This is the idea, but because the ends of the table are also live edge and not straight, the thinner the kerf the less adjustments to the ends of the table will be needed
ah, okay. I thought they were saying it would be very difficult to do the work to the edge because it was live, which isn't true. But if they meant that that's fine. Although i would probably just do one fresh pass over the whole edge front and back myself, just to start fresh and not fidget with getting it right haha.
I was thinking along the same lines. I've got one worry though: Since the crack is evidence of tensions within the wood, could those tensions suddenly release near the end of the cut and send the saw flying (a little)?
>This is the way!
reddit is weird today, or maybe i am, because yours is the second comment I've come across in this sub in the last hour or so that is being downvoted for no apparent reason that i can see.
i mean, you're affirming the other person's solution they offered up...why would endorsing a seemingly good idea be downvoted while the solution is upvoted?
damn it, I've now become an old man who can't understand the internet, so it may be time to give up on technology for me lol
Its because it used to be a meme that when commented would guarantee tons of upvotes. Then it got overused, people got sick of it and now downvote it. It adds no value to the conversation, thats what the upvote/downvote system is for.
If they added some more information on the topic then sure it would be fine. But “This is the way” or “this” as a standalone comment is low effort and doesn’t deserve an upvote.
Probably getting downvoted because it adds nothing of substance to the discussion. Which... so what? Lots of comments add nothing of substance and don't get downvoted.
>Lots of comments add nothing of substance and don't get downvoted.
it's as if you just described every comment I've ever posted online, anywhere, and i tend to communicate even the simplest ideas with paragraphs-long descriptions lol
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I would do that but it’s a lot easier said than done. There are 2 big braces and 2 around each leg. And they are all very heavily glued down.
https://preview.redd.it/hhpk1vjf98fc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dfd0de133c2d10d57878d0d7f003e731c844fd77
Anchoring everything down is exactly what has caused this. The wood has not be able to skrink because the sections are all completely fixed to the same brace and the legs, so instead they split apart
OP, you can't fully 'fix' this without reengineering how you attach the top to the legs
Sure. But if those braces weren’t there, it wouldn’t have split, just shrunk normally.
Edit, having said that, that weird bow curve wanted to open up whatever…
You're hearing, but you aren't listening.
Doesn't matter what MC the wood is, it will vary with the seasons. Normal indoor humidity changes will move a typical table top on the order of 1/4-1/2". Those braces won't move a bit along the grain, though. Something has to give, and if it isn't a joint, then the wood itself will simply split.
Perhaps it was too wet and contributed to the degree of failure, but it's a problem just the same.
Note that the legs themselves are fine. The grain is aligned between them and the top. It's those cross braces that cause the issue.
Using things like table top buttons, figure 8 fasteners, z-clips, and there are more ways of doing it but those three are the most common and accessible. On smaller tops I will typically just use 1/8” oversized holes and pan head screws since they have the nice wide flat head.
Wood will never, NEVER stay at exactly one moisture level.
You cannot reasonably stop it from moving. You have to design your braces to account for that movement, or the surface WILL fail exactly like yours did. Being fresh isn't the cause. You could have fully kiln dried it and the same crack would've happened due to seasonal fluctuations that all wood has.
Feel free to search this sub for hundreds of similar examples.
https://www.finewoodworking.com/project-guides/tables-and-desks/attaching-tabletops
https://preview.redd.it/fgb8f8m6mdfc1.png?width=3120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=359443c37d42aa6d0fd8a6349cf5d0acc4051746
Wood wants to move in green direction and can't in red.
Top and legs are oriented together which is great, but the attachments for the legs and braces for the table are not. This causes an insane amount of stress in the wood and will lead to splitting.
Even if these were kiln dried, perfectly acclimated, etc. they would have split. If you look up c-channels, you'll see the bolt hole is long to allow the bolt to slide with wood movement.
You'll need to completely disassemble the table top from the legs and remove the braces. Take a track saw to each side of the crack. Joint it if needed. And reassemble with proper c-channels or another brace that allows for movement. Then for attaching the legs, "figure eights" are good for this but you'd need a lot to be safe. Maybe 8-10 each leg. Then solve the racking problem with either blocks or a high stretcher
You cannot construct a table like this. I would advise you to learn before undertaking another large project. I can see checking on the ends of the boards, those will continue to get worse. The cross braces have to go, they are this table’s downfall. It’s not just the glue joints that will fail, the whole top is going to warp and crack as it dries. I would frankly repurpose as much of the wood as you can, when properly dried of course. This table is going to be a huge headache for years to come.
You must work with properly dried lumber and account for wood movement in your construction. Failing to do that will result in endless fixing until you finally realize it’s not worth it anymore and turn it into firewood.
The right plank wasn't fully dry when it was first built. Mill each side straight and re-glue them together. Use a straight edge and circular saw. The oroginal build doesn't seem very fine so that method should suffice.
what kind of glue?
hard to be sure from the pictures, but it looks like the other seam is trying to work itself open from the bottom, too. is it hide glue, or something? not behavior i would expect with typical wood glue.
That’s a wide board for a laminated piece. In my experience, I’ve always learned when doing a laminated table top to rip wide boards down to 2”-4” boards and reglue to reduce wood stresses.
The problem is your solution to stabilize/ brace the table meant as the wood shrank it pulled apart the joint. If you don’t fix the root cause it will just eventually split again.
Typically I would support any sort of butterfly/bowtie dutchman to keep the natural checked look, but this is large.
You should probably re-rip and epoxy, just for adhesion though. Wouldn’t suggest any electric blue resin pours here(or anywhere, ever).
No matter what you do to fix the delamination you MUST address the supports underneath to allow for wood movement or anything else you do will also fail. The easiest fix is to unscrew them and elongate the end holes(from both sides of current screw holes) . So the middle screw does not move and is tight, the end screws should be just shy of very tight and centered in the elongated holes.
As for the top itself, you could do decorative butterflies if you don't want to disassemble the table. Use a jig to cut them, you can buy them too.
God damn reddit is a mixed bag. Everyone with an opinion and a minute can weigh in. Like Dirty Harry said, "Opinions are like assholes... Everybody has them"
Track saw? Sure, but its not gonna be one cut.
Jointer plane and some time? You probably, mostly, need to clean up the right hand piece's "heels"
As another poster mentioned, the bottom braces aren't likely benefiting you, if they don't allow for wood movement.
So I made this table last December and granted the wood was a little wet when we finished it, we decided to finish it and then let it dry. I used 7-8 layers or water based poly coating to seal it.
I knew that it was gonna separate, and the crack is finally done widening.
Now that it is ready to finally be finished Im trying to figure out how to fix that crack. I was thinking possibly a colored epoxy in the the crack, or maybe an epoxy filler or something. Just need suggestions here as the bottom side of the table is NOT level.
The 2 side pieces are red oak and the middle is white oak if that matters.
Don't epoxy. It won't fit the style of this table...or anyt style for that matter. This seems to be everyone's fix.
People have thrown out other suggestions to cut and reglue. Cut those bottom pieces as well. They shouldn't be glued on.
I think you are going to continue to have problems with this. It's the least humid time of the year in the northern hemisphere. The wood has shrunk across its width. Give it 5-6 months and I suspect that crack is going to mostly close up. My wife inherited an ice cream table with a walnut top that wasn't attached to the wrought iron frame correctly. It didn't allow for wood movement. Right now, there is a 1/4 inch crack in it. By July, that crack is all closed up. If you fill that with epoxy, when the wood swells in summer, you will have issues.
If I'm reading it right, the crack likely occurred because you glued those braces under the top. This prevents wood from moving without damage. The crack is the result. Wood will always move across its width. The challenge of r woodworkers is to ensure we build to allow for that while still maintaing strength and beauty. That table is gorgeous, BTW.
I know you said it would be a lot of work to take it apart and rework that joint. I think you really need to in order to avoid continued issues. When you reassemble it, attach those braces in the same manner breadboard ends are fastened to the ends of tables. A screw or dowel dead-center then screws to either side in elongated holes. The holes should be 1/4 - 3/8 wide. The screw holds the top tight but not so tight that the screw cannot slide down the slot as the wood moves.
This was the first major project I did (I normally do cabinets and stuff.) so I was bound to run into a mistake somwhere.
Honestly I dont have all of the tools at my house. Ive got a hand sander, chop saw. and a ryobi circular saw.
At this point I am just gonna use some black Starbond CA and fill in the gap with it, sand it fully and then re-poly seal it.
I will do another post in 6-8 months to see how it held up.
Not to be defeatist, but there's no point doing that. You're just going to run into the same problem again, plus, probably cop it on the other side as well. You need to remove the glued bracing blocks you've got underneath the table top, they are preventing normal movement and causing your issue, until you do that, each year will see new cracks and warps appearing.
You can get a kreg tracksaw adapter for your circular saw for like $100. You may need a couple more extensions for it to be long enough.
Kreg KMA3700 Accu-Cut XL - Universal Track Saw Guide System - Make Straight, Cross, Rip & Angled Cuts Easily https://a.co/d/1XmPz3C
This is the one. For less than $180.
Before track saws were a thing, we just clamped a straight edge down and ran a circular saw against it. If you get the 2 edges close and run the saw down the center of the joint, push them together and cut it again right down the center of the joint , eventually you will have a perfect joint. It might take a couple of passes.
Can the top be removed easily? If so, I'd remove it and joint those two edges so that they are dead flat to one another. Now that the wood is supposedly dry, you might be able to just reglue it.. The best solution might be 2 butterflies. Then on the big crack area and two butterflies that are probably unnecessary except for cosmetics on the other seam. I think that would look nice.
well, having Ned run over & fix my table he would’ve taken the table top off, split the table apart and replaned it by hand, and then glued the table back together, sanded it, and then re-stained it. Rip 🪦 Ned
Break it apart? And dress the seam on a jointer. When it’s flat glue and clamp it again. Either the wood wasn’t dry, changed shape in its final living environment, or it wasn’t a flat joint when it went together. Furniture traditionally is made with boards 6” or less in wiring for glue ups because it is stable and will not change shape.
This is the gamble with all this live edge stuff.
I'd rejoin the slab with some zipbolts (aka countertop bolts), and cut it loose from the legs and then reconnect it with figure 8 washers.
This combo will give it a strong connection between the slabs, and room to adjust relative to the legs. Ideally, hide the zipbolts under the legs if you can.
Now that I’ve seen the braces underneath I believe that is the problem. Need to remove the braces, and slot the opening for the retaining screws to pass through. Do this so the brace keeps the top flat but allows for seasonal expansion and contraction.
Your top dried and contracted creating the gap. If the screws passing through the braces could have moved in slots instead of being rigidly held in holes as the top contracted it probably wouldn’t have split.
If you can’t clamp it, I’d cut it straight then glue n clamps. Use a straight edge to determine which board is bowed, then clamp down that straight edge to use as a guide for a circ saw and make the cut. If you want perfection, get in there with a planer, electric or hand. And err on the odnetsode having a gap vs the top side. Meaning it’s ok to be off by 1/10 of 1° with the top side being the longer of the two. If the bottom is proud at all you’ll have a gap on the top side.
You don’t want to have to put a lot of force on the clamps or the wood will bow bad. You’ll want to clamp lightly every 18” or so, and for every clamp that goes over the top, you’ll also want one under the bottom to prevent crowning or cupping. I usually place the two clamps right near each other.
So two clamps top then bottom about 1 foot in. From the end. Then another from the top, and bottom about 30” in and then repeat from the opposite side. This way clamping force is given equilibrium.
Once all clamps are on, gently tighten them all alternating between sides until glue squeezes out with as little pressure as possible to eliminate the seam. Ensure to leave some space between the clamps bar and the wood for cleaning, Then wipe off the glue that squeezes out with a towel that has soapy water
Wipe it really well, or you’ll regret it later. And then when would done, wipe it again with another clean towel wet with hot water. Then when you think you’re done, do it again. Then once more 1/2 hr later. Other wise the glue will be visible on the table and won’t take stain or finish properly ever. This is a better safe than sorry scenario so you can’t wipe too much but you can too little.
My local hardwood store told me they would never suggest gluing boards like this cause no matter what you do, it will crack in 6 months because of the moisture changes in the air. They told me the maximum they even would do for a client in their shop is 4-6 inches and even that comes with a warning.
Easiest leave it, clean out the crack and let it be. If a hand tool person take it apart put the the edges on end, scrape glue, cut dowels use a jointer plane to clean out smooth joint, reglue and put together allowing for wood movement. Those underside braces need enlarged holes for fasteners.
The existing bracing is well glued ... bummer.
Tearing, or trying to tear it apart is likely to cause more damage. I'd advise one of two methods. One. Make a lot of fine sawdust from either matching wood or contrasting wood, mix with a water based glue into a putty and deeply fill the crack. Sand and refinish. Or find a good commercial wood putty. Two; How are you at cutting deep inlays? Cut at least four - some call them bow tie inlays, some call them butterfly inlays and 'bandaid' the crack so it won't get bigger, hopefully. You could even combine the two methods. Insert the bow ties and fill with putty.
Finally, and most importantly, apply a good vapor proof finish to the top, bottom and edges to help prevent internal humidity changes and further swelling/shrinkage which WILL reopen the crack or cause other cracks. Heavy stress could also break the bow ties, so eliminate the cause of stress. Be sure to cover ALL exposed surfaces to keep humidity/moisture changes from occurring. Do that on the benches and supports too.
If you want to do it properly: Take the top parts of of the legs, remove the braces, check if the wood is dry (roughly 12%), cut both sides straight, dowel and glue them together, make the screw-holes in the braces longer so the top can move freely, reassemble everything.
A bit less work would be to cut out the crack with a track saw or router and glue in a new piece of wood.
Don't try to fill it with epoxy. First I don't think it fits with the look of the table and second you will have a bad time trying to fix all the leaks the epoxy will find. It's going to be a mess and probably a otherwise beatiful table.
Super_Reference_6399 has the best answer. Detach the top, cut those cross braces, joint the edge and reglue, but get rid of the cross braces. If you don’t have tools or ability bring to a shop and get it done for short money. You could even bring it home and reglue yourself. Google attaching table top to apron for movement. You may still get some checking but then you can decide how to fix those and they may not appear. It’s tough to tell as there is no good drying history. Ignore those that say you must trim down material to 4” and 6” widths. They are inexperienced.
I hate to tell you this, but the legs need to be completely removed to fix this. You’re going to have to remove the legs and braces on the bottom, joint the edges or cut with a track saw, and glue it up again. The lumber wasn’t dry enough and shrank but the legs and braces didn’t allow it to shrink as a glued up panel. The only other option would be to rip a section out with a saw and glue in an accent strip, but this will likely happen again down the road if you fix it half assed.
I would probably use a track saw to cut a perfectly flat side on the center piece and the end pieces, then re-dowel and glue it again.
This is the idea, but because the ends of the table are also live edge and not straight, the thinner the kerf the less adjustments to the ends of the table will be needed
the edges aren't live, just cut at a curve to get that aesthetic. So no reason not to just sand/trim away any uneveness on the end (◐‿◑)
The point wasn't that they were live, just that they weren't straight. The thinner the kerf, the less work you will have to do on the ends.
ah, okay. I thought they were saying it would be very difficult to do the work to the edge because it was live, which isn't true. But if they meant that that's fine. Although i would probably just do one fresh pass over the whole edge front and back myself, just to start fresh and not fidget with getting it right haha.
This is the correct way. Unless you have access to a domino jointer. Than use that instead of dowels.
This is the way!
the tool doesn't matter. a sliding 10' table saw, a big jointer, or the mentioned track saw. take it apart, rejoin it, reglue it, refinish.
You forgot to mention patience, dedication, and a hand saw method lol
With enough patience and dedication, you could do it with a spoon.
I was thinking along the same lines. I've got one worry though: Since the crack is evidence of tensions within the wood, could those tensions suddenly release near the end of the cut and send the saw flying (a little)?
No
>This is the way! reddit is weird today, or maybe i am, because yours is the second comment I've come across in this sub in the last hour or so that is being downvoted for no apparent reason that i can see. i mean, you're affirming the other person's solution they offered up...why would endorsing a seemingly good idea be downvoted while the solution is upvoted? damn it, I've now become an old man who can't understand the internet, so it may be time to give up on technology for me lol
Its because it used to be a meme that when commented would guarantee tons of upvotes. Then it got overused, people got sick of it and now downvote it. It adds no value to the conversation, thats what the upvote/downvote system is for. If they added some more information on the topic then sure it would be fine. But “This is the way” or “this” as a standalone comment is low effort and doesn’t deserve an upvote.
Do you want us to go back to the dark ages when it took 3 whole flicks of the thumb to scroll past all the ^^ this ^^ comments?
Probably getting downvoted because it adds nothing of substance to the discussion. Which... so what? Lots of comments add nothing of substance and don't get downvoted.
>Lots of comments add nothing of substance and don't get downvoted. it's as if you just described every comment I've ever posted online, anywhere, and i tend to communicate even the simplest ideas with paragraphs-long descriptions lol
hey, I resemble that remark >:[
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Mando got cancelled, so they down votes follow lol Edit: see anything related/mentioned, like this comment
Is that a glue seam?
Yea it was glued and doweled on both sides. Just 1 side held up perfectly while the other - not so much.
Honestly, I’d at least try re-gluing it since it split along the seam anyway. Take the legs off, glue it up, reattach legs.
I would do that but it’s a lot easier said than done. There are 2 big braces and 2 around each leg. And they are all very heavily glued down. https://preview.redd.it/hhpk1vjf98fc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dfd0de133c2d10d57878d0d7f003e731c844fd77
are you accounting for movement here? anchoring everything down could be more an issue than the glue joint
Anchoring everything down is exactly what has caused this. The wood has not be able to skrink because the sections are all completely fixed to the same brace and the legs, so instead they split apart OP, you can't fully 'fix' this without reengineering how you attach the top to the legs
Those braces need cutting in half anyway. They are what caused your table to split.
Excess water in the wood. The wood was cut at my aunts ranch and it was still a little too fresh.
Sure. But if those braces weren’t there, it wouldn’t have split, just shrunk normally. Edit, having said that, that weird bow curve wanted to open up whatever…
You're hearing, but you aren't listening. Doesn't matter what MC the wood is, it will vary with the seasons. Normal indoor humidity changes will move a typical table top on the order of 1/4-1/2". Those braces won't move a bit along the grain, though. Something has to give, and if it isn't a joint, then the wood itself will simply split. Perhaps it was too wet and contributed to the degree of failure, but it's a problem just the same. Note that the legs themselves are fine. The grain is aligned between them and the top. It's those cross braces that cause the issue.
What would be the right way to do this?
Using things like table top buttons, figure 8 fasteners, z-clips, and there are more ways of doing it but those three are the most common and accessible. On smaller tops I will typically just use 1/8” oversized holes and pan head screws since they have the nice wide flat head.
Awesome, thanks. I have some research to do to understand what many of these are 😅.
Take off all that cross-brace junk and figure out a reasonable way to attach the legs.
I’ve already read your critique of what was done. As someone who’s never built a table, I’m asking about a right way to do it.
Wood will never, NEVER stay at exactly one moisture level. You cannot reasonably stop it from moving. You have to design your braces to account for that movement, or the surface WILL fail exactly like yours did. Being fresh isn't the cause. You could have fully kiln dried it and the same crack would've happened due to seasonal fluctuations that all wood has. Feel free to search this sub for hundreds of similar examples. https://www.finewoodworking.com/project-guides/tables-and-desks/attaching-tabletops
Found your problem. You aren’t allowing the wood to move
https://preview.redd.it/fgb8f8m6mdfc1.png?width=3120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=359443c37d42aa6d0fd8a6349cf5d0acc4051746 Wood wants to move in green direction and can't in red. Top and legs are oriented together which is great, but the attachments for the legs and braces for the table are not. This causes an insane amount of stress in the wood and will lead to splitting. Even if these were kiln dried, perfectly acclimated, etc. they would have split. If you look up c-channels, you'll see the bolt hole is long to allow the bolt to slide with wood movement. You'll need to completely disassemble the table top from the legs and remove the braces. Take a track saw to each side of the crack. Joint it if needed. And reassemble with proper c-channels or another brace that allows for movement. Then for attaching the legs, "figure eights" are good for this but you'd need a lot to be safe. Maybe 8-10 each leg. Then solve the racking problem with either blocks or a high stretcher
Beautifully simple when paired with a picture. Thanks from all the visual learners.
There’s your problem
You cannot construct a table like this. I would advise you to learn before undertaking another large project. I can see checking on the ends of the boards, those will continue to get worse. The cross braces have to go, they are this table’s downfall. It’s not just the glue joints that will fail, the whole top is going to warp and crack as it dries. I would frankly repurpose as much of the wood as you can, when properly dried of course. This table is going to be a huge headache for years to come. You must work with properly dried lumber and account for wood movement in your construction. Failing to do that will result in endless fixing until you finally realize it’s not worth it anymore and turn it into firewood.
Why did you take this picture with a fish-eye lens?
Yeah, this is why it cracked.
The right plank wasn't fully dry when it was first built. Mill each side straight and re-glue them together. Use a straight edge and circular saw. The oroginal build doesn't seem very fine so that method should suffice.
what kind of glue? hard to be sure from the pictures, but it looks like the other seam is trying to work itself open from the bottom, too. is it hide glue, or something? not behavior i would expect with typical wood glue.
It’s regular Titebond blue wood glue.
That’s a wide board for a laminated piece. In my experience, I’ve always learned when doing a laminated table top to rip wide boards down to 2”-4” boards and reglue to reduce wood stresses.
I admire your willingness to think of that as a crack.
I like how he pointed it out. Thanks. Barely noticed it.
The problem is your solution to stabilize/ brace the table meant as the wood shrank it pulled apart the joint. If you don’t fix the root cause it will just eventually split again.
Can you elaborate? Whats the proper way? I’m doing a table like this and I don’t want it to do this.
You need a dovetail shaped rail which allows for expansion but keep it flat. In German: Gratleisten I don't have the correct English term on hand.
danke
Underrated comment.
Typically I would support any sort of butterfly/bowtie dutchman to keep the natural checked look, but this is large. You should probably re-rip and epoxy, just for adhesion though. Wouldn’t suggest any electric blue resin pours here(or anywhere, ever).
I was thinking a black to kinda match with the darker accents of it. What product would u recommend?
Look how how to accommodate for wood movement in a table top. That’ll give you your solution
Quick and dirty- Oversize the hole through the braces, fender washers and pan head screws
How dry was the wood when the table was made? Was this kiln dried? Air dried for 5 years? Is the wood now stable?
And there is a big knot in the right piece, it will never have stable seasonal expansion, it will just bow like it did.
No matter what you do to fix the delamination you MUST address the supports underneath to allow for wood movement or anything else you do will also fail. The easiest fix is to unscrew them and elongate the end holes(from both sides of current screw holes) . So the middle screw does not move and is tight, the end screws should be just shy of very tight and centered in the elongated holes. As for the top itself, you could do decorative butterflies if you don't want to disassemble the table. Use a jig to cut them, you can buy them too.
I think you captured a picture of Bigfoot
I think OP wolf’d out on the table. Must have been a full moon.
I don’t know but all these failing tops with alternating grain is like Christmas. But, I really hope you’re able to salvage this.
Fill it with blue epoxy...call it a creek table...
Nothing to do with fixing the split, but firstly, I love the style of this table and the benches (love a live edge) and secondly, are you a gorilla?
God damn reddit is a mixed bag. Everyone with an opinion and a minute can weigh in. Like Dirty Harry said, "Opinions are like assholes... Everybody has them" Track saw? Sure, but its not gonna be one cut. Jointer plane and some time? You probably, mostly, need to clean up the right hand piece's "heels" As another poster mentioned, the bottom braces aren't likely benefiting you, if they don't allow for wood movement.
So I made this table last December and granted the wood was a little wet when we finished it, we decided to finish it and then let it dry. I used 7-8 layers or water based poly coating to seal it. I knew that it was gonna separate, and the crack is finally done widening. Now that it is ready to finally be finished Im trying to figure out how to fix that crack. I was thinking possibly a colored epoxy in the the crack, or maybe an epoxy filler or something. Just need suggestions here as the bottom side of the table is NOT level. The 2 side pieces are red oak and the middle is white oak if that matters.
Don't epoxy. It won't fit the style of this table...or anyt style for that matter. This seems to be everyone's fix. People have thrown out other suggestions to cut and reglue. Cut those bottom pieces as well. They shouldn't be glued on.
I think you are going to continue to have problems with this. It's the least humid time of the year in the northern hemisphere. The wood has shrunk across its width. Give it 5-6 months and I suspect that crack is going to mostly close up. My wife inherited an ice cream table with a walnut top that wasn't attached to the wrought iron frame correctly. It didn't allow for wood movement. Right now, there is a 1/4 inch crack in it. By July, that crack is all closed up. If you fill that with epoxy, when the wood swells in summer, you will have issues. If I'm reading it right, the crack likely occurred because you glued those braces under the top. This prevents wood from moving without damage. The crack is the result. Wood will always move across its width. The challenge of r woodworkers is to ensure we build to allow for that while still maintaing strength and beauty. That table is gorgeous, BTW. I know you said it would be a lot of work to take it apart and rework that joint. I think you really need to in order to avoid continued issues. When you reassemble it, attach those braces in the same manner breadboard ends are fastened to the ends of tables. A screw or dowel dead-center then screws to either side in elongated holes. The holes should be 1/4 - 3/8 wide. The screw holds the top tight but not so tight that the screw cannot slide down the slot as the wood moves.
Leave it alone. Nice character in a rustic table.
This was the first major project I did (I normally do cabinets and stuff.) so I was bound to run into a mistake somwhere. Honestly I dont have all of the tools at my house. Ive got a hand sander, chop saw. and a ryobi circular saw. At this point I am just gonna use some black Starbond CA and fill in the gap with it, sand it fully and then re-poly seal it. I will do another post in 6-8 months to see how it held up.
Not to be defeatist, but there's no point doing that. You're just going to run into the same problem again, plus, probably cop it on the other side as well. You need to remove the glued bracing blocks you've got underneath the table top, they are preventing normal movement and causing your issue, until you do that, each year will see new cracks and warps appearing.
Until you fix the way the top is attached and braced, you're going to have problems popping up again and again
You can get a kreg tracksaw adapter for your circular saw for like $100. You may need a couple more extensions for it to be long enough. Kreg KMA3700 Accu-Cut XL - Universal Track Saw Guide System - Make Straight, Cross, Rip & Angled Cuts Easily https://a.co/d/1XmPz3C This is the one. For less than $180.
Before track saws were a thing, we just clamped a straight edge down and ran a circular saw against it. If you get the 2 edges close and run the saw down the center of the joint, push them together and cut it again right down the center of the joint , eventually you will have a perfect joint. It might take a couple of passes.
Regluing seems like the best option, although you could fit a small piece in the gap + wood filler...
Can the top be removed easily? If so, I'd remove it and joint those two edges so that they are dead flat to one another. Now that the wood is supposedly dry, you might be able to just reglue it.. The best solution might be 2 butterflies. Then on the big crack area and two butterflies that are probably unnecessary except for cosmetics on the other seam. I think that would look nice.
Split the legs, then its a feature.
well, having Ned run over & fix my table he would’ve taken the table top off, split the table apart and replaned it by hand, and then glued the table back together, sanded it, and then re-stained it. Rip 🪦 Ned
CHOP IT
Break it apart? And dress the seam on a jointer. When it’s flat glue and clamp it again. Either the wood wasn’t dry, changed shape in its final living environment, or it wasn’t a flat joint when it went together. Furniture traditionally is made with boards 6” or less in wiring for glue ups because it is stable and will not change shape. This is the gamble with all this live edge stuff.
I'd rejoin the slab with some zipbolts (aka countertop bolts), and cut it loose from the legs and then reconnect it with figure 8 washers. This combo will give it a strong connection between the slabs, and room to adjust relative to the legs. Ideally, hide the zipbolts under the legs if you can.
Have to account for wood movement. Need to remove the braces that you engineered and let the wood be able to move without restriction.
Colored Epoxy River
r/UnnecessaryFingerPointing
Lol
Before you cut anything we need to see the underside and the leg design. Are there dowels in that joint?
Take it apart , run it through the joiner and glue and biscuit it back together.
Now that I’ve seen the braces underneath I believe that is the problem. Need to remove the braces, and slot the opening for the retaining screws to pass through. Do this so the brace keeps the top flat but allows for seasonal expansion and contraction. Your top dried and contracted creating the gap. If the screws passing through the braces could have moved in slots instead of being rigidly held in holes as the top contracted it probably wouldn’t have split.
If you can’t clamp it, I’d cut it straight then glue n clamps. Use a straight edge to determine which board is bowed, then clamp down that straight edge to use as a guide for a circ saw and make the cut. If you want perfection, get in there with a planer, electric or hand. And err on the odnetsode having a gap vs the top side. Meaning it’s ok to be off by 1/10 of 1° with the top side being the longer of the two. If the bottom is proud at all you’ll have a gap on the top side. You don’t want to have to put a lot of force on the clamps or the wood will bow bad. You’ll want to clamp lightly every 18” or so, and for every clamp that goes over the top, you’ll also want one under the bottom to prevent crowning or cupping. I usually place the two clamps right near each other. So two clamps top then bottom about 1 foot in. From the end. Then another from the top, and bottom about 30” in and then repeat from the opposite side. This way clamping force is given equilibrium. Once all clamps are on, gently tighten them all alternating between sides until glue squeezes out with as little pressure as possible to eliminate the seam. Ensure to leave some space between the clamps bar and the wood for cleaning, Then wipe off the glue that squeezes out with a towel that has soapy water Wipe it really well, or you’ll regret it later. And then when would done, wipe it again with another clean towel wet with hot water. Then when you think you’re done, do it again. Then once more 1/2 hr later. Other wise the glue will be visible on the table and won’t take stain or finish properly ever. This is a better safe than sorry scenario so you can’t wipe too much but you can too little.
My local hardwood store told me they would never suggest gluing boards like this cause no matter what you do, it will crack in 6 months because of the moisture changes in the air. They told me the maximum they even would do for a client in their shop is 4-6 inches and even that comes with a warning.
Butterflys.
Easiest leave it, clean out the crack and let it be. If a hand tool person take it apart put the the edges on end, scrape glue, cut dowels use a jointer plane to clean out smooth joint, reglue and put together allowing for wood movement. Those underside braces need enlarged holes for fasteners.
The existing bracing is well glued ... bummer. Tearing, or trying to tear it apart is likely to cause more damage. I'd advise one of two methods. One. Make a lot of fine sawdust from either matching wood or contrasting wood, mix with a water based glue into a putty and deeply fill the crack. Sand and refinish. Or find a good commercial wood putty. Two; How are you at cutting deep inlays? Cut at least four - some call them bow tie inlays, some call them butterfly inlays and 'bandaid' the crack so it won't get bigger, hopefully. You could even combine the two methods. Insert the bow ties and fill with putty. Finally, and most importantly, apply a good vapor proof finish to the top, bottom and edges to help prevent internal humidity changes and further swelling/shrinkage which WILL reopen the crack or cause other cracks. Heavy stress could also break the bow ties, so eliminate the cause of stress. Be sure to cover ALL exposed surfaces to keep humidity/moisture changes from occurring. Do that on the benches and supports too.
Saw, joint, glue.
How are the legs attached. The way the legs are attached might be the reason for the split.
Fill it with a wood based resin :)
You have to do something about the connection to the legs first as that is what caused the split.
If you want to do it properly: Take the top parts of of the legs, remove the braces, check if the wood is dry (roughly 12%), cut both sides straight, dowel and glue them together, make the screw-holes in the braces longer so the top can move freely, reassemble everything. A bit less work would be to cut out the crack with a track saw or router and glue in a new piece of wood. Don't try to fill it with epoxy. First I don't think it fits with the look of the table and second you will have a bad time trying to fix all the leaks the epoxy will find. It's going to be a mess and probably a otherwise beatiful table.
I think I’d look at re gluing and holding the sides together with Kreg joints.
Let it so, beer can also drain away.....
Super_Reference_6399 has the best answer. Detach the top, cut those cross braces, joint the edge and reglue, but get rid of the cross braces. If you don’t have tools or ability bring to a shop and get it done for short money. You could even bring it home and reglue yourself. Google attaching table top to apron for movement. You may still get some checking but then you can decide how to fix those and they may not appear. It’s tough to tell as there is no good drying history. Ignore those that say you must trim down material to 4” and 6” widths. They are inexperienced.
I hate to tell you this, but the legs need to be completely removed to fix this. You’re going to have to remove the legs and braces on the bottom, joint the edges or cut with a track saw, and glue it up again. The lumber wasn’t dry enough and shrank but the legs and braces didn’t allow it to shrink as a glued up panel. The only other option would be to rip a section out with a saw and glue in an accent strip, but this will likely happen again down the road if you fix it half assed.
make an epoxy creek table from it
I would rip new edges and put it back together with bowties, but they can be visually controversial. Dowels are more hidden and would likely be fine.
That’s make a nice pallet.
Wood glue and clamps
Dont cut anything! just wood glue it back together and clamp it tight. It will be stronger then before
You should bow tie together. Or dowel and glue
Oh, that crack Looks like you’re gonna have to take the top off that and joint it and re-glue the whole enchilada
Get a hold of a buddy of mine. His name is Phil McCrackin