I have an old table that has a couple of cracks/splits along
the grain where pieces of wood were glued together. These
do NOT run the full length of the board, so it's not a good
idea to completely separate them. But I'd like to pull the
splits together, in part to strengthen the wood, and to make
it look better.
What I propose to do in my ignorance :-) is to put some
Gorilla Glue into the crack, and then clamp the piece back
together. But I'm not sure if I can force the Gorilla
Glue into the relatively thin crack. Alternately, I can use
yellow or white glue (which I can thin to make it run into
the crack.
Please respond to this posting, or send me a private note
to emery, which is an account in the com domain at the host grebyn.
Thanks in advance!
dave
I ust did some last weekend on an Ethan Allan piece. The splits were
open (up to 1/8 inch and 2-3inches long) and I could not pull them back
together with clamps. Even if I could, the amount of pressure being
used indicated that a glue joint would just pull apart again. I found
that I could make wedges of wood that I could slide into the openings.
Then I just used yellow carpenters glue to hold them in place. I did
have trouble getting them to take stain. I would suggest that anybody
using this technique fit the pieces and stain them before using the
glue. After the glue dries, you can top coat them.
Len
--------------
David Emery wrote:
> I have an old table that has a couple of cracks/splits along
> the grain where pieces of wood were glued together. These
> do NOT run the full length of the board, so it's not a good
> idea to completely separate them. But I'd like to pull the
> splits together, in part to strengthen the wood, and to make
> it look better.
>
> What I propose to do in my ignorance :-) is to put some
> Gorilla Glue into the crack, and then clamp the piece back
> together. But I'm not sure if I can force the Gorilla
> Glue into the relatively thin crack. Alternately, I can use
> yellow or white glue (which I can thin to make it run into
> the crack.
>
> Please respond to this posting, or send me a private note
> to emery, which is an account in the com domain at the host grebyn.
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> dave
>
Hi
Use Hot Stuff - it is the equivalent to Krazy Glue and works perfectly. It
as dilute as water and will get into every part of your cracks. I have
never had a joint come apart using Hot Stuff. Available from Lee Valley.
Ed
"Wade Lippman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> A year ago my oak table developed a split.
>
> I bought some mending plates (steel strips with some holes in them) and
> screwed one side in. Then I drilled pilot holes off center, so when I
> screwed the other side in, it drew the split together.
>
> Reading this, is sounds like a stupid idea that couldn't work, but a year
> later the table looks perfect. Go figure.
>
>
>
PS - Clamp it up well right after you put Hot Stuff in the Crack.
Ed
"David Emery" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:AGJeb.37817$a16.18444@lakeread01...
> I have an old table that has a couple of cracks/splits along
> the grain where pieces of wood were glued together. These
> do NOT run the full length of the board, so it's not a good
> idea to completely separate them. But I'd like to pull the
> splits together, in part to strengthen the wood, and to make
> it look better.
>
> What I propose to do in my ignorance :-) is to put some
> Gorilla Glue into the crack, and then clamp the piece back
> together. But I'm not sure if I can force the Gorilla
> Glue into the relatively thin crack. Alternately, I can use
> yellow or white glue (which I can thin to make it run into
> the crack.
>
> Please respond to this posting, or send me a private note
> to emery, which is an account in the com domain at the host grebyn.
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> dave
>
Hi Bob
Great ideas there. Call me behind the times or what but what is a Bow Tie
Butterfly type repair and how do you build it?
Ed
"Bob S." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> David,
>
> Several options come to mind that are more suitable than trying to force
> glue into the joint. Below are some options to consider but your estimate
> of their value and the table is what matters in the end.
>
> 1. Poly glue is not a gap filling glue as some think since it foams out.
An
> epoxy glue is better suited for gap filling applications and can be tinted
/
> colored to provide the look you want - matching or contrasting.
>
> 2. Consider using a Bow-Tie (Butterfly) fix near the edge where the crack
is
> at it's widest. Made from a piece of hardwood, this is a time-honored
> method of stopping the tabletop from opening further.
>
> 3. If the crack is relatively straight, you can saw it apart and then glue
> it back together.
>
> 4. Use #2 above and fill the crack with two-part epoxy by just pouring it
> into the crack. Tape the bottom side so the epoxy stays in the crack and
> then refinish the top after the epoxy has cured.
>
> I have used gel stains (in small amounts) added to epoxy to color it. The
> epoxy fills the crack and by using the bow-tie, and drilling the other end
> of the split (small drill bit) to stop it from cracking further is a
method
> I've used before. Note - I doubt I would do any of these on a piece that
is
> considered to be an antique and has value that these fixes would
depreciate.
>
> Bob S.
>
>
David,
Several options come to mind that are more suitable than trying to force
glue into the joint. Below are some options to consider but your estimate
of their value and the table is what matters in the end.
1. Poly glue is not a gap filling glue as some think since it foams out. An
epoxy glue is better suited for gap filling applications and can be tinted /
colored to provide the look you want - matching or contrasting.
2. Consider using a Bow-Tie (Butterfly) fix near the edge where the crack is
at it's widest. Made from a piece of hardwood, this is a time-honored
method of stopping the tabletop from opening further.
3. If the crack is relatively straight, you can saw it apart and then glue
it back together.
4. Use #2 above and fill the crack with two-part epoxy by just pouring it
into the crack. Tape the bottom side so the epoxy stays in the crack and
then refinish the top after the epoxy has cured.
I have used gel stains (in small amounts) added to epoxy to color it. The
epoxy fills the crack and by using the bow-tie, and drilling the other end
of the split (small drill bit) to stop it from cracking further is a method
I've used before. Note - I doubt I would do any of these on a piece that is
considered to be an antique and has value that these fixes would depreciate.
Bob S.
A year ago my oak table developed a split.
I bought some mending plates (steel strips with some holes in them) and
screwed one side in. Then I drilled pilot holes off center, so when I
screwed the other side in, it drew the split together.
Reading this, is sounds like a stupid idea that couldn't work, but a year
later the table looks perfect. Go figure.
Ed,
Several types but typically you can purchase a bow-tie / butterfly template
or make one out of some 1/4" material (hardboard, lexan, plywood) and
purchase an inlay kit for your router. Try here to see it
http://tinyurl.com/pn23
And here to see the brass router guide http://tinyurl.com/pn1c
After you make the butterfly's, you then place the template over the area
where you want to inlay the butterfly. Typically, I make mine about 1/4"
thick from walnut, ash or maple - depending on the look I want. Rout out the
inlay area, clean up the corners with chisel or razor blade and then glue in
the butterfly. With it positioned across the crack, it prevents the crack
from expanding.
Bob S.
"Ed' stuff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Hi Bob
> Great ideas there. Call me behind the times or what but what is a Bow Tie
> Butterfly type repair and how do you build it?
> Ed
>
>
> "Bob S." <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > David,
> >
> > Several options come to mind that are more suitable than trying to force
> > glue into the joint. Below are some options to consider but your
estimate
> > of their value and the table is what matters in the end.
> >
> > 1. Poly glue is not a gap filling glue as some think since it foams out.
> An
> > epoxy glue is better suited for gap filling applications and can be
tinted
> /
> > colored to provide the look you want - matching or contrasting.
> >
> > 2. Consider using a Bow-Tie (Butterfly) fix near the edge where the
crack
> is
> > at it's widest. Made from a piece of hardwood, this is a time-honored
> > method of stopping the tabletop from opening further.
> >
> > 3. If the crack is relatively straight, you can saw it apart and then
glue
> > it back together.
> >
> > 4. Use #2 above and fill the crack with two-part epoxy by just pouring
it
> > into the crack. Tape the bottom side so the epoxy stays in the crack
and
> > then refinish the top after the epoxy has cured.
> >
> > I have used gel stains (in small amounts) added to epoxy to color it.
The
> > epoxy fills the crack and by using the bow-tie, and drilling the other
end
> > of the split (small drill bit) to stop it from cracking further is a
> method
> > I've used before. Note - I doubt I would do any of these on a piece
that
> is
> > considered to be an antique and has value that these fixes would
> depreciate.
> >
> > Bob S.
> >
> >
>
>