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Have successfully steamed off several fretboards with frets removed.....this time I want to simply plane down the fretboard from 1/4" to 3/16 on the backside, leaving top of board alone.

Issue; Heat must travel through frets.....more time?, re-set loose frets? Anyone done this successfully??? Frets are hammered in w/some titebond in slot.
Much quicker than other option (replace fretboard completely). Thanks.

I've removed fret boards with the frets still on using a finger board repair blanket. I had no problem.

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http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

The fingerboard is going to curve in some weird way after removing it with heat... it's better to plane it from the top. Obviously you can flatten it after gluing it down but while its curved it's going to be hard to plane it.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

I remove fretrboards with a heat lamp, so leaving the frets in is no problem. Sometimes the frets need to be reset after reinstalling the fretboard, but not that often.
If you work the fretboard off with a thin spatula, and resist the urge to pull up on the end, warpage is kept to a minimum.

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John

I used a cloths iron and spatula on a fretboard with frets in and glued with epoxy. Come right off after about 20 minutes. My ebony board wasn't warped at all.


Sent from my walkie talkie using Tapatalk

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

I removed a test fingerboard one time glued with LMI hide glue, and it caused burn marks all over... LMI hide doesn't seem to release that easily for some reason without the application of moisture....

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

I like John's suggestion/method of using a heat lamp. I've used a regular clothes iron, solar film iron, and heat gun. The trick to all is to work slowly. Frets on really makes no difference. The wedge method shown here http://acousticguitarconstructionforum. ... =19&t=1807
I believe helps to prevent warping

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

Thanks for the responses...sounds do-able. I'll use clothes iron/spatula/wedges to minimize warpage on this titebond glued ftboard. Hoping to sand/scrape off old glue, moisten backside with water, and clamp flat a few days before planing.