Seeking advice--Cracked drawer face

[Chad Johnson]

Any advice on how to repair the cracked drawer face in the picture? The board had a slight crack that really opens up when I assemble the drawer. I have considered putty, epoxy and trying to loosen the dovetail fit so the split doesn't open up when the drawer is assembled. Thanks in advance!

[scott vroom]

First off, I'd scrap it and make another drawer front. Having said that, you could pry the crack open with a knife and then use a putty knife to smoosh glue into the crack, using a utility knife blade to get it into the narrowest part of the crack. Then clamp it for an hour or two and sand. I've made this type of repair on paint grade stock with great results. The purists will howl, but it will work if properly executed.

[Shawn Pixley]

Like Scot said, I'd rebuild the front. If fixing, first fix the dovetail that is splitting the front. Afterwards, I'd use a syringe to work glue into the crack and then clamp it. Be careful of glue on the show face.

[Brian Holcombe]

I'd repair the crack if you can take apart the joint. The socket is too tight, so it must be made wider. If you repair it 'as is' it will stand out quite badly.

[Lee Schierer]

Disassemble the drawer front. Trim a small amount of material off the top of the dovetail key until the crack doesn't open when you slide the parts together. Then, grab some dental floss and work glue down into the crack as far as you can. Once the glue is in clamp the face between two blocks of wood with wax paper on each side of the face to keep the wood blocks from sticking. Use light clamp pressure. Then clamp the crack closed with an additional clamp across the width of the drawer face. Let the glue set up and then sand the area to remove all trace of glue. Carefully test fit the drawer slide trimming additional material off the top tail if needed. You should have a nearly invisible repair and a tight joint.

[Jim Dwight]

What Lee said. If you don't mess with the crack and just fix the dovetail so it doesn't keep splitting the face and glue it together then sand after the glue dries, you won't be able to see the crack. No need for a new face.

[Pat Barry]

Disassemble the drawer front. Trim a small amount of material off the top of the dovetail key until the crack doesn't open when you slide the parts together. Then, grab some dental floss and work glue down into the crack as far as you can. Once the glue is in clamp the face between two blocks of wood with wax paper on each side of the face to keep the wood blocks from sticking. Use light clamp pressure. Then clamp the crack closed with an additional clamp across the width of the drawer face. Let the glue set up and then sand the area to remove all trace of glue. Carefully test fit the drawer slide trimming additional material off the top tail if needed. You should have a nearly invisible repair and a tight joint.
I do like this approach. I don't think you need to scrap the front just yet

[lawrence dosson]

I have good luck using a shop vac to suck glue into cracks what others said fix the fit first
place a rag over the shop vac end push it against the opposite side it will pull the glue right into the crack

[Jeff Duncan]

One of the things that makes a good woodworker is being able to fix his/her mistakes so nobody can find them;) I would never even consider giving up and scrapping it. As has been stated, fix the joint then fix the crack. Done well it should not noticeable to anyone but you.

good luck,
JeffD

[Kent A Bathurst]

I'm with Lee - to a point.

First is to fix the dovetail that is causing the problem - something needs to be pared down slightly - either the tail or the pin.

Once you can assemble it without the crack opening up.........CA Thin. It will "wick" right into even the tiniest crack. And - you can sand it down, so nothing of the repair will show. At least, not from the outside.

[ken masoumi]

I have good luck using a shop vac to suck glue into cracks what others said fix the fit first
place a rag over the shop vac end push it against the opposite side it will pull the glue right into the crack
+1, That's exactly how I would approach this, I have done it a couple of times ,works great.

[Martin Wasner]

I have good luck using a shop vac to suck glue into cracks what others said fix the fit first
place a rag over the shop vac end push it against the opposite side it will pull the glue right into the crack

I've done that with epoxy doing fibreglass repairs on my boat, I've never thought about trying it with wood glue.

With that said, I've blasted glue into cracks using compressed air plenty of times.

[Jim Matthews]

+1 on this method.

If you can can disassemble the works, this is a recoverable failure.
It's a good looking front, and those are a shame to waste.