| Repairing Wide
Splits in the
Table |
 |
Another common problem, caused
by shrinkage of the braced top, is a split along the glue-line where the 2
halves of the book-matched front were glued together. Usually the top is
still firmly attached to the struts beneath and cannot be forced together
again. |
 |
The solution is to insert a thin
sliver of spruce into the gap. Old wood is used where possible, and it is
carefully pared down to the exact shape of the split, before being glued
in. |
| I try to make the fillet wedge-shaped, difficult when
thin, so that is gradually forced into the gap, which itself has slightly
angled sides. It is often necessary to
use a clamp to keep the pressure on while the glue sets. |
 |
Once sanded, if done well, there is nothing
to show that the insert is there other than a slight colour variation,
which in time will even itself out as the 'new' wood darkens in the
daylight. |
 |
 |
Here is another example, but in
this one the crack is not down the centre-line, which is just visible to
the right. A portion of the table has given way, in this case in 2
places, the piece in between having been lost. A similar operation, but
using a much wider fillet. |
 |
Another photo of a centre-line
glue-up. I often glue re-enforcers under the split, similar to the cauls
visible in this shot, to try and strengthen the weakened area. |
| |
|
|
|