Hairline Crack Repair

[Cgav34]

I carved a sign last night, and the board must have been cupped some (I didn't notice) but the pressure of the rollers must have caused the board to split. Now, there is a hairline crack along the front and back of the sign. It's along the length of the sign, so the top third of it wobbles a little, but is still held in place.

Whats the best way to repair this...pack the cracks with glue and saw dust, or break the top off and then glue it back on?

Only finish I plan to do is a few coats of polyurethane.

[bergerud]

I think I would carefully break it apart and then glue it back together.

[henry1]

I carved a sign last night, and the board must have been cupped some (I didn't notice) but the pressure of the rollers must have caused the board to split. Now, there is a hairline crack along the front and back of the sign. It's along the length of the sign, so the top third of it wobbles a little, but is still held in place.

Whats the best way to repair this...pack the cracks with glue and saw dust, or break the top off and then glue it back on?

Only finish I plan to do is a few coats of polyurethane.

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[mtylerfl]

I carved a sign last night, and the board must have been cupped some (I didn't notice) but the pressure of the rollers must have caused the board to split. Now, there is a hairline crack along the front and back of the sign. It's along the length of the sign, so the top third of it wobbles a little, but is still held in place.

Whats the best way to repair this...pack the cracks with glue and saw dust, or break the top off and then glue it back on?

Only finish I plan to do is a few coats of polyurethane.

If you can clamp the board tightly together, you can use Thin CA glue to make the repair. Just clamp, then squirt the Thin Ca glue along the fracture. Capillary action will allow the glue to seep into the hairline.

If the sign is intended for outdoor use, then do not use the method I described. CA is "iffy" for outdoor items. Use Dan's suggestion along with TiteBond III glue for a secure repair that will hold up outdoors.

[Sliverfoot]

I agree with Dan, break it apart. That way you can put a thin amount of glue the entire length of the board. try to keep it thin so it doesn't squeeze out or you may have problems staining.

[mtylerfl]

I agree with Dan, break it apart. That way you can put a thin amount of glue the entire length of the board. try to keep it thin so it doesn't squeeze out or you may have problems staining.

As the OP already stated, he will not be staining, but he can easily remove any squeeze out after the glue starts to setup a little. I often use a chisel to slice squeeze out off flat surfaces. Of course, some care must be used to not accidentally gouge the surface!

In rare cases, I'll use a damp rag to remove excess glue when it's still wet, but that has the drawback of potentially sealing the wood too, making it difficult to absorb stain as nicely as the surrounding surface. I find allowing the glue to setup a bit, then mechanically removing the excess is my favorite method.

[Cgav34]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Tried to break it apart, but it was holding together a lot stronger than I thought. Ended up squeezing a bead of glue along the cracks and forcing it in with my finger. Whipped up the excess and clamped it for a day. Sanded it down and all is good.

Sign will be hung indoors, so no fear of weather affects.