Dremel for fret polishing?

[khabibissell]

Do any of you guys use Dremel bits for polishing frets? If so, any recommendations on which bits to use? I want something that has the same consistency as 0000 steel wool.

Doing it by hand is alot of work, especially after a fret level and crown.

[Model1VH2]

I just use 0000 super fine steel wool by hand.
I would think using a Dremel would actually be more trouble than it's worth.
And I doubt it would do as good a job.

JMO

[sully]

Do any of you guys use Dremel bits for polishing frets?

I don't mean to channel Will Smith, but oh HELL no!

Frets get polished after a fret dress by working through the grits; 220, 320, 400, 600, 800, 000 Steel wool, then 0000 grit Steel wool. I've also gone a bit off the edge by buffing them out with a buffer and some fine cut buffing compound. Looks like liquid chrome. I usually stop at the 0000 steel wool, tho.

sully

[Cleveland Metal]

Yeah, +1 on Sully. No dremel for that...

I use tape on the board to protect and just 0000 steel wool.

[Jayster]

i just use 0000 super fine steel wool by hand.

+1 :d

[Bengal65]

I use a Dremel with the Stew Mac abrasive polishing disks. I first run a needle nose file down the center of the disk while it's rotating. That way I get a nice concave profile to match the convexity of the fret. It leaves them with a mirror finish. Much finer that 0000 steel wool by the way. I use the extension on the Dremel so I can get the wheel straight on top of the fret. If your careful, you don't need the extension, but I find it makes short work out of polishing.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Polishing_and_abrasives/Ceramic_Fret_Polishing_Wheels.html

[khabibissell]

I use a Dremel with the Stew Mac abrasive polishing disks. I first run a needle nose file down the center of the disk while it's rotating. That way I get a nice concave profile to match the convexity of the fret. It leaves them with a mirror finish. Much finer that 0000 steel wool by the way. I use the extension on the Dremel so I can get the wheel straight on top of the fret. If your careful, you don't need the extension, but I find it makes short work out of polishing.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting...ng_Wheels.html

Yeah, this is what I was talking about! After leveling, I use 400 grit, then 1000 grit, then the 0000 steel wool. It takes forever... I was wondering if there was a fine sanding disk for the dremel to do this. I guess I should've checked out Stewmac before asking since that's where I got my fret and nut files.

[sully]

scuba steve, my thought on it is that it's going to take as much time to do each fret with the polishing wheels as it would to go through the grits. i don't doubt that the polishing wheels work wonderfully, though.

[khabibissell]

I would do all the "rough" work with sandpaper as before, I would use those fine buffing wheels to do the steel wool part. I'm sure it still takes some finesse though.

[Bengal65]

Yeah, they work great. Depending on how fine your crowning and leveling is you can start with either the coarser or finer compounds with the wheels. What I do is, use the wheels gently moving from fret to fret, not wanting the fret to be perfect on the first go. This keeps the fret from getting too hot. Usually I'll do all of them starting at fret 1, then work down the neck. I'll do this 3 times and the frets are like mirrors.
I just love those wheels!

[straycat]

I can get them pretty shiney with the crowning file don't need much cleaning up with the 1000 grit.I use semi-chrome polish and do it by hand really just as quick as the dremel for me anyway.

[SEEGERMANY]

Works great on jumbo frets.

[Newc]

Meh, I let 'em get crusty. It's part of my signature tone

[Partial @ Marshall]

+1 :d

+2

[Model1VH2]

I'd be afraid that using any "power tool" on frets would cause them the become uneven (low spots).

Not to say it can't be done.
It just wouldn't be my preference.