Applying fret

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H

HSteier

Well-known member
I am planning to make a Charleston piece with applied fret.  My question is, "how does one deal with the hide glue that will inevitably squeezed out and be visible in the background of the fret?"  I suspect that if I allow the glue to dry completely and then try to scrape it off this will result in fracture of some of the pieces of fret.  Also, as there will be several feet of fretwork this would be an enormously tedious and time-consuming undertaking.  I know that Dennis Bork has done pieces with applied fretwork and I wonder if he or anyone else with experience in this could comment on how the fret is best applied.

Howard Steier
 
This is how I do it.  First stain the background with a water base dye.  Don't use an oil stain as the glue will not adhere to it.  Apply the hot hide glue to the back of the fretwork.  To keep the glue from gelling up to fast you can use a hair drier to gently heat the fretwork and the background. When dry stain the piece and apply a coat of shellac. When dry I apply a glaze to the fretwork and the background and wipe off the excess.  This will cover up and glue that has squeezed out and gives it an older look.

Dennis Bork
Antiquity Period Designs, Ltd.
 
Thank you Dennis.
I don't have any experience with glazing. All my finishes have been either shellac alone or shellac over water based dye. Is there any brand/color/tone that you recommend?

Howard Steier
 
Howard - One comment about this is that there's a huge surface area on the back of the fret that you're joining to the case.  Presumably, you're also joining face grain to face grain, and that's an incredibly strong bond.

Point is that it shouldn't take much glue to attach it - forever.  I've not personally attached a fret, but I've joined together carvings with hide glue in the Grinling Gibbons manner, and found that I could thin the glue out quite a bit (and much more than I would to join case pieces) so that I could get a thinner coat and a lot less squeeze-out.  Might be worth practicing on some spare pieces...
 
Have made fret for Charleston pieces a few times. Have had success by using yellow glue. With a 3'' paint roller, roll a thin coat of glue on a flat disposable or easily cleaned surface. I usually use plastic laminate. Lay fret on glued surface, press lightly, then lift fret  onto prepared surface. Have never experienced squeeze out when using  this method.
good luck with your project. Think Charleston furniture has been not given its due. Also think walking in the restored area is one of the great walks in the US.

Bob
 
Bob, I agree 100 percent about Charleston, except maybe in August, but saying that if I was offered the chance even in August I would jump at it. I have another question why do they call their beds rice beds when they are definitely wheat and tobacco leaves?
I think I have stated before I use Elmer's white glue. I have found a problem with staining after using yellow glue do you stain before or what is your process for coloring. Please don't fret I am just curious.
 
I agree with you about July and August in Charleston, But I still love it. I use all the glues available depending on the situation. Have not had a problem with squeeze out on the fret work. I am very cautious when rolling glue on the laminate. I guess we all sometimes experience this problem and I try to not cause this problem. Tried many other ways to glue frets and this seems to work better than others. Did not like hide glue at all. Could not get coverage fast enough before it would set. Have not tried white glue, but think it would work well and I find the setting time to be slower. This might help. Did not know it would stain less.  As an addendum to the rice bed reference, I saw bedposts that John Bivins was carving shortly before he died that looked more like rice carvings. Did not question him about his pattern. A good question, however. Maybe someone can answer.

Bob
 
Thanks to all for your help. This will be a long project. I'm going to try to do the Charleston library bookcase modeled after Chippendale's design (the one with the siedbays and all the fret work).
I have started to carve the fret first and I despite Jeff's advice I have been unable to prevent myself from fretting.

Howard Steier
 
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