New gadget for fretting

I've looked at the various tools in the Stewmac catalogue but so far I've been hesitant to buy the pliers called Jaws. Even if it does look nifty.

So today I made my own version with a welding clamp and a couple of cauls. The cauls are held in place with magnets. One is just flat (but I'll make a concave one for fretting piccolo necks) and the other has a groove that fits the fretwire I use.

Preliminary tests says it'll work fine but it needs some adjustments. The flat bits on the jaws wobble too much so I'll put some string or rubber bands to inhibit the movement.

Will report more on the progress. Stay, as they say, tuned.

Almost there

Pegs are in, nut's made, and the shellac is polished. After I took the pic I put the strings on. 

But before I could do that I spent an hour sorting a couple of drawers and cleaning the bench in search of the little tube with the glass beads I use on the strings. Eventually I found them in the third drawer. Sabotage! I never put the beads in the third drawer! 

But the cleaning was long overdue anyway.