Series editors' preface - Wood Tools

Figure 10.15 Jig used to keep fills level. The jig spans
the gap to be filled. G-cramps can be used to apply
pressure as indicated by the arrows. In cases where the
boards either side of the fillet are of uneven thickness,
packing can be used to ensure the upper decorative
face will be level
(a)
Figure 10.16 Methods of fixing boards that do not
restrain movement in response to fluctuations in RH.
Note that in all cases, the fixing is positioned to allow
movement across the grain
(a) Buttons. (b) Slot screwed supports applied to the
rear of a split component. Screws are positioned in the
middle of the slot (ii). Positioning the screws at the end
of the slot (i) would restrain movement of the panel
and could cause further damage. The slotted supports
are positioned across the grain (iii) and ensure that the
screws do not restrain movement of the component in
response to fluctuations in RH. The split is shown for
illustrative purposes, but would be closed before the
screws were ‘nip’ tightened. The bevelled-edged slots
can be made using a pillar drill. (c) Shrinkage plates
Principles of conserving and repairing wooden furniture 463
problematic substructure, such as cleated
boards or a framed door with flush panels, an
unobtrusive repair may be impossible without
major intervention such as lifting the veneer
and re-laying it on a different substrate (Figure
10.14). Since the original construction
contributes historical and monetary value to
the object, such treatment can offer an
aesthetic improvement but may devalue the
object in the long term.
The treatment options for shrinkage splits
will depend on the construction of the
substrate, the presence of a decorative surface,
the position and width of the split, and,
perhaps most importantly, the need to select a
treatment that will not need to be repeated in
the future and will not cause further damage.
(b)
(c)
i
iii
ii