbound ebony fretboard.
Everything went well, except for we had an ugly screw up. The stainless frets really chewed up the fret nippers and one of the chewed edges of the nippers snagged the corner of the ebony board and took out a small chunk right on the edge corner.

He tried repairing it with a paste of the ebony dust and wood glue, like we did on the small chips that happened, but the filler didn't take. I guess because it's the corner and not a flat surface?

The guitar is still at his place right now, I will see if I can get him to send me a picture of the damaged area, otherwise I'll take pics tomorrow evening. Anyone have any ideas how to fix it

[warlok]

You can't glue the chunk back in?

[DonP]

Crazy glue would be my choice instead of wood glue.

[Newc]

If it's at the end (past the 22nd fret), and it's not real big, I'd say just file down the end section and trim the binding to match up.

[tonemonster]

how big is the chunk???

[sully]

I’m more of a “CA + dust” guy when it comes to fretboard repairs, but that’s me, and we’re past that already.

1. Where’s the chip? Can it not be glued back into place?
2. Send me your address and I’ll send you some scrap ebony that you can shape and graft back on.
3. In the future, avoid chips when pulling frets by heating the fret with a soldering iron. The fret heats the wood and it expands. It also helps the glue release the fret (if they’ve been glued in) No chips.I’m more of a “CA + dust” guy when it comes to fretboard repairs, but that’s me, and we’re past that already.

Sully

[straycat]

Yeah pics will be needed.

[sully]

Always nice to see, but if a decent sized chunk was taken out, the only real way to blend a decent looking repair is to graft wood on. If it's not a huge piece, he can build it back up with ebony dust, CA glue, and a razor and file to shape it. This article will help with that: http://www.stewmac.com/tsarchive/ts0114.html

[DalyTek]

We did heat the frets with a soldering iron when pulling them. We actually got very little chipping, especially considering it's ebony.
the nippers chewed the edge of the board on 2 frets (the nippers were centered on one fret wire and chewed up either side.)
Plus it took off a chunk about half the size of a pencil eraser right on the corner (where the fretboard binding would be if it had binding.)

He's actually taken it to a very reputable repair shop in town to have it fixed on his dime, assuming it's a repair they are knowledgeable with.
He said they estimate about 8+ days.
I thought that was a really great gesture on his part.

[sully]

We did heat the frets with a soldering iron when pulling them. We actually got very little chipping, especially considering it's ebony.
the nippers chewed the edge of the board on 2 frets (the nippers were centered on one fret wire and chewed up either side.)
Plus it took off a chunk about half the size of a pencil eraser right on the corner (where the fretboard binding would be if it had binding.)

He's actually taken it to a very reputable repair shop in town to have it fixed on his dime, assuming it's a repair they are knowledgeable with.
He said they estimate about 8+ days.
I thought that was a really great gesture on his part.

Glad you're using the soldering iron tip; and yeah, the ss wire will give the nippers a hard time. I prefer not to try and clip them flush when installing them; I'll cut them close to length, round out the edge a little on the belt sander (or with a file), install them, and then file them all flush. They're just so tough to cut, as you experienced. That said, once you get the frets in, leveled, and crowned, they're really a joy.

Sully

[ulijdavid]

..... and yeah, the ss wire will give the nippers a hard time.

I use a Dremel tool with the thicker fibrous type cut off wheels. One cut-off wheel will easily cut a necks worth. Don't try to cut too close because the cutting wheel tends to "burn" the ends. The burn marks can be removed with fine sanding.

[sully]

Yeah, that was my inital thought when starting out with them, but I found I could get them cut faster with nippers and they didn't heat up like crazy.

[DalyTek]

Well, got my guitar back today and I must say they did a great job repairing the edge!
I gotta say I do quite like these stainless frets. I don't know if it's just my imagination or what, but my guitar sounds a lot brighter acoustically now.

[sully]

They can brighten things up a bit. Glad it worked out.