how would you fix/hide this

[Brian Runau]

Building a dresser with inset drawers. I am using 3D adjustable guides. One corner of a cross member moved on me during glue up and I didn't catch it. It sits @ 1/32" short of being where it should be even with the front of the post. My initial though was to try and cut a piece to glue onto it across the face thicker on one end and down to nothing on the other and then hand plane it flush and square across so the drawer fits properly. 2nd thought was to try and split the 1/32" between the dresser frame and drawer front by planing/sanding as little(seems fraught with potential errors like giving yourself a hair cut) and kind of hide it from the eye and use the 3D to help me do this?

dresser corner.jpg

Appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks.

Brian

[Jamie Buxton]

If you try your first idea, you may be disappointed. A looong taper down to nothing is going to give you a chunk of exposed glue. That glue layer may be only a thousandth thick, but when you cut through it at a very shallow angle, the exposed patch may be an inch wide or more. If you want to do this, you'd be better served by cutting back the existing front enough that the glue line is completely invisible.

[johnny means]

I would cut the entire length back a quarter inch or so, accounting for the discrepancy . Then I would glue in another piece to bring it back up to flush.

[Lee Schierer]

I would cut the entire length back a quarter inch or so, accounting for the discrepancy . Then I would glue in another piece to bring it back up to flush.

Or just leave it alone since the top will pretty much cover the discrepancy.

Can you show us more of the joint?

[johnny means]

Or just leave it alone since the top will pretty much cover the discrepancy.

I guess that works if you just don't care about the quality of your work. A repair would take minutes, hackery is forever.

[John C Bush]

I hid a glue-up slip-up like that using epoxy. I was filling other voids/defects in a cherry desk and made a dam with blue tape and dribbled enough epoxy to make a level flow and it sanded and finished perfectly. Wouldn't have considered it if I weren't doing other patches anyway. Good luck.

[Brian Runau]

Here is a different view of the joint. This is the top of the dresser and this cross piece runs @ 36" to the other post on the right. Since it is an insert drawer I am concerned if the drawer is square in the opening the face will be proud of the cross piece starting @ 10" and moving towards this post winding up @ 1/32" proud of the cross piece at the post. It would still be flush with the post on this side at the top. Not sure what the best way to visually repair this might be..

Thanks for any positive suggestions.

Brian

dresser joint.jpg

[Brian Runau]

posted a larger picture below.

[Lee Schierer]

Here is a different view of the joint. This is the top of the dresser and this cross piece runs @ 36" to the other post on the right. Since it is an insert drawer I am concerned if the drawer is square in the opening the face will be proud of the cross piece starting @ 10" and moving towards this post winding up @ 1/32" proud of the cross piece at the post. It would still be flush with the post on this side at the top. Not sure what the best way to visually repair this might be..

Thanks for any positive suggestions.

Brian

dresser joint.jpg

How is the cross piece attached to the corner post?

[Zachary Hoyt]

I guess that works if you just don't care about the quality of your work. A repair would take minutes, hackery is forever.

Only death and diamonds are forever, last I knew.

[Cary Falk]

I would run a saw down the joint to cut it loose. I would cut a cross section of the top rail out of scrap the thickness of the saw kerf. Glue the cross section in the kerf and the top rail back in place where it should be and the use a pocket screw through the top of the joint to secure the joint

[Phil Mueller]

You may actually be able to loosen up the joint with steam or heat (or both) and use clamps to move it into alignment. What glue did you use?

Other options do appear to be to remove 1/8” or 1/16” across the entire front with a flush cut router bit and straight template and add a filler piece.

Or, you could hand plane the face of the post even with the cross piece...a gradual taper at some point from below it.

[Jim Matthews]

Stain the inside of the legs darker and it will be invisible when the drawers are installed.

[Al Launier]

Can you not cut it off and replace the entire piece?

[Frederick Skelly]

Or, you could hand plane the face of the post even with the cross piece...a gradual taper at some point from below it.

+1. That's what I was thinking too Phil. You'd probably also need to tune the drawer face. But I wonder if I'm missing something, because everyone else had more complex solutions.