To butterfly or not to butterfly

[John Hollander]

I have a walnut slab that I am finally getting some time to work on. I have two small cracks and a knot in the slab that I am trying to figure out what to do with. I am trying to figure out whether these should be filled with epoxy or if I should use butterfly keys.

http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab224/Jdhollander1/IMG_0183.jpg (http://s866.photobucket.com/user/Jdhollander1/media/IMG_0183.jpg.html)

Split #1
http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab224/Jdhollander1/IMG_0325.jpg (http://s866.photobucket.com/user/Jdhollander1/media/IMG_0325.jpg.html)

Split #2
http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab224/Jdhollander1/IMG_0327%201.jpg (http://s866.photobucket.com/user/Jdhollander1/media/IMG_0327%201.jpg.html)

Knot
http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab224/Jdhollander1/IMG_0326.jpg (http://s866.photobucket.com/user/Jdhollander1/media/IMG_0326.jpg.html)

Ive never worked with a slab like this so this is all new to me, I've also never used butterfly keys. Should I use butterfly keys for these splits? Also would it be a bad idea to put a butterfly over the knot? Any input would be greatly appreciated

[Yonak Hawkins]

John, dutchmen are used to prevent further splitting. As these cracks are in the interior, as long as the wood is dry, there's no danger of further splitting. I would use tinted epoxy or Bondo.

On the other hand, some do use a dutchman as a decorative element to cover a small defect. ..So the option is yours. Nice looking slab.

[David Helm]

Butterflies would look redundant in this situation. I vote for thickened epoxy (thickened with wood flour in the same color as your slab).

[Patrick Walsh]

Epoxy is my vote...

[Jim Dwight]

I also would epoxy. I usually use cheap 5 minute epoxy from harbor freight to fill things like this. I don't think I would even thicken it. It will run down in the cracks better if you don't. They don't look very wide.

[Prashun Patel]

I vote epoxy too. Also, routing an inlay through a knot may not be as graceful as in straighter grain sections.

[Matt Krusen]

The only one I would butterfly would be the one on the top right edge. It looks small enough that it probably won't cause any issues if just filled with epoxy. I'd be using the butterfly more for decorative effect I guess. Like others have said, just epoxy the rest and save yourself the hassle!

[John Hollander]

Thanks all for the suggestions. I think I'll go with the epoxy. Do people generally leave the epoxy clear, due it black or mix it with sawdust? If it matters I generally finish my walnut by wet sanding it with linseed oil and 400 grit followed by general finishes oil and urithane which produces a rich darker walnut color.

[Danny Hamsley]

You can buy black epoxy from Stewart McDonald, a luthier supplier. That is what I use. The black creates a nice feature. Those are pith cracks caused by the juvenile wood from the core shrinking more than the mature wood from the outside. They are stable.

[Bill McNiel]

I would use West System epoxy with just a drop or two of Black Transtint Dye. Even without the dye the voids created by the cracks and knot will appear fairly dark. No need for a Dutchman.

[ed vitanovec]

Epoxy would look nice, what about some crushed Stone mixed with the Epoxy. Turquoise and Black Epoxy looks really nice.

[Scott T Smith]

On black walnut I prefer black tinted epoxy.

[Prashun Patel]

If the split is narrow (< 1/16") I wouldn't bother to tint. If thicker, I'd add a drop of brown or black dye, or a few grains of dark sawdust. It doesn't take much.

This is just an opinion: I wouldn't try to highlight the scar; but I wouldn't try to make it look like i was hiding it. That's why I vote for a dark color.