Archtop Pineapple Ukulele Part 4 – Fret Slots

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Got the fret slots cut. This is always a scary job since one slip wrecks the piece.

This is my process – I’m sure there are better ones. But this works for me for now.

Mark out the position of the frets using vernier calipers.
Higher frets are marked using a ruler, but I did discover that one of my rulers was very inaccurate.
I use a vernier protractor to mark the frets onto the board, initially with a scalpel and then a Stanley knife.
After the Stanley knife I use a wood carving knife to widen the slot further
Then a Japanese pull-saw
and the fret-slot saw to get the slots the right width
The edge of the slots are skimmed with a triangular file to aid insertion and minimise tearing of the wood

Gradually widening the slots makes it easier for each tool to follow the groove correctly, so I make fewer mistakes.

I’ve also thinned down the headstock veneer and thinned the headstock using my Safe-T-Planer – great tool. Highly recommended.

I’ve found the screws for the set of Tune-A-Lele tuners that are destined for this instrument. The screws had gone adrift but have been found deep in the recesses of a box of useful stuff. So making progress!

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