After gluing massive Teak lumbers I’ve discovered narrow gaps along the joint (see attached images). As the final piece intended as a decorative table, the client (my wife!) would very much like to conceal it. All ideas are welcome. Thanks in advance.
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One common way of filling gaps, nicks, etc. is to mix some sawdust from the wood with "super glue" (Cyanoacrylate) and use that as a wood filler, sanding it flat after it dries. I hook my shopvac to my sander so I try to clean the filter before the first sanding. I then knock off a supply of the sawdust from the filter to use as needed for filling. I have tried using the sawdust with blond shellac, since I use use blond shellac as a seal coat, but the results have not been that great with maple. The filler is noticably darker than the wood after drying. I have read that using cyanoacrylate gives better results.
If you can spare an 1/8th inch in the table top design, you could always rip the top down the glue line, and after carefully prepping the edges (electric jointer, plane, etc.), reglue. You might also want to consider whether you used enough clamps the first time.
5 Minute epoxy works well too. If you are planning to stain, you might want to mix some in with the mixture. Stain will not absorb into epoxy, so once you are done that is the color. With the bits of dark grain nearby the small gaps I doubt anyone but you will ever find them.
Brad
As the final piece intended as a decorative table, the client (my wife!) would very much like to conceal it.
I for one say''' She is just trying to make you do your best! I would take her out for dancing and dinner and I'd bet she forgets all about it!
I agree with Sampson. Those gaps indicate the joint wasn't well prepared before gluing, and remaking the joint is by far the best solution, in my opinion. If you can see light between the joint when the two boards are standing with gentle hand pressure on top of each other, then the joint can be improved.
If truely massive, the joint needs to be well prepared since it is otherwise hard to get sufficient clamping pressure.
What kind of glue did you use on the joint?
Gorrila Glue.
As the others said, I'd consider remaking the joint. Gorilla glue performs fairly poorly in a less than perfect joint and teak can be a bear to glue to begin with. I would be inclined to rip along the glue line. If you can keep the rip pretty parrallel to the length of the board, the edges to be glued should line up pretty well. Unless they're really, really bad, I wouldn't worry too much about the saw marks in the edges either. They'll provide good "tooth" for the epoxy which is what I'd prefer for teak. Epoxy doesn't liek to much clamping pressure, so clamp just enough to close the joint.
Crayon or colored wax will work.
What is the finish schedule?
You can buy wax filler (beaumontage) sticks from Liberon or Behlen or several other manufacturers.
After the finish is applied you could use tinted wax or shoe polish.
I have used crayola crayons in a pinch.
Use shellac to seal the repair after the first couple of coats of finish are applied. Then put on the final topcoat.
F.
For finish I use 3 coats of Wood Finishing Oil.<!----><!----><!---->
The problem I see with those fillers is that it leaves a fine dark/light line which even makes the gap more noticeable.<!----><!---->
Sometimes you can get a color match that is pretty close so that no one would be the wiser.Other times I use tinted shellac to blend in the repair.Depends on your skill and wether or not you have all the supplies to make this type of repair successful.F.
Ninor , If the joint is "no good " by all means redo it . But if it is just that small area you can as Floss said either fill it with colored filler or you could grain the small area which requires more time and touch up skills .
Maybe you could rout the underside for a tie bolt and bolt it tight filled with ca glue er sumthun scrape down the top to try and rid the dark line .
good luck dusty
For small gaps brought to my attention in that manner, I've always used ground wife's tongue, mixed with an appropriate glue, for the repair. Problem is, one goes through wives pretty quickly that way, and it gets rather expensive. ;-)
If the gap goes all the way through, I'd consider remaking the joint, as others suggested. (Other variables might dissuade me from doing so, though.) If its a shallow gap, I'd probably do the make-your-own matching filler thing.
Ninor,
Teak is notorious for rejecting glue here and there in an edge join (it's the oil in the stuff). I generally use biscuits (a tight-fitting spline serves a similar purpose) to provide more glued surface and a bit of mechanical grab, with teak edge joints.
If your glue-up is strong with only a few little gaps, then consider the following as filler:
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=3&p=20069cat=1,190,42997
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=3&p=20071cat=1,190,42997,42999
Liberon and other makers of finishing stuff offer alternatives of the same materials.
Hard wax or beaumontage (wax/resin mixed with shellac) provide a very good colour match and are also easy to apply. With them tiny gaps I'd use the hard wax, after you've finished the surface. When rubbed out, the hard wax will fill the gap but polish-off the surface to leave a normal-looking wax coat. And of course, the polished coat of wax will have a colour to match the piece.
With very small gaps the hard wax is rarely damaged; but if it should get an indent or other blemish, just put some more in and polish it out flat again.
The beaumontage (laquer sticks) are a lot harder but you must use them before you apply the finish as they require a hot knife to melt them into the gaps. The stuff can be sanded when it's cooled.
Lataxe
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