These free fret bending jig plans are covered in a video format so you can see all the construction elements. A fret bender is a valuable tool to have in the shop. Bending frets by hand is tedious, and many times inaccurate. Some can do it, but having a tool for the job makes it easier. These can cost close to $100 online, but can be made in the shop from things you probably already have.
Homemade Fret Bending Jig
The fret bending jig consists of three wheels, a handle, and a mounting board. One of the wheels is movable up and down, which creates a pinch point.
The fret wire is then forced to bend as it passes through the wheels, forming a nice arc. The bend can be adjusted from very gradual to very tight by moving the one wheel.
The wheels are made with a hole saw, then bolts are used to hold them to the mounting board. You can make the wheels on the lathe if you want, or buy them already cut.
The Mounting Board for the Jig
This schematic of the mounting board is all you need to create the platform for the wheels. If you follow the free fret bending jig plans in the video, you can make this jig quickly, and it will last a very long time.
The board should be about 5″-6″ wide, and around a foot long. It can be made from any scrap wood in the shop. Making things from scraps means they are essentially free.
My free fret bending jig plans have been used by many people to make their own fret bender. Below is my video, please enjoy.
This video was made when I was only making guitars, so I placed it on my Six Gun Guitars website and YouTube. I had several websites devoted to different kinds of woodworking, and finally moved everything to one place. WestfarthingWoodworks.com is the only site you need for all of my instructional videos, plans, and teachings on woodworking.
My book,Acoustic Guitar Making: How to make Tools, Templates, and Jigs
explains this jig in detail, as well as over 50 others. With over 500 pages and 1600 images, this book takes a lot of the struggle out of acoustic guitar making for beginners.
My article on making a Bridge Pin Drilling Guide takes a lot of the stress out of drilling six perfectly lined up holes. This is a simple guide. Place it on top of the bridge and it makes drilling the holes very easy. Make it once, and you can use it for years.
If you are interested in how to apply a nice finish, my video on Finishing with Tru-Oil shows how easy it can be. This is a great finish for instruments, is hand applied, and doesn’t require any fancy equipment. It has been around for ages, and makes an expert finisher out of anyone. Try it once, and you will use it all the time.
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