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Fret Wire Bender
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Author:  Brian Forbes [ Fri Mar 04, 2011 7:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Fret Wire Bender
Here are some pics of my fret wire bender. I made this a few years ago. The wheels are cut with a hole cutting drill, and the one on the right is adjustable so you can determine how much of a bend you want. This is a one hour solution to a $90 jig from Stew-Mac...and though it may not be pretty, it works well. Also, the grooves in the wheels are made by SLOWLY running fret wire through it the first few passes, keeping it in the center of the wheels the entire time. This wears a small groove in both wheels that the fret wire will follow easily the rest of the times you use it. Enjoy.
Author:  Quine [ Sat Mar 05, 2011 1:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret Wire Bender
Nice and simple!
Author:  Alain Moisan [ Sat Mar 05, 2011 1:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret Wire Bender
Brian Forbes wrote:
Also, the grooves in the wheels are made by SLOWLY running fret wire through it the first few passes, keeping it in the center of the wheels the entire time. This wears a small groove in both wheels that the fret wire will follow easily the rest of the times you use it. Enjoy.


I made something very similar several years ago. I'm still using it. I made the grooves by mounting a bolt to the wheels and sticking the wheels in my press drill, turning my drill in some sort of vertical lathe. Putting a groove in the wheels using a a round file (for the crown part of the fret) and a small saw blade (for the fret tang part) was pretty easy to do.
Author:  nickton [ Sat Mar 05, 2011 2:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret Wire Bender
aha. I shall have to try this. Maybe I will use aluminum instead.
Author:  murrmac [ Sat Mar 05, 2011 3:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret Wire Bender
I never cease to be amazed both by the ingenuity of luthiers, and the rock-bottom estimates they place on the value of their time.
Author:  Colin North [ Sat Mar 05, 2011 5:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret Wire Bender
I made and use one quite similar fron birch ply, except I have glued emery paper to the "driven" wheel (which is the one moved to change curvarure radius) to prevent slippage on the fret wire.
Author:  Alain Moisan [ Sat Mar 05, 2011 6:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret Wire Bender
murrmac wrote:
... and the rock-bottom estimates they place on the value of their time.


Not sure I get what you mean by that. It took me about 20 minutes to make my fret bender, from scrap wood. Stew-mac sells there's for 90$. Adding transport fees and taxes, I saved a lot of money making it instead of ordering it.
Author:  Wes McMillian [ Sat Mar 05, 2011 7:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret Wire Bender
After all these years of bending them with pliers and the ol' saw kerf in the table trick, I FINALLY made one of these today. Wow, what a no-brainer. Should've done this years ago! Bending fret wire is actually kinda fun now! As far as the value of your time...seriously....what a time saver this is and quick to build, too. I'd gladly take a job where I got paid $90 for the time I spent building it!

Still can't believe it took me this long of seeing these things pop up on the 'net to finally build one. You table-top-saw-kerf benders, just do it!
Author:  Brian Forbes [ Wed Mar 09, 2011 12:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret Wire Bender
I'm glad you all liked that one. And I agree with the member who wrote that he would make them all day long for $90 a crack. I'd make more money selling fret benders than guitars. It just blows me away sometimes the things I see in the stew-mac catalog that they actually expect you to buy. (Guitar volume knob removers, tune-o-matic tailpiece wrenches which are nothing but a big fat slot screwdriver, curved brace chisels, and tremelo spring installers) No doubt, im sure the $90 fret bender is really nice, but the one I made was free (scraps) and it only took me an hour or so. I think i was even drinking beer at the time...
Author:  Colin North [ Wed Mar 09, 2011 3:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret Wire Bender
Brian Forbes wrote:
I'm glad you all liked that one. And I agree with the member who wrote that he would make them all day long for $90 a crack. I'd make more money selling fret benders than guitars. It just blows me away sometimes the things I see in the stew-mac catalog that they actually expect you to buy. (Guitar volume knob removers, tune-o-matic tailpiece wrenches which are nothing but a big fat slot screwdriver, curved brace chisels, and tremelo spring installers) No doubt, im sure the $90 fret bender is really nice, but the one I made was free (scraps) and it only took me an hour or so. I think i was even drinking beer at the time...


Eat Drink beehive laughing6-hehe
Author:  micahmed [ Thu May 05, 2011 10:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret Wire Bender
thought I would bump this because it was a good idea. beehive
Author:  wolfsearcher [ Thu May 05, 2011 11:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret Wire Bender
you can use 2 big washers with 7 layers of electricans tape (black tape)
in between them for the tang channel
(thanks to someone else here for that) [:Y:]
Author:  John Coloccia [ Thu May 05, 2011 11:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret Wire Bender
wolfsearcher wrote:
you can use 2 big washers with 7 layers of electricans tape (black tape)
in between them for the tang channel
(thanks to someone else here for that) [:Y:]


That's exactly what I did when I made mine, except I used foil duct tape instead of electrical tape.

And here I thought I was the only one that had made one of these from parts scrounged at Luthier's Depot. For the rollers, I think I used sliding screen door bearings. They have a nice, curved surface that keeps everything centered if I remember correctly.
Author:  wolfsearcher [ Thu May 05, 2011 11:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret Wire Bender
Me too i was looking for those sliding door bearings everywhere
couldnt find them though
in the end i used rollerblade/skateboard bearings with a washer each side
dosnt slip even with the dodgy shaft/handle i made using 1 piece of threadbar that i bent at 90
Author:  wolfsearcher [ Fri May 06, 2011 6:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret Wire Bender
......As usuall todd shows us all up
(only messin)
i think its good because it shows us (well the way i see it anyway)
If a costumer comes in and youve made a snazzy lookin jig like that ...
mabye actually they would proberly think it was a lmi jig or somethin... ?
but you get the point anyway.
This has got me thinking so i might as well ask :P

Todd did you ever make a link /article to your home made jigs ?
Id love to see it if you did.

I plan to make some kind of article like that
Altough it would be more focused in the line of the cheapest/best/available stuff in ireland and uk

Theirs a perfect inbetweeny doing it cheap but it looking half decent and being up for a lifetime of work
I dont want to be redoing my jigs 20 years later anyway my wrists will be [uncle]
I might snazz up some of my jigs come to think of it ,now since ive collected random stuff
Bottom line always think in the back of your head you can replace the medicore part if you find a better material
Author:  WudWerkr [ Fri May 06, 2011 5:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fret Wire Bender
I bought the " Off the shelf " version . And like most things , saw what I would do diffrent and followed through with my thoughts . The adjustment seemed to me to be a pain in the butt . So I cut a notch and drilled a # 21 hole and tapped it 10-24 thread . I purchased a Stainless steel thumb screw for $ 2.35 and with a spring on the inside of the slot against the opposing side of the shaft we have a adjustable roller that can be adjusted very accurately DURING the rolling process if needed .

I also mounted it in some scrap maple I had and it now sits on its own and has made a very nice little roller .

Personally , I feel the cost of these are a little high , however if a guy doesnt have time to make one ...... oh well ... laughing6-hehe

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