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This video is taken from the Liberty Pelican project.
There are several ways of dealing with small cracks (or 'shakes'). This is the one I use most often. Take time and trouble over this approach and you'll have a nigh-on invisible repair.
| 16 September 2023 16:58
Thanks for the clarification. I like the image of Alladin -- expecting some magic to come out of one's carving!
| 16 September 2023 14:10
Darrin - It's another word for polishing.
So when I say I let the wax dry then 'burnish' it (about 4:00), I just mean that when the wax is dry - ie no longer tacky - I take a clean rag and vigorously rub the surface of the carving, to bring the wax to a shine.
Rather like Aladdin polishing his lamp...
| 12 September 2023 19:35
Hi Chris. Amazing results! I've been doing medium sized abstract sculptures with a native California wood called madrone, which is a beautifully figured wood but which is notorious for splitting. So far, I've just incorporated the cracks into my designs. But it's good to know there are alternatives when a crack just won't do.
You mention burnishing. I've done a search and can't find any other references. Can you explain how you do burnishing? Thanks!
| 04 November 2021 14:45
Beth - Woodturners sometimes find hairline cracks in their bowls and I know of some who wick superglue therein and rub over with finest sawdust (from the wood they've turned). So that is certainly a trick to have. We are talking very tight cracks I don't know how wide you could go with this method, the glue itself has no space filling properties.
I have a couple of carvings at home that have hard, colour-matched wax filling cracks about 1/16in. 2mm, and that has worked well, the wax flexing with the wood.
If I've misunderstood your question and you are asking if you can use superglue instead of wood glue for the wedge repair, I wouldn't - it works too quickly and you may find the wedge stuck to the surfaces before it's properly home
| 01 November 2021 18:56
Hi Chris,
Can you also use superglue for gluing in wood filler for cracks or would wood glue be the preferred glue to use?
Thanks!
| 05 January 2015 13:15
Dermot - I guess that's what I'm doing here. I re-carve the surface after the wedges. (I've never used any sort of woodfiller and then re-carved; pretty much it's wood or nothing.) The thing is, this wedge isn't really that accurate a fit as it gets further into the wood, so you could put the wedges in, carve away and find the split appearing again. I ignore the split until just short of the final surface, put the wedges of wood in, then finish the carving.
| 31 December 2014 22:31
Chris, can you fill cracks in the block before carving ?
| 27 March 2013 19:26
Michael - If I could glue a broken part back on invisibly - and that depends on the break and how you can clamp it while the glue sets etc - then, yes, I'd certainly do it. I often glue up wood to get the size I want and, really, there's not much difference. I have seen broken parts glued on badly - meaning noticeably - and that just doesn't work.
| 27 March 2013 18:40
Spectacular! This process will be a blessing in the future. In repair, is it ever acceptable to glue on a broken piece of a carving? I was carving a small tree branch with Dogwood flowers, and a fine crack that I did not see in the end grain went through the branch and it broke off 1 1/2" in the carving process(I simply shortened the branch without much ill effect to the design), but would have liked to keep the length. What is your view on this?
