Thread: An "Oh dear" issue with a table frame

Option 2 is the way to go and you could repeat the "feature" on the other 3 sides to match.
Easily avoided in future by adding unique position markers on every joint. If the markers dont match when you are gluing up then you know you have made a mistake before it is too late.

Ross

No. 2

Option #3, cut the rails off as close to the legs as possible, drill out and chisel out the mortice in the legs.
Then in the rail ends cut matching mortice's, make some loose tennon stock... glue it back in the correct way.
You will only loose a couple mm in rail length and the repair will be invisible!

Originally Posted by Different

Option 2 is the way to go and you could repeat the "feature" on the other 3 sides to match.
Easily avoided in future by adding unique position markers on every joint. If the markers dont match when you are gluing up then you know you have made a mistake before it is too late.

Ross

Thanks all for your assistance.

Believe it or not, I did in fact have unique position markers on the frame at each corner (you would have thought that, plus the fairly obvious 10mm channel in the side of the rail would have avoided this problem - but apparently not) - I'm having trouble figuring out how things went astray, to be honest, however I think I prefer not to dwell on it too much as no matter what way I spin it, it is going to reflect badly on me

Scorch - I laud your honesty, & don't worry - anyone who hasn't done something equally silly either hasn't done much, or is too tediously anal to contemplate..... Hands up anyone who hasn't reversed the dovetails on a drawer side or something just as 'obvious', despite careful layout & identifying marks.

I'm with Different, and go for plan B, & also think it better not to try to hide the deed, as he says, in fact go for contrasting strips. Non-woodies will have no idea it wasn't intentional & tell any woodies who notice that it's a structural feature, an expansion slot to equalise stresses during seasonal movement. It'll be fun to see how many nod wisely and say 'Of course!'
Seriouslly, the only difficulty I can see is if your button slot is very deep, you may have to lift or lower the recut so you don't come through the rail....

Cheers,

I would rebate all around the apron and put a veneer edge around as a feature (I reckon most decoration is the result of concealing similar c@ckups)

If you get in quickly, you may be able to dissolve the Titebond II using white vinegar. Try brushing it liberally all around the joints to be broken, then forcing them apart with reversed clamps. Keep flushing with vinegar and don't force it too quickly.
Your job may be hard to do, because presumably you would have to separate 4 M&Ts at once, but it could be worth a try. I've used this on glue-ups up to 24 hours old.

Originally Posted by IanW

Scorch - I laud your honesty, & don't worry -

I always blame the pixies that live under the bench...wittle buggers

So I take it theres a groove all the way along one rail on the outside?

Then number 2 is the option IMO, or can you perhaps you could veneer over it

Oh dear, Oh dear, Oh dear.

Option 4. If the apron and the leg are not flush, you can glue a thin board (say 2mm-3mm) to cover the entire apron.

If it gives you any comfort, take a look at this!



I made the two longer sides/frames in the shed and didn't realize I had glued the LHS one wrong until I was up in the loft attaching the short end onto the longer sides! DANG !! At that stage I was to eager to finish the job to do anything about it. Unlike yours of course it does not affect the functionallity of the balustrade and no one has ever commented on it.

Good one Bob.

I know these things are quite frustrating. Nowadays I double check and triple check every time I make a cut.

I use a lot of masking tapes to mark which side faces out, which side faces in and where to cut the mortises.

Originally Posted by Wongo

.............
I use a lot of masking tapes to mark which side faces out, which side faces in and where to cut the mortises.

Good idea!

sCORCH, we've all done it!
I'd use plan 2, dress a piece of the same timber to fit in the groove. Don't forget that you don't need to cut a full groove on the 'new inside', just use your biscuit cutter to cut slots where you need them.
How do I know ................. ?
Fletty

ps, Wongo, what does the little sign say on the floor rail?
Fletty