Repairing crack in teak capping rail

DavidSolang

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Advice please on best method & adhesive to repair crack in teak.
Capping rail crack is about 8" long & is mainly along the grain. Rail is about 1.5" thick x 4" wide. So far thinking of cleaning off surface oils with acetone (so far as I can within crack) injecting Balcotan or "SP epoxy" adhesive into joint & then clamping. Would be grateful for views on this or better approach.
 
I would do as you suggest, but use a slow hardener epoxy, slow hardener allows more time for the epoxy to get right into/creep the crack, dont clamp too tight, or you will just squeeze out any glue.
 
AS Englander says, continue as planned. I might suggest using a hot air gun or similar to gently heat the area. In this cold weather the epoxy tends to be quite thick, so a little warmth can help it penetrate into the crack and the timber a little better.
 
There's something called Zapagap which is a kind of superglue for filling and securing cracks in wood. It is designed for flowing into cracks. Bowl-turners use it to stop pieces of wood flying apart when being spun on a lathe.

I have no idea how long-lasting it is, or whether it is suitable outdoors.
 
A very good professional looking job can be done by setting a router with a straight cutter of about 12mm, but any size large enough to take in any wandering of the split, cut about 10-12mm deep and clamp a guide to the rail to make a straight cut, cut an exact width spline and glue it in, plane back when cured, you will not see it after the wood has lost it's newness if accurately fitted. Round off the end(s) of the spline to fit the routed groove.

John Lilley
 
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