Unfortunately, StewMac's fret press is a silly number of $$s (165 of them, plus shipping, plus duty, plus VAT, plus ParcelFarce handling fee), which adds up to quite a silly number of ££s with the current exchange rate. So I've been managing without one.
But the fret press cauls are a lot cheaper ($40), so I'd added one to my last order, thinking that maybe I'd be able to come up with a way of using it without the whole press system.
Ages ago I'd bought a cheapo cheapo drill stand. I think it was £5. I hadn't done much with it ... but thought "it might come in useful" one day.
And it did - it came in very useful ... there's rather's a big clue in this next photo ...
On the right is the $40 fret press caul, with a standard 12" radius insert, just perfect for fretting 12" radius necks! On the left is a piece of nylon, after it had been machined and drilled on my neighbour's lathe. I never knew he had a lathe. But then I never realised what you could do with one either!
Lookee what we made ...
One DiY fret press system. StewMac price $165 which would have added up to about £120 with all the fees. Cost of mine ... about £30!
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