Wood Issue

[baileyuph]

Situation:  Solid Walnut older
Gothic settee, upolstered bottom , open arm solid walnut, back is nearly all solid walnut with upholstered panels or insets trimed with gimp.  Anyway, some one drove a small nail into the wood and it has to come out leaving a small hole and about a one inch crack line.

To address the nail hole and small crack, the approach will be to use a fill for the hole and crack.  Then, enhance the look of the walnut by cleaning and applying coats of tung oil.

The hole and crack and the best filler to use?  I will try a wood clamp on the small crack to see if it will bring it smaller.  If so, that could modify my approach to include some glue and the clamping bit on he small crack.  As a note about the small nail and crack, it wouldn't surprise me if someone was trying to make the doweled joint tighter and literally drove the nail in where it is easily visable, but don't know about that for sure.




This is a beautiful older piece, I wish to be able to disguise the wood repair (where the small nail and resultant crack is) as best can.  I just love the burl in the center of the back rest. 

What would any of you think?

Hammer, or anyone else need more information, I will try.

Customer said the piece is approximately 85 to 100 years.

The horse hair is still there, but hard.

Doyle

[MinUph]

Take some close up pics of the damage. Sounds like burning in the hole is the way to go.

[byhammerandhand]

I'd like to see a photo, too.   A burn in repair is what I would probably do.   But it's got a learning curve to it.   

There are other approaches that may be more suitable, read: easier to do.

[mike802]

I have used an epoxy in the past for similar repairs, System Three Epoxy Kit, 1-1/2 Pint for 35.00 available at http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2004253/8568/system-three-epoxy-kit-112-pint.aspx

They also offer a 5 minute epoxy for around $20.00 but I have never used it.   The epoxy above can be stained to match the wood with either sawdust, or a commercially available stain, I have had good luck with Minwax.  The epoxy is expensive, but it has many uses in the shop.

[JuneC]

'scuse me, but what's a "burn in " repair?  I rarely get to work with wood, but it does sound interesting.  Any suggested reading on this technique? Link?

June

[baileyuph]

Burn in is a filling and finish repair techique that employs using a hot iron/knife to melt a filler into a deformation.  There is definitely an art to it, some never master it and can be very time consuming.

The technique usually isn't one for a newbie to execute on an expensive piece of furniture as it requires understanding of sheen, color, texture, body, level, an more depending on the furniture item, and finish.  In the hands of low experience, more damage can be incurred than good.

Fortunately, this piece of furniture i am working on isn't a candidate for burn in, it isn't of that magnitude.  I am taking care of it with a wood clamp, a spec of fill for the very tiny nail hole and a color.  Very lucky.

Doyle

[byhammerandhand]

Here's the fifty-cent tour:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnGSFDSXKZ4


I'll have to say, I've had several classes with a number of instructors and nobody seems to do it the same way.   I probably don't do it like any of them either, just found what worked for me.   I do then about every day, sometimes many times.    I think the record was 120 of them in one day on a set of kitchen cabinets damaged during a disaster.

[baileyuph]

That many a day Hammer?  Burn in?

Give a brief or primer of how you do a burn in to be that fast.

Do you use burn in on the imports?

Doyle

[MinUph]

Good video hammer. I use the oven and have for 30 yrs. I'd like to try a newer type of knife like the plug in or that butane one really looks nice.

[west coast]

Paul, I use the oven and the plug in knife but the electrical cord gets in the way for me so the oven is my favorite but if i`m in a hurry on a service call i`ll use my palet knife and a normal lighter with soft sticks works like a charm. Heat that baby up and and those soft sticks melt really quick. I also use vaseline around the edge of the burn in to protect the area outside of the repair.

[baileyuph]

Do most heat burners use MOHAWK products?

Mohawk needs to run a short training period to introduce their products, they may and I just don't know?

Doyle

[byhammerandhand]

I learned on an electric knife and that's about all I've ever used.   I use a smaller one than that shown in the video.  It's actually a Lenk stencil cutter with a different tip.   I got a butane one for work at one customer that never seemed to have an open outlet without moving six pieces of furniture.   Before I could use it, they moved to a different location.



For me, the electric ones last about a year before they quit working.

A guy in town that I know uses a propane torch to heat the non-electric knife.   It would scare me that it would tip over on someone's carpet.

Mohawk runs several day training classes all over the US.  They also have some DVDs that are available for not much money.  If you just want to dip your toes in the water, this is the least expensive kit I've seen.
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/dept/TFR/item/BH-BIKIT/Behlen__Burn-In_Repair_Kit

Good video hammer. I use the oven and have for 30 yrs. I'd like to try a newer type of knife like the plug in or that butane one really looks nice.

Practice, practice, practice.   They don't all go that fast.   A lot depends upon location and color.

Give a brief or primer of how you do a burn in to be that fast.

Doyle

I use Guardsman products.  Main reasons are that that's where I started and I like their naming better than Mohawk who always wants a fancy name for everything, e..g, instead of saying "pigment powder," they say "Blendal Powder,"   Instead of pigmented toner, it's "Tone Finish Toner" etc.     

Mohawk is sort of King of the Hill.   (Behlen and Jet are also RPM subsidiaries)   

Guardsman (Valspar) has a much smaller market share. 

Konig (aka Kӧnig) is a German competitor with a slightly different system, using I think softer fillers than the traditional lacquer or shellac resins.  They have a following, I think because it's easier.

The other supplier I know is Wood Finisher's Depot  http://woodfinishersdepot.com/product_info.php?cPath=10_184&products_id=1654