Repairing an exploded chalice

[Brian Kent]

I exploded a chalice. Really nice wood - Ipe. 4" diameter base and cup, 1+" stem diameter, 10" high. I decided not to do the right thing (throw the wood away). I will instead try to repair it. It is dry wood which had been a university bench for years. Can I have your vote on repair technique?

Titebond II.
Epoxy.
Epoxy with metal shavings or turquoise dust.
Epoxy with a layer of metal foil on all of the repair lines.

Whatever I use, I know it may be only good for sitting on a shelf and looking pretty.

Thanks.

[Reed Gray]

Depends on how the pieced dry fit together and if you found them all.... I generally don't use epoxy. Titebond 1 and some stretch film to clamp it together..... Epoxy only if you have major chunks gone.... Some times things fit together nicely, some times not...

robo hippy

[John Keeton]

Another vote for Titebond.

[Alex Zeller]

My deck is made from Tigerwood. I did plenty of research into Ipe and other hardwood decking options. These woods have a very high amount of silica in them as well as some natural oils that don't like most wood glues. Wood glue likes to absorb into the grains of the wood and uses the the small amount of moisture in the wood to help them cure. When I did my deck I face screwed the boards down with stainless screws and then glued plugs to cover them up. I used Titebond III. I brushed glue into the hole then tapped the plug into place. Being a friction fit I didn't bother with some of the other recommended steps. I did read that using something like acetone to remove any oil from the surface first will help. I read where one person in Brazil said they use a torch after the acetone dries. Also there are some epoxies that are designed to work with Ipe. If you use something like Gorilla Glue you may need to wet the wood with water first to help it cure.

[Tom Giacomo]

Titebond if no parts are missing.

[andy bessette]

WEST epoxy.

[JohnC Lucas]

The line will always show so I would make it a feature. Color the epoxy or mix a metal powder with it. Titebond will work and in some rare cases the crack won't show but it's pretty rare and has to be side grain to side grain to be invisible.