I've been working (forever it seems) on a William and Mary table. I've finished construction and was doing the final once over to clean up any glue smudges, sanding scratches, whatever. Then it happened. I dropped the table top. one corner suffered a crack and chipped off piece. The opposite adjacent corner (this would be the front of the table top) had a really bad crushed corner. I was able to find the chipped off piece and have that corner glued back together, I actually think it won't be noticeable. The crushed corner is a "who knows" at this point. I have it standing up and put some water on it, then covered that corner with a small patch of wet terrycloth. I think the crushed portion is too bad to expect it to swell back out completely, but I might get some of it back. Sorry for the fuzzy pic of the crushed corner, I had already started the repair after I took the pic...but before I looked at it in the computer. My plan right now is to use the top however it comes out, but there is a chance I'll be so unhappy with it I might make another. Crap!

 

 

Edited April 8, 20215 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr

 

That surely sucks.  Hope it is salvageable.

I hate when that happens.  Is the construction such that you could cut 1/8" off each side to remove the damage?

 

.40

Maybe a slightly smaller table??? .... .40 beat me to it.

Oh no... I'm sure it will still turn out nicely....

I've had some luck with the wet towel method but I also used a hot iron to create some steam. 

1 hour ago, forty_caliber said:

I hate when that happens.  Is the construction such that you could cut 1/8" off each side to remove the damage?

 

.40

My first thought exactly!

1 hour ago, lew said:

I've had some luck with the wet towel method but I also used a hot iron to create some steam. 

 

 ... I'm with Lew on using an iron to create steam to get the wood to swell.

I've had good results getting about 1/8" to swell back out.

1 hour ago, lew said:

I've had some luck with the wet towel method but I also used a hot iron to create some steam. 

I've used that method too, getting a hammer ding  out of pine.  I'm guessing the hardness of the wood would be a factor.

At this point it's actually looking fairly good. I did take my heat gun and heat it up a little, then resumed soaking. But the suggestion to trim 1/8" or so off the top is a good one, and quite workable. That's now become plan B is the water doesn't work.

ruh roh.....

OK, I think the repairs turned out acceptable, if not perfect. Actually, the glued in chipped piece is darn near perfect (1st pic). The crushed corner didn't come out as good, but it's acceptable. You can still see some dent, but you have to look for it. Also, on the underside is a bit of chipout that showed up as the wood expanded. I wound up letting it soak and heating with a heat gun which took care of maybe 3/4s of the damage. Then I did what Larry mentioned and put my iron over a damp cloth on the damage...that got what was left (mostly). So now I just have to make sure  don't drop it again. I wiped some MS on the corners to make it show up better.

Edited April 8, 20215 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr

We won't tell anyone Fred. 

Edited April 8, 20215 yr by Larry Buskirk

Wow Fred that's a great save .This is one of those deals were only you will notice any imperfection.

Man alive! I thought for sure you were going to have to rip it off. Nice save, Fred. 

Yes, Fred.  Really nice save.  Your secret is safe here.  

16 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

Man alive! I thought for sure you were going to have to rip it off. Nice save, Fred. 

 

My thoughts exactly

 

You are the man, Fred

I have to admit, I thought sawing it off was going to be my salvation. I had no idea the crushed portion would expand out as well as it did.

Edited April 9, 20215 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr

Great save!  It looks good.