Split bed rail repair - advice wanted

[BigShot]

Hi folks.

I've got a double bed frame I'm trying to fix up. Nothing amazing, but in generally good condition but for this crack (see pictures).

Both splits just apparently disappear into good wood after a short run. I'm calling the main one that breaks the board-edge the primary split and the smaller one running from just below the main knot the secondary one.

Any advice on a structurally sound way of fixing this?
Preferably using standard wood glue so I'm not having to run out to buy resins.

Lacking a better word, the beam down the middle (which carries the midpoint of the laths) is received by the block you can see just off to the left of the shot in the "Interior" image attached to this post. So it's got to carry some load.

I know it's possible to drill and dowel the end of a split to keep it from running further.
Is that the best way of going about this though?

I thought about finishing the split and then gluing the piece back in entirely but I have a feeling that it will follow the grain in the wrong direction and split the piece in two. Not a repair I relish the idea of engaging in if I can avoid it.

Any input greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[BigShot]

Feel free to play a spot-the-ball style game of spot-the-vice with that last shot.
That's the next job on my to-do list after this bed. Finish my (rickety old hand-me-down) bench so I can actually work on it properly.

 

[Racers]

Hi

I would glue and clamp it, you will need to work the glue in to the split by bending it and blowing the glue in with a straw.
Once its glued it should be stronger than before.

Pete

 

[BigShot]

Cheers Pete.
I was off out the door to go and buy straws just in case when I saw your reply. nice to know it won't be a wasted trip.

Thoughts on drill and dowel at the split ends?

 

[Racers]

Glue should be stronger than the wood so I can't see a dowel adding anything.


Pete

 

[blackrodd]

FWIW, I would cut the primary split about 3" after it disappears with the finest saw kerf blade you have, and keep teazing the split towards the cut and let the two meet, and take the piece out for glueing ALL the area, which should give you clean edge and no more splitting.
Glue and clamp the two damaged pieces back in their respective places.
Get an aluminium door push plate, cut to the rail width and drill and countersink series of holes that will strengthen the two areas and screw together, angled piece would be better
Although the glue is stronger, the repaired area will have a different conflicting material, the glue, The timber will want to expand and contract, as is natural. I would try and stop any reflexing that may occur. HTH Rodders

 

[Matt@]

use pva as it has some give in it. Squeeze glue from bottle into crack at the same time as hammering a thin screwdriver midway in the crack to open it as much as possible to allow glue to fully go in but be careful not to break it further. Use small palette knife to aid inserting of glue. Once fully glued, cramp. Once cramped and glue set, pilot drill and insert long screws to further reinforce the repair and plug holes. Often better to screw when intially gluing up so glue line isnt broken.....

 

[undergroundhunter]

I would tease glue into the joint and then add some dowel across the joint in a dovetailed fashion (the joint can then never reopen), as Pete says above the glue is stronger than the glue but I like belt and braces.

Matt

 

[swb58]

If the timber is pictured the same way as it is when in use then the 'load' is from above ..... yes? If that is the case then glue as mentioned above will be be quite adequate as the mechanical forces will be working to hold it all together. As it's been broken by a load from the underside (as pictured) I'd try and bend the timber so that the broken fibres under the top knot can be meshed together a little more tidily than they are at present.

Just shows what problems a knot can cause.

 

[BigShot]

swb - it was as you noted broken from 'below'. I'd flipped the piece for easier working.
I would have tried bending the rail had if not already been glued and clamped by the time I got to reading that. I piled my entire clamp collection in there including some sideways pressure to keep things in line though. Lots of spreaders too.

I'll keep that bending trick up my sleeve for a future problem knot.

Thanks.


Blackrodd - I did think about cutting the piece out. I couldn't see a way to tease the split in any deliberate direction though. Saw kerf was an issue too I'd have been making some ugly damage. I've only just thought I could have got away with my hacksaw but it's done now.

With the tools I had to hand - nothing particularly suited to such delicate work as repairs - it was tricky enough just opening the crack without marring the wood (and I wasn't entirely successful at that - got some ironing to do now) once I got to that point I was glad to just clean out the damaged fibres and glue up.
Cheers.


To everyone else that replied, thanks also.
I used some scraps from the woodburner pile to wedge open the split, then sat using some pointed tweezers to pluck out torn fibres to clear the way for a snug join.
Once that was done I applied the glue with a straw, and clamped up with plenty of spreaders holding everything in place. I even used a mallet to give a little percussive persuasion when it became necessary. I got a satisfying glue squeeze-out along the full length of the split (though little doubt some at the very ends will still be dry) so I'm pretty happy with the coverage. I'll do some test loading of the board to see if there's any discernible movement once it has cured up for a few days.
Either way I'm kinda tempted to back up the glue somehow. I think I'm leaving towards a wooden dovetail straddling the crack at this point rather than screw, but we'll see how that idea holds up when I've had a few days to think about it.

Thanks a million for the input. Every word of it appreciated.

 

[BigShot]

Actually, I assume it was broken while being loaded as designed. It looks that way but it may already have been a bit of a mess and the normal leading merely extended the existing crack. Either way though, plenty of glue in there now. We'll see how it holds up.

I've got it in the house for now. I don't know how long it would take to cure in the cold of that unheated workshop but it should be good in here. Still not hurrying things though. Slowly slowly glue-y monkey.