How to fix this mistake? w/ pics

[Travis]

I was routing tonight and had to 96 chamfer cuts on tongue and grove slats with m router station. I missed on one and really tore in to piece. Giventhe location of the board it will not be visible on the project (bed foot board against the box spring. Never the less I want to repair it the best I can since making a new one from scratch wood take a long time and probably not match the others perfectly.

Should I cut out and glue back a piece then shap with hand tools? Maybe use some tyoe of wood filler?

BTW - I plan to use a natural finish.

:help::help::help:

 

[cskipper]

Granted, I don't make furniture, but if it won't be seen and won't affect the fit I'd leave it alone (other than sanding).

 

[Glennbear]

I would tend to agree with Kathy, I think we are our own worst enemies when it comes to striving for absolute perfection. If there is any structural issue I would opt for some wood filler otherwise let it go and "out of sight out of mind" :wsmile:

 

[LeftyTom]

Cathy has a good point. If anyone ever notices, say that someone dropped something against the wood.

 

[BarryC]

It just adds character to the piece. Imperfections are what makes custom pieces truely unique. Or at least that is what I'm telling myself on my crib project.

 

[nelsone]

Cut a patch of wood large enough to cover the damage. Mark around the patch and remove the damaged wood with your router (carefully!) pare to the lines with chisels and glue your patch in place. If you're careful in choosing the patch, it will basically disappear.

Good luck!

 

[rbdoby]

You probably don't need to fix it because it will be hidden. However this is an opportunity to practice fixing a mistake. Glue in a piece of scrap and work it down with hand tools. What you learn will help you in the future.

Rick Doby

 

[Mike Gilley]

I agree with Rick & Ed, cut out the 'damaged' area, glue in a piece of scrap and work it down with hand tools.
If your able to find a piece of scrap that match's the grain pattern, you'll be able to hide it well enough so you would be the only person who could see the patch :icon_thum.

MTCW
Regards,
Mike

 

[Travis]

Thanks for the advice. I will try the patch and take on the project as a little challange for myself. I will post the before and afters soon.

 

[Bas]

After you've patched it, and you really want to get in practice in making repairs, put a little super glue over the area and quickly start sanding. You'll need two pieces of sandpaper, since the glue will ruin the first piece. Any voids/ imperfections around the patch will be filled with sawdust further obscuring the lines.

I'm a beginner at most things, but the superglue-sawdust technique I have practiced to perfection, unfortunately......

BTW, aren't we all nuts, fixing a piece that won't ever be seen? Obsessive compulsive behavior I'd say. A little woodfiller would be a 30 second job.....but where's the fun in that?

 

[Badabing]

What Ed said! There is an episode of the WoodWhisperer (#31 towards the end) where Marc fixes some chipout in an edge profile. It is a much smaller scale than what you have but the same idea applies. You can patch the area and then reroute the profile through the patch. Should look perfect!

 

[PurpleThumb]

Right choice

 

[Travis]

Here us the repair photo, not bad maybe with the stain and finish it will blend in better. I will post a pic of that too when I am finshed.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

I am of the opinion that fixing the mistake was the right way to go. I mean, unless you are churning out work and trying to meet deadlines, then shouldn't the hobby be about trying to perfect the craft and elevate your game as much as possible? You would have known that the chip existed unfixed, and that would have changed your opinion of the finished piece. I say do everything to the utmost of your ability! Pretty decent fix I say, although in the future if you do an irregular shaped patch it will blend more and be less visible. Also, Bas's suggestion about the superglue is good. I have used PVA and sawdust mostly though. Either will work.

 

[nelsone]

Good job on the repair! I think you'll be glad you did it in the long run.

 

[Bas]

Looks like a pretty good fix to me! Even if it doesn't blend in perfectly, at least it will look like a quality repair. After the stain and finish, I bet it will be hard to spot.

 

[Tarhead]

Nice! I would put my signature/woodburn a maker's mark/stamp or something in the patch so it looks like you did it for a reason. :gar-Bi

 

[toolferone]

Well done on the patch! That was the way to go.

 

[jeff...]

What mistake ?

 

[McRabbet]

I've always called a filler piece like yours a ''Dutchman'', but sometimes, they are put in on purpose to cover something underneath. Technically, a plug over a screw is a Dutchman and so is this strip that I installed in the upper side of the middle shelf of a wall cabinet unit that I made on commission last summer:

This was before I applied finish to the shelf and it hides the wiring to the cabinet light that shines into the lower half in the wall cabinets (shown before the glass doors were installed) here:

Because the top side of the shelf is above the eye level of everyone under 6' tall, no one would ever notice this 8" long coverup. The client asked me how I got the wires to the lights and I just smiled -- told her "they are buried in the shelf"... Click this thumbnail to see the same cabinet with the doors installed:
As you can see, the door rails further hide the "sin".

BTW, Travis -- good job on your Dutchman!:thumbs_up