Ruined night table leg - salvageable?

[Alex Berkovsky]

While cutting a biscuit slot, the biscuit jointer "walked" to the left and ruined the leg. Before I throw it the scrap pile, is there anything that you can suggest that can fix it. I can make it the back leg so that the screw-up is not noticeable as much. The rightmost pencil line shows where the slot was supposed to end; the left pencil mark shows where the bottom of the table is.

What can I do to prevent the biscuit jointer from sliding?

[Rusty Eads]

I have cut a mortise on the wrong side of a leg on a bed I was making and I "fixed it" by making a plug for it out of the same type of wood. It's still noticeable, but like you said if you make it the back leg it would probably be hidden anyways. You could cut a sliver of wood the same width of the slot and glue it in and then plane it or sand it flush.

[Jay Allen]

What can I do to prevent the biscuit jointer from sliding?
There "should be" spring-loaded (retractable) prongs on the face of your biscuit jointer. They are there for exactly this reason. But this pic looks like you plunged at least twice? with the movement happening between them.
There are a few fixes.
Cut out the bad place and inlay a new piece of wood.
Veneer over the entire side of the leg.
Either of these will work, especially if you turn it to the back.....or make a new one.

What brand of biscuit jointer do you have?

Just and observation: Is this slot for some kind of apron for a shelf? Biscuits are not the greatest way to go about this. You would be much better off with a couple of dowels or some other type of loose-tennon. Biscuits are ok for faceframes and other low-stress items, but stretchers and aprons and not their best thing.

[Chris Kennedy]

My plate jointer has an abrasive pad on the front to prevent it from sliding (I have a PC), and I know the DeWalt has the prongs (other models may as well). If you have neither of those on yours, I would suggest gluing a piece of sandpaper to give some grip.

In terms of technique, I clamp the workpiece, if the piece is small and hard to register the entire fence, I sometimes hold the fence rather than the bale handle, pressing down as I plunge the machine.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

Chris

[Jerome Stanek]

Can you cut the biscuit in the right place and maybe fluie to the sides of each leg to make it appear that it was supposed to be that way.

[Peter Aeschliman]

Cut out the bad place and inlay a new piece of wood.

That's what I was thinking... Norm calls it a "dutchman". I have this kit from Rockler... if you get one, make sure to only take very shallow cuts and go slow. I had the router bit shear off the first time I used it (rockler replace it for me).

http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/product_details.cfm?offerings_id=2007

Or you could simply route out a perfectly square section with your router (square up the corners with a chisel) and glue in a filler piece of the same dimensions.

If you find a piece of scrap with fairly well-matched grain, it shouldn't be too noticeable.

[johnny means]

I would rabbet out that whole corner and glue in a well matched stick and no one but me would ever know.

[Rick Fisher]

I would cut a 1/8" thick veneer, and glue it over the damaged side of the leg. Then plane the other side of the leg 1/8" .. If your rounding the edges a bit, the seam will disappear.

I have veneered the face grain side of fir table legs to create edge grain on all 4 sides, its not as much work as it sounds.

[Keith Hankins]

While cutting a biscuit slot, the biscuit jointer "walked" to the left and ruined the leg. Before I throw it the scrap pile, is there anything that you can suggest that can fix it. I can make it the back leg so that the screw-up is not noticeable as much. The rightmost pencil line shows where the slot was supposed to end; the left pencil mark shows where the bottom of the table is.

What can I do to prevent the biscuit jointer from sliding?

Man thats an easy fix. Have you never heard of a design change. If it were me, I'd take it to the router table put a rabbit lip all the way around or down one edge and glue a contrasting wood like walnut and give it a decrative edge! People will be amazed at your artistic abilities and craftsmanship.
I did a set of drawers once and they wound up with a laminated cockbead around the edge due to a screw up er ah design change. The client loved it. Someone else once said, the mark of a craftsman is the ability to cover one's mistakes.

[Alex Berkovsky]

There "should be" spring-loaded (retractable) prongs on the face of your biscuit jointer. They are there for exactly this reason. But this pic looks like you plunged at least twice? with the movement happening between them.
There are a few fixes.
Cut out the bad place and inlay a new piece of wood.
Veneer over the entire side of the leg.
Either of these will work, especially if you turn it to the back.....or make a new one.

What brand of biscuit jointer do you have?

Just and observation: Is this slot for some kind of apron for a shelf? Biscuits are not the greatest way to go about this. You would be much better off with a couple of dowels or some other type of loose-tennon. Biscuits are ok for faceframes and other low-stress items, but stretchers and aprons and not their best thing.

First of all, thanks to all for all the ideas. I will probably rabbet the edge and glue in a piece of maple.

Jay,
I have a DeWalt biscuit jointer and have not seen any spring-loaded retractable prongs; will have another look when I get home.
About your observation... I am following the plans that I purchased from Wood Magazine. I have already made a dresser the same way using biscuits and it's holding up just fine. Basically, the sides of the nightstand are glued with biscuits into the legs.

http://www.woodstore.net/nightstand1.html

[Prashun Patel]

I wouldn't rabbet the edge. I'd use a chisel to make the errant slot a little deeper on the end and glue in a machined piece into the void.

I think these beauty marks make a piece unique and wonderful.

The big question is whether to try to make it match or to make it contrast...

[Bob Wingard]

Put a strip of masking tape over the bad spot .. .. cut a slit in the tape, directly over the void .. .. fill the cavity with any good wood filler (Durham's is a good choice) .. .. remove the tape .. .. scrape/sand the surface level .. .. "paint" in a little grain with a tiny brush .. .. continue building your project.

Try to locate the affected leg in a place where the damage will be less noticed.