Greetings All,
I’m making a slab dining table and have a end check/split I’d like to keep from growing. The wood I’m using is 1-7/8″ spalted Sycamore. I’ve seen the check grow a bit since i did my final sizing and shaping but I don’t think it will compromise the structural integrity of the top. Still – I’d like to stop or control the split as much as possible. I also see this as an opportunity to utilize a butterfly joint which I’ve wanted to use for a while. I’m thinking about Walnut for the key.
Questions;
Can i get away with a 1/2″ or 3/4″ inlay or should the key go through the top? The split seems to be through if that makes a difference but it’s not so severe that you see light through the other side.
From beginning of split (edge of the table) to where it stops is about 6 1/2″. The gap is less then 1/16″. Would one large key work or should I use two smaller keys?
From what I’ve read I thought I would use a template and router to rough-out the mortise and then chisel to the line. I typically do this for my mortise and tenon joints so I feel comfortable with that. Usually I cut the mortise first and the tenon – in this case the key – to fit. Other thoughts or ideas?
I think a lot of this is intuition and experience so any direction you can give is very much appreciated!
Sawdust Ray
Replies
Ray,
I think your instincts are right on. One butterfly inlay on that crack, about 3/4" deep will probably do the trick.
No question that in this case it's better to cut the "mortise" first and then fit the butterfly to it. Make the butterfly with ever-so-slightly tapered edges, so that it tightens up as it is driven home. Make it thick enough to stand proud of the surface and trim later.
David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
Another approach MAY be to drill, from the bottom, almost all the way through, a a hole about 1/8"in diameter to stop the crack from propagating.
Frosty
"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
I fail to see the logic making cutting the mortise easier. I usually cut the butterfly first, then either use hot-glue, or a tiny speck of CA glue to tack it into place, then use a sharp thin knife to scribe the outline.
Then I pry it loose, and route close to the line, and pare off the rest to the scribe.
I think if you cut all of the way through, would make it weaker, due to the fact that the splitting pressure would just be transferred to the ends of the wings, and pop off the short-grain inside of there on either or both ends.
I would place this about 3" from the end, and before you glue it in, I would enhance the split by rounding over the edges with sandpaper. If it were a dark wood, I even sometimes use a pencil torch to singe and darken the edges of the split before sanding, which also helps in giving a more aged appearance to the check, but I don't think I would do this with a sycamore.
Keith,
Gotta agree with you, and disagree with David, on this one. Having had occasion to do it both ways, it is easier for me to scribe around the key, then cut the recess, than to try to make a rubbing of the hole to make a matching key.
As far as the suggestion someone made about drilling a small hole for stress relief, it is my experience that checks of this type often, nearly always, extend farther into the wood than where they appear to end. Trimming end checks from a board, I'll confirm that I'm past them by whacking the offcut against the edge of the radial saw table. It usually takes another 2-3" of offcuts to get to where the check actually ends.
Ray
Ray,I think that we're both right, because the actual process that I've gone thru goes something like this:1. Make a nice butterfly key and scribe it to cut the mortise.
2. After the mortise is cut, check the fit, and decide that it would be better to make a different key to get that perfect fit.
3. Make about 3 keys until I get one that really fits like it grew there.regards,David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
Sounds like a plan - I'll try it this weekend.Thanks for the input - I really appreciate everyone's help!!Raymond
Hello David,
That sounds like a plan to me! I'd really like to see your box of "extra" keys, it must be quite full by now!
Take care,
Ray
Sorry Ray ,
You missed the close out sale David had on E bay last week it read :
1 -Box miscellaneous sized extra keys in various species ,one money takes all.
dusty , enjoyer of humor
Dusty,I actually have a small box of butterfly misfits which will never ever get used for anything except maybe amuse the grandkids. But it's nothing compared to my collection of frame-and-panel doors that didn't fit their openings! (I think I have about 30 of 'em). Figure one day I'll panel an entire wall with those doors...best,David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled