OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

275753 Micah Salb 2022‑06‑16 How much worry should this crack cause?
Folks:

A friend purchased a very large walnut dining table constructed of long 8"
walnut boards.  One of the boards had a split at the end (the grain there was
basically rift-sawn).  The split was filled with dyed epoxy.  But the epoxy has
separated from one side; there is a minute gap between the wood and the epoxy
and the wood is very slightly elevated (not really visibly so but you can feel
it with your hand).

At my urging, my friend got a quote from a large very experienced restoration
company.  They said it would cost $1,200 and would have to be fixed in their
shop.  My friend is wondering how much to quarrel with the table's manufacturer.

How much should he be worried about this?  (I'm concerned that continued
expansion and contraction will make the problem much worse, but perhaps it
wouldn't cause so much harm that it couldn't still be fixed?)

Micah
275754 Scott <scottbgarrison@g...> 2022‑06‑16 Re: How much worry should this crack cause?
I'm struggling with this a bit...$1200 to fix it, wow! It might be helpful
to see it. Can the epoxy be routed out with a Dremel, knocked out if it is
a triangular wedge at the end of the board? It seems to me unless it is
somehow dovetailed into the two separating edges that it can be removed or
allowed to remain without causing damage. A piece of wood can be shaped to
fit where the epoxy was or the epoxy replaced. I guess it depends how much
the eye is drawn to the area now or with a new fix.

On Thu, Jun 16, 2022 at 12:56 PM Micah Salb via groups.io  wrote:
275755 scritch <capeflattery@c...> 2022‑06‑16 Re: How much worry should this crack cause?
Sounds like it's a new table.  If it is an antique, I'd give more than one
solution:

- leave it as "character"

- maybe grind out the existing epoxy on the surfaces and fill the crack in with
close-to-matching epoxy, and describe it as "character"

- cut out the epoxy, reinforce the joint with a butterfly mend, and brag that
you were able to "save" the table
275756 Don Schwartz <dks@t...> 2022‑06‑16 Re: How much worry should this crack cause?
Hard to know how to approach this without knowing more, and seeing a 
picture. I expect it was an expensive table, and relatively new. If so, 
I'd definitely be talking to the dealer or manufacturer about resolving 
the problem before even considering outside help. Was the board a bad 
choice for the table? Was the epoxy an appropriate solution?

If the epoxy didn't hold, the movement may not be done yet. Did the 
table experience a change in climate? Has the table settled down, or is 
the wood still moving, widening the crack?

Probably a mechanical connection is required, a butterfly key for 
example?. Even a steel mending plate or two down below may be in order. 
What's appropriate really depends upon a number of factors, not least 
the style and finish level of the table. A fancy period reproduction 
will require a different approach than a modern piece, for example.

FWIW
Don


On 2022-06-16 10:55 a.m., Micah Salb via groups.io wrote:
> Folks:
>
> A friend purchased a very large walnut dining table constructed of long 8"
walnut boards.  One of the boards had a split at the end (the grain there was
basically rift-sawn).  The split was filled with dyed epoxy.  But the epoxy has
separated from one side; there is a minute gap between the wood and the epoxy
and the wood is very slightly elevated (not really visibly so but you can feel
it with your hand).
>
> At my urging, my friend got a quote from a large very experienced restoration
company.  They said it would cost $1,200 and would have to be fixed in their
shop.  My friend is wondering how much to quarrel with the table's manufacturer.
>
> How much should he be worried about this?  (I'm concerned that continued
expansion and contraction will make the problem much worse, but perhaps it
wouldn't cause so much harm that it couldn't still be fixed?)
>
> Micah
>
>
> 
>
>

-- 

God's away on business - Tom Waits

"...it's just a humpty dumpty world" - Ry Cooder
275757 scottg <scottg@s...> 2022‑06‑16 Re: How much worry should this crack cause?
If the friend purchased the table recently and it was considerably 
expensive,
furniture sellers usually have someone either on staff or on call to deal.

If was a while ago and wasn't big bucks, personally I would fill the 
minuscule problem with hard wax and rub it out, and see if that doesn't 
do it.

   It might not be done moving and might turn into a full repair/refinish
Or it might remain stable for another 100 years.

   Don't make a momentary fix into something it doesn't need to be.

Also
  Try not to fixate on things nobody else is ever going to see. When you 
are the only one who knows, put a lid on it.
    yours scott

-- 
*******************************
    Scott Grandstaff
    Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca  96039
    scottg@s...
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html
275759 Michael Blair <branson2@s...> 2022‑06‑17 Re: How much worry should this crack cause?
So, a very expensive table with a defective board and a defective repair
made at the factory...  What did the factory say?  The store where it
was purchased -- what did they say?  The wood obviously hadn't stopped
moving.  I agree with Don -- the dealer and/or the manufacturer have an
obligation.  In using an epoxy filler, the very first thing is to
stabilize the wood around where the filler is to be used by saturating
the crack with multiple application of thin epoxy.   Either that didn't
happen, or the wood had *really* not finished moving. 

If the board had to be repaired before being used it was a bad choice
IMO.  To me, that makes it a manufacturer problem. 

Maybe, as Scott wrote, the wood  has finished its journey.  Maybe not. 
Keep a watch for further movement, but let the manufacture know the
problem immediately.  Top dollar furniture (well, top dollar anything)
requires using top dollar materials. 

Mike in Woodland
275760 the_tinker <tinker@z...> 2022‑06‑18 Re: How much worry should this crack cause?
Micah,

Can you put a dutchman across the crack on the underside?

-JP
275765 Micah Salb 2022‑06‑20 Re: How much worry should this crack cause?
Thank you to all who responded to my inquiry about this!  It was very helpful.

Micah


-----Original Message-----
From: oldtools@g...  On Behalf Of the_tinker via groups.io
Sent: Saturday, June 18, 2022 10:48 AM
To: oldtools@g...
Subject: Re: [oldtools] How much worry should this crack cause?

Micah,

Can you put a dutchman across the crack on the underside?

-JP

On 6/16/22 12:55, Micah Salb via groups.io wrote:
> Folks:
>
> A friend purchased a very large walnut dining table constructed of long 8"
walnut boards.  One of the boards had a split at the end (the grain there was
basically rift-sawn).  The split was filled with dyed epoxy.  But the epoxy has
separated from one side; there is a minute gap between the wood and the epoxy
and the wood is very slightly elevated (not really visibly so but you can feel
it with your hand).
>
> At my urging, my friend got a quote from a large very experienced restoration
company.  They said it would cost $1,200 and would have to be fixed in their
shop.  My friend is wondering how much to quarrel with the table's manufacturer.
>
> How much should he be worried about this?  (I'm concerned that continued
expansion and contraction will make the problem much worse, but perhaps it
wouldn't cause so much harm that it couldn't still be fixed?)
>
> Micah
>
>
> 
>
>

Recent Bios FAQ