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The Editors Mailbox

How to Fix Woodworking Mistakes

comments (4) February 2nd, 2010 in blogs

GEide Gina Eide, Contributor
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Philip Lowe repaired a nick on a cabriole leg during a video shoot in December... you could barely see it. Woodworkers are bound to make mistakes, the key is developing the skills to fix them.
For a fast fix, Lowe started with some quick-set epoxy.
Lowe cut off the nick and planed the surface flat. Then he attached a  mahogany scrap and clamped it in place with an old upholstery coil. A heat gun helped the expoxy cure more quickly.
He re-turned the foot and we were back to shooting in no time.
For more on fixing mistakes, read this article on repairing a broken dovetail pin.
For more on fixing mistakes, watch this slideshow on repairing a lap joint.
Philip Lowe repaired a nick on a cabriole leg during a video shoot in December... you could barely see it. Woodworkers are bound to make mistakes, the key is developing the skills to fix them. - CLICK TO ENLARGE

Philip Lowe repaired a nick on a cabriole leg during a video shoot in December... you could barely see it. Woodworkers are bound to make mistakes, the key is developing the skills to fix them.

Photo: John Ross
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Phil Lowe’s a genius… and not just because he’s a carving, turning, period-furniture-making whiz, but because he’s so good at fixing mistakes.

Being a good woodworker doesn’t mean you can avoid mistakes, he says, the key skill is knowing how to fix them. (He wrote an article on the topic for FWW #186)

More on repairing mistakes

• Fix a Broken Dovetail Pin
• SLIDESHOW: Repairing a Lap Joint
• How to Repair a Botched Hinge Installation
• VIDEO: Gluing Cracked Wood Membership Required
• VIDEO: Steaming out Dents Membership Required
• How to Avoid Color Mistakes and Learn How to Fix a Blotchy Stain
• Seven Joinery Fixes Membership Required
• When Mistakes Happen Membership Required
• 5 Smart Repairs for Veneering Mistakes Membership Required
• Dealing with Woodworking Mistakes Membership Required
• 10 Best Fixes for Finishing Mistakes Membership Required

FineWoodworking.com shot a video with Phil Lowe of the Furniture Making Institute of Massachusetts in December (coming out next week). Woodworking under hot lights and the camera’s piercing gaze inevitably leads to mistakes. This shoot was no different.

In the middle of shaping a cabriole leg on the bandsaw, the workpiece slipped a bit and nudged the blade nicking his precisely turned pad foot. I cringed worrying about how this would set our video schedule back and anticipating an outburst of frustration from Lowe.

But no, Lowe calmly finished his cuts, turned the bandsaw off and inspected the damage. No cursing or swearing. 

We took a quick break and Lowe showed us how to repair the turning. First he sliced of the damage, found a matched scrap of mahogany, and mixed up some epoxy. He attached the wood scrap and held it in place with a handy clamp… a coil from the spring of an armchair. He used a heat gun to speed up the curing process and re-turned the foot when complete.

In the end, the damage was practically imperceptible. Pretty cool…

And, if you like this fix, be sure to check out Lowe’s other tricks for repairing dovetails, tenons, dadoes, corners, and lap joints.

What about you? What smart tips to you have on repairing mistakes?


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Comments (4)

ecocandle ecocandle writes: I found that helpful and enjoyed it.
Posted: 1:00 am on February 3rd

ronboy ronboy writes: ronboy says...if you look at the grain on the block closely you will see the grain is running in the same direction as the grain on the foot. Anyway you look at it, it is far better workmanship and a great deal of knowledge more than I and a few more have.I am just grateful for the tip.
Posted: 6:04 pm on February 2nd

GEide GEide writes: I think he did his best with grain at the moment--especially since it was just a prop after all--speed was our biggest concern.

But it looked pretty good when I saw it myself. In the photos it may seem more visible because of the lights and the close-up camera... Thanks for the feedback. Gina
Posted: 5:43 pm on February 2nd

fenapple fenapple writes: Philip Lowe's repair to his cabriolet foor is lovely. Would it have been possible to glue the patch on with the grain running in the same direction as the rest of the foot - and make it less visible?
Posted: 2:48 pm on February 2nd

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