Kents private wwpotter archive : Re: Cracked boom...

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Ed... let's talk about... Wood
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If the wood is still good, epoxy will work fine. Open up the crack =
a little and push the epoxy in as far as possible. =20
=20
In a different hobby of mind I had success in repairing cracks in =
wood by:
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Using "long" cure epoxy. This gives the epoxy more time to wick =
deeper into the crack.
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Warm the epoxy up in a bowl of hot (not boiling) water (to thin it =
out). Careful here, use enough to do the job but not much more. Epoxy =
can produce it's own heat (to the point of boiling) if left to cure in a =
large enough mass. A friend of mine mixed his epoxy in a narrow =
container so it would produce it's own heat, but I found that using a =
wide bowl set in a pan of hot water gave me more control.=20
=20
Open the crack a little (you don't want to make the crack longer)=20
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Push the epoxy into the crack with a thin, stiff wire (piano, from a =
hobby store).
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Clamp the piece together.
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While the epoxy is still wet you can wipe the excess off with a rag =
moistened (not soaked) with a little alcohol.
=20
NOTE: In the past I thined epoxy (after mixing) with a little =
alcohol, but was told that could prove disastrous so I quit and switched =
to the heating method.
=20
The epoxy will be stronger than the surrounding wood, but if you =
want to make the patch even stronger (so the piece doesn't crack again =
in another place) you can drill through the piece (perpendicular to the =
crack) and epoxy in a hardwood dowel in a couple of places.
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Above all, follow the instructions and wear the safety gear. Epoxy =
is funny stuff and can be quite hazardous to your health. =20
=20
Another NOTE: All epoxies aren't created equal. I have used (in =
small amounts) about 10 different brands and they all acted differently =
so do a test run first.
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LCL
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My wooden boom split in the middle near the end where the clew is =
attached to a cleat mounted on the boom. The split is about 8-10" long. =
Any suggestions on repairing it? I am wondering if I can epoxy it =
together, fill the screw holes, and reposition the cleat.
=20
Ed Zeiser=20
West Wight Potter P14 "Wisp"
Welcome to my world...

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If the wood is still good, epoxy = will work=20 fine. Open up the crack a little and push the epoxy in as far = as=20 possible.

Using "long" cure = epoxy. This=20 gives the epoxy more time to wick deeper into the = crack.

Warm the epoxy up in a bowl of hot = (not=20 boiling) water (to thin it out). Careful here, use enough to = do the=20 job but not much more. Epoxy can produce it's own heat (to the = point=20 of boiling) if left to cure in a large enough mass. A friend = of mine=20 mixed his epoxy in a narrow container so it would produce it's own = heat, but=20 I found that using a wide bowl set in a pan of hot water gave me = more=20 control.

Push the epoxy into the crack with = a thin,=20 stiff wire (piano, from a hobby store).

While the epoxy is still wet you = can wipe the=20 excess off with a rag moistened (not soaked) with a little=20 alcohol.

NOTE: In the past I thined epoxy = (after mixing)=20 with a little alcohol, but was told that could prove disastrous so I = quit=20 and switched to the heating method.

The epoxy will be stronger than the = surrounding=20 wood, but if you want to make the patch even stronger (so the piece = doesn't=20 crack again in another place) you can drill through the piece = (perpendicular=20 to the crack) and epoxy in a hardwood dowel in a couple of=20 places.

Above all, follow the instructions = and wear the=20 safety gear. Epoxy is funny stuff and can be quite hazardous = to your=20 health.

Another NOTE: All epoxies = aren't created=20 equal. I have used (in small amounts) about 10 different = brands and=20 they all acted differently so do a test run first.

My=20 wooden boom split in the middle near the end where the clew is = attached to a=20 cleat mounted on the boom. The split is about 8-10" long. Any=20 suggestions on repairing it? I am wondering if I can epoxy it = together, fill=20 the screw holes, and reposition the cleat.