Feather strip channel filler

[cycopath]

I'm working on an antique table I'm trying to bring back to playable standards. One of the feather strip channels has quite a big piece of wood missing from the end of the rail. I'm extending the subrails (thanks to the posts by Glen and Donny), and so with this chunk of wood missing it causes a void. What filler can I use to reform the feather strip channel at that point? Is wood putty sufficient? Or should I use something even more sturdy like a two part resin filler like West Systems?

 

[Donny Wessels]

I'm working on an antique table I'm trying to bring back to playable standards. One of the feather strip channels has quite a big piece of wood missing from the end of the rail. I'm extending the subrails (thanks to the posts by Glen and Donny), and so with this chunk of wood missing it causes a void. What filler can I use to reform the feather strip channel at that point? Is wood putty sufficient? Or should I use something even more sturdy like a two part resin filler like West Systems?

send some pictures

 

[cycopath]

Feather strip pics

Thanks for any help or advice you can give.

 

[Donny Wessels]

Brian, my specialty isn't restoration. you can see that the problem has been with the table awhile, the last mechanic chose to staple and nail through the featherstrip to hold the cloth down. I would use bondo to repair this, not sure if that the best choice. If you seeing alot of inconsistancies with the width on the featherstrip groove you might want to also glue the cloth to the featherstrip using spray glue. You can do this by spray the edge of your rail cloth, pound the feather strip before the glue dries (this will allow you to stretch and move the cloth will pounding). Like I said, this isn't my specialty, someone might post with a better solution.

 

[tsp&b]

Brian, my specialty isn't restoration. you can see that the problem has been with the table awhile, the last mechanic chose to staple and nail through the featherstrip to hold the cloth down. I would use bondo to repair this, not sure if that the best choice. If you seeing alot of inconsistancies with the width on the featherstrip groove you might want to also glue the cloth to the featherstrip using spray glue. You can do this by spray the edge of your rail cloth, pound the feather strip before the glue dries (this will allow you to stretch and move the cloth will pounding). Like I said, this isn't my specialty, someone might post with a better solution.

All good suggestions but I would just spray adhesive (3M Super77) on the feather strip (one side and bottom) not the cloth. Wait till it is dry to install the feather strip as usual. Should work fine unless the grove is just super slopy.

 

[realkingcobra]

In a situation like yours, there's a few things I'd do. First, I'd make a square feather strip, by square, I mean the front and back side of the feather strip are equal to each other, no bevel! Then, I'd make it about 1/2" above the height of the rail, and make it fit the rail snug. Then I'd wrap the feather strip in magic tape, you know, clear scotch tape. Then, I'd tap the feather strip into the feather strip dado, sinking it to the bottom of the dado. With this feather strip in place, fill in the missing wood from the rail with bondo, flush it to the flat edge of the rail, and up to the feather strip. Don't use to much hardner, it'll dry to fast, and be to hard to work with. You're going to have to fill it in at least a couple of times. Once the bondo drys, then remove the feather strip, the bondo won't stick to it because of the plastic scotch tape, then make new feather strips that actually fit the dado.

Glen

PS. Bondo works better for repairs like this, than wood putty does. Wood putty drys on top to the touch, but takes for ever to dry deep down.

 

[Dartman]

First off with the rail being in the shape it is why the rush to tack on the extension? It also looks like the pocket flange is still attached. Would it not be better to fix the featherstrip problem first before what looks like a rush to extend the rails and slap the table back together?

Anyway, I guess bondo would work like RKC mentioned. IMO the better way to fix this is to cut out the whole section, fabricate a block of wood to the correct dimensions and glue it on and sand down to match perfectly. You could also make the block longer to incorporate the extension so you won't have to tack one on.

Might sound like a lot of work but I'd bet you'll spend a lot more time messing with a filler, which, if you don't get it perfect, is going to show the defect area once the cloth is stretched over it.

 

[realkingcobra]

First off with the rail being in the shape it is why the rush to tack on the extension? It also looks like the pocket flange is still attached. Would it not be better to fix the featherstrip problem first before what looks like a rush to extend the rails and slap the table back together?

Anyway, I guess bondo would work like RKC mentioned. IMO the better way to fix this is to cut out the whole section, fabricate a block of wood to the correct dimensions and glue it on and sand down to match perfectly. You could also make the block longer to incorporate the extension so you won't have to tack one on.

Might sound like a lot of work but I'd bet you'll spend a lot more time messing with a filler, which, if you don't get it perfect, is going to show the defect area once the cloth is stretched over it.

I would normaly agree with you Rick, but how many people have the tooling to do the job right? If the rails were brought into my shop, replacing the cushion block is the correct way to go.

Glen

 

[cycopath]

Actually, the extension is just tacked in with one finish nail, just to make it easier to see the missing piece of wood. The pocket is also just laying in place, not really connected. I do have a mitersaw, scroll saw, bandsaw, 12" planer, etc.. Benefits of having a family owned and operated pawnshop. So if cutting off the end of the subrail and reinstalling a new is the best way to go then that's what I'll do.

Thanks for all the good suggestions, guys.