I'm always experimenting with making my own tools as well as looking in stores and catalogues for tools at the right price. The most recent tool I made is a "fret bender" fashioned from rollers made for door and window mechanisms (purchased at a local hardware store). I bought two larger brass rollers, plus one smaller one that is metal on the outside and nylon in the middle. I filed a slot in the middle of the nylon in the smaller roller (wheel), which I think will accept the fret-wire tang. The smaller wheel was then attached to a piece of door hardware to allow the wheel to be moved back and forth into the desired position before being bolted in place. Next, the three rollers (wheels) were bolted onto a piece of plywood in a triangular pattern with the larger wheels at the base. I had to experiment a lot to find the right placement for the wheels, so the plywood board is full of holes. To bend the fret-wire, I just push the wire through the three wheels. There is no crank like the one at Steward-MacDonald, and the accuracy couldn't possibly be as good, but since I'm trying not to spend much money -- and since this homemade device seems to work -- I guess it'll do.

New tools I've purchased since beginning this project include a small fret slot depth gauge, notched straight-edge, and double edge fret file from Stew-Mac, and an X-acto saw and a dressing stick from Hobby Lobby. At home, I've made separate fret rockers in three different lengths, a straight-edge for the flat of the neck, a fret setter, and three sizes of three-corner dressing files.