Woody but not boaty

[C08]

I have an old Monks Bench where the top is made from 3 lengths of oak. The ends are pieces of wood across the grain of the long pieces so the gap joint stops at the end pieces. One of the joints along the top has separated and is about 1/8" wide. I suppose this is just the effects of central heating. What I wish to do is cramp it across the width and use epoxy/polyester to reglue up the joint.
This needs a lot of presure to close it up and my fear is that the joint will separate again, not such a problem as I am back where I started but more worrying is that it will pull the other joint or worse still crack the wood.
Another alternative would be to use some sort of hard wax to fill the crack and hopefully disguise the joint. There is a substantial amopunt of carving on both sides. It is not exactly an antique and not of great value, probably about 90 years old but it is of great sentimental attchment.
I am reasonably handy with wood but I do not want to get this wrong - any thoughts from the wood experts?

 

[Poignard]

I don't claim to be an expert but my preferred method would be to clean old glue, wax and dirt out of the gap and glue a piece of matching timber into the gap. Then plane it flush and refinish the surface.

 

[C08]

My preferred remedy would be as you suggest but the extensive deep carving on both sides precludes that also the finish is old french polish with a nice patina and I do not want to alter that.

 

[Poignard]

OK assuming the gap is a uniform 1/8" width along the whole length then you would have to remove the end pieces, clean the gap, apply glue and clamp the long pieces together. Then refit the end pieces, which will then be 1/8" too long and will have to be trimmed flush.

 

[Poignard]

We have one of those monks' benches in the hall. I have just had a look at it and it has a gap of about 1mm. Not worth bothering about, especially as it is invisible under the pile of coats, scarves, umbrellas, and things waiting to go to the charity shop.

 

[C08]

Twister thanks for your thoughts. Taking off the end pieces would just wreck the top as it is securely glued with no trace of any separation. I think I am goung to try hard furniture repair wax, the type of stuff you melt in.

 

[Poignard]

Or put a cushion on it!

 

[C08]

We use it with the top down as a table with photo frames, flowers etc so the crack is very visible.

 

[davidej]

I'm no expert but I was amazed how well 'err indoors' managed to disguise cracks in a dining room table with hard wax. You can get it in many shades to match the wood.

 

[d4dunmor]

The proper way to fix this is remove the board and surface it either by surface planer or if u are skilled by hand plane glue up using a suitable quality glue (does not have to be epoxy)
oak moves to the equilibrium of its surroundings put it by a radiator it will move put it in a damp cottage it will move
The right way is not always the easiest way

 

[Keith 66]

It is oak & it is old, if it is in a centraly heated house it will move. Epoxy wont hold it & as for polyester it isnt a glue! Gluing up old furniture is best done with scotch (hide) glue, it is surprisingly effective & very strong. It is also reversible something that modern glues are not. In this case i think i would fill the cracks with beeswax & let them move.

 

[rubberduck]

I have an old Monks Bench where the top is made from 3 lengths of oak. The ends are pieces of wood across the grain of the long pieces so the gap joint stops at the end pieces. One of the joints along the top has separated and is about 1/8" wide. I suppose this is just the effects of central heating. What I wish to do is cramp it across the width and use epoxy/polyester to reglue up the joint.
This needs a lot of presure to close it up and my fear is that the joint will separate again, not such a problem as I am back where I started but more worrying is that it will pull the other joint or worse still crack the wood.
Another alternative would be to use some sort of hard wax to fill the crack and hopefully disguise the joint. There is a substantial amopunt of carving on both sides. It is not exactly an antique and not of great value, probably about 90 years old but it is of great sentimental attchment.
I am reasonably handy with wood but I do not want to get this wrong - any thoughts from the wood experts?

You will never stop wood moving, all you can do is allow for it in manufacture.
In this case I would go for a cosmetic repair, a little flexible filler mixed with stain, finish with some suitably coloured filling / finishing wax, we used to churn out hundreds of units out of 1000s runs, never got 1 back nor a complaint. Even beat one customers QC guys (Whom they sacked because they kept on rejecting everything when they started to do that bit themselves.