Removing fretboard advice

[Hardcoretroubadour]

I am in a fix. After removing fret dots on ex-1 and replacing them with bullet fret markers and filling with exopy, I have had some issues. It has proven very hard to level and sand the epoxy properly. It was looking ok for a while but it looks as if I have gone to far and gone through the epoxy and some of the shells are 'rusting'.
My options seem to be removing the fret wires, drilling out effected dots and then reinstall fret wires.
Option 2 is remove fret board and wires completely and redo, this means less chance of damaging truss rod, but more work. How hard is this to do, and how do I do it?
Option 3 is try to drill out in situ, but still left with finish issues as it is very hard to sand between frets.
Any advice considered 🙄

[FrankenWashie]

Removing the fretboard can be done, but it’s fiddly, it takes a fair bit of time and patience and it can very easily lead to a pile of fretboard splinters.

hold in mind that any finish you may have already done may need to be re done if you follow the below as the steam may damage the finish as you apply it.

That said, you will need the following:
- manually controllable steam iron
- thin bladed steel spatula or scraper (like your typical putty knife, one that you can file a bit to give you an edge)
- leather riggers gloves (trust me on this one, the steam and working the spatula back and forwards kills your hands)
- sufficient clamps to hold the neck securely at the heel end
- something like a towel to to bundle under the length of the neck to pad it.

you want to remove the first and last frets, and with a very fine drill, pop a hole trough the board at either side of the truss rod, these are to locate small pins that will allow you to reposition the board if you can save it. If you are going to manufacture a new board this is less important but you will need to mark where the nut edge of the board sits on the neck.

Leave the Truss Rod in a neutral position, as this should insure the rod is sitting down in its channel. Even so, you may still damage the shrink tubing around it in this operation.

If you leave the remaining frets in, it also helps to stiffen the board as you work along it.

Take the iron on a high steam setting, starting at the head end, let it sit on top of the board heating it through. Starting at the Head will help prevent the spatula potentially catching at the neck scarf joint. It’s also going to be far easier than starting at the body end if the neck is already attached!

Inspect from time to time, using the spatula to see if you can wedge it into the join of the board and neck. You can also run a scalpel or a craft knife along this join to assist starting your spatula.

It’s important to get the spatula in across the whole width of the fretboard before you start trying to work it down the length of the board.
Once the spatula is started firmly in the gap, continue to steam and then slowly work forward down towards the body end. You may need to work the spatula forward and backwards along the fretboard to help free the board up. Do not try and use it to lever up against the board. You’ll likely have to fill the iron a couple of times to get the board off.

You then just need to keep steaming and working the spatula until the board comes free.

I have done this with a few boards now (my EXA, my SV, a scratch built neck and one for Andy40) and if you use all due care it can work very effectively.

i hope this helps,

[TZK321]

What if you got a new neck and started over? Would that be more work or less?

[Hardcoretroubadour]

What if you got a new neck and started over? Would that be more work or less?

Possible, but I am a tight arse and the whole kit cost me $50, so reticent to spend lots.

[Hardcoretroubadour]

Removing the fretboard can be done, but it’s fiddly, it takes a fair bit of time and patience and it can very easily lead to a pile of fretboard splinters.

hold in mind that any finish you may have already done may need to be re done if you follow the below as the steam may damage the finish as you apply it.

That said, you will need the following:
- manually controllable steam iron
- thin bladed steel spatula or scraper (like your typical putty knife, one that you can file a bit to give you an edge)
- leather riggers gloves (trust me on this one, the steam and working the spatula back and forwards kills your hands)
- sufficient clamps to hold the neck securely at the heel end
- something like a towel to to bundle under the length of the neck to pad it.

you want to remove the first and last frets, and with a very fine drill, pop a hole trough the board at either side of the truss rod, these are to locate small pins that will allow you to reposition the board if you can save it. If you are going to manufacture a new board this is less important but you will need to mark where the nut edge of the board sits on the neck.

Leave the Truss Rod in a neutral position, as this should insure the rod is sitting down in its channel. Even so, you may still damage the shrink tubing around it in this operation.

If you leave the remaining frets in, it also helps to stiffen the board as you work along it.

Take the iron on a high steam setting, starting at the head end, let it sit on top of the board heating it through. Starting at the Head will help prevent the spatula potentially catching at the neck scarf joint. It’s also going to be far easier than starting at the body end if the neck is already attached!

Inspect from time to time, using the spatula to see if you can wedge it into the join of the board and neck. You can also run a scalpel or a craft knife along this join to assist starting your spatula.

It’s important to get the spatula in across the whole width of the fretboard before you start trying to work it down the length of the board.
Once the spatula is started firmly in the gap, continue to steam and then slowly work forward down towards the body end. You may need to work the spatula forward and backwards along the fretboard to help free the board up. Do not try and use it to lever up against the board. You’ll likely have to fill the iron a couple of times to get the board off.

You then just need to keep steaming and working the spatula until the board comes free.

I have done this with a few boards now (my EXA, my SV, a scratch built neck and one for Andy40) and if you use all due care it can work very effectively.

i hope this helps,

Thanks Frankie, that info is great. I thought it was you that had posted about doing it. The neck is not attached or finished yet, so not such an issue there. Just for clarification, those small pilot holes are where? Just up near the headstock end?

[FrankenWashie]

Thanks Frankie, that info is great. I thought it was you that had posted about doing it. The neck is not attached or finished yet, so not such an issue there. Just for clarification, those small pilot holes are where? Just up near the headstock end?

I usually put the pilots in the first and last fret slots, that way the fret hides them as they are a wee bit bigger that the fret slot.
I use the small panel pin type nails as locators, they are a good size for it.

if you are going to redo your inlays, then you are best to pull the rest of your frets, if you Bend the board back over a slightly curved surface it can help get them out a bit easier, which is good especially if you don’t have a good set of fret pullers.

[Hardcoretroubadour]

Well thanks to Frankies advice the fretboard came off without a hitch, great tip on the steam iron (and gloves). Just need to pull the frets out and redrill/ replace the first attempt at fretboard markers.