>I apologize if this has been covered a hundred times before. I searched WC and BP archives first.
I have a late 1880s vintage #8 with a cracked front knob. One side is cracked all the way through and there is a crack directly across that starts at the base and extends half way up. What is the best method for repairing the knob? I want it to look good, but more importantly I want it to be strong since I bought the plane to use.
Why didn't anyone tell me that a pair of block planes left in a dark shop would breed larger and more expensive off spring????
There was a discussion on fixing broken totes (not knobs, but probably helpful for you anyway) on Monday started by Jeremy Osner (if the link doesn't work).
Also, I've gotten a nice replacement tote & knob from Planewood when a repair didn't seem worth it. http://pages.sbcglobal.net/mike_in_katy/PlaneWood/Default.htm#B2
>Thank you for the link. I read through it all, but didn't find any information about handling a crack on a knob that is still largely intact.
I think glue and a tight wrapping of rubber bands would work, but how do I get glue into the two small tight cracks? I've considered a syringe, but don't think I can get yellow glue through a fine needle, and am not sure I can get a heavy needle into the cracks.
Should I break the knob in half to allow good access for gluing? It would probably make for an easier and stronger repair, but it seems like a crime for such a fine old tool.
By the way, the brass nut seemed to be a tight fit in the knob. Could that have been a culprit in the orginal split? Seems less likely since the split appears to have orginated at the bottom.
Sorry for the ramble, and thanks in advance for the advice.
On that same plane I mentioned in the Jeremy's thread below, I - on closer inspection - saw that I have a crack in the knob that sounds like the one you have. So, I've been thinking about the same thing, and coming up with similar solutions.
However, I seem to recall reading about one approach (I don't recall where I read it) that may work in my case (I haven't tried yet), and might in yours, as well.
That suggestion - if there is room in the crack to insert a piece of paper - then apply glue to a piece of wax paper (or aluminum foil) and slide the paper into the crack and allow the glue to transfer to the interior of the crack from the paper/foil.
Don't know if it'll work. If you get it to work, post your experience and let me know. I'll probably give it a try myself - but right now it's down the line on my roundtoit list.
>You might try cyanoacrylate glue. It is low viscosity and it will wick to the farthest reaches of any crack. It seems to be good enough to hold bowls onto lathes (or so they say on the turning side) so it must have reasonable holding power. I have used it on cracks but never tested the bond strength that forms. There is no question that it will wick throughout the crack.
What I would do is probably not what you should do, but here goes anyway: I would use the plane until the knob breaks. When and if it actually comes to pieces, glue it back together and it's practically as good as new from a user perspective. If you want to preserve it for posterity, make or buy a new knob and set the original aside.
>There are several different types of superglue that have the viscosity based on how tightly the parts fit (gap filling) and how porous the materials to be joined are. The stuff I've used that specifically states that it works on wood is a little thicker than some of the others. Some brands - such as Loctite - also seem to be of better quality than the generics. Is there a turner out there who can name a brand and type of superglue that has proven to be successful on wood?
>1. Feeler gauge stock (if you have it) or a cutup aluminum soda can will be superior to any thin plastic or paper.
2. If a crack goes all the way through, you can draw glue in by putting glue on one side and a shop vacuum on the other - it pulls the glue through. This may not work well with a knob, though (don't let go of it!).
3. As others mentioned, superglues, which come in various viscosities, work. So do the thinned epoxies used in preserving exterior woodwork, but this is an expensive investment to make for one knob.
>Take some yellow glue, mix it with a little water and then inject it with a needle. Start deep and work your way out. Then clamp the knob (blue 3M masking tape) and let it dry for a couple of days. If the crack is almost all the way through then finish the break and reglue it. Another way is to use hot hide glue but be careful on how much you thin it.
>I would fill the cracks with slow-set epoxy. I have some west systems epoxy that sets very slow. Add some silica to the mix to make it work well as a void filler.
A few years ago, I turned a chunk of Oak firewood to make a mallet. I found out that there were some hidden checks and voids inside the wood that didn't appear until I turned this into a mallet. I filled the voids with the above epoxy, and I've been beating the bejeezers out of my holdfasts and mortise chisels with it. None of the epoxied gaps have failed, and the mallet is starting to look pretty miserable now. It should hold up for your knob.
I have had excellent luck with CA Gold brand. Since cyanoacrylate has a limited shelf life, it is good when you can order directly. You can do so on CA Gold's website.
My biggest complaint with CA Gold is that their "extra thick" glue comes in a tube and becomes unusable very quickly after opened because it doesn't seal well.
Generally, it makes no sense to me to buy a product off the shelf that begins to deteriorate 6 months after it is made. In many cases it may have sat in a hot warehouse for weeks before being put on the shelf and may have lost a significant portion of its strength. Then, you don't know how long it has been on the shelf.
>I'm not sure that sealing has much to do with the shelf life of CA glues. I use the Hot Stuff in the squeeze bottles and I find that it keeps best if I just leave the lid off. After I open it, I make sure that the glue is down so that the tip is clear and set it on the shelf without a cap. Since I started doing it this way, it seems to last quite a bit longer, in that now I use up most of the bottle before it sets up wheras before, It seemed to be unusuable when still about half full.
>Makes sense to me. I purchased Thick, thin and extra thick CA Gold several months ago. The thick and thin were in bottles and and are still usable. The extra thick was in a tube. I used it once, put the cap back on and 2 weeks later I couldn't get the cap off and ended up breaking the tube trying. Had to throw it away after using some that seeped out of the sides of the tube.
Probably, if I had used a brad or something to clear out the glue in the end before recapping it and then stored it with the cap up, it would have lasted longer. Still don't like the idea of a tube.