Refretting fingerboard extension on a Gibson A-50

[rcc56]

Just took in a '40's A-50 for a refret.

Out of the 150 or so fret jobs I have done, I have never done the upper frets on an f-hole mandolin. There's no obvious way to support the top under the fingerboard extension when replacing the last 5 frets. Perhaps I can get a clamp to reach through the f-hole and press them in, perhaps not. Any other suggestions?

[sunburst]

I usually trim the barbs first so that the fit is a easy press, then support the extender with a modified cats paw sort of like... then tap the frets in. I usually need to add a touch of CA because they are not very tight after trimming the barbs, and they always need more leveling than the rest of the frets, but it works.
If the A 50 does not have an elevated extender, you can't use the cats paw, but there is at least a little bit of support for fretting.

[rcc56]

Thanks, John. I hadn't thought of the cat's paw idea. I will log it into my memory. It won't work on this one, though- it's not an elevated board. I'll trim the barbs and knock off the sharp corner on the back of the tang and see if I can lightly tap or clamp then in.

My violin supplier has a 4" clamp that's made to work through the f-hole. I wish they had a longer one. I'm too lazy to make one from scratch. I might buy 2 of them and work up a way to press them in.

Any other ideas would be welcomed.

[John Kelly]

John's suggestion of filing off the tangs on the fretwire is what I'd go with too. A chance to get the superglue out to help the frets to get a strong grip after removing the barbs.