Enhancing a crack

[sunnybob]

When you have all stopped sniggering...... :roll:

My latest animal bandsaw box has walnut on both sides, and both sides have a crack running along the wood because I ripped a thicker piece in half to make the two outside pieces.

I kind of like "interesting" wood and it was there when I started, but during the making of the box the crack has become more pronounced.

I dont want to hide it, but it would be nice if there was way to "enhance" the thing to make it obvious it was there when I started, rather than having to "apologise" for the split.
Any ideas?

Oh, tried liquid glass, but I was not happy with the result.

 

[novocaine]

gold leaf.

 

[sammy.se]

Gold. Embrace the Japanese Kintsugiprinciple...

 

[Droogs]

cheaper than gold, mix bronze/brass powder with the liquid clear and cold cast into the crack. Once dry sand and then buff up and will look like you filled it with metal

 

[sunnybob]

Well thats an answer I didnt expect.

This is one of those "I dont know what I want but I will when I see it" moments.

Strangely, we still have a few sheets of gold leaf from an uncle. That stuff must be 80 years old in its present form.

Droogs, dont have any metal powder, and i can guarantee its not on the shelf in my local DIY shop.
I shall have to consider the gold leaf when I get back into the workshop tomorrow. meanwhile, any other exotic or esoteric suggestions?

 

[memzey]

Not helpful I know but as soon as I saw the title of this thread I couldn’t help but think of that Kardashian woman....

 

[sunnybob]

Didnt I tell you not to respond untill AFTER the sniggers?
(hammer) (hammer) (hammer)
The split (it is more of a split than a crack) runs all across the front and back of the box. Any smaller and it wouldnt be noticed. i just cant decide whether to fill it with glue and sawdust, or leave it alone, or even fill it with gold (but I'd have to make it wider to get gold leaf in there.

Decisions decisions.

 

[MikeG.]

A photo would really help here.

Walnut can be quite dark. If it is, you might fill the crack with some white filler for contrast, or some black filler as a sort-of highlight. I'm not sure I would be looking at the metallic thing unless the crack was particularly decorative.

 

[CHJ]

If the split is that fine, Wet Sand it with some medium or thick (slower setting) CA glue and let the 'sludge' fill the crack.

If you have very fine sanding dust (240grit) you may get away with using that with Thin CA if you are quick.

Cellulose or Acrylic sanding sealer and fine dust also works but without the added benefit of improving the bond between the wood sections.

Use these methods all the time on turned items using feature wood.

 

[Honest John]

What about, mixing some white Milliput and working it into your crack. Leave it overnight befor sanding it flat. That would look quite different and deliberate against the dark walnut.

 

[sunnybob]

I've looked at this for a couple of days now, and I'm going to just leave it as is. I would have to make the whole thing considerably wider to use any kind of infil, and to my mind it would just take the eye away from the shape.
It will just have that "instant antique" look. 8)
Once I have a couple coats of varnish on it I'll post a pic.

 

[Bm101]

I had 3 really decent teachers in my schooling. Couple of crackers, some complete losses. Most middlin' to average.
Dave Barton was my art teacher at 16. Love to have a pint with the man now. Legend.
Of all the the good teachers I had he was the one that inspired me that there was something a bit more to design and the mind although it might be a bit undefinable. Why is three a better number than four? Mathematically it's not. Try and plant 4 plants together and make them look right though. He told me about classical design, the golden ratio all sorts. Dave Barton was a legend. He showed me pictures of the classics and explained the legends behind them. Where else would I have heard of that. And I bet he did that to 100's of kids over the years. Enthused their appetites for knowledge. Saw them grow exponentially.
Anyway.
The most important thing he conveyed to me, an angry young man, (yup), was that there is a time to stop.
Take a breath, pick up the pen, the chisel, whatever. Walk away.
He said knowing when to stop was more important than knowing when to start.
Here's to you Dave Barton. Wherever you are now. Great advice.
Just saying Bob. Maybe you are right.