Maude Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 Hi everyone, I've put this post in the Build Diaries as, although not a build, I reckon I'll get the best response in here from you lovely luthier types 😉. I was lucky enough to pick up these tools on facebook from a local tech who's knocking it on the head. I know what most of it is, but there's a couple of things I'm not sure about, but I'm sure folks in here will know. Here it is all laid out. Top middle there's a black block with a diagonal slot running through it and three screws? I've no idea what this is. Also the red handled plier type things and the similar looking black ones to the left of them. Bottom left, between the nylon hammer and the reamer there's a file of some sort, possibly diamond by the texture. Is this a fret levelling file? Also the blue fret press thing? The mole grip type has various felt backed, nylon blocks for different radiused necks, which looks great, but the blue one has a slot that is too deep for a fret. The fret would dissappear into the tool when pressure is applied by the looks of it, so I'm not sure about that either. Sorry for all the questions. I'll probably never need a lot of it but it was a good price for the lot so I took it all, I just want the fret dressing/levelling stuff, nut files and general set up stuff. Oh yeah,, there's a levelling beam as well, albeit home made, as in a length of steel box section which has been ground flat on one side. I must be boring folks now so I'll stop. Thanks in advance for any help. 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benh Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 New tool day is always a good day! If you're getting rid of any of it you won't use, please let me know 🙂 at a guess the file you mentioned goes in the black block with the screws in it, for beveling fret ends. The red and black handled things look like fret tang nippers (I've been trying to find a decently priced set of them for a while). No idea about the blue nylon block I'm afraid! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 Red pliers things - fret pullers. Black thing next to them. Fret tang nippers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_M Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 29 minutes ago, benh said: New tool day is always a good day! If you're getting rid of any of it you won't use, please let me know 🙂 at a guess the file you mentioned goes in the black block with the screws in it, for beveling fret ends. The red and black handled things look like fret tang nippers (I've been trying to find a decently priced set of them for a while). No idea about the blue nylon block I'm afraid! Yes, the black handled ones look like a Fret Tang nipper (for removing the tang from a section of fretwire) and the red look like fret tang crimpers (to make a slight scallop in the tang for wider cut fret slots). The file could be a fret shaping file (if the narrow edges have a radius to them?) but the 2 files in the red bags look like fret files so maybe not. Equally puzzled by the block/clamp and the blue clamp although the blue clamp looks just like a cam clamp. Where's Sherlock Holmes when you need him? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 The mole grip type tool looks like a fret press. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted August 16, 2021 Author Share Posted August 16, 2021 13 hours ago, benh said: New tool day is always a good day! If you're getting rid of any of it you won't use, please let me know 🙂 at a guess the file you mentioned goes in the black block with the screws in it, for beveling fret ends. The red and black handled things look like fret tang nippers (I've been trying to find a decently priced set of them for a while). No idea about the blue nylon block I'm afraid! Yes the black block makes perfect sense now, the flat file thing has corresponding circular marks on the other side from being clamped in the block. The block holds it at 45 degrees so you're right, it's for bevelling fret ends. The yellow, red, blue and green blocks are 'fret erasers', kind of like a rubber impregnated with sanding grit. They're different grades for dressing frets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted August 16, 2021 Author Share Posted August 16, 2021 12 hours ago, Steve_M said: Yes, the black handled ones look like a Fret Tang nipper (for removing the tang from a section of fretwire) and the red look like fret tang crimpers (to make a slight scallop in the tang for wider cut fret slots). The file could be a fret shaping file (if the narrow edges have a radius to them?) but the 2 files in the red bags look like fret files so maybe not. Equally puzzled by the block/clamp and the blue clamp although the blue clamp looks just like a cam clamp. Where's Sherlock Holmes when you need him? The two files in the red bags are fret files of differing sizes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted August 16, 2021 Author Share Posted August 16, 2021 9 minutes ago, bartelby said: The mole grip type tool looks like a fret press. Yes, they're a fret press clamp, there are four different nylon blocks that go in them for different radius necks. The blue, similar tool is the puzzle, as the slot that a fret would sit in seems to large and deep to press a fret in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted August 16, 2021 Author Share Posted August 16, 2021 Thanks the help folks. Annoyingly I've just bought a block of white 'Tusq' of identical size to the large piece with the tools. That was a tenner wasted 😁. Can't grumble, he only wanted £40 for the lot, the nut slotting files are Hosco, as are the fret erasers and one of the fret files, other fret file is StewMac. Oh yeah, another question, what are the pair of red curved 'bicycle clip' things for? I know I've seen them but for the life of me can't think what they are now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si600 Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 Could the blue bar clamp be for straightening fret wire once off the coil? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 5 hours ago, Maude said: what are the pair of red curved 'bicycle clip' things for? String spreaders. The blue tool is a fret clamp, you fit different radius cauls in the slot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted August 16, 2021 Author Share Posted August 16, 2021 D'oh, of course they're string spreaders. Senior moment. 😆 The blue tool being a fret clamp makes if, like you say, there's different size attachments. Sadly I don't have the attachments. 🙄 Although the mole grip type one looks to be a must better tool to use than the blue one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 18 minutes ago, Maude said: Sadly I don't have the attachments. 🙄 Sold as accessories for the clamp. You can get a set of 9 on Amazon, promotion £9/ Amazon Prime £17. https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=fret+cauls&ref=nb_sb_noss_2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted August 17, 2021 Share Posted August 17, 2021 You got yourself a major bargain with that lot👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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