Fret marker removal

[Zed]

What kind of job would it be to remove standard dot fret board markers? Would it leave ugly noticable holes?

I've always wanted a markerless board, and will someday order a mando that way... but in the meantime was wondering if removing them is a major task.

Edit: I guess i should have said that obviously i know it would leave holes... but can they be filled and cosmetically covered so they're not noticable?

[Antlurz]

Yes, it would leave holes. Making dots out of ebony to fill them would be the hardest part.

Ron

[Rob Grant]

Zeek, I'd probably find it easier to make a new board.

If you want to make plugs for an ebony board (or rosewood, etc.). Access a lathe and turn a dowel out of the matching timber. Make the dowel the same diameter as the hole left by the original dots. Orient the grain to suit. Put a dab of glue in the hole and gently tap the end of the dowel into the hole. Cut the dowel off slightly above the surface with a fine razor saw and carefully level. Superglue works good for those in a hurry.

Like I said, I'd just make myself a new board.<g>

[Zed]

I can see that it's a major project. A new board would be simpler, i guess, but if the neck is bound.... ack... more major work. I guess i'll live with my dots until i special order a mando someday w/o them.

I don't do any kind of major woodwork at all... i hire you handy-dandy fellers for that stuff!

[Big Joe]

You can also make a filler of ebony dusts and epoxy or superglue and fill in the holes left by the markers. When you are finished, die or use shoe polish on the board to even the color and it will be black. You will be able to see where the holes were upon close inspection with any method. It would be almost as easy to replace the fingerboard as to do a fill in job.

[sunburst]

You can make them nearly dissapear if you are doing a fret job, and, in order to do a good job, you'd almost have to remove all the frets and mill the board and the patches level.

With the frets removed, you can cut out rectangular holes that go from fret slot to fret slot, and inlay wood that matches the fingerboard in both color and grain direction. That way there is no end grain joint to show up; only side grain, which is relatively easy to hide. The wood has to match and fit very well.

[Gary]

I have a similar issue. One of my mandolins has one of the fret markers on the "wrong" fret. How hard would it be to change the fretboard dot as well as the side marker?
thanks,
gary

[Bill Snyder]

Black Sharpie.

[Paul Hostetter]

John Hamlett has given the only realistic response so far. Markers, dye, epoxy - feh. Ebony's pretty forgiving, and the inevitable accumulation of playing munge will help make it all go away. I have made ebony dots using a tube cutter, and it worked pretty well. Changing a side position dot in a white bound board can be more of a hassle than an unwanted pearl dot in the wood. As John says, during a refret is the best time to try this at all.

[GTison]

how would you get the pearl dots out?

[jim simpson]

If you aren't trying to save the dot, you could just drill it out with a smaller bit. If you tapped it with a center punch, it would probably break & chip out. If you want to save it, try glueing a dowel rod to the dot, then pull it up & out. I have used a small exacto knife to pry them out but it usually chips the edge of the pearl dot. I had removed the neck on an old National mando and the dots covered up the screws on the fingerboard extension. My Daley has a blank fingerboard as the previous owner had ordered it that way. I don't miss them.

[sunburst]

how would you get the pearl dots out?

Heat.
The other responces here will work too, but heat will melt the glue that holds the dots and they'll come out. It depends on how tight they were inlayed, and what kind of glue was used how easilly they'll come out.

There's no real reason to save them, though, so the easiest thing to do is rout around them with a small carbide bit, and pry them out, whole or in pieces.